- Gastown - the historic area of
- Jericho Beach- relax at ithis beautiful sandy beach which is also great for picnics and barbecues. There are plenty of water sports available such as kayaking, surfing, and windsurfing.
- See the spectacular gardens of Queen Elizabeth Park and visit the Bloedel Floral Conservatory
Monday, May 19, 2008
Vancouver City Guide
Recommended Sightseeing in Vancouver:
Friday, May 16, 2008
Beijing Travel Guide
Olympics 2008? I'm going for a week. I've visited Beijing several times and although I dread the three digit temperatures, I'm still as excited as ever for my trip this summer. Here is my tentative itinerary.
Day 1: Forbidden City and Tienanmen Square
The forbidden city is the world's largest complex. The Tienanmen Square is close by, and this vast open area can fit over a million people. Usually, it takes 2 hours to tour the palace from the Gate of Heavenly Peace through the main buildings of the Imperial Palace to the Gate of Divine Prowess at the other end. With the crowds due to the olympics, the Forbidden city and Tienanmen Square will probably take most of the day.
Day 2: Olympics Events
Tickets are hard to come buy even for the seats with less visibility. The opening ceremony and closing ceremony tickets are sold by lottery to foreigners, and there is very little chance of being able to buy one. Tickets for individual events are difficult to obtain if you don't know someone in China who will buy one for you. Try ebay or other ticket reselling websites for tickets to individual events, though beware, the prices may be inflated.
Day 3: Shopping!
Although Beijing has a lot of high class malls and department stores, you can find the best deals at places such as Xiu Shui (aka Silk Alley), which is my personal favorite. You can buy "brand name" clothing, shoes, jewelry, etc. for a small fraction of the price, though these products are imitations of the real stuff. Other shopping centers I recommend are the Pearl Market, Jinsong Market (open only on weekends), and Palace Mall (a very expensive high-end mall).
Day 4: Temple of Heaven
This is a must-see attraction of Beijing. The Temple of Heaven was built during the Ming Dynasty as a place to offer sacrifice to Heaven. The entry fee is CNY 35 and it is open from 06:00 to 20:00 daily. Plan about two to three hours for this place. There should be some free time this day to eat some traditional Chinese food such as Peking Duck. Quan Ju De is the most famous Peking duck restaurant in China.
Day 5: Hutong
Hutong are historical residency areas with small alleyways in Beijing. A tour is recommended for a deeper cultural understanding of these dwellings and their history. Check out this site for more information.
http://www.chinavista.com/travel/hutong/head.html
So that's my tentative itinerary for my trip this August. I'm only visiting Beijing for a few days this summer, because it will be crowded due to the Olympics and there are many other great places in China to see!
Day 1: Forbidden City and Tienanmen Square
The forbidden city is the world's largest complex. The Tienanmen Square is close by, and this vast open area can fit over a million people. Usually, it takes 2 hours to tour the palace from the Gate of Heavenly Peace through the main buildings of the Imperial Palace to the Gate of Divine Prowess at the other end. With the crowds due to the olympics, the Forbidden city and Tienanmen Square will probably take most of the day.
Day 2: Olympics Events
Tickets are hard to come buy even for the seats with less visibility. The opening ceremony and closing ceremony tickets are sold by lottery to foreigners, and there is very little chance of being able to buy one. Tickets for individual events are difficult to obtain if you don't know someone in China who will buy one for you. Try ebay or other ticket reselling websites for tickets to individual events, though beware, the prices may be inflated.
Day 3: Shopping!
Although Beijing has a lot of high class malls and department stores, you can find the best deals at places such as Xiu Shui (aka Silk Alley), which is my personal favorite. You can buy "brand name" clothing, shoes, jewelry, etc. for a small fraction of the price, though these products are imitations of the real stuff. Other shopping centers I recommend are the Pearl Market, Jinsong Market (open only on weekends), and Palace Mall (a very expensive high-end mall).
Day 4: Temple of Heaven
This is a must-see attraction of Beijing. The Temple of Heaven was built during the Ming Dynasty as a place to offer sacrifice to Heaven. The entry fee is CNY 35 and it is open from 06:00 to 20:00 daily. Plan about two to three hours for this place. There should be some free time this day to eat some traditional Chinese food such as Peking Duck. Quan Ju De is the most famous Peking duck restaurant in China.
Day 5: Hutong
Hutong are historical residency areas with small alleyways in Beijing. A tour is recommended for a deeper cultural understanding of these dwellings and their history. Check out this site for more information.
http://www.chinavista.com/travel/hutong/head.html
So that's my tentative itinerary for my trip this August. I'm only visiting Beijing for a few days this summer, because it will be crowded due to the Olympics and there are many other great places in China to see!
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Welcome
To my readers,
I love traveling. In this blog I write about my personal travel tips and experiences as well as general travel guides. I currently live in the United States, but I've traveled to countless countries including France, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, China, England, Canada, and Australia. I look forward to sharing my words of wisdom and to exploring many new destinations in the future.
~Shadow Traveler
I love traveling. In this blog I write about my personal travel tips and experiences as well as general travel guides. I currently live in the United States, but I've traveled to countless countries including France, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, China, England, Canada, and Australia. I look forward to sharing my words of wisdom and to exploring many new destinations in the future.
~Shadow Traveler
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