Artwork, travel, and musings by artist, Gail H. Shelton.
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| I hope to be seeing more of these in their native country...really soon! We start our first leg today, driving to New Orleans to catch the plane tomorrow morning. Everyone in my group seems to be ready and excited. I hope it will be a great trip. I have already booked next summer's trip to the Galapagos Islands, leaving July 14th for 10 days. This is a fascinating place, loaded with lots of unique and amazing animals and birds. We will fly into Quito, Ecuador, and tour there, and then board a small cruise ship to the islands. We will sail several days around each island, going ashore to see the great tortoises, blue-footed boobies (a rare bird), and lots of other sea life and aquatic animals. We are scheduled to snorkel with the sea turtles, and possibly swim with some dolphins. It sounds really great...any of you that think you might like to go, please let me know. The sooner you get signed up, the better. You can begin paying monthly on your trip, and that always makes it easier. Don't miss this chance to go somewhere really special. I would love to have you along. sheltongail@hotmail.com |
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| I haven't mentioned much about the trip to China lately, so I thought I would share some details. The trip is scheduled for July 24, and it is 15 days. We fly into Beijing, the cosmopolitan northern capital. We spend 4 days exploring there...walking on the Great Wall, crossing Tianamen Square, and seeing the Forbidden City. There will also be some free time in the city. |
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| My sister in law gave me this beautiful Chinese Brush painting book, and I hope to be able to paint some of the Chinese subjects while there. If you go, you can watch me do it! This is a cute panda painting in the book. We leave Beijing and board a riverboat cruise down the Yangtze River, where we will see rice paddies and villages, and sail through several mountain gorges and see some magnificent scenery. We are on the boat for 4 days. |
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Then it is on to Xi'an, where we will see the giant pandas (woohoo!), and the famous terra cotta warriors: clay statues of hundreds of warriors that were buried, and have been excavated. These warriors, along with the Great Wall, are two main things on my personal bucket list...check, and check. |
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| Another nice little Chinese painting from the book...I hope to do some similar in my sketchbook that I will create during the trip. I do have a sumi brush that is used for this style of work, and I plan to take it with me. We travel to Shanghai at the end of our journey, and spend time in this bustling city...taking in the food, gardens, and culture of this fascinating place. It is not too late to sign up for this wonderful chance of a lifetime... to tour this mysterious and beautiful country, accompanied by a professional tour guide, fellow travelers with a passion for exploration and adventure, and several artists who will be painting and sketching along the way. You certainly do not have to be an artist to go, and you can join us from any location. If you would like more info, just let me know. I have 7 joining me so far, but I would love to have many more. There are 21 spots left in the group, and if you are considering going, you should decide soon. Any questions, please feel free to email me or call. Thanks! sheltongail@hotmail.com 318-628-3560 |
