China - Olympic 2008

Today sketchandtravel.com and bookpleasures.com is pleased to have as our guest Shelley Jiang, editor of LET’S GO CHINA, 6th Edition, one of 57 guidebooks published by the bestselling budget series from LET’S GO PUBLICATIONS.

Norm Goldman, editor of Bookpleasures.com and Sketchandtravel.com, conducted the following interview. Norm is also a regular contributor to lovetripper.com.

Good Day Shelley and thank you for accepting our invitation to be interviewed.

NORM: Please tell our readers something about yourself and your expertise pertaining to China.

SHELLEY: Born in China, I spent the first six years of my life in Beijing, the city that I will always think of as my first home. Though I moved to America and attended school there, I remain deeply connected with China through books, news, movies, family, and spending summers there every two or three years. During these summer trips, I often travel around the country and have visited many of the places in Let’s Go: China.

NORM: Would you consider China a good choice for a romantic getaway or wedding and honeymoon destination? Why?

SHELLEY: China is vast enough to offer something for everyone, whether you’re looking for a fast-paced weekend in Shanghai, a trip into China’s gorgeous outdoors, or an immersion in centuries of tradition and history. But don’t come expecting Paris or the CaribbeanChina isn’t your average romantic getaway, but a destination for the free-spirited and adventurous. No resorts or pampering herepart of the excitement and romance of a vacation in China is experiencing a new culture and taking in the grit as well as the beauty.

For those willing to ditch the conventional and leave the beaten path, breathtaking natural sights and unique cultural experiences await. Otherworldly landscapes familiar from many a martial arts film (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Hero) can serve as the backdrop for your personal love story as well. Ancient palaces, pagodas, and temples invites travelers to step back into a past that stretches more than 5000 years. Cities like Beijing and Shanghai proudly showcase their past alongside their future, with skyscrapers rising one after another and an urban culture to rival those of any American or European city.

NORM: What is the best time to visit China from the point of view of weather, costs, crowds, and the availability of flights from the USA, Canada and Europe and Australia, etc?

SHELLEY: China’s peak travel times are around Chinese New Year (some time in Jan.-Feb., depending on lunar calendar), May 1st, July-August, and the first week of October. The best time to visit would be from late-April through June, when the weather is warm, students are still in school, and many establishments are still on low season pricing. The fall is also a pleasant time to travel without the crowds (but avoid the Oct. 1st holiday week) and see beautiful foliage, especially in the north.

Airfares to China are most expensive between June and September. Even flying on May 31 instead of Jun. 1st will get you a cheaper flight. Flying September-May will get you much cheaper flights. Plan aheadthe cheapest tickets for summer flights to China sell out by early March.

NORM: Could you give our readers an idea of the costs involved if travel originates from the USA, Canada and Europe and Australia?

SHELLEY: China is a budget traveler’s dream come truewith the exception of the airfare, which can cost anywhere from US$600-1500. It’s cheaper to fly from September-May. The best places to find low-fares are Chinese-run travel agencies in Chinatowncheck the local Chinese newspaper or ask around to find their listings.
The budget-conscious can often spend anywhere from US$2-10 per night for lodgings in a hostel or basic room, depending on destination. Food can cost as little as US$4 per person per day for meals from street vendors and small family-run restaurants.

Of course, splurges and treats are everywhere. A comfortable hotel room will cost around US$25-50 per night, and lavish suites range from US$60-150 per night. For US$8-25, a couple can dine at fancier restaurants serving distinctive, gourmet cuisines.

The cheapest and most convenient way to get around China is via rail. Short journeys can cost around US$5-12 for a one-way ticket, while longer journeys will cost up to US$50. Expect to pay more than US$100, however, for a private sleeper compartment for two people.

The number of domestic flights in China is on the rise. One-way fares range US$90-200; round-trip fares are always double the one-way fare.

NORM: If you had to choose 3-5 unequalled venues in China for a romantic getaway, honeymoon or wedding destination, what would they be and why?

SHELLEY:
Jiuzhaigou: Nestled deep in the mountains of northern Sichuan, the “Valley of the Nine Tibetan Villages” is known for its pristine lakes and waterfalls that sparkle a spectrum of shades under the sunshine. You may remember the impossibly blue lakes from the fight sequence filmed here in Hero. Nature lovers can hike beneath the shadow of snowy peaks, experience local Tibetan culture, and in nearby Songpan, embark upon horse treks into the wild. Convenient tourist services are nearby, offering everything from budget lodgings to five-star hotels.

Hangzhou: Those in love with classical China can head to this graceful city of the south and historic dynastic capital. Willows, gardens, pavilions, and delicately arched bridges dot the shores of the West Lake, the setting for ancient China’s most famous love stories. Sip fragrant Dragon Well tea while dining at one of China’s oldest restaurants that once served emperors. The misty waters and city pleasures are enough to captivate anyone; if not nearby Shanghai promises a plunge back into modernity.

Yunnan: This province on the border with Vietnam and Myanmar is the ideal destination for the adventurous, with its 22 colorful ethnic minority cultures and diverse natural scenery. Its capital, Kunming, “City of Eternal Spring,” enchants travelers with flowers on every street, but the true attractions lie in the countryside. Pack your gear for a trek south into tropical rainforests and rice paddies, dotted by Dai villages and gleaming Buddhist stupas. Northern Yunnan is better known as “Shangri-La,” where red-robed monks walk the streets of mountain villages and snowy peaks beckon in the distance.

Xinjiang: Xinjiang takes romance and writes it large upon vast expanses of deserts and horizons. Experience the exoticism of a nomadic lifestyle with camel rides across the dunes and nights under the stars upon China’s last frontier. Or trek up to the legendary Tianshan Mountains overlooking the “Heavenly Pool.” Friendly Uighur musicians will be happy to play at Uighur-style wedding celebrations, filled with tasty food, fresh grapes and melons, and plenty of singing and dancing.

Hong Kong: Hong Kong offers a vacation as sophisticated and exciting as it is expensive. From luxury malls to teeming street markets, Hong Kong easily combines class and chaos. Dinner cruises on Victoria Harbour, stylish hotels and restaurants, and endless clubs, bars, and entertainment options ensure that you’ll never run out of things to do. Macau lures travelers away with its many casinos and Portuguese-influenced cuisine and architecture, but you’ll find yourself back in Hong Kong before long.

NORM: What should people know about celebrating a wedding in China from the point of view of requirements, experience of the various hotels, etc.

SHELLEY: Large fancy hotels are readily available, with the best and widest selection obviously being in Beijing and Shanghai. Restaurants make another good venue, and Let’s Go: China lists many of the best restaurants in Beijing. Book months in advance for celebrations in June and August, popular wedding months in China.

China also excels in gorgeously done wedding photo shoots, often involving lavish sets and costumes, professional make-up artists, and more. Popular options include traditional Chinese wedding garb, emperor and empress outfits, and turn of the century cheongsam robes. A full set often includes an entire album’s worth of photos, the cost of which averages US125-300.

NORM: How far in advance should a couple prepare themselves for their honeymoon, romantic getaway or wedding in China?

SHELLEY: For the cheapest airfares, it’s best to start planning at least four or five months in advance. Unless you are familiar with the country, it’s best not to leave a trip to China to the last minute.

NORM: What resources are available on the Internet pertaining to weddings and honeymoon vacations in China?

SHELLEY: CTRIP offers a great destination guide, often with photographs. Their flight search is helpful for planning, but only those with Chinese credit cards can make reservations.

CHINA TOUR COM provides a wealth of practical information, from visas to currency to vaccines. They also collect news stories related to travel in China, provide information on organized tours, and offer brief guides on Chinese culture.

TRAVEL CHINA GUIDE is another good resource for destination guides.

TRAVEL INFORMATION GUIDE is a forum for those traveling to China.

Thanks Shelley

Share This

Macau is a small peninsula region in China, southwest of Hong Kong. There are scheduled boat charters to and from Macau and Hong Kong throughout the day. It is an easy day trip from one place to the other. If you are planning a trip to Hong Kong, you should strongly consider spending a little time in Macau as well.

The total population of Macau is close to half a million people. Most of the residents are of Chinese origin from various Chinese provinces. The remaining population (approximately 5%) are of Portuguese and European ancestry. Macau used to be a colony of Portugal before it was returned to Chinese control in the late 1990’s. In case you were wondering, Macau is sometimes referred to as ‘Macao’, due to the Portuguese history of the area. The official languages are Chinese and Portuguese, with Cantonese being the most widely used. English is mainly used for tourism and business.

The many attractions in Macau make it well worth a visit. Because of the Portuguese establishment, there are old fortresses, churches, temples and gardens to tour. There are over a dozen museums to see, including the Museum of Macau, the Maritime Museum, the Wine Museum, the Grand Prix Museum, and the Handover Gifts Museum. Every year, around November, there are the Macau Grand Prix car and motorcycle races. The Macau Tower, at 338m tall, is definitely worth a visit. Throughout the year there are many other events and festivals that you may be able to take part in. Walking tours and shopping opportunities also abound. Aside from many new casinos being built, you might want to try your luck at some of the older casinos, or even at the horse racing and greyhound racing tracks.

There is much development underway in Macau, and this development will soon bring even more visitors. Many hotels, casinos, resorts and convention centers are currently being built, with the first ones scheduled to open in 2006 and 2007. Some of the development is occurring on the Cotai Strip, which is reclaimed land between two islands of Macau called Coloane and Taipa. The spelling of ‘Cotai’ comes from the names of these two islands. These developments are being planned by combinations of world class hotel chains and major Las Vegas casinos, so they are bound to be impressive. The goal of the developers is to turn Macau into an international destination for resorts and casinos, and you often hear the term ‘Asia’s Las Vegas’. Up to six billion dollars is being spent on these developments, with 10,000 hotel rooms in the initial phase, and expansion to 60,000 rooms in the third phase. Gambling in Macau will be a major attraction in the years to come.

If you spend some time travelling around Macau, you will likely travel across the bridges on the peninsula. The names of two of the bridges are Nobre de Carvalho (the Friendship Bridge) and Sai Van Bridge. The Friendship Bridge is the longest one and goes directly to the Macau International Airport. Yes, you can fly directly into Macau! The airport is situated on the Island of Taipa.

In closing, if you are interested in experiencing a blend of two cultures over a small area, with loads of unique touring opportunities and attractions, then Macau and the Cotai strip should be your next vacation!

Share This

The Temple of Heaven was initially built in Yongle year 18 of the Ming Dynasty (in 1420). Situated in the southern part of the city, it covers the total area of 273 hectares. With the additions and rebuild during the Ming, Qing and other Dynasties, this grand set of structures look magnificent and glorious, the dignified environment appears solemn and respectful, it is the place for both Ming and Qing Dynasty’s Emperors to worship Heaven and pray for good harvest. The northern part of the Temple is circular while the southern part is square, implies “sky is round and earth is square” to better symbolize heaven and earth. The whole compound is enclosed by two walls, dividing the whole Temple into inner and outer areas, with the main structures enclosed in the inner area. The most important constructions are the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest, the Circular Mound Altar, Imperial Heaven, The Imperial Vault of Heaven, Heaven Kitchen, Long Corridor and so on, as well as the Echo Wall, the Triple-Sound Stone, the Seven-Star Stone and others of historic interest and scenic beauty. The Temple of Heaven is a comprehensive expression of the unique construction techniques from Ming and Qing Dynasties, it is China’s most treasured ancient architecture, it is also the world’s largest architectural complex for worship heaven. In 1998, it was included in the “list of the world heritages” by the United Nation’s Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

Do you know? There are four wonderful sounds in the Temple of Heaven! It’s worth your time to study the four wonderful sounds.

1. The echo from the Echo Wall - There is a circular wall around The Imperial Vault of Heaven, this is the famous Echo Wall. One person’s mere whisper at any point close to the wall can be heard clearly on the other side if you draw your ear close to the wall, it is so clear that it is like talking on the phone. Do you want to know why? This is possible because the wall is round and hermetically constructed with smooth, solid bricks, so the sound wave can transmit to the other side via the extremely smooth inner circle.

2. The sound of the Dialogue Stone - If you speak while standing on the 18th stone in front of The Imperial Vault of Heaven, the sound can clearly pass to the northeast corner of the north side hall and the northwest of the west side hall that are both 36 meters away. The sound can be heard just as well on the stone when speaking from the corners of these two side halls, this is what we call the “Sound of the Dialogue Stone”.

3. Repeating sounds of the Triple-Sound Stone - In front of the steps leading away from the hall is the Triple-Sound Stone. If you stand on the first stone and call out or clap your hands, the sound will echo once; on the second stone, the sound will be heard twice; and on the third stone, the sound will repeat three times. Hence it inherited the name. This is because the distances that the sound wave reflected from the round wall to the stone are different, the number of echo is also different. Take a guess which flagstone is at the center of the Echo Wall’s? The third one. The echo actually gets repeated more than 3 times, it’s just the sound is too weak to be heard after the 4th echo.

4. The hollow of the Heaven’s Center Stone - There is a stone plate in the center of the Circular Mound Altar called the Heaven’s Center Stone. Shouting aloud standing above, you will hear the reverberation of the echo. This is due to the refraction of the sound.

Note: You may freely republic this article hereby given author bio and active hyperlinks are kept active. Thank you

Share This