On the first day we visited one of Luoyang’s many Peony flowers gardens. The most beautiful flower perfectly planted as far as the eye can see. What a magnificent place to enjoy a warm spring day. Next, we visited one of China’s greatest ancient monuments – the Longmen Grottoes. They house tens of thousands of statues of Buddha and his disciples carved into the mountain. Listed by UNESCO World Heritage List as “an outstanding manifestation of human artistic creativity”. A true monument for the cultural sophistication of Tang China. Walking below the giant Buddha statues made me realize that we are just tiny drops in the vast river of time. After taking a short boat ride to marvel upon these statues on the river, we went to the White Horse Temple. It is the origin of Buddhism in China. Seeing the smoke of burning incense raising towards the heavens in the White Horse Temple filled me with inner peace. We concluded this amazing day by visiting the opening ceremony of the Peony flower festival. The show was just stunning to watch from our great VIP seats – from its ancient past, forged by history to the present day. It proved to me that China’s glory not only lies in its great past but that it also has the dedication, will and resources to extend it into the future.
The next day, we went for a boat cruise on the Yellow river. Passing steep rocks this vast river with all its history is one of the rivers everyone should see. After a great lunch we hiked the surrounding mountains and we had to overcome our fears while passing a glass bridge. After passing the monuments nature gifted this place, we passed a narrow canyon and returned to the city. Finally, we reached a temple and a pagoda from which we had a perfect view over the mountain ridges. The old part of the city contains a monumental city gate from which we enjoyed the view upon its busy streets. The day ended with a feast like for a king. I enjoyed 24 dishes of the spicy local cuisine. A meal to remember.
On the final day we started with a visit of Luoyang’s marvelous endless Peony gardens. Besides its natural works of art, we were also amazed by the craftsmanship of Luoyang’s artists. Beautiful works of silk and porcelain can be found in the city center. Our amazing adventure ended by participating in a TV production about China’s empress. After studying ancient Chinese poems, I had the great honor to perform by reciting a poem about Luoyang.
The destinations were all magnificent, the hotels luxurious, the food delicious and the care supreme. The itinerary was perfectly planned with a variety of destinations, everyone with their own characteristics and beauty. I can with all my heart recommend to visit Luoyang, a magnificent city to visit for everyone. I was truly surprised of the stunning beauty and exciting experiences Luoyang has to offer. Unfamiliar at first, our shared love for travelling forged an everlasting brotherhood. We travel, some of us forever, to seek other places, other lives, other souls.