West Sea Canyon Hiking

Almost every tourist attraction in Mount Huang is full of travelers during high tourist seasons, except the West Sea Canyon. It is because hiking is the only way to travel to the canyon. Most tourists will be scared by the steep and long steps in the canyon

I nearly became one of them. I did not know there is a West Sea Canyon when I traveled to the Mount Huang. I went to the mount just because I was too tired to continue my work. I needed to relax.

I still remember how I discover the canyon by accident. I have been walking on the Mount Huang for a whole day. Suddenly the entrance to the canyon emerges. Like most tourists, I don’t want to enter it when I see so long and long and long steps, but there is an old Chinese saying “The most beautiful views are always located in the steepest peaks”. So I decided to try it. I will stay on the Mount Huang for two days. If the canyon is really worth to visit, I can go just a short distance today and visit again tomorrow. Thank goodness! I made the decision. The views changes completely when I pass the first curve. The pines and rocks are surrounded by clouds, which makes I feel I am in paradise. The tender rain and breeze keep touching my face, just like mother’s hand. It is almost night now. I have to go back. See you tomorrow, little canyon.

I searched on the internet in my hotel room. The canyon is liked by every tourist who has ever traveled to the canyon. Hiking in the canyon usually take 4 to 5 hours. It is good to me. I will check if the canyon is really as beautiful as travel forums say tomorrow. The rain is a little heavier and wind is much stronger this time, however it is not enough to force to give up. Some tourists are stopped in front of a cliff. The wind is much stronger and the rain is much heavier here. They tell me they even can’t open their eyes. I encourage them to go with me. I don’t know when I will go back to the Mount Huang, perhaps never. I don’t want to regret when I go home. Fortunately, all of us decide to continue and both the wind and rain are getting weaker after we passed the cliff.

My Backpacking Stuff

I am not the type of backpackers who often risk their own lives. If I go to somewhere dangerous, I will definitely hire a guide. Here I just want to share something I will bring when I am travelling alone.

Weapons

Do not get scared. I am not telling anything about crimes. I think for it is necessary for a backpacker to take something, such as a knife, alone with himself. I have an army knife. If someone wants to rob me, I will show him the knife. If robbers see an army knife, they may think you really want to fight against them. If you only show them a fruit knife, they may think you will not try your best to fight. If they do not think you will try your best, they will try them best.

Food and Water

Although I normally do not stay in the wild, I always prepare food and water, which can support for two days. If the views really appeals to me, I may stay a bit longer, so I need enough food to make me not so hungry.

Cell phone

I have to make sure there is enough power in my cell phone. I think everyone knows why.

Camera

It is indispensable for every backpacker. Record beautiful views, post them on forums and wait for other people’s likes!

Electric torch

I like to go to the top of mountains to see sunrise. It is exiting to climb mountains in dark before the sunrise. So an electric torch is necessary.

Dunhuang - Starting Point of the Silk Road

Dunhuang is the starting point of the famous ancient Silk Road. For the people from south or east China, Dunhuang looks like a foreign country, because the culture and landscape in Dunhuang are very different their hometown.

On the Train
I could choose airplane. It is even cheaper than the train, but my friends told me that I won’t be disappointed if I choose train. The views outside are free! See what I saw on the train below.

Statue of Dunhuang Fairy 
It is the logo of Dunhuang. Who can play the Chinese lute in that way?

Mogao Grottoes
It is the most famous tourist attraction in Duhuang and elite of Buddhist culture. Fresco in every grotto is priceless. Only 40 grottos out of 735 are open to tourists. We are not allowed to take photo in the grottoes, so the photos below were scanned from the pamphlet.

Yumen Pass
In ancient times, it is the entrance for western merchants, but now it is desert…

Great Wall Built in Han Dynasty (B.C. 202)
Most sections of the Great Wall we can see now were built in Ming Dynasty (A.D. 1368). It is really fortunate to see the relics of Han Dynasty

Crescent Spring
It is amazing to see a spring in desert.

Pattaya – Travel with a Group

This is my friend Pavel Hernandez’s travel experience.

Our company is good to us. We can travel to Pattaya for free! I have got this message for over half a year, so I have enough time to search about it. Pattaya is a small city near Bangkok. Yes, it has to be near Bangkok, because Thailand is not a so big country as China. By the way, I am not a Chinese. You can see it from my name. I was born in Chile, but I have been working in China for over 6 years.

Our flight takes off at 23:00 and will arrive in Bangkok at 00:40, local time. We arrived on time. Although we are in south China, but it still surprises us to wear shorts in April.

We got up at 8:00. You have to get up on time if you choose to travel with a tour group. In the dinner hall, we hear Chinese, and Chinese, and perhaps my local dialect. My group mate asks me:” Are we in Thailand?”… Good question. People in other countries often call Chinese “walking wallet”. You will strongly doubt whether China is still a developing country when you see so many Chinese are traveling and shopping all around the world.

Menam River Cruise

Today we travel inside Bangkok. The first activity is Menam River cruise. It is really fantastic! I can see almost every major architecture in Bangkok during the cruise. Then a group of fish comes to us. The owner of the boat sells us bread to feed the fish. They are so big that I think what they want to eat are live animals, but not bread. I can even see their teeth clearly! Several deluxe boats came into view. Our guide told us these boats are used to celebrate the birthday of the King of Thailand.

Fish fighting for bread

There is a lady boy show in the afternoon. There are some adult content, so I don’t share in my post.

Songkran Festival

The Songkran Festival is like China’s Water-Splashing Festival. People splash water to each other and smear a kind of mud made by the local people onto other people’s faces. It is harmless, so when I thanked the buddy who did it to my face. The festival is really necessary, otherwise everyone would be dried by the sun. On our way to Pattaya, lots of kids are splashing water to our bus. How happy they are!

Songkran Festival

Pattaya Beach

I really can’t believe what I see on the beach of Pattaya. Russian tourists planted their national flag on the beach. It means they like the beach very much, but it can also mean they own the beach… Normally, tourists want to enjoy the sunshine on the beach, but I am scared by the sun in Thailand. What I want to do is lying in any shadow I can find. In fact I love the sea. It is the type of tour who switched me off. I WILL NEVER JOIN A TOUR GROUP FROM NOW ON, even if it is free. I have to follow our guide’s order in a tour group. This make me tired very soon.

The highlights is the diner on the beach. I never saw so big shrimps and crabs before!

Miscellaneous

Thailand is a Buddhist country. I can see Buddha in every lobby of the hotels we stay. However, I don’t understand why there are so many red-light district in a Buddhist country…

Cruise to Gulangyu Island

I cruised to Gulangyu Island last month. Actually I went there by plane and boat, but my thought was cruising! Lots of my friends told me the Gulangyu Island in Xiamen is one the most attractive islands in China. It is near the land of Xiamen, so I can either stay on the island or go back to Xiamen to pass the night. I stayed on the island, even though the hotels on the island are three times more expensive than the hotels with the same star rank on the land. I believe the night is the best time to understand the local culture of a place.
My plane arrived in Xiamen Gaoqi Airport on time. I took a taxi to the port. About half of my colleagues have ever been to Xiamen, so it was impossible for the driver to charge me more than reasonable taxi fare. Fortunately, I arrived at the port at 17:15. That means I can see the sunset on the island. It is not unusual to see a plane delay in China because of lots of reasons they won’t let passengers know… I jumped onto my boat. My actual journey starts now.

The boat will go around the island before send us to the island. On our way to the island, we can see the Jinmen Island, which is under the control of Taiwan. Although the government of China does not acknowledge that Taiwan is a country, actually it is. It is the first time I see a sea. The sea is blue, endless, in a word, it is unbelievably beautiful.

Jinmen Island

We finally land on the island. It is the time for sunset. The sun is falling down slowly as if the sea is going to eat it. The sunshine of a falling sun is the most fascinating. It is gentle and won’t make my eyes hard to open. Nightlife begins. The most famous food on the island is jerky, but not some kind of seafood. I bought eight bags of different jerky for only 100 RMB. I think the jerky can support me for three days. The nightlife on the island is not so different from the land. I think the only difference is the wind from the sea.
I do not like bars, so I chose to lie on my bed to appreciate the moon. It is light, big, round… and I wake up. Today is beach time. I do not do anything except enjoy the sunshine on the beach. Sometimes, I swim in the sea. The sea water is not so beautiful as it looks like. I can feel it is biting my skin every minute. In my city, people go to the Li River to swim. The water is clean and cool, and makes me feel much more comfortable than the sea water.

Jerky jerky!

I do not go to any attraction which need entrance ticket on the island. I will do it when my husband travels with me next time… He pays everything!

Never So Close to Terracotta Warriors Before

Great Wall and Terracotta Warriors are perhaps the two most renowned tourist attractions in China. I had been to the Great Wall in Beijing last century, but for the Terracotta Warriors, I had only seen them on TV programmes.
Last month, I got the opportunity to see the real Terracotta Warriors by myself. Our plane landed on the Xianyang Airport, Xian. Immediately, I could feel the air is full of history. Besides, the landform of Xian also appeals to me. I live in mountainous areas, but in Xian, I can’t see even a single hill from every direction!

I am not only interested in the Terracotta Warriors in Xian, but also the fields. Xian and its nearby areas have been prosperous since the first feudal dynasty of China, Qin Dynasty (2000 years ago). If I can dig something out from the field in Xian, it might be an ancient relic with a history of over thousands of years. That was how the Terracotta Warriors were discovered!

Unfortunately, the lovely local people didn’t allow me to dig their fields. So I was on my way to the Terracotta Warriors Museum. The Terracotta Warriors were the Qin Shihuang’s funeral objects. He wanted to continue his rule even after his death, so he made these warriors. Qin Shihuang was a war maniac. I can see this from his warriors’ expressions and actions. They are divided into several squads. Every squad has its own captain and different kinds of soldiers. Every soldier is serious and disciplined. That was why Qin Shihuang’s army could defeat other 6 countries to unite China.

Disciplined Soldiers

It is a pity that the Terracotta Warriors were more or less broken because of the wars and oxidization, and that they are being exhibited in the pit about 4 meters deep. I can’t see them clearly. I understand. If everyone can touch the warriors, they would have been destroyed completely…

Out of the museum, I saw some imitations of the Terracotta Warriors. They are perhaps the best presents for my family.

Guilin and Yangshuo in This Summer

I learned Guilin from text book in primary school and I dreamed of travelling to Guilin someday. This summer, I finally made some time to realize my dream. We set out from Changsha by train for the convenient of the railway transportation. We arrived at Guilin in the afternoon. Guilin Railway Station was a little worse than we expected. It is small and crowded, but the good thing was the convenient location in downtown Guilin. We found a hotel near the Bus Station.
For the economical reason, we didn’t join a team, instead, we bought a tour brochure and experienced the beauty of Guilin with our eyes. After 11 hours train tour, we were tired, so we spent several hours to sleep in the hotel. We were shock at the beauty night of Guilin when we went out the hotel to find some food. The night was both quite and lively. Walking on the Xicheng Pedestrian Street, where bustling with noise, we saw many different faces from many countries, black Africans, white Europeans shuttling in different booths that sell antique and other small things. The bargain sounds from the owners and the tourists constantly came into my ears, but even so, I felt quiet and peaceful in my mind, some kind of feeling that I couldn’t express. The beautiful night gave me a beautiful sleep, sweet and happy.

Xicheng Pedestrian Street

The next day, we took a cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo, we bought our tickets from the travel agency. We appreciated the picturesque scenery along the Li River and the distinct mountains. Different views at every new bend gave us surprise with a special angle. Along the Li River, we saw many fishermen rowing narrow raft. The captain told me that if we were lucky enough, we might see cormorants catching fish, but it was a pity, we did not have such good luck. Upon our arrival in Yangshuo County, we were recommended to experience an interesting activity. Wondering around the county, enjoying the beautiful scene, and communicating with the passionate local people, we were moved. Yangshuo West Street is a foreign street, where you could find a lot of foreigners, even the vegetable sellers could speak English. The famous dish in Yangshuo is Beer Fish. That was no doubt that we had this dish for dinner. The fresh fish meat was authentic than any other places in Guilin.

Yangshuo West Street

The third day, we took a bus from Yangshuo to downtown Guilin, the ticket was only 15 yuan. Then we visited the Reed Flute Cave in the afternoon. Being famous as the State Guest Cave in China, we were told that Reed Flute Cave has received lots of celebrities like former US presidents Nixon and Carter. There are reeds used for making flutes and pipes that grow at the cave's entrance, so that it is called Reed Flute Cave. This time, we were fortune enough for there was a group of tourists with a guide. Watching the magic landscape of stalagmites, stone pillars and stones in fantastic shapes and colors, and listening to the guide introducing the cave, we learned that the cave is 240 meters long and the length of the tour is about 550 meters in about 40-minute visit. My friends seemed much happier than I when visiting the Reed Flute Cave. It was much beyond our expectation. The final stop of our tour was to the Elephant Trunk Hill, it is where I knew Guilin from the picture of my text book. The Elephant Trunk Hill was the same to the picture in my memory, but much authentic. The hill looks like an elephant drinking water with its trunk from afar. We took some pictures even though I know I wouldn’t forget Guilin.

Elephant Trunk Hill

Deep Exploration into Shambhala - Tibet, Yunnan

Tea Horse Inn is located on the hillside of the Haba Mountain. We arrived at the inn near in the evening. Tea Horse inn seemed much more famous to the foreigners than we Chinese, for there were many foreigners in the inn. Opened the window of the inn, the north peak of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain came into my sight.

Night fell quiet in the valley, and there was no trace of the hustle and bustle with a chilly wind blowing from the mountain. Looking up the stars in the sky, I was occupied with the feeling of peaceful and calm. I did not expect to actually come to the Tea Horse Inn, which was a windfall in this journey, we owed thanks to the recommendation of the Mr. Master Wang. We walked alone the Tea Horse Ancient Road from the upper Tiger Jump to the lower Tiger Jump.
Tea-Horse Ancient Road originated from the tea-horse trade in southwest border of China, flourished in the Tang and Song dynasties, and thrived in Ming and Qing dynasties, during World War II, Tea-Horse Ancient Road achieved the most flourishing period, from the earliest tea stall shaky to the fur of horses and mules, medicinal herbs produced in Tibetan, Sichuan and Yunnan border Regions, as well as tea, salt, cloth and commodity swaps produced in Sichuan and Yunnan provinces. Tea-Horse Road is divided as in north-south roads, which the south road is Yunnan-Tibet Road, and the north road is Sichuan-Tibet Road.
Yunnan-Tibet Road, starts from the western tea-producing areas-Yunnan Erhai area, though Dali, Lijiang, Shangri-La, Deqin, Mangkang to Changdu, then passes the Tibet, until Nepal and India.
Tea-Horse Road is a trade road, along the main trunk of the Tea-Horse Road, there are numerous small feeders scatted around to closely link the "Triangle" area Yunnan, Sichuan and Tibet together, forming the highest and the most dangerous mountain road in the world and the most remote tea-horse trade route and ethnic migration corridors.

From middle Tiger Jump to the upper Tiger Jumped is on the slope, along the way, Tea Horse Road is Hutiaoxia Valley, halfway up the side of the Haba Snow Mountain. At the foot of the abyss, Jinsha River looked like a bent thin belt. The sun slowly rose from one side of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, the clouds in the valleys constantly pouring out, it was really spectacular. We put ourselves in the embrace of the clouds.

The rugged, steep and bumpy Tea-Horse Road was simply formed by a number of caravans who stepped on the road day after day, year after year with their own feet and even life. We walked on the ancient road, feeling that the hardships and lonely of the caravans.
From generation to generation, caravans walked in the rugged mountain road, the heavy and tired food steps broke down the thousands of years of silence in the mountains and deep valleys. The ancient road has witnessed the hardship life of caravans that many of them dreamed of home but died in this ancient road. Without extraordinary courage, perseverance, patience and wisdom, they couldn’t walk on the Tea-Horse Road day by day. Tea Horse Road caravan was their way of existence, adventure and the road of life.
We left the Tiger Jump and went to Lijiang, on the way we witnessed the famous Yangtze River Bay. The road is close to the vertical cliffs, that was why we did not see the road when we looked down from the Tea-Horse Ancient Road.

6-Day Discover Tibet

Coming from Hong Kong, I experienced this easy and enjoyable tour pack to visit Guangzhou and Lhasa. I couldn’t forget this tour in my whole life for I experienced some impressing things and met some different people.
Day 1 and Day 2
Without doubt, the first day of our tour was spent in the train from Hong Kong to Guangzhou. I was really impressed with the quality of the guide, Miss.li Ping. She always ready to help us and was there to meet our needs even when the schedule changed. She took us to the Hongfan Hotel Guangzhou after we arrived. We were told that the first day we could free arrange our time. Guangzhou is a fast-moving metropolis and sometimes we need to get under it’s skin. The next day, we visited Chen's Family Temple. Chen Ancestral Shrine is a cultural relic and an important site built during the reign of Guangxu Emperor with donations collected from Chen family members living in 72 counties in the Guangdong Province. It is also known as Chen Clan Academy, located at the Zhongshan Road. Miss Li Ping told us that the legend that during the late Qing Dynasty, a man called Chen stood third in the most important imperial examination. This provided him with a very distinguished office title, making the Chen family very well known in the area. Later someone suggested that all family members should raise money for building a temple for sacrificing to their ancestors as well as encouraging their children to study hard. We had no way to examine this legend but we were impressed by the legend. I couldn’t help thinking of the policy that scholars were well respected in the feudal society.

Later we walked along Shangxiajiu Pedestrain Street before lunch. The street was crowded with many shops and people, walking on the street, we were overwhelmed with a strong historical and traditional sense. That was the old lifestyle of old Guangzhou.
Day 3 and day 4
I was some kind of tired with the flight, because of I had to spent a whole day or half day to get some rest to recover. We flied to Lhasa for the third day. Even though I was eager to visit some places, but the other members of our team were so tired after the flight, and were anxious to have a rest. Thus, we stayed in the hotel to have a rest. The next day, we finally saw Potala Palace. Everyone who went to Lhasa would certainly visit Potala Palace because Potala Palace is a mark building of Lhasa and a huge treasure house of ancient materials and articles of Tibetan history, religion, culture, and arts. We got to the famous Jokhang Temple. The temple was built with Princess Wencheng’s suggestion in Tang Dynasty and constructed by Songsten Gampo. Princess Wencheng was a great woman who had contributed to the peaceful of Tang Dynasty and Lhasa. She brought with her a 12 year old, life-sized statue of Sakyamuni to Lhasa. We had lunch in a Tibetan-style restaurant in the afternoon. We bought Tibetan carpet, butter sculptures in Barkhor Street.
Day 5 and day 6
We were curious about how the monks live, so we visited someplace named “Drepung Monastery”, where used to be home of Dalai Lamas. Walking along the west stairs of Drepung Monastery, we found a 3-storied palace with flowered windows, which indicated the famous Ganden Potrang. Later, we went to Norbuilgka, the summer palace of the Tibet. The schedule of our tour was not include visiting the Tibetan family, but we were so curious about the life of Tibetan people, so our guide changed her mind and took us to knock a Tibetan’s door.

We left Lhasa for the next day. I didn’t want to leave but I had to, for I didn’t have a life there. Before I left, I looked at the blue sky and as far as I could see. I wanted to remember everything I saw and everyone I met. The flight took us home, but my heart still in Lhasa. Time can take away our age, but can’t take away memories that is deep in our mind.

Karst Mountains in China

Location and History

The Karst Mountains located in the Guilin area of South China provides a spectacular backdrop for a leisurely boating trip down the Li River. The tranquil beauty of the Li River has made this famous mountain area a part of the Chinese 20-Yuan note. Karst Mountains are reflected in the quiet waters of the rivers that run through the landscape and this scenic escape is a pleasant change from the bustle and noise of busy cities. The region is known for its archeological importance as tools and teeth of prehistoric man were also discovered in caves here. Archeological findings also included ancient pottery from as far back as 7 BC.

Description

The Karst Mountains closely resemble massive teeth of limestone and dolomite rock that have been eroded over millions of years. The Karst Mountains took roughly 70 million years in the making.
The Karst Mountains of China are known for their unique caves and natural underground structures that grew out of extensive bedrock erosion.
The spectacular Karst topography of Guilin is characterized by two distinct types: The ‘Fengcong’ (peak clusters) as well as what is called ‘Fenglin’ (peak forests)
The enchanting maze of interlinked rivers and caves makes Karst Mountains in China an appealing destination for visitors. The caves here have ancient inscriptions from the Tang Dynasty from as far back as 729 AD.

Visiting the Karst Mountains in China

Guilin is roughly one hour away from Shanghai. Visitors normally transfer to Yangshuo from Guilin and can opt to explore the Karst Mountains from Yangshuo.
Many tourists love renting bikes to ride upto the point where you need a boat. Bamboo boats or kayaks take visitors down the Li River for a panoramic view of the Karst Mountains.

Highlights

Elephant Trunk Hill

Standing at a height of 55 meters above the water, the Elephant Trunk River straddles the junction between the Taohuajiang and the Li Rivers. Its fanciful title comes from its unique shape that resembles a thirsty, massive elephant dipping its trunk right into the Li River. Elephant Trunk Hill dates back to 3.6 hundred million years. Atop the Elephant Trunk Hill is the well-known, 14-meter tall Puxian Pagoda. The pagoda appears to resemble the hilt of a sword arising out of the elephant’s back. The Puxian Pagoda was built by the rulers of the Ming Dynasty during the 14th century. The top of Elephant Trunk Hill commands a beautiful view of Guilin as well as the gently flowing Li River.



Other attractions on Elephant Trunk Hill include:

Moon Water Cave

The Moon water Cave is 3 kilometers long and stretches across three hills in the Karst Mountains. The cave is known for its dark maze of passages and tunnels. The cave was used during the world war by locals as a refuge from attacking Japanese troops. The cave is known for its sweet, clean drinking water as well as its beautiful waterfall pool that visitors love to take a dip in. There are also ancient Chinese inscriptions and fossilized bats and fish on the walls of the cave.

Fubo Hill

Fubo Hill stands alone in its regal glory and stands tall at 213 meters high on the West bank of the Li River. Waves from the Li River return after hitting Fubo Hill which is why it gets its local name of ‘Wave-Subduing’ hill. Fubo Hill lies about 1.4 miles away from Elephant Hill Trunk and is also famous for the Pearl-Returning Cave, the Sword-testing Cave and the Thousand-Buddha Cave.

Pear Returning Cave

This cave is situated on Fubo Hill and travelers sail into the cave on boats from the Fubo River. The caves are known for their valuable Buddhist statues dating back to the Tang rulers as well as spectacular stalactites in the cave. The enigmatic name of the cave originates from a legend that General Fubo poured all his pearls into this cave.

Sword-Testing Rock

This is a peculiar rock with a broad base and tapering end that appears to slice through the water. It hangs just about 1.5 inches above the water level but appears as though it’s slicing the water from a distance.

The Thousand Buddha Cave

The enchanting cave of the Thousand Buddha’s is hidden deep within Fubo Hill and covers an area of nearly 154 square yards. The cave is made of three levels that contain about 239 ancient paintings of the Buddha which all date back to the period of the Tang Dynasty. The artwork is also well-known for the intricate carvings of the Tang era.

Interesting Activities

Tours to the Karst area begin from Yangshuo and include exciting options such as kayaking, biking, canoeing and ballooning. Bamboo rafting along the Li River is another enjoyable way to view the unique Karst topography. The rafts and kayaks take visitors through the panoramic mountain views and rice paddy fields to view the multiple attractions in the Karst Mountains. It is advisable to take long rainproof wear as the trip to Karst Mountains and the surrounding areas takes about 2 to 3 days to explore.

What to buy

Local Chinese scarves and wraps are a great buy in Yangshuo town.

Hangzhou

Location and History

Hangzhou is a popular Chinese city situated on the Yangtze River delta region roughly about 125 miles Southwest of Shanghai. The city of Hangzhou is contained between the West Lake and the Qiantang River. Hangzhou is the fourth largest city in China and currently has a population of 3.6 million people living there and is famous for its scenic attractions and natural beauty. Hangzhou came into existence about seven thousand years back when areas surrounding it were used for rice cultivation by the Liangzhou culture. Hangzhou was built by the Qin rulers back in the 6th century. Hangzhou was one of the seven ancient capitals of China and had enchanted Marco Polo with its beautiful west lake and he described Hangzhou as a paradise on earth. Hangzhou is known for its rich, vibrant culture and economic prosperity that makes it a competitor to other well-known Chinese cities like Shanghai. Hangzhou attracted scholars, kings and hermits with its unique temple architecture and arts. Hangzhou is visited by more than 20 million tourists annually.

Attractions of Hangzhou

There are several exciting attractions for visitors to enjoy at Hangzhou.

West Lake

The well-known West Lake of Hangzhou began as a lagoon several thousands of years ago but its access to the sea was finally cut off by a deposit of silt, turning into a lake. The West Lake has always been a retreat for China’s royalty as well as an attraction for local people over many centuries. In 2011, West Lake in Hangzhou was established as a World Heritage Site. Its spectacular natural environs as well as architectural splendors make West Lake one of the most attractive destinations of Hangzhou. West Lake is only 5 feet deep and is split up into five different parts.

The Island of Little Oceans

This is a manmade island consisting of four small lakes that are known for their reflections of ‘three moons’’. At night, small lamps are lit in traditional stone lanterns and the lakes appear to reflect the light of three moons; a truly enchanting sight.

Solitary Hill

This natural island is located 125 feet above sea level and stands in its own lonely space on West Lake. Solitary Hill is a wonderful spot to enjoy a panoramic view of West Lake and is also known for interesting architectural attractions. Temple of Soul’s Retreat This is another unique attraction that is located northwest of the West Lake in Hangzhou. According to legend, an Indian Monk by the name of Huili visited there several hundreds of years ago and was entranced by the beautiful region and thought the place was fit for immortal life. The temple is famous for its ‘Hall of the heavenly Kings’ whose walls stretch up a massive 60 feet in height. The ceiling is covered by exquisite paintings of dragons as well as phoenixes. The Hall of the Great Hero has a massive statue of camphor wood of ‘Sakyamuni’ along with 20 saints and 12 guards which makes a spectacular sight.

Running Tiger Spring

This spring in Hangzhou is also called Hupao Spring and lies at the bottom of Daci Mountains. The spring was said to have been dug there by two tigers and hence the spring got its name as ‘’Running Tiger Spring’. Recently, the attractive surrounding of Running Tiger Spring has developed into Running River National Park. The site also houses a striking memorial to Li Shatong, a well-known musician, dramatist and calligrapher.

Six Harmonies Pagoda

The Six Harmonies Pagoda was built over the Qiantang River to quiet its rolling waters. The statuesque pagoda stands on the Yuelun Hill and directly overlooks the waters of the Qiantang River. An imposing 196 feet in height and octagonal in shape, the Six Harmonies Pagoda has seven uniquely painted ceilings to view. The paintings include images of flowers, animals and birds. Other unique features of the Six Harmonies Pagoda include a zigzag corridor and a dual appearance of light and shade; the upper layers appear to be bright while lower layers appear to be darker. The overall effect is that of perfect harmony between light and dark.

Chinese National Silk Museum

The huge exhibition hall located in Hangzhou houses the interesting 5500 year history of Chinese silk manufacture and trade. Silk specimens from every part of China and from every Chinese Dynasty are on display here. Entrance is free and there are wheelchairs available for disabled visitors. You can also opt for an audio guide to explain the various exhibits on display.

Shopping in Hangzhou

Hangzhou is the perfect place to pick up local Chinese goods such as silk and tea. Hangzhou silk comes in 14 different types and is known for its unique texture and quality.

Silk umbrellas (Xihu silk)

Xihu umbrellas are made of bamboo and silk and can double as a parasol as well as a decorative ornament for your home.

Wangxingji paper fans

These are exquisitely decorated hand fans that Hangzhou is particularly famous for. In the past, these fans used to be exclusively made for the members of the royal household.

Longjing tea

Longjing green tea is known for its excellent taste, energizing properties and delicate texture.

Arriving at Tiananmen Square located in the center of China's capital, I behold the majesty of the massive building that once housed emperors, their concubines and thousands of eunuchs who were at their beck and call. Now, swarmed with international tourists who visit the capital Beijing throughout the year, the Forbidden City was in the past sealed off to the commoners. Only special permission from the emperor guaranteed access to and from this huge architecture. I gaze at the yellowish gold lion-like guardians and the yellow glazed roof as well as bricks and realize that in my bright yellow T-shirt, I could easily blend in with my environment. On the other hand, yellow was thought to be the royal color and worn only by Chinese emperors. So if I lived back then, I guess the imperial guards would have dragged me off to be beheaded!

The Forbidden City is a literal translation from Zijing Cheng in Chinese, which means purple forbidden city. However, I cannot make out any physical features that are in purple. Did the ravages of time remove them? The ancient Chinese astrologers believed that Polaris, called Ziwei or the Purple Star, was the center of heaven. The heavenly emperor lived in a purple palace and similarly the emperor on earth should live in a purple city or purple palace.

I admire its beauty and am astounded by the ancient Chinese who were so intelligent and skilful to have built this Forbidden City in just a period of 14 years from 1406 to 1420. In my mind's eye, I can almost see the millions of workers who slogged and slaved everyday to make this miraculous structure possible. Their blood, sweat and tears accomplished this feat without any modern tools or technology.

The entire rectangular complex comprise 980 buildings and span 7,800,000 square feet (720, 000 m²). At the end of the Yuan Dynasty when China was under Mongol control, Emperor Zhu Di or Yong Le, the second emperor of the succeeding dynasty, the Ming Dynasty, moved the capital back from Nanjing to Beijing. This was after his father, Emperor Hong Wu, the founder of the Ming Dynasty, burnt down the Mongol palaces in central Beijing and moved the capital from Beijing to Nanjing. I mean talk about being rebellious against your parents. This Yong Le was definitely a rebel at heart.

There are 980 buildings with some 8,886 rooms, not including other internal chambers. Surrounding the Forbidden City is a moat measuring 171 feett
(52 m) wide and walls at some 32 feet (10 m) high. The City is also gated on its four sides, starting with the main gate at the southern end, the Meridian Gate, followed by the Gate of the Divine Might at the northern end. The other two gates are named East Glorious Gate and the West Glorious Gate. Another tourist that has already seen the East Glorious Gate and tells me that it is the only door that has eight rows of nine golden doornails each, while the other three have nine rows.

From the Meridian Gate, I walk along that central gateway that is part of the Imperial Way. This gateway formed part of the ancient city of Beijing and only the Emperor was allowed to walk or ride on this path. I felt quite honored strolling on the same path. Besides the monarch, only the Empress on her wedding day and students from the Imperial Examination could ever step on this pathway.

In addition, this massive complex is divided into two, the Outer Court and the Inner Court. The ceremonial events were held in the Outer Court while the Emperor and his extended household resided in the Inner Court. No wonder, UNESCO listed it as a World Heritage Site in 1987.

Today, it comes under the purview of the Palace Museum, which was established in 1924. The Palace Museum currently holds a vast collection numbering nearly one million, of mostly from the Qing Dynasty, which consists of ceramics, bronze ware, timepieces, jade and imperial artifacts. Part of the collection can also be found in the National Palace Museum in Taipei, Taiwan.

With China opening its gates to international visitors and investors, how has the Forbidden City withstood the influx of Western culture? A Starbucks coffee chain outlet that opened in 2000 was closed seven years later due to local protests. Coffee? Come on people, the Chinese simply love drinking tea too much!

The City was also the site of the oscar-winning movie, Last Emperor by Bernardo Bertolucci. This epic film commissioned by the Chinese government used Forbidden City as the setting for the story of Puyi, the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty.

This impressive complex has been the home to 14 Ming Dynasty emperors and ten Manchurian emperors of China's last dynasty. What secrets do the walls of the Forbidden City hold? The secrets will probably remain hidden.