CHINA TODAY: WHERE ANCIENT FUTURISTIC MEETS

Fabled cities, phenomenal landscapes, fascinating flora and fauna, fantastic food, fabulous fashion finds, funny moments and, most importantly, friendship.

- VICKY VELOSO-BARRERA

That sums up the nine days I recently spent in the cities of Chengdu, Jiuzhaigou, Chongqing, Huaihua and Zhangjiajie in the provinces of Sichuan and Hunan in China. Those action-packed days barely scratched the surface of a land filled with incredible natural beauty, welcoming people and over-the-moon technology.

The stylish, indefatigable, and learned former Senator Nikki Coseteng arranged for this cultural tour with the generous support of Ambassador Carlos Chan, the Filipino Chinese Associations of the Philippines Inc. and the Filipino Chinese Friendship Association. Thirty-nine of us embarked on this adventure, with ages ranging from 14 to 76, and professions in education, media, architecture, medicine, engineering, urban development and business. There were high school and college students in the group. We were here to see for ourselves today's China and draw our own conclusions amid the negative rhetoric always hurled at this country.

Though mostly strangers to each other at first, our group became fast friends as we hurdled tight schedules, harrowing bullet train boarding times and our physical limitations. We delighted in the stupendous topography of the land with its majestic mountains, lakes and waterfalls. We were enchanted by the juxtaposition of the ancient and the futuristic that we came across everywhere. Our motley group helped each other, laughed at our many bloopers and misadventures and came away from the trip, thoughtful and changed.

"I want to introduce you to the China I know today," said former Senator Nikki Coseteng at an orientation dinner prior to our trip. The granddaughter of the first mayor of Xiamen, Nikki has witnessed the tremendous changes in China in over 50 visits to that country beginning in the '80s.