Luxury Travel Secrets

July 16, 2010

West Lake, Hangzhou

Filed under: Sightseeing — Tags: , , — admin @ 10:49 am

“Ripping water shimmering on sunny days;

Misty hills shrouded the rain;

West Lake shall be compared to Lady Xizi,

No matter she is dressed gaily or plain.”

 

These words are from Su Dongpo (960 – 1127), a famous poet during Song Dynasty. He compared the West Lake to Xizi, a beauty in ancient China and these poetic sentiments leave one in no doubt of the glory of the scenery that inspired them.

Initially a sea inlet, this famous West Lake came into being all because of the laying down of silt. However, the surrounding hilly peaks and crystal water made this water wonderland a nice retreat. And it’s only 5 km from Xixi National Wetland, another popular attraction in Hangzhou.

There are a number of sites well worth a visit. Such as the “Little Oceans” which embraces four small lakes. Also it’s a perfect place to view the Three Pools Mirroring the Moon when at night candles are lit in stone lanterns jutting out of the night of the water thus creating the scene of reflection of three moons. And the scene is terrific on the night of the Autumn Moon Festival.

“Solitary Hill Island” is a ideal spot to have a overview of the vista. “Two Peaks Embracing the Sky” is another impressive sight when paddling across the lake.

Near the lake is Ling Yin Temple in its woodland and Fei Lai Feng which exactly as its name stated – the peak flown from an unknown place. Further inside, you will find “Mausoleum of General Yue Fei” (a monument to a patriot who was murdered), the “Six Harmonies Pagoda” and National Silk Museum, ect.   

When you tired with your daily life, Hangzhou West Lake can be a cool rescue.

July 8, 2010

World Heritage – The Great Wall, Beijing

Filed under: World Heritage — Tags: , , , — admin @ 10:16 am

“One who has never been to the Great Wall is not a true man.”

Sure, a true man must be so desire to witness such a mighty work of human begins that wriggles almost nine thousands kilometers from Jiayuguan in the Desert of western China to Liaoning province in the eastern China. And this Great Wall is also one of the seven wonders on earth.

< President Reagan at Great Wall

< President Nixon at Great Wall

< President Clinton and his family

The Great Wall was firstly built during the Qin dynasty (221 – 207BC), when China was unified under the Emperor Qin Shi Huang. And the wall was set to function as a defence system against invasions from the north. And the construction continued up to the Ming dynasty (1368 – 1644).

 

One of the widely-spread legends is about Meng Jiang Nv, whose husband was taken to build the Great Wall and never returned home. She was so worried that she set for the construction site far from home to see her husband. However, she only got to know that her husband had died and his body was built into the Great Wall. She cried night and day by the side of the Wall and her sorrow was so deep that the Great Wall broke down and exposed the bones and bodies of many deceased workers. Meng cut her fingers and dripped her blood on the dead until her blood flowed into one. Knowing that this was her husband, she buried him and ended her life jumping into a river.

How true is the legend we may not know, but we do know that many people did give their lives building and more often defending the Wall. With a history of over 2,000 years, the Great Wall witnessed the changes of time, the lives of people, the happening of events, and the stories of many individuals. So much laughter, so many tears, the Great Wall all put through with calm and peace.

July 7, 2010

World Heritage – Summer Palace, Beijing

Filed under: World Heritage — Tags: , , , — admin @ 10:25 am

PROFILE

Name: Summer Palace 

Year of Birth: 1750

Location: 19 Xinjian Gongmen, Yuquan Shan, China

Admission: Y 40-50, audio guides Y30

Open Hours: 08:30 – 17:00

 

Brief Introduction

The Summer Palace in Beijing – first build in 1750, largely destroyed in the war of 1860 and restored on its original foundation in 1886 – is a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design. The natural landscape of hills and open water is combined with artificial features such as pavilions, halls palaces, temples and bridges to form a harmonious ensemble of outstanding aesthetic value.

 < inside Summer Palace

The huge regal encampment of the Summer Palace is one of the city’s main attractions. And it once was a playground for the imperial court only to elude the insufferable summer swelter of the Forbidden City.

 < Kunming Lake

This sites had long been a royal garden and was considerably enlarged and embellished by Qing Emperor Qianlong in the 18th century. Enlisting 100,000 labors, he deepened and expanded Kunming Lake and reputedly surveyed imperial naval drills from hilltop perch.

 < damaged Part

Anglo-French troops badly damaged the buildings during the Second Opium War in 1860. Empress Dowager Cixi began a refit in 1888 with money flagged for a modern navy, indulging herself with the extravagant marble boat on the northern edge of the lake.

< The Marble boat

Surprisingly, this Summer Palace in winter is as gorgeous as it is in summer.

< Winter View of Summer Palace

July 5, 2010

Shalom in Shanghai

Filed under: Sightseeing — Tags: , , — admin @ 6:10 am

**Special Thanks for Amy’s share**

Hello! The Chinese man at the ticket counter greets us in English.
Two, please.
OK.  Can I ask, are you Jewish?
I am, I reply.
Shalom! A huge grin comes across the man’s face.

Of all the countries I’ve traveled to, China isn’t one where I expected to be greeted in Hebrew.  Sure, for Jews in the States, Chinese take out and Christmas Eve go hand in hand, but that’s usually where the connection between Jews and China ends.  Amazingly, it was at the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum where I received this warm welcome.  We have come to see the site of the former Ohel Moshe Synagogue, where Jewish refugees gathered for religious rites during World War II.  The guidebooks had warned us not to expect much, but like a lot of what we experienced in China, the guidebooks were completely out of date. 

The Museum consists of the former Synagogue and two very recently renovated exhibition halls that describe the history of the Jews in Shanghai and testimonials of many of those who lived and worshiped there.

< Ohel Moshe Synagogue

The Synagogue is at the center of the Shanghai Jewish Ghetto, an area of approximately one square mile in the Hongkou District of what was Japanese-occupied Shanghai. Approximately 30,000 Jews fleeing the atrocities in Europe found a safe haven here, one of the few places in the world accepting Jewish refugees without visas. Despite orders from the Nazis to exterminate the Jews of Shanghai, the Chinese and Japanese protected this small Jewish community and most survived the harrowing wartime conditions.  The stories of narrow escapes from tragedy are juxtaposed with awkward Bar Mitzvah photographs and tales of friendships and romances between the Jewish refugees and local Chinese residents that bloomed in the 1940s.

The Chinese government recently resorted the Synagogue using the original blueprints, which are on display in the former sanctuary.  The Museum also contains works of art celebrating the relationship between the Jews and the Chinese, including this print of two Jewish scholars deep in discussion as they stroll in front of a pagoda.

While most Jews left Shanghai during the Cultural Revolution in 1949, the brief history of the Jews in Shanghai is a small but fascinating tale of survival that is elegantly told at the Museum.  It is well deserving of a place on any itinerary in Shanghai.

July 2, 2010

Shanghai Expo

Filed under: Sightseeing — Tags: , , , — admin @ 10:56 am

Do you want to have a glance of the whole world in one shoot? Go to Shanghai when the Expo is still on (1 May – 31 Oct). More than 190 countries and more than 50 international organizations have participated in this Expo. This Expo is the largest World Expo ever both in size and number of participants.

 < China’s Pavilion 

This event is being held on both banks of the Huangpu River in the city of Shanghai, and expecting to serve 70 million visitors worldwide. They also offer tours to enjoy art performances given in the Expo Site during prescribed hours and along prescribed routes every day.

Tickets

  

Pavilions of this Shanghai World Expo are making another headline. Some of them are really GOOD, while some others I would hardly agree with…

 UK’s Pavilion – “Seed Cathedral”

This can be the most impressive pavilion in this expo. No wonder it won the RIBA Lubetkin Prize.

Sweden’s Pavilion

 

Their effort is finally paid off. Lots of angles, arty, well and really cool looking.

Turkey’s Pavilion

 

Not quite sure what is this. A cheese inside a beehive or something like Cappadocia? Either way, memorable.

Peru’s Pavilion

 

Do not judge people by their appearance seems not work here. When I look at it, I just can’t help to. The good thing about it is there is a restaurant inside and it has a really good reputation. 

South Korea’s Pavilion

 

Sure it’s something from South Korea. Lots of layers, lots of colors, cute and sweet always. 

Kazakhstan’s Pavilion

 

Really confused what are you trying to say?

Cambodia’s Pavilion

 

Overheard an interesting comment, “Ankor Wat wallpaper. What every good home needs.” LOL! 

What’s this …?

 

Yes, it wins! I got nothing to say…

The good

 

The little Mermaid, which is the highlight in this pavilion, came all the way from Copenhagen, Denmark.

USA Pavilion

 

I have long been expecting something unexpected from US, but it turns out to be this? Still believe, Uncle Sam could have done better.

Netherland Pavilion

 

Netherland gives us a good example on how to make the best of every land. The concept of a new living style by cramming a lot into such a small space.

Above is just a small selection of pavilions, if you want know more or see more, can check out our travel guide or book a hotel from our site to see more in Shanghai personally^.^

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