In human history, 700 years is not a great length of time, however an enormous amount

of changes can occur over seven centuries.In the 13th century when Marco Polo made his historic trip to China, both communications and transportation were extremely basic, with none of today's technology, and contact between nations was minimal. People in the West had heard wild stories about Orientals a race of short people with "yellow" skin. And to people in the East,Westerners were known only as being "barbarians"with red hair and green eyes. It was in this climate of ignorance and misunderstanding that the three Polos set out for the East.

There can be no doubt that Marco Polo was an extraordinary man. Not only did he travel beyond the conventional boundaries for European travellers of that time, he also lived as a foreigner in China for 17 years under the protection of the Great Kublai Khan. As if this were not remarkable enough, upon his return to his own country he was promptly put into prison, where he wrote The Travels,a book that would change the course of history forever.