Beijing Travel Guide
As an internationally well-known ancient and young metropolis, Beijing, the great capital city of the People’s Republic of China, is called Jing for short. It lies on the northwest of the Huabei Plain, around 150 kilometers to the northwest of Bohai Sea. Measuring over 16, 800 square kilometers, Beijing has a total population of approximately 13.819 million. To the north of the city is the Jundu Mountain, to the west the Xi Mountain and to the southeast of Beijing is the alluvial plain formed by the Yongding and Chaobai Rivers and slopes towards the Bohai Sea. About 62 % of the whole territory is mountainous land with a large variety of minerals and metals such as coals, iron and superior construction materials like granite and white marble.
Being the capital of the P. R. China, Beijing is the heart of politics, economy, transportation, culture and art of this great country. As a most ancient municipality on this planet, Beijing is also home to a large number of natural wonders, manmade miracles and cultural heritage, which not only belongs to China, but also to the whole world. Functioning as a window for China to communicate with the outside world, Beijing is a dynamic city with a full range of industries and a place where many cultures meet and blend. After China adopted the reform and opening up policy in 1978 and especially after the ninth Five-year Plan, the Beijing municipal government introduced the new concept of “Capital Economy.” This core idea of the new concept was that Beijing’s economic growth should be based on the capital itself, serve the whole country, and face up to the whole world. The restructuring of the traditional economy and industry is now under way, the mode of economic growth is more adaptable to the new domestic and international setting, and more importance has been attached to the healthy, sustainable and harmonious economic development. Beijing is among the most dynamic regions and has the strongest economy in terms of GDP per capita in China.
Beijing has abundant tourist resources, with more than 200 scenic spots open to visitors throughout the world; good examples are the Forbidden City – the largest royal palace in the world; the Temple of Heaven where the emperors paid their devotional admiration to the Heaven hundreds of years ago; the imperial garden – Beihai park; the important holiday resort of the royal family – Summer Palace; the most magnificent defense project on this globe – the Great Wall as well as the Mansion of Prince Gong – the largest Siheyuan (the compound with houses around courtyard). Beijing has 7, 309 listed historical sites of varying importance, among which, 42 are at the national level, 222 are at the municipal level. At present Beijing boasts 456 star rated hotels with a total of about 84, 000 guest rooms. The 456 travel services in Beijing have more than 5,000 professional tourist guides who speak 21 languages and serve visitors from every corner of the world. In 2000 Beijing had received 2.821 million tourists from abroad, with total tourism revenue of about 2.77 billion US dollars. Beijing is listed by the National Tourism Administration as one of the Superior Tourist Cities in China.
Beijing is a combination of tradition and modern prosperity. To the southeast of the huge city lies a vast plain and to the northwest of Beijing are the winding Taihang Mountain and Yanshan Mountain. Relics of imperial gardens, ancient temples & tombs of the royal family infuse profound cultural elements to Beijing. Sheer cliffs, twisting springs and brooks add an enchanting element to suburban Beijing. The crowded pedestrian streets in the city center and countless shopping malls that are scattered across the city bring the old city commercial prosperity and vigor. Beijing, as the capital city of a many feudal dynasties, boast grand imperial palaces, gardens, temple, altars, tombs, among other ancient architecture that still exhibit their ancient grandeur and glory.
The most typical ancient imperial architecture in Beijing is the Forbidden City, which was the home of 24 emperors from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It is the largest scale architectural cluster of its kind on this planet. Its typical Chinese architectural style and tradition are a bright pearl in the treasure house of Chinese cultural heritage. The Summer Palace, on the other hand, boasts an elegance that was imported form southern China and the grandeur that typically seen in architecture in northern China. The clear water and green hills of the Summer Palace bring an international reputation to this great garden.
The Temple of Heaven is the biggest ancient architectural cluster for sacrificial purposes in China. It was also nominated as a world cultural heritage site. Being the place where the emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties paid their worship to the Heaven, the temple is known for its unique layout and beautiful environment. The Ming 13 tombs are the largest imperial tombs zones where 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty are buried. Among the 13 tombs, Ding Ling, or Tomb of Ding is the largest.
The imposing Great Wall is the largest military defense project in the human history. It is famous for its long history, and the hardship of building such a great architecture in different topographies. Nominated by the UNESCO as a world heritage site, the Great wall is often quoted among the Eight Wonders in the globe.
There are a number of important religious sites in Beijing. Some well known temples are the Biyun Temple or, Temple of Green Cloud; a Buddhist center in China, the Baiyunguan, or the Taoist Temple of White Cloud, Yonghe Place, or Lama Temple for the Tibetan Lamaism and the Mosque of Niujie. Tiananmen Square in front of the Forbidden City is the largest city square in the world. One million people can gather and hold events.
The suburbs of Beijing contain other famous scenic spots known for their gorgeous natural attractions. Xiangshan Park or Fragrant Mountain Park in the northwest and the Zizhu Garden (Garden of Purple Bamboo) and well as the elegant Yuyuantan Garden in the east to name just a few.
Beijing’s entry in to the high-tech age is evidenced by its own booming Silicon Valley – Zhongguanchun. Nearby this scientific park, the internationally known universities Beijing University and the Tsinghua University produce graduates who are very capable of competing with the best in the world.
Beijing has distinct four seasons: the gentle and bright spring, the hot summer, the golden autumn and snow-white winter. Each of these seasons holds their own unique characteristics and beauty. The city’s, differing topography provides many opportunities for adventure sports such as rock climbing, white water rafting. A drive of 70 or 80 kilometers from the city center, will allow one to reach the suburb of Beijing and embrace nature. The eight district and two counties of Beijing are waiting for your arrival.
For more China destination information, you can visit Chinatravel.com
2008 Olympics: Propaganda and the Chinese hosts
There is no doubt, that question were been ask when choosing Beijing as host city for the Olympics, first it was a hurdle to jump over, when considering that the organisation will be bringing the modern games into the pages of ancient history, with one fifth of the worlds population totalling 1.3 billion people.
It was a big gamble, to suggest a country steep in dense friction, would have the courage to change their way of thinking, and be a little open-minded to accommodate western freedom and innovations. Rather than promoting propaganda, Beijing is a city launching itself into the modern arena of western civilization. They will still repress the rights of dissidents, but in time, divided interests will come to the table for discussion.
The transformation of Beijing is quiet remarkable, when considering the ring of doubt that had pervaded over the country, with its amazing buildings and complete new look of oriental revamp, anticipation is running at fever pitch for the up coming Olympic games, people will crack out the sweets and bemuse themselves in moments of adrenalin.
China desires to dispel traditional stigma, and ditch their old creaky image, that has been hanging around like a dirty cloud, some residents have been forced out of communities into other suburbs to live, in order for the authorities to undertake and develop their massive reconstruction program.
With the world at their feet and the sky remaining still dirty, Beijing has the look of a capital masculinity going wild in outpouring emotions, china has never had so much interest, never before had they been the focus of such attention, with their hard days suspiciously behind them, peoples confidence is rising again along with the city smog, we all want to believe that the Chinese capital is ready to host the Olympic games.
But inadvertently, questions still remains to be answered, will the games be a great success amidst the mess, we would like think so, because athletes have gone to great lengths in preparation for this feast of enjoyment, the athletes themselves will definitely turn it on with their trained skills, but will Beijing be a turn off? Republicans and democratic wants to make this propaganda stitch up, but other nations needs to reassert themselves with the green way of thinking, before kicking down the back door of Beijing.
Expectation is high, there is no getting away from that, locals will be watching with national pride, but the world will be analysing every
What is a China Package Tour?
A China tour package means the tour you take is escorted with your own personal tour guide and private driver. And the domestic flights, accommodation, transportation, transfers to the airport/hotel, most meals and sightseeing in this package are also included. With a package tour, your trip can be as worry- free in the country which you have never been to before.
With its long history and splendid culture, its beautiful landscape, and fast development, China has become more and more appealing among the overseas visitors, no wonder China is predicted to be the No. 1 tourist destination by 2010. Here, the package tour offers you the best-selected programs taking you wherever you want to go. The tour guides will help interpret the ancient history and culture of China and make sure you never feel alone. The tour driver is licensed, insured, and extremely experienced. When going to a site, the driver will wait in the car for you to return and will keep a close eye on your belongings.
The popular package tours include majestic Great Wall in Beijing, the amazing historical wonder – Terracotta Warriors in Xian, the stunning beautiful Li River in Guilin, the modern wonders of dynamic in Shanghai and Hong Kong, and as well as the breathtaking natural wonders of the Yangtze River. These all make the reasons for people to travel to China.
With an abundance of historical and cultural world heritage sites like Great Wall, Forbidden City, Beijing is undoubtedly number one place to go.
The Great Wall is considered as one of the Seven Wonders of the World and enlisted in the World Heritage by UNESCO in 1987. The total length of the Great Wall is 6,700 kilometers long stretching from Shanhaiguan Pass in the east to Jiayuguan Pass in the west.
The Forbidden City has more than 9,000 rooms and covers an area of 72 hectares. It is the largest and the best preserved Imperial Palace in the world.
Xian was the capital of six ancient dynasties of China. The Terracotta Warriors and Horses in Xian is one of the most remarkable archaeological discoveries of all times. Altogether over 7,000 pottery soldiers, horses, chariots, and even weapons have been unearthed there. The discovery of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses has been called the 8th Wonder of the World.
The Yangtze River Three Gorges are unparalleled among China natural highlights. The gorges of this famous river climb thousands of feet on both sides, and it is truly breathtaking to witness. The Yangtze cruise package offers shore excursions including ancient cliff coffins at Shennong Stream and exploring the historic temples of Shibaozhai. These quaint locations offer some of the best natural and historical sightseeing China has to offer.
China package tour offers you the opportunity to experience the Real China, to learn about its history and culture. When you return home, you will understand that we all are “People of the World”.
Xinjiang Plays World Human Rights Stepchild to Rock Star Tibet
While Tibet has played the role of China’s “rock star” to human rights activists around the world, China’s Xinjiang Province has been treated more like an unwanted stepchild. One reason is that Tibet has a true rock star in the exiled Dalai Lama. Another reason is that the strife in Xinjiang involves Muslim ethnic minorities with alleged ties to the most hated man in the Western world — Osama Bin Laden. All of this, however, is simply unfair because what is happening in Xinjiang in terms of human rights violations may be even worse than the Tibetan repression.
Xinjiang is China’s largest province geographically but, with its extremes of heat and cold and desert climate, it is also one of its most sparsely populated. This province was formally annexed to the Manchu Qing Empire as early as 1759 but, for all practical purposes, it remained under the control of provincial warlords until the ascendancy of the Communist Party in 1949. That was when one of the most interesting, and possibly most ruthless historical events was ever perpetrated — one that allowed China to bring Xinjiang under its iron-fist control.
During the immediate post-World War II period, Xinjiang was controlled by Stalin and the Soviet-backed East Turkistan Republic. Reluctant to support a nationalist Muslim regime on the border of the then-Soviet Central Asian republics, Stalin brokered what appeared to be a peaceful accommodation between the Muslim leaders of East Turkistan and Mao’s government. However, the plane carrying the East Turkistan leadership to Beijing to negotiate the peace agreement mysteriously — and all too conveniently — crashed and killed all aboard. In the ensuing leadership vacuum, Mao’s forces stepped in and assumed control of Xinjiang, an “autonomous province” in name only.
From an agricultural point of view, much of Xinjiang is a virtual dustbowl in no small part because of overgrazing, deforestation, overplowing, and the failed efforts of the central government to turn grasslands into farmland. However, beneath Xinjiang’s dusty soil and mountainous steppes lies buried 40% of China’s coal reserves. Equally abundant and far more precious to the central government are oil and natural gas deposits that total the equivalent of about 30 billion tons of oil and represent one fourth to one third of China’s total petroleum reserves.
Xinjiang is not just one of China’s best bets for energy resources. Bordering eight countries in Central Asia and the Russian Federation, Xinjiang also has important strategic value. Central Asia can serve as a transshipment area for Middle East oil should war ever break out over Taiwan or China’s various imperialist claims for oil reserves in the South China Seas. Central Asia republics such as Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstanalso have large petroleum reserves of their own that can help lessen China’s Middle East oil dependence. For these reasons, China is building a vast network of modern infrastructure that includes railways, roads, and pipelines linking Xinjiang eastward to China’s petroleum-thirsty industrial heartland and west and north to Central Asia and Russia.
In Xinjiang, the majority of the population consists of a Muslim Turkic people called the Uighurs. These Uighurs face some of the harshest and most repressive measures in the world under the jackboots of Chinese Communism — arguably even more oppressive than what the Tibetans face. Any independent religious activity can be equated to a “breach of state security,” activists are regularly arrested and tortured, and despite its sparse population, Xinjiang’s ethnic groups suffer more executions for state security crimes than any other province.
Tragically, repression in Xinjiang has only intensified in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States. The Chinese government seized upon this attack on American soil as a golden opportunity to cut a very clever deal with the United States. China would support the U.S.war on terrorism if the United States would agree that the separatist activities of the Uighurs represented not simply an indigenous rebellion against autocratic rule but rather a legitimate terrorist threat with ties to Al-Qaeda and Osama Bin Laden. As part of its deal with America, China now defines a terrorist in Xinjiang as anyone who thinks “separatist thoughts,” and Xinjiang’s jails are crowded with such pseudo-terrorists.
Although China’s iron-fisted repression in Xinjiang borders on the unbearable, what sticks most in the Uighur craw is the ongoing “Hanification” of Xinjiang. As a matter of policy, for decades the Chinese government has sought to pacify Xinjiang by importing large portions of its Han population from other, primarily poor areas — and even by despicably exporting young Uighur women of child-bearing age out of the region. Consider this chilling passage from Reuters:
China’s government is forcibly moving young women of the ethnic Uighur minority from their homes in Xinjiang to factories in easternChina, a Uighur activist told the U.S. Congress on Wednesday. Rebiya Kadeer, jailed for more than five years for championing the rights of the Muslim Uighurs before being sent into exile in the United States, called for U.S. help in stopping a program she said had already removed more than 240,000 people, mostly women, from Xinjiang. The women face harsh treatment with 12-hour work days and often see wages withheld for months. . . . Many suspect that the Chinese government policy is to get them to marry majority Han Chinese in China’s cities while resettling Han in traditional Uighur lands. . . .
Today, as a result of these policies, the Han population is rising at a rate twice as fast as that of the Uighur population. Rather than being pacified or tamed by the growing Han population, the Uighurs are simply becoming more and more radicalized. There is a very bitter and dangerous irony in this ethnic strife reported in the Economist: Whereas the Uighurs historically have been “among the world’s most liberal and pro-Western Muslims, fundamentalist Islam is gaining sway among young Uighur men.” Today, “Uighurs report that small-scale clashes break out nearly every day between Chinese and Uighurs in Xinjiang’s western cities.”
It is unlikely that a full-blown guerrilla movement will emerge in Xinjiang to engage Chinese forces in an Algerian- or Vietnamese-style revolt. The populace is simply too small, and Chinese security forces are too big and powerful. However, in an age of “suitcase” nuclear bombs and biological terrorist weapons, China is increasingly exposed to attacks from Uighur separatists at soft target points such as the Three Gorges Dam or any one of its teeming cities. Indeed, as we have seen in a series of recent attacks, Uighur separatists are showing an increasing ability to strike at Chinese targets.
The question ultimately for this conflict — and the fate of the Uighur people — is how this conflict will be judged by world opinion. Will the Uighurs be seen for what they are — a ruthlessly oppressed people being gradually exterminated through the policy of Hanification? Or will the taint of a Bin Laden connection prevent the same kind of world outrage that we now witness over Tibet? It is an open question — and one that the Chinese government itself could deftly sidestep if it simply began to treat its autonomous regions as truly autonomous.
©2008 Peter Navarro
China’s Gansu Province
In these over-publicized times of China’s new railroad to Tibet, one might be better off avoiding the tourist circus than rnning away with it. Indeed, unless the reader has a certain fondness for overbooked hotels and intrusive, red hat-wearing tour groups, Lhasa is hardly the Tibetan delight that travel agencies continue to bill it as.
Fortunately, lesser-traveled Gansu province in northwest China offers the cultural charm of Tibet without the crowds. Sharing borders with six other provinces except Tibet, it is physically unobvious that Gansu would be home to any kind of Tibetan population. This, coupled with the great shadows cast by the ever-popular neighboring Sichuan and Shaanxi, results in Gansu being one of China’s well-kept travel secrets.The narrowly arching province makes it somewhat inconvenient to traverse, yet it is due to this shapely fact that the northern and southern regions offer dramatically different topography, climate and culture, lending to Gansu’s uniquely varying harm.
Situated adjacent to both Xinjiang and Qinghai provinces, the small city of Dunhuang in Gansu’s Hexi corridor is famed for its mountain-sized sand dunes and ancient Buddhist grotto cave art. A tree-trimmed oasis emmed by a limitless expanse of sand, Dunhuang, once an important outpost along the Silk Road, is now a travel destination as hot as the outlying deserts.
On the theoretically and geographically opposite end of the province, the mountainous terrain of Xiahe provides a cool, quiet respite from both the sweltering sands and disorderly tour groups of Dunhuang. After threading through verdant grasslands grazing with yak, golden fields of wheat and undulating hills of the contiguous Qinghai-Tibetan plateau, Xiahe suddenly appears beneath the surreal blue sky like a monastic vision.
Of the Gannon Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Xiahe is in fact no more than a simple slat-wood settlement along the Daxia River physically and socially orbiting the impressive Labuleng, mainland China’s largest Tibetan monastery. Hugged up against the surrounding mountainside, the picturesque state known also as the Labrang Lamma monastery was built in 1710 and accommodates six Buddhist seminaries and over 500 monks of the Yellow Hat sect.
Buddhists from across the region come to worship at Labuleng, contributing to the colorfulactivity that gives Xiahe its attractive allure. A three-kilometer kora (spiritual walking circuit) halos the area and is heavy with foot traffic from dawn to dusk, whereby crimson-robed monks and natively dressed Amdo pilgrims spinning hand-held mani wheels orbit the monastery while breathlessly prostrating themselves and chanting.
In between turning 1,200 vibrantly painted wooden prayer wheels, the resplendently ornamented nomads rest beneath stupas to chat and sip yak butter tea, a veritable portrait of Tibetan culture.
Visiting the holy capital city of Lhasa on the roof of the world may sound thrilling, but increasing occupation and rampant tourism has rapidly diluted it from the serene getaway it once was. Xiahe, known as Little Lhasa, in the Gansu highlands is a more intimate, and conveniently closer, alternative for those desiring a secluded retreat of unadulterated Tibetan culture.
Transportation
1. Flights from Beijing to Dunhuang Airport, daily at 7:30am (3 hours, 1,880 yuan)
2. From Langzhou to Xiahe, busses leave the North Bus Station at 7am, 8:30am and 2pm (5 hours, 25 yuan).
Accommodation
1. In Dunhuang, the Feitian Binguan located on Mingshan Lu directly across the street from the bus terminal is a popular backpacker hangout, offering dorm rooms and hot-water showers for only 20 yuan.
2. There are a number small inns of varying standards along Renmin Jie in Xiahe, though the Tara and Overseas youth hostels on the west end of town seem to be the preferred choice (25 yuan for a dorm bed).
Regional cuisine
Hand-pulled noodles and thinner beef-noodle soup (saozi lamian) are provincial favorites. Hui-Muslim influences to the north include heavily seasoned mutton/lamb kabob (yangrou chuan), fresh baked bread (nang) and bushels of fragrant peaches and watermelon. Tibetan fare is simpler, including the notorious yak butter tea (po cha), a pungent, thick, salty beverage that Tibetans consume habitually, and Tsampa, a nomadic staple of barley flour kneaded with butter tea to form an edible, nourishing dough.
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China and the 2008 Olympic Games
My book, RETURN TO THE MIDDLE KINGDOM: One Family, Three Revolutionaries, and the Birth of Modern China, begins in the middle of the 19th century when China was nicknamed, by the Western Powers, as the “Sick Man of East.” When Eugene Chen (my late father-in-law), fought to get rid of this label, there were other characters in my book who were fighting the same good fight. One was Zhang Boling, a great educator, who founded Nankai School on the principles of the American educational system after he had graduated from his American Alma Mater, and made the school sports an important part of training. The slogan was: Healthy people makes a strong nation.
As early as in 1915, patriots like Zhang Boling worked for getting Chinese into the Olympic Games, but the West jeered at them, just like they did Eugene Chen. Excluded, Zhang, with Thomas C.T. Wang, another character in my book and Eugene’s colleague, planned to launch a separate Far-East Olympic, the predecessor of Asian Olympic, in Shanghai. But the only place which could accommodate this event was the training ground of the British forces, and it had never admitted a Chinese. That stirred up a huge furor, and it took all the diplomatic skill of Thomas Wang to persuade the British to rent the place to them. On the opening day, Zhang Boling marched into the arena at the head of the Chinese team.
In 1928, Chinese team was still banned from the Olympic, but there happened a lone Chinese voice from the stands: “Wo Neng Bi A!,” meaning “I can compete!” Fortunately because it sounded like “Olympia,” the man, named Song Ruhai, was not driven out.
It was not until 1932 that China was invited to compete in the Olympic. China was not able to put together a team, so the patriots pooled their resources and helped a runner, named Liu Changchun, to go to London. Britain, eager to cater to the Strong Man of Asia – Japan, intentionally mistook Liu for a representative from the quisling government of Manchukuo, the northeastern part of China which had been occupied by the Japan in 1931. Liu did not win, and the Western media reported the failure of the “Little Chinaman,” laughing at Liu’s short stature.
In 1936 China managed to send a small team to the Olympic held in Berlin. They were defeated. A Western paper carried a cartoon, depicting a group of haggard Chinese men in traditional long gown holding a huge egg, and the caption was: the “Sick Man of East.”
In 1937, Japan started an all-out war on China. After the end of Second World War, China sent a team to attend the 1948 Olympic Games. No victory. In 1949, the Chinese Communist Party took over the mainland and China was again banned.
The brief history above proves that the chase of the Olympic Dream had begun long before the Chinese Communist Party came into being. The 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing is more than a showcase of the Chinese government. It is a coming-out party for the Chinese.
My Beijing Excursion–It’s not only a Tour!
If you are looking for a China tour destination, consider Beijing, the capital of China. Depending on your interests, Beijing can be an ideal vacation spot. You can get classic China food, and enjoy countless historical sights. This article presents my 4-day journey in Beijing:
We arrived Beijing airport at a sunset afternoon as scheduled. Our tour guide Tony, a humorous and kind man was waiting us at the airport then escorted us to Guangzhou Hotel, a four star hotel with nice service and facilities. Our first day at Beijing was saved to organize ourselves and get the things prepared.
Tiananmen Square is the first stop for day 2, the largest city square in the world. We walked through this vast square and headed to the big gate of Forbidden City. Why is it called Forbidden City? As for five hundred years (Ming and Qing Dynasty) ordinary people could not enter it.
Our Guide Tony told us that original palace buildings first built in 1406 so some of these structures are at least 600 years old. One fascinating detail that stuck in my mind is: There were about 1 million laborers & over 100 000 artisans/craftsmen being required to do the work. Seriously now, it is hard to calculate how much expense has poured into this huge project by a succession of Emperors.
While walking around the Forbidden City I tried to imagine the life of an emperor, surrounded by many eunuchs. The guide also told us the emperor had jade seals with names of his concubines. If he displayed one of the seals the eunuch on duty would bring the concubine immediately. She was brought naked (to prove that she had no weapons)in a rolled carpet to the bedroom of the emperor. Just a part of an Emperor’s life!
We visited many palaces. Palace of Highest Harmony, Hall of Supreme Harmony, Palace of Peaceful Longevity is just a few examples. Every palace has its unique functions, but I can’t remember every detail now.
We also visited the Temple of Heaven today. I have seen many of its pictures, but it is more granderer than it could be. Tony recommended us to watch Pecking Opera Show for our night -time leisure. We are not much of the “cultured” or “historian” by any means, but the performance is really fun and amazing.
We were treated to a table at the front of stage, at which we were served all manner of lovely little cakes and an endless stream of tea! The story is difficult to follow and my ears took several minutes to get used to the sound in the theater.The facial make-ups and costume are rich and various, depicting different characters and remarkable images. With eyes fixing on the stage, I found my necks got pain after the show finished.
Day 3 was a super exciting day because we got to visit the Great Wall– my dreaming place! Long before I visited China, I have been told that: your visit to China would not be completed without seeing this symbol of China’s isolation. Got up early in the morning with water and comfortable shoes, my first destination was Juyongguan Pass. Although on the way, I saw some parts of the great wall on the mountains! Unbelievable! I couldn’t wait to climb on it. It’s a very difficult way; almost the whole way is up!! I have to take rest many times, and appreciate such construction. Standing at the top and just realize how far and difficult you have covered.
The next destination is Badaling. I also learnt little things about this wonder from the tour guide: On the top of the wall is a road paved with square bricks, wide enough for six horses or ten soldiers to march side by side. On both sides of the road, outer parapet and inner parapet were set. The climb is harder than the first section as the way is follows the contour of the mountains — it’s ascending and descending all the way.
After the Great Wall we back to Beijing downtown and had dinner in a restaurant for Chinese food. There was no scheduled activity at evening time so we had time to stroll around kinds of stores in Beijing downtown. Not for purchase, just wanted to see the lives of Beijing people, the way they live, the things they sell…..
The last highlight of my Beijing tours came at the last day: taking a hutong tours by rickshaw. At my first glance, all hutongs are the same, formed by lining buildings with gray walls and gray tiles. But when you are in it, you will find and experience that every hutong has something special to talk about, as it full of life and stories. The houses along are formed from four small buildings around a courtyard. We find them around Bell-and Drum-Tower north of Beihai Park.
We traveled through the narrow path and saw many local people. They are different from people in Beijing downtown. I felt some kinds of “history” on the face of an old man. I also found many typical little stores in Hutong areas: small hair cutter businesses, small bakeries, vegetable selling – tiny supermarkets daily necessaries, liquor and cigarette stores, bike repair shops, public telephone kiosks – clothes stores and so on.
What also impressed me much is the Scared Road which is a long walkway with 24 animal and 16 human statues lining the path alongside weeping willows, leading us to the Ming tomb. The bargain at Red Bridge Market and Silk Market always delighted me as I got nice Chinese things at good price.
I booked this tour from China Odyssey Tours and can be a reference for anyone who wants to take a Beijing trip:
My 3 Nights & 4 Day Beijing tours:
Day 1: Arrive Beijing
Day 2: Tian’anmen (Gate of Heavenly Peace) Square; Forbidden City;Temple of Heaven
Day 3: Great Wall, Ding Tomb; Sacred Road
Day 4: Hutongs and then leave Beijing
7 Nights & 8 Days Beijing Tour for travelers who have more leisure time:
Day 1: Arrive Beijing and have a good rest
Day 2: Tian’anmen (Gate of Heavenly Peace) Square; Forbidden City;Temple of Heaven
Day 3: Great Wall, Ding Tomb; Sacred Road
Day 4: Hutong Lama Temple(Yonghe Lamasery); Beihai (north lake) Park;
Day 5: Imperial Summer Villa;
Day 6: Puning Temple; Putuozongcheng Temple;
Day 7: Summer Palace; Fragrance Hills Park; Beijing Zoo
Day 8: leave Beijing
Beijing 2008 Olympic Cities – Tianjin
Tianjin is one of the four municipalities in China. Its name means the place where the emperor crossed the river. In recent years Tianjin has received more and more attention from both tourists at home and abroad due to its numerous travel resources and rich history.
It is no exaggeration to say that Tianjin bears a splendid historical background. However, it was desecrated by foreign invaders long before the foundation of Peoples Republic of China. Tianjin was shared by nine countries: Italy, Germany, France, Russia, Great Britain, Austria, Japan and Belgium. This marked an extremely hard period for Tianjin and her people because those imperialist countries left permanent marks in her body, most notable of which were thousands of villas. Today those villas provide an exotic flavor to Tianjin, enhancing the beauty of the entire city.
Blessed with variety of tourist attractions, Tianjin is a good place to explore. The top ten attractions in Tianjin, known as Jinmen Shijing, are Gu Wenhua Jie, Dagu Emplacement, Huangyaguan Great Wall, Dule Temple, Haihe River, Water Park, Panshan Mountain, Hotel Street and Food Street, Tianjin TV & Radio Tower and Zhonghuan Cailian. There are also many natural scenes of beauty as well as great historical events.
Getting in and out of the city is convenient because of the well-planned transportation system. If you want to come by water, there are a series of international and domestic sea routes in the port of Tianjin, which is the biggest man-made port in China. If you plan to arrive by air, Tianjin Binhai International Airport offers excellent service. Planes have routes that reach most of the major cities in China and also cities in Europe and America. Of course, arriving in Tianjin by land is another option, while trains or long-distance buses are yet another alternative.
Various hotels, guesthouses and hostels can also meet your different needs. In addition, there are all types of entertainment available to relax both your body and mind.
How Do You Drink Black Tea?
Perhaps you’ve never been a tea drinker before, but you’ve decided to give it a whirl. Or maybe you already drink standard varieties of tea, but you’d like to try black tea for a change of pace. In any case, you’re wondering how you should go about drinking this unusual full-bodied beverage.
To begin with, you should be aware of the fact that tea aficionados around the globe tend to make tea in a similar way. Yet, it is true that certain methods of tea preparation may differ from country to country and from region to region.
Favorite Methods
For example, in India, black tea is often steeped with a combination of milk and hot water. In Great Britain and the rest of the United Kingdom, tea tends to be stepped quite strong, with milk or a sweetener such as sugar or honey added to enhance the taste. In the United States, it’s quite popular to microwave a cup of cold water in order to brew tea. However, it is a fact that many Americans are now opting for loose teas rather than tea bags.
What You Should Know About Black Tea
Black tea tends to vary in color from a shade of reddish brown to black. Interestingly enough, as black tea ages, it often becomes even more flavorful. In order to store black tea, you should place it in a location that is ventilated well, but you don’t really have to worry about the temperature of the location. In general, black tea is formed into cakes that can be round, square, or tube-like. How black tea smells and tastes may depend largely on the location in which it was harvested. As a result, scent and flavor may vary significantly from region to region.
Black tea is known for its therapeutic benefits. For instance, fans of black tea in China tend to have little problem with cancer or other degenerative illnesses. In fact, they may have better overall health than non-tea drinkers.
Types of Black Tea
When thinking about buying black tea, it is important for you to know the varieties that are available. For instance, if you’re interested in a high-quality tea, you might consider Keemun. This type of tea has a strong aroma and can be consumed with or without milk and sweetener. Another superior type is Darjeeling, an Indian tea that is known for its delicate taste. Meanwhile, Assam is a less spicy version of Keemun, but it is also known for its rich taste.
If you’re interested in a Chinese black tea, you might consider Lapsang Souchong, which is characterized by an unusual smoky flavor. For a Chinese tea with a little bit of a kick, try Yunnan, which offers a hint of pepper.
If you prefer a lighter tea, the Indian Nilgiri may be best. However, be aware of the fact that Nilgiri requires expert steeping in order to achieve the right flavor.
Drinking Black Tea in Style
If you really want to drink black tea in style, you should consider indulging in it at a tea salon. Such salons are ever-present, not only in Chinese cities such as Beijing, but also in Taiwan. You should be aware of the fact that menus at tea salons tend to feature a range of items. In addition, the décor can differ significantly from salon to salon.
For the people of the Orient, tea salons can be as trendy as Starbucks cafes are in the Western world. Salons tend to stay open late enough to accommodate late-night patrons. They are also a favorite of young people. Visit a tea salon in China and you may find dozens of different varieties of teas available.
Some of the teas may have been aged two decades or more, causing them to have an especially appealing flavor. One Pu-erh tea is actually more than a century old and is considered a national treasure among the Chinese.
The tea salons of the Orient may also have a number of different sections, each reflecting a different kind of atmosphere. For instance, one section may be considered more or less a reading room, while another is best suited for playing games. As a result of this, tea salons are definitely classified as a “destination location.â€
Fun Ways to Enjoy Black Tea
There are certainly other entertaining ways that you can enjoy black tea. For instance, you might consider holding a tea-tasting party where you invite a group of friends to sample various black tea delicacies. Or you can plan a meal from the country of origin of your favorite blend of black tea. In other words, the possibilities for enjoying black tea are limited only by your own imagination.
Once you make black tea a regular part of your diet, you’ll quickly discover that it may be able to soothe your nerves as nothing else can.
Potential boycott of Beijing Olympics as Chinese troops kill Tibetan protesters
In 1980, the U.S. boycotted the Moscow Summer Olympics because of the Russian invasion of Afghanistan and its killing of Afghan people who fought back. Now there’s talk of boycotting the Beijing Summer Olympics because China, occupiers of Tibet for the past half-century, is killing Tibetans who are fighting back. Cue the “Twilight Zone” music here. Is this deja vu all over again?
Recently Americans got two messages about attending the 2008 Summer Olympics. One, from President Bush, assures citizens that it is OK to go, because, in his infinite wisdom, he says it is all about athletes, not politics. I guess murdering Tibetans by brutal military occupiers is considered just plain old everyday politics as usual to our sports-loving President.
The other message came from the U.S. State Department. It warned Americans who plan to go to the Beijing Olympics to be aware that their hotel rooms, athlete quarters, offices and other areas could be bugged by Chinese authorities. Do I hear the “Twilight Zone” theme again? Additionally, the warning reminded attendees that there could be the potential danger of terrorist attacks and street demonstrations protesting China’s occupation and deadly crackdown in Tibet.
Well, gee whiz, little old problems like those shouldn’t bother American sports fans who’ll spend many millions in devalued dollars to travel to China. Much worse things could happen to them at a Philly Flyers ice hockey game and/or in the parking lot outside what used to be the F.U. Stadium (for First Union, of course), now Wachovia Center.
Most Americans are barely aware of, or don’t particularly give a damn what the Chinese Communist government is doing to its unwilling Tibetan subjects. That’s sad enough, but before they buy tickets to Beijing, they should talk to their dads and granddads who served in the U.S. Armed Forces in Korea and Vietnam. Maybe more importantly, they should consult relatives, neighbors and friends who lost loved ones in those conflicts. Those Americans, totalling more than 100,000, were likely killed by “volunteer” Chinese soldiers and war equipment provided by the same hate-America-but-loves-America n-dollars Communist regime that still rules China.
If potential Olympics attendees don’t want to go so far as to cancel their travel plans, maybe they can stage a mild boycott before they go to show their disapproval of the killings in Tibet. For instance, they could stop buying Chinese made goods sold in America. Oops! On second thought, I guess not. Who wants to bankrupt Wal-Mart, Sears, J.C. Penney and K-Mart, and maybe deny our little kiddies their lethal lead-painted toys next Christmas?
Of course, if there’s a retail boycott against Chinese goods, American toy and clothing manufacturers could meet the demand. What did you say? Wait just a doggone minute! Are you telling me all those American manufacturers went broke years ago trying to compete with cheap Chinese products made by underpaid child labor? If all of this shocks you, don’t even try to protest. Because if you phoned any of the U.S. stores now loaded down almost entirely with Chinese goods, your call would probably be answered in China or India.
