Sunday, Day 1: Los Angeles to Beijing
Monday, Day 2: En Route
Cross the international date line.
Tuesday, Day 3: Beijing
China’s single greatest repository of monuments and
treasures from the Imperial era, Beijing is also the
political and administrative center of the People’s
Republic of China. Home to 12 million individuals,
it is the second largest and fastest growing
municipality in modern China.
This afternoon is free for your own activities or
rest at the hotel.
Welcome dinner
Wednesday, Day 4: Beijing
Program briefing: Discuss the political and
cultural diversity of China and receive further
information on the delegation
Professional Overview: Status and delivery of ophthalmology in China
Professional program focusing on:
- Cataract and glaucoma
- Recent advances in treatment of medical retinal disease: age-related macular degeneration, retinal vein occlusion, and diabetic retinopathy
Guest program:
Old Beijing’s culture and customs will come to life
as you spend time with a family in the old Hutong
area. Gain an understanding of how the locals really
live by immersing yourself in their lives, even if
only for a short time.
The still water of reflecting pools and exotic
foliage stirring in the breeze will entice you to
explore the largest and best-preserved royal garden
in China. The Summer Palace has been an urban oasis
for the last 800 years and was restored to its
original splendor in the early 20th century.
Thursday, Day 5: Beijing
The 9,999 rooms of the Forbidden City (Imperial
Palace) await a thorough exploration. In the
morning, delegates and guests will enter the
massive stone walls that protected the emperors of
the Ming and Qing dynasties for nearly 500 years.
Twenty-four emperors walked over the same stone
bridges, through the intricate arches, and past the
traditional lion statues as you will.
The mysteries of construction and conquest have
drawn people to the Great Wall of China for nearly
2,000 years. This afternoon, enjoy breathtaking
views from the wall’s high vantage points and
meander along a section set in a rugged, mountainous
landscape.
Friday, Day 6: Beijing
Professional program focusing on:
- Perplexing problems in pediatric ophthalmology
Guest program:
Experience Yong He Gong, also known as the Lama
Temple. This temple is Beijing’s most active
Buddhist temple. Built in 1694 as a palace of a
prince, Yong He Gong became a Buddhist temple in
1723.
Spend several hours at the Temple of Heaven. For
hundreds of years, Ming-dynasty emperors came to the
Temple of Heaven on the winter solstice to offer
sacrifices to the gods in hopes of a good harvest.
Larger even than the Forbidden City, it was built in
1420 and is one of the largest parks in the city.
Saturday, Day 7: Beijing to Guilin
Revered by the Chinese for its mystic landscapes and
magnificent geologic features, Guilin is home to the
meandering Li River, natural stone towers, and
broad, green plains. Its natural wonders have
inspired poets and artists for centuries. Guilin is
also a significant manufacturing center and
transportation link, but in the surrounding
countryside, the old traditions of rural China
continue uninterrupted.
Sunday, Day 8: Guilin
Soak in the spectacular beauty of China’s heartland
and people during a Li River boat cruise.
Delegates and guests will catch glimpses of
local life while floating past waterfront and
farming activities and may even see fishermen using
cormorant birds to catch fish. The cruise will end
in Yangshuo, 40 miles southeast of Guilin. Visit the
teaming free markets of Yangshuo, and learn a little
of the town’s 1,400-year history.
Monday, Day 9: Guilin
Professional program focusing on:
- Current concepts in ophthalmic plastic surgery
Guest program:
Explore the Reed Flute Cave, one of the more famous
caves in Guilin. A 500-meter trail winds past
unusual formations that colored lights cause to
resemble coral, agate, amber and jade. With
prompting from knowledgeable guides, their shapes
will conjure up images of old trees, dense shrubs,
ferocious beasts and human forms. A vast grotto is
located inside the cave, capable of holding up to
1,000 people. According to legend, the stone pillar
in the grotto is the Dragon King’s magic needle,
used as a weapon by the Monkey King in the popular
Chinese fable and novel “Journey to the West.”
Tuesday, Day 10: Guilin to Shanghai
Shanghai, the fourth largest city in the world, is
one of China’s most cosmopolitan areas. More than
half of Shanghai’s 13 million people live in the
urban core, and it is a leading cultural and
educational center of China.
Wednesday, Day 11: Shanghai
Professional program focusing on:
- Board certification – a means for continuous quality improvement
- Ophthalmology curriculum for medical students
Guest program:
Enjoy a visit to the residence of Madam Song, the
wife of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the founder of the People’s
Republic of China.
Afterward, participate in an excursion to the
Shanghai Senior Citizen University in the Pu Tuo
district. The university was founded in 1985 and
offers courses in Chinese painting, calligraphy,
knitting, flower arrangements, mounting pictures and
traditional Chinese sports.
Thursday, Day 12: Shanghai
Yu Garden, bordering Old Town, is filled with stone
dragons, teahouses, pavilions and goldfish ponds.
Delegates and guests can relax for a few hours
while strolling through the serene grounds before
perusing the Shanghai Museum’s 120,000 cultural
relics. Representing all the historical periods of
ancient China, the museum’s collections include
bronzes, ceramics, paintings, calligraphy and
ancient sculptures. Established in 1952 and located
in People's Square, the museum is reputed to be one
of the four largest in China.
A farewell banquet on the final evening in China
will give delegates and guests a chance to
recap their People to People experience.
Friday, Day 13: Shanghai to Los Angeles
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