Tea and weight loss: Fact or fiction?

In spite of the research that links Tea with loss of weight, I lost weight from drinking tea. It started during my visit to the People’s Republic of China in June and July of 2008. I had not tried pure tea since most of the tea in the United States of America had colouring and artificial flavours.

The tea in China is pure and original. When I arrived in Beijing and was a guest at the China People’s Palace located in the heart of this magnificent metropolitan city, I tried the tea in my room. The hotel room had a tea pot with tea bags and instructions on how to boil the tea. Of course, the tea pot was electrical and the person would pour the water into the pot and it would boil automatically.

I started to try the tea every night before going to bed and upon waking up. It was a relaxing experience drinking tea, watching a few minutes of CCTV [China Central Television] and listening to CRI English [China Radio International] on the radio and television. The tea made me feel like I was losing weight. The stress and pressure from an over-sized belly contributed to a sense of well being followed by a reduction in weight.

During my trip to Beijing and Qingdao in the People’s Republic of China, I would also drink a lot of tea in the restaurants after walking through the areas of Beijing [Great Wall of China, Forbidden Palace, Great Hall of the People, Tienanmen Square, Olympic Venues] and Qingdao [Tsingtao Beer Brewery, Haier Compound, Former German Governor's Palace, and the Beach]. It was the tea in combination with the exercise that was helpful in reducing my weight.

Before arriving in the People’s Republic of China, I was weighing 230 lbs and managed to reduce 30 pounds during my trip and afterwards by drinking tea, eating healthy, and doing an exercise regimen. One of the teas that is recommended for weight loss in my opinion is the Jasmine Tea.

In my opinion, Jasmine Tea reduces the cholesterol and triglycerides inside your body as well as contribute to a reduction of body fat and the weight. Jasmine Tea also has the calming effect which helps in weight and stress reduction. If there is any doubt about tea, forget using the research and try it. It should be remembered that this type of weight reduction worked for the author and may not work for everybody.

It is advisable to discuss weight reduction and tea consumption with your Physician before embarking on such a weight reduction programme of this nature.

7 Adventure Holidays to Take Before You Die

Overseas adventure travel is all about seeing jaw dropping sights and having unforgettable experiences. It’s no wonder that more and more people are getting drawn into the exciting world. But if you’ve never done any adventure travel and want to know what you’re missing, this really is the crème de la crème: 7 Adventure holiday trips you need to take before you die…

The Antarctic Circle

Amongst the least travelled places on the planet, The Antarctic Circle is the perfect place to start your overseas adventure travel. For nature lovers, this is particularly brilliant with some beautiful and unique wildlife and some truly breathtaking sights. Penguins, seals, whales and albatrosses can all be spotted during your trip.

Galapagos Islands

The islands that inspired Darwin, unique wildlife found nowhere else on the planet makes the Galapagos Islands a must visit for the adventure travel enthusiast. Amongst the wildlife you can expect to see are giant tortoises, lava lizards, and land iguanas. The region has a fascinating history and some incredible sights and sounds – the essentials of any adventure holiday.

Great Wall of China

Walking along the Great Wall of China is an amazing experience – as man made structures go, it just constantly amazes with its sense of scale and grandeur. Adventure travellers will find visiting this most famous of Chinese icons an unforgettable experience.

The Trans-Siberian Railway

The Trans Siberian Railway may sound a less gruelling trip than some of the others because you’re not walking, but it still presents its own challenges. An epic railway trip that takes you all the way from Moscow to Siberia and on to Beijing, the real beauty here is that you get to take in sights that would normally be well off the tourist track. It’s an experience like no other, and one that anyone interested in overseas adventure travel should make sure they enjoy before they die.

Mount Kilimanjaro

Sure, this one is going to be exhausting and it only for experienced trekkers, but if you manage to reach the snow covered peak of Africa’s tallest mountain on an adventure holiday, you can actually see the curvature of the planet. That’s something that you never, ever forget.

The Grand Canyon

If you’re looking for adventure travel in America, you really cannot beat hiking along the Grand Canyon. The stunning landscapes mean that even after two day’s hiking, you’re unlikely to be bored of the sights. You may have seen pictures, but actually walking along it is the kind of unforgettable experience you will be recounting for years to come…

Machu Picchu

The lost city of the Incas, Machu Picchu is one of the most beautiful ancient sites in the world. Clinging to the steep hillside, and surrounded by jungle covered mountains, it’s no wonder this site took quite so long to find. Suffice it to say that photos, website, travel brochures, and indeed, these words cannot do the site justice – you cannot fail to feel inspired when surrounded by the beautiful ruins.

Whichever of these adventure holidays you wish to take first will not disappoint. Just remember to take your camera so you can showcase the amazing sights you saw to your friends and family!

How to enjoy a Beijing-Xian-Guilin-Shanghai 9 day tour.

Are you looking forward to that holiday you will be spending in China? Spending 9 days as a tourist in China can be one of the most exciting adventure and experience you can ever have. As you book your ticket and prepare for the next flight to China, this article will briefly discuss how a tourist can enjoy touring the beautiful cities, culture and landscapes of China.

First of all, you need the services of a tour operator to assist you in preparing a tour plan to show you the best places to visit during your stay. In a country where English is hardly spoken, most tour operators offer bilingual tour guides who will move around with you to the popular tourist destinations and explain to you intriguing things you may come across. It is normal for most tourists to question a lot of things they witness when they first step into a strange country like China where most of its diverse cultural traditions are still practiced and preserved.

Being the nation’s capital in terms of economic, cultural and international activities, Beijing is the first place to visit. Known for its ancient architecture, cultural and historical origin, the history of Beijing dates back to some 500,000 years ago during ancient civilization. Beijing has many places of interests from its royal gardens, mansions, towers, temples, palaces and modern structures; it is a major tourist destination for all tourists coming to China. Famous historical monuments to see in Beijing include the Great Wall of China at Badaling, The Summer Palace, Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and other interesting places. The Tiananmen Square is the largest city square in the world and is known as the spiritual heart of China. The Great Wall is one of the famous manmade wonder of the world which has deep Chinese historical and cultural heritage. Beijing boasts of a place filled with many old temples like the Lama Temple and the Temple of Heaven. One reminder during your 3 day Beijing tour is to witness a Beijing Opera.

From Beijing, the next stop over on your China tour is Xian; Xian is located in Shaanxi province, one of the most important cities in northwestern China. There are many department stores and shopping outlets for tourists. Xian is known as the land in China where the TerraCotta Army lies; these warriors ands army were unearthed near the Tomb of Emperor Qin Shihuang. Other places to see in Xian are the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, the Traditional Chinese Medicine Market and the Great Mosque, one of the most preserved Islamic mosques in China. After spending 2 days in Xian, the next city on your 9 day tour should be Guilin.

Guilin is known for its karsts Limestone Mountains with fantastic stone forests peaks and caves.
A 3 day tour in Guilin enables you to partake on a cruise on the Lijiang River which flows all the way to Yangshuo. From every side, Yangshuo is known for the landscape which surrounds it, from west to south to north to east, Yangshuo has many mountain landscapes. On your Guilin and Yangshuo tour, sight seeing spots include the Elephant Trunk Hill and the Red Flute Caves.

The final wrap up of the tour normally stops at Shanghai, The Oriental Paris. Shanghai is known to be one of the oldest cities in China which combines a mixture of ancient and modern architecture. If you want to go shopping in Shanghai, then Nanjing Lu is the best place to go. This is one of the longest pedestrian shopping streets in China with so many shoppers hustling and bustling around. The Yuyuan Gardens and the Old town of Shanghai is one of the tourist centers in Shanghai, here most of the houses were designed in Chinese architecture following the Ming and Qing style. And of course before leaving Shanghai, you must stop at the landmark of Shanghai, the Bund. Here you can walk along the banks of the Huang Pu River and see the east side of Shanghai – Pudong from across.

With these attractions and fun filled adventures, you can indeed see China in just 9 days after all.

For comments and inquiries about the article visit Beijing to Shanghai Tour.

The people who built the Great Wall of China – Part 1

Who Built the Great Wall of China?

The Great Wall of China did not magically appear overnight, nor did it take only a few decades to build. It actually took thousands of years to build this masterpiece at which we marvel today. It was built, repaired and remodeled through several periods of Chinese history. There were several reasons for its construction: To protect the country from the invaders from the North and to unify China.

The different dynasties involved in the building of the Great Wall of China were:

QIN DYNASTY (221-206 B.C.)

The workers building the wall during this dynasty worked tirelessly day and night. The weapons used by the invading armies of the time were mainly arrows, so the wall needed to be high enough that the arrows could not reach over them. The workers, however, did not do this job of their own free will. If they attempted to run away or did not work as hard as the rulers though they should, the punishment they faced was that of being buried alive. In this respect one might say that the wall was built by slave labor. Many workers spend their entire lives working on the wall and it is estimated that about 70% of the population was involved in its construction during this period.

HAN DYNASTY (202 B.C. – 220 A.D.)

During this dynasty the wall was extended more than 300 miles through the Gobi Desert and the previous sections were repaired. Workers used a variety of materials, such as twigs, red willow weeds, sand and water. It was during this dynasty that beacon towers were added every 15-30 miles along the wall to serve as watchtowers to warn on an impending attack.

MING DYNASTY (1368-1644)

Most of the reconstruction of the wall occurred during this time. Miles of walls were added to the existing ones, with this dynasty building more of the wall than any other before it. Heavy bricks made from clay and granite were used in the construction process and cannons were installed in strategic locations. It is estimated that if one took apart the amount of wall built during the Ming Dynasty, the blocks would encircle the world many times over.

Over 3000 people lost their lives in the building of the Great Wall of China. At one point the wall extended over 6000 miles from the Yalu River in Northeast China to Gansu Province in the northwestern part of the country. Today there are between 3000 and 4500 miles of the wall remaining. This is one of the most popular tourist attractions in China with millions of visitors each year. Visitors walk across portions of it and view it as one of the great wonders of the world.

Beijing the City of Many Temples