Day 15 -16 Xiamen - Amsterdam - Dublin

We taxied to the airport. The queue for the security was enormous but it moved amazingly quickly. Passed through security and had a long walk to Gate 8, which happened to be in Terminal 1, although we had checked in, again quickly and efficiently, at Terminal 2!!!! 

China airlines 

departed 10 minutes late at 10.55!! It is a 1.20 hour flight, during which we were served lunch!  On arrival, we taxied to the hotel.

On arrival at Day’s Inn, the nearest airport hotel we could find online, there was no record of our reservation even though as usual we had booked through Hotels.com. The staff spoke no English (amazing for an American chain) so we were back to Google translate - well not Google because Google is not allowed in China but some such version Finally, a young guest did the needful and we were checked in - both passports and visa numbers copied!! 

The room had no English instructions and as a chambermaid tried to set the air conditioning, our young knight appeared again and explained how the air-conditioning and the WiFi (such as it is here - very restricted) operated!! 

As we were up at 06.00, we are taking it easy. The attractions of Xiamen are the island we visited on our outward stay (can you recall its name? ) and a Temple but I think I’m ‘templed out’. 

This evening we decided to venture in Zhongshan Street, one of the largest shopping streets in Xiamen. 

The street is over 100 years old and had the architecture to match - so rare in China as many of the cities are recent constructs! 

The street had the international designer brands together with international high street shops. It is ironic how much Chinese society revers American brands. This street must have stretched for a km at least! Police were everywhere some armed in riot gear!! 

The least sign of trouble here and it would be nipped in the bud!! Much of the street was pedestrianised and off it were the food streets with all kinds of everything!! 

The staff member at the restaurant we chose went to great lengths to explain the menu - there’s always the photographs!! 

We depart at 12.15 tomorrow on a KLM flight via Schipol to Dublin. (11.18 hours)  

KLM is a partner of Xiamen airlines. Unfortunately, unlike our outward flight, we have a 4 hour layover at Schipol on  this occasion.....

These last two posts will be published from Schipol - can’t publish here!!!!!!

 

This trip certainly ranks among our highlights. I would recommend that if you intend to visit Taiwan, do so immediately as the tourism is still in its infancy there and the Westerners haven’t yet arrived.! (I saw less than 10 in the total trip and that included the airports).

Until the next trip ........Xiexie (pronounced Sheh shay) Thank  you