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Future tours arranged by Christine-Ann Richards: CHINA TOUR 2015 SW. CHINA & LAOS 7th - 25th January Journey through the tribal area of Yunnan Province & Xishuangbanna into Laos and to the ancient capital of Luang Prabang Wenying has always teased me with ‘living in the past’! Now she understands! In January she and Lao Mei spent a month travelling from Jingdezhen through SW China, to places previously visited by our groups, and across the border into Laos. It was only as they neared the borders into Laos and Burma that the tribal villages still retained their characteristic architecture and way of life, but for how long? This may possibly be the last opportunity to visit the tribal area of SW China before it is consumed by concrete! Many of the tribal villages previously visited with such joy, in Guizhou and Yunnan Provinces, have lost their tribal characteristics and been replaced by anonymous concrete buildings. Yunnan is home to 13 ethnic minorities with their own traditions in ceramics, textiles, jewellery, papermaking and architecture. We will visit local artists and craftsmen as we travel overland in a small bus which will give us the opportunity to get off the beaten track. It is an area of stunning limestone karst scenery, primeval forest, mountains, tea, rare plants and animals. Crossing the border into Laos we will spend 4 nights in Luang Prabang. The city is encircled by peaks and camouflaged by dense tropical foliage and features a cluster of shimmering royal temples as well as beautiful French colonial architecture. We will have the opportunity to visit Ban Chan Pottery village nestling along the banks of the Mekong River. There has been a tradition of wood fired earthenware pottery in this small riverside village for centuries and the villagers still continue the tradition. Landprice: £2,850 including internal flights   --    International return flights TBA Previous Tours List of past tours arranged by Christine-Ann Richards: CHINA: Contemporary & Traditional Ceramics in Eastern China 10^th Anniversary Tour with Li Wenying 6^th – 30^th October 2013 CHINA: Contemporary & Traditional Ceramics in South East China 6^th – 24^th March 2012 CHINA: Indigo and Clay 19^th March – 3^rd April 2011 CHINA: Contemporary & Traditional Ceramics in North China 8^th – 26^th May 2010 CHINA: Western China & the Southern Silk Road 5^th – 27^th September 2008 CHINA: The ‘Mingei’ Tradition in Central China 26^th February – 20^th March 2008 UZBEKISTAN: The Silk Road in Central Asia Sunday 20th – Tuesday 29th August 2006 CHINA: The ‘Mingei’ Tradition in South West China Saturday 26th February – Sunday 20th March 2005 CELEBRATE: 25th Anniversary of 1st Craft Potters Association Trip to CHINA & 1,000 years of Porcelain Production in Jingdezhen October 2nd – 21st October 2003 UZBEKISTAN: THE SILK ROAD IN CENTRAL ASIA 16th September - 3rd October 2001 ORIENTAL CERAMIC SOCIETY TOUR TO CHINA 21st October - 11th November 2000