Review on my Jiuhuashan trip

It's a month since we are back from China Jiuhuashan and time flies...

Received comment that I slimmed down after I am back from the trip but I didn't do much there, I still eat alot during the trip but they are mostly organic fresh vegetables, I only really walked more than usual days versus sitting in front of PC & desk during the day. (And now 1 month back, tummy gaining back...:P)

We woke up around 4am daily to prepare for the morning chanting with the Sangha, had relaxing hours during the day and wondered how time passed so slowly in comparison to Spore hours while we were at temple premises.

What I like about Pilgrim trips are the greater possibilities to meet good Sangha. This trip is also fruitful, no only get to know our tour-mates but we get to know new China friends.
Is it the culture is different? When overseas, we get to freely conversed with the Sangha.
Their culture of lay-followers having meals with Venerables in 1 table, ice-breaking instantly with each other helping to serve dishes to one another. Opportunities to enquire to clarify doubts, with also indirect answers via wise non-answer moments...

Caring volunteers, compassionate brothers and also the guardians of the temple accompanying us to the back mountains...
Various fellow brothers having the same given names that if we gather 1 day, may be twins, triplets or quartlets? Interesting to be addressed in the given name CX and given same name as a compassionate brother, I hope to learn from her compassionate ways demonstrated in her way of life. (Taking care of our meals, bringing us around despite her busy schedule, offering food to the less fortunate, apologetic to not having coins to dana to the beggars, sweeping wasted rice to the bushes for the ants)
Brother CM who had fetch us from airport and accompanied us to the temple and who saw my clumsiness had kindly demonstrated the right way of prostration which really helped in following days.
A commented that when she is at the temple, she feels like she has returned home...