The China Rowing Trip: The Last Part

Apr 19, 2018
2 min read

Didn't start from the beginning? Go back here to Part One.

We all slept well that night, and the next day, while still filled with memories and places and beautiful sights, was calmer: it felt like stolen time, to be sipped and appreciated. We had managed to skip going to the Sports College entirely: the director wasn’t there and no one else seemed anxious to take his spot. We lounged around the Zhejiang museum with our group, Elaine’s aunt, some rowers, some coaches…everyone seemed disinclined to split off, to go back to their usual schedules. At last we were brought to a sort of House O’ Dumplings where even more rowers showed up from nowhere to help bring trayloads of food to our group.

Ultimately, it was time to get on the bus and head to Shanghai, where we had decided to sleep the last night ..close to the airport and past any possible morning traffic jams. Tears were shed…by the Chinese masters, by Elaine, by my boys, as the bus pulled out of town and we all fell asleep.

These right here are a bunch of friends...no longer guests and hosts...just a bunch of happy rowers!
Marcello hadn't felt well the nightbefore but a ride on Mom's back... and a subsequent visit to the knick-knack store... made everything right again.
Everyone! Port or starboard! Stroke or bow! Selfies must be taken!
This part of the Zhejiang Museum blew the mind of our teens (and grown-ups!). Beautiful, elegant pottery made before even the Greeks in Europe had learned how to pick their noses.
At our last lunch, rowers appeared out of nowhere to order and serve vast quantities of dumplings.
This last batch of selfies made me laugh out loud, so covered was everyone's phones in dumpling sauces!
Back on our bus for the last time, Enzo pulled out the mic and reminded us all of the amazing experiences we'd just had, and the truly important stuff to remember.

Any normal travelogue at this point would be over: we slept near the airport, what else could happen? Well, these sheltered Italian teenagers were now seasoned China travelers! And so EVERYONE slipped out of the hotel as soon as possible to explore the surrounding neighborhood. Weird-stuff-on-sticks was tasted, local grocery stores were hit up for mangoes and iced tea, the local square was populated by Italians wearing bright red Zhejiang Rowing Club t-shirts, giggling with a bunch of local middle-schoolers on the exercise equipment. Authentic noodle shops were found and patronized. Everyone speculated as to the level of the people in the area…were they middle class? Lower class? Happy with their buying power? Striving for better?

Enzo and I had already seen all of this. We had our own theories and ideas and impressions, well-seasoned over many trips. So we just sat back, and let the seeds of future world travelers take root, and grow.

Francesco getting his crewmates to try to the delicios street kebabs
Antonio happily showing off the best noodles any of us had ever had in our lives.
It was truly awesome to see how our gang...all 24 of us...couldn't stand to stay in the hotel even for five minutes when there streets to explore.