Beijing a modern metropolis with the charm of an ancient capital

The ancient city of Beijing, enchanting to everyone who visits for its history and culture, has also become world-renowned as a tourist city because of its relatively inexpensive five-star hotels and many fine restaurants. Surrounded by high mountains, the suburbs of Beijing have beautiful natural scenery, which consists of green trees, ancient temples, flowing streams, overhanging waterfalls and simple and unsophisticated villages. That is why the suburbs of Beijing are very attractive to Chinese and foreign tourists. Local Flavor of Beijing Beijing has a wide variety of "hutongs," which are ancient small lanes peculiar to this lovely city of 11 million people. The hutong is mainly lined on both sides by courtyards containing compound houses, known as quadrangles, which are traditional residences in old Beijing. A quadrangle often has a large courtyard with independent houses along its four sides. Beijing is also an ideal place for Peking Opera fans. As the quintessence of Chinese culture, Peking Opera is a special drama form integrating singing, dancing, fine arts and literature, similar to Western opera. The Forbidden City The Forbidden City (Palace Museum) located in Beijing is the imperial palace of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties and is the largest and best-preserved palace in the world. Twenty-four emperors resided there and it was forbidden to laboring people in the past. The outer palace consists of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Complete Harmony and the Hall of Preserving Harmony. In these Halls political activities were held. The Palace of Heavenly Purity, the Hall of Union and Peace and the Palace of Earthly Tranquility are located in the inner palace, where the emperor and his empress resided and handled daily affairs. The Ming Tombs Located in Changping District, about 30 miles northwest of Beijing, there are the tombs of the emperors of the Ming dynasty. Altogether, 13 emperors of the Ming dynasty were buried here at the foot of the magnificent Tianshou Mountain. The Great Wall at Badaling Located to the north of Jiayuguan Pass, the Great Wall at Badaling is about 35 miles from the city center and was rebuilt during the Ming dynasty, about 1505. The wall is more than 20 feet high on average and its top is wide enough for five horses or 10 people to walk along abreast. The watchtowers are built in at 2,000-foot intervals, for accommodation and observing enemy movements. Badaling also has the Great Wall Museum and the Circular Screen Cinema. Visitors to this capital of the People's Republic of China should not miss the Beijing Zoo, the largest zoo in China. It houses some of the most valuable animals in the world, including the giant panda. Visitors will also enjoy the Chinese Ethnic Culture Park, a large-scale comprehensive museum that combines ethnic architecture, folk customs, dancing and singing performances, handicrafts and collections of various nationalities, which show an overall picture of the Chinese nation.

Chile

Stretching almost the entire length of the South American continent and wedged between the intimidating Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, lies Chile, a country rich in natural beauty, culture and heritage. The most fascinating aspect about Chile is its geography. Although the country stretches over 2,800 miles from north to south, making it the longest country in the world, it is only 265 miles at its widest point, east to west. The country offers an amazing landscape, ranging from a chain of volcanoes in the Andes to freezing glaciers, fjords, inlets and islands. Since the country spans over 30o of latitudes, it experiences some dramatic climatic variations. The northern region undergoes mild variations in climate and has little to no rainfall. The Central Chile region features more pronounced seasonal changes with some rainfall in the winter months. The southern part, stretching to the famous Strait of Magellan, is considerably cooler with more rainfall than the rest of the country. Chile has had a turbulent and exciting history, since its days under the Native Americans to its independence from Spain in 1810. From Ferdinand Magellan’s discovery of the southern passage around the tip of the country to the European invasions and their wars against the Native Americans, Chile has had a history covered by many tomes and books. Santiago, located in the center of the slender country, has been the capital city since the first European settlement was established there in 1541. Although Santiago is the capital city, the Congress is located in the nearby port city of Valparaiso. Chile’s foreign trade market largely flourishes on the exports of copper, seafood, forestry and wood products. The country’s culture shows the traits of all its inhabitants, from the Incas and the Spanish, to the French and English. The Chileans take pride in their tradition and culture and call their country Pais de Poetas, which means ‘Land of the Poets’. With its rich scenic beauty, wonderful culture and history, and a modern-day cosmopolitan outlook, Chile has been soaring to new heights, just like the condor depicted on the country’s coat of arms.

France bordeaux and st. tropez

France and Paris, Paris and France. You’ll have a great time exploring Paris, but you’ll miss places like Bordeaux and St. Tropez if you don’t get out of the city. Bordeaux Bordeaux is both a city and the center of the wine region in France. As a city, Bordeaux is surprisingly bereft of things to see. One can find unique statutes, fountains and the like, but there isn’t really a particular location to mark of on your, “I saw that” list. The city is, however, a good place to relax, drink and eat. For relaxation, you can put around this low key town and take in food at the outdoor cafes in the Place de la Comedie. The specialty food of the region are canellas, which are very good. If you’re with the wine and cheese crowd, Bordeaux is going to seem much more exciting. The surrounding region produces wine by the mega cask loads and you can visit locations such as Chateau Mouton-Rothschild to smell and taste the grapes. Moderation is suggested as you want to avoid the grapes of wrath the next morning! St. Tropez St. Tropez has gone through roughly three stages in its history. Originally, the town was a little fishing village no different than others dotting the coast of France. At some point, however, it became the place to be for artist who had given up on Paris. No less than the painters Matisse, Signac and Seurat lived and worked in the town. Fortunately or unfortunately, those times have passed. While artist still populate the town, St. Tropez is now the hangout of celebrities and the wealthy. While still a beautiful location, the over the top glitz of St. Tropez is a bit much. Once you get out of Paris, your options are wide open when it comes to exploring France. Bordeaux is definitely worth a visit while St. Tropez tends to be a take it or leave it destination. I left it.