In February, March and April of this year (2025) dancers Maxine Louie and Gary MacIntosh went on a unique tour, planned and organized by Maxine, with Gary’s enthusiastic support.
Some comments from Gary: “Maxine has put together two albums of our trip to China …one on the places that we visited and another one on different themes of the trip that showed up again and again in different cities and slightly different forms. We had a fabulous time, these albums don’t come close to expressing that. Just to pique your interest, we saw people dancing in every city that we visited in China. During the day it was in the parks, in the evening it was on the sidewalks. All types of dance: ballroom, folk, line dancing, exercising, men, women, children, beginners, accomplished. We never expected to see any of that, it was just one of many things that caught us off garde and made the trip more of an adventure than a holiday. A few facts that escaped editing, but nothing that alters the narrative in a significant way. “
One month was consumed with travel to and fro. The two months of exploration in China are documented by location in the first set of links, below.
Next follows a series of album links based on themes. Maxine’s words: “If you don’t watch any of this, it’s OK, it’s very long, but we loved everyday of our trip.” And looking at the photos, you can see why!
ALBUM LINKS FOR TWO MONTH TRAVELS IN CHINA
Introduction: https://photos.app.goo.gl/
Kunming, our first stop: https://photos.app.goo.gl/
Chengdu and the Pandas: https://photos.app.
Guilin to Yangshuo: https://photos.app.
Guangzhou: https://photos.
Hangzhou and West Lake: https://photos.app.goo.
Shanghai and Suzhou: https://photos.app.goo.gl/
Nanjing: https://photos.app.
Beijing and so many places: https://photos.app.goo.gl/
Xi’an and Terra Cotta Warriors; https://photos.app.
Jiayuguan and the Ming Great Wall: https://photos.app.goo.
Dunhuang and the Mogao Caves: https://photos.app.
Urumqi in Xinjiang, our last stop: https://photos.app.goo.
LINKS TO THEMED ALBUMS
Maxine’s family in Zhongshan: https://photos.app.
Meeting Cousin Charlie and the Literati of Hangzhou: https://photos.app.
China in costume: https://photos.app.
Architecture: https://photos.
Food: https://photos.app.goo.
Locals having outdoor fun videos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/
Public transit: https://photos.app.
Cars, scooters, tuk tuks: https://photos.app.goo.
Statues: https://photos.app.
And now, the last installment: How Maxine and Gary got to China and back.
“We left Toronto on Feb 2, got to China on Feb 20, stopping in Istanbul, New Delhi, Bangkok. We left China on April 20 to Samarkand and Bukhara in Uzbekistan, and from there to Istanbul on April 27, for our last 2 nights away. Back to Toronto on April 29.
It’s taken me awhile to get this last 4 weeks done, as I check into the background of each place, and edit the photos, add in the stories. We enjoyed every day. Would love to go back to Asia, so much that is fantastic and amazing.
As I said before, no obligation to view, but I think everyone should go to Uzbekistan.”….(Maxine)
Istanbul there and back: https://photos.app.goo.
New Delhi and the Golden Triangle: https://photos.app.
Bangkok: https://photos.app.
Samarkand: https://photos.app.