Forboðna borgin í Beijing

Lying at the center of Beijing, the Forbidden City, called Gu Gong in Chinese, was the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Now known as the Palace Museum, it is to the north of Tiananmen Square. Rectangular in shape, it is the world's largest palace complex and covers 74 hectares. Surrounded by a six meter deep moat and a ten meter high wall are 9,999 buildings. The wall has a gate on each side. Opposite the Tiananmen Gate, to the north is the Gate of Divine Might (Shenwumen), which faces Jingshan Park. The distance between these two gates is 960 meters, while the distance between the gates in the east and west walls is 750 meters. There are unique and delicately structured towers on each of the four corners of the curtain wall. These afford views over both the palace and the city outside. The Forbidden City is divided into two parts. The southern section, or the Outer Court was where the emperor exercised his supreme power over the nation. The northern section, or the Inner Court was where he lived with his royal family. Until 1924 when the last emperor of China was driven from the Inner Court, fourteen emperors of the Ming dynasty and ten emperors of the Qing dynasty had reigned here. Having been the imperial palace for some five centuries, it houses numerous rare treasures and curiosities. Listed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site in 1987, the Palace Museum is now one of the most popular tourist attractions world-wide.
Construction of the palace complex began in 1407, the 5th year of the Yongle reign of the third emperor of the Ming dynasty. It was completed fourteen years later in 1420. It was said that a million workers including one hundred thousand artisans were driven into the long-term hard labor. Stone needed was quarried from Fangshan, a suburb of Beijing. It was said a well was dug every fifty meters along the road in order to pour water onto the road in winter to slide huge stones on ice into the city. Huge amounts of timber and other materials were freighted from faraway provinces. Ancient Chinese people displayed their very considerable skills in building the Forbidden City. Take the grand red city wall for example. It has an 8.6 meters wide base reducing to 6.66 meters wide at the top. The angular shape of the wall totally frustrates attempts to climb it. The bricks were made from white lime and glutinous rice while the cement is made from glutinous rice and egg whites. These incredible materials make the wall extraordinarily strong.
Since yellow is the symbol of the royal family, it is the dominant color in the Forbidden City. Roofs are built with yellow glazed tiles; decorations in the palace are painted yellow; even the bricks on the ground are made yellow by a special process. However, there is one exception. Wenyuange, the royal library, has a black roof. The reason is that it was believed black represented water then and could extinguish fire.
Nowadays, the Forbidden City, or the Palace Museum is open to tourists from home and abroad. Splendid painted decoration on these royal architectural wonders, the grand and deluxe halls, with their surprisingly magnificent treasures will certainly satisfy 'modern civilians'.
In addition, the following services can also be enjoyed here.
Service Items
Note
Audio Guide Device:
Available in several languages including Chinese, Cantonese, English, French, Japanese, German, Korean, Russian, Thai, Portuguese, Spanish, Arabic and Italian. It can be rented from the tour guide service at the Meridian Gate (Wumen) and the Gate of Divine Might (Shenwu Men). The cost for renting any version of the device is CNY 40 (Chinese and Cantonese are both CNY 10), along with a deposit of CNY 100.
Tour Guide Service:
Chinese, English and Japanese-speaking tour guides are available.
Commodity Service:
Tourist souvenirs, books, food and drink as well as a post office are all available.
Broadcast:
It is to the southwest of Jingyun Gate.
Bag Check Service:
Bags can be deposited free of charge at the Meridian Gate (Wumen) and Gate of Divine Might (Shenwu Men) from 8:30 to 18:00. If desired, bags can be carried between the two gates after going through a security check.
Wheelchairs & Strollers:
Available from the tour guide service at the Meridian Gate (Wumen) and Gate of Divine Might (Shenwu Men), free of charge.
Tourist Service Center:
Located at the Arrow Pavilion (Jianting).
You may start your tour by following our virtual guide or clicking from attractions below.

Admission Fee:CNY 40 (Nov. 1 to Mar. 31)CNY 60 (Apr. 1 to Oct. 31))
Opening Hours:08:30 to 16:20 (Oct. 16 to Apr.15)08:30 to 17:00 (Apr. 16 to Oct. 15)
Recommended Time for a Visit:Three hours
Bus Route:No. 124, 810, 812, 814, 846, 855 (Night Bus: No. 202 and 211) No. 101, 103 and 109 (Trolleybus)No.1, 4, 20, 52 (get off at East Tian'anmen Bus Stop)

Tiananmen torg í Beijing

Located at the center of Beijing City is Tiananmen Square, where you can visit Tiananmen Tower, Monument to the People's Heroes, Great Hall of the People, Mao Zedong Memorial Hall and see the national flag raising ceremony. Thousands of people come to the Square every day. It is the must place to visit in Beijing City.
At the north end of the Square is Tiananmen Tower. Initially built in 1417 during the Ming Dynasty (1368 A.D.- 1644 A.D.), the Square was the front door of the Forbidden City. The most important use of it in the past was to declare in a big ceremony to the common people who became the emperor and who became the empress. Until 1911 when the last feudal kingdom was over, no one could enter the Tower except for the royal family and aristocrats.
The granite Monument to the People's Heroes is just at the center of the Tiananmen Square. Built in 1952, it is the largest monument in China's history. ' The People's Heroes are Immortal' written by Chairman Mao is engraved on the monument. Eight unusually large relief sculptures show to the people the development of Chinese modern history. Two rows of white marble railings enclose the monument, simple and beautiful.
West of the Square is the Great Hall of the People. This building, erected in 1959, is the site of the China National People's Congress meetings and provides an impressive site for other political and diplomatic activities.Twelve marble posts are infront of the Hall which has three parts--the Central Hall, the Great Auditorium and a Banqueting Hall.The floor of the Central Hall is paved with marble and crystal lamps hang from the ceiling. The Great Auditorium behind the Central Hall seats 10,000. The Banqueting Hall is a huge hall with 5,000 seats.
Mao Zedong Memorial Hall is at the south side of the Square. This Hall is divided into three halls and our dear Chairman Mao's body lies in a crystal coffin in one of the halls surrounded by fresh bouquets of various famous flowers and grasses.
Another important place for the tourist to visit is the China National Museum at the east side of the Square. It just came into existence in 2003 and is a combination of Chinese History Museum and Chinese Revolutionary Museum. This National Museum faces the Great Hall of the People. Inside the Chinese Revolutionary Museum are a lot of material objects, pictures, books and models to present the development of modern China. The Chinese History Museum shows a large number of cultural relics illustrating the long history and glorious culture of China from 1,700,000 years ago to 1921 when the last emperor left the throne.
Five Star Red Flag-the Chinese national flag, flies high in the sky above the Square. To see the guard of honor raise the Flag is a must for the tourist visiting Beijing City. You have to get up very early and arrive at the Square before sunrise. Only by doing so can you see the ceremony clearly as there are crowds of people attending the ceremony every day.
The present Tiananmen Square has an area of 440,000 square meters and has become a relaxing place for the common people to fly kites and walk. On a holiday, the whole square is covered with fresh flowers.
Click for more details on 2008 time arrangement for Flag-raising Ceremony.

Admission Fee :Free for square visiting; CNY 15 for tower ascending
Opening Hours:Whole day
RecommendedTime for a Visit: Half an hour
Bus Route: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Sumarhöllin í Beijing

Summer Palace, an Imperial Garden in Beijing

The Summer Palace in Beijing – first built in 1750, largely destroyed in the war of 1860 and restored on its original foundations 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.


Around 16 km northwest of Beijing, the great aesthetician, Emperor Qianlong (1736-1795) had built a masterpiece of garden art and architecture, "Yuanming Yuan", better known under the name "The Old Summer Palace. It was erected in the most lavish style ever seen in China, and planned by the Italian Jesuit missionary and artist Giuseppe Castiglione, who had the castle of Versailles in his mind for pleasing the emperor. But during the second Opium War (1856-1860) the western powers, headed by the British and French governments, plundered the palace and transformed it into brickbats.

Cixi

Cixi, originally concubine of the third rank, instated herself on the Dragon Throne after the Emperor's death, and reigned China in a most unscrupulous and egocentric way for the next 50 years, to begin with in her youngest son's name. By the help of young women and other secular temptations she kept him away from politics until his death as 18 years old.
Disregarding the established hereditary order she now instated her young nephew as emperor, but continued reigning "behind the throne" until he had come of age. At this moment she finally retired to Yiheyuan Palace.

The Summer Palace and the Pagoda.

The Summer Palace in Beijing is an outstanding expression of the creative art of Chinese landscape garden design, incorporating the works of humankind and nature in a harmonious whole.The Summer Palace epitomizes the philosophy and practice of Chinese garden design, which played a key role in the development of this cultural form throughout the East. The imperial Chinese garden, illustrated by the Summer Palace, is a potent symbol of one of the major world civilizations.

Situated in the western outskirts of Haidian District, the Summer Palace is 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) from central Beijing. Having the largest royal park and being well preserved, it was designated, in 1960 by the State Council, as a Key Cultural Relics Protection Site of China. Containing examples of the ancient arts, it also has graceful landscapes and magnificent constructions. The Summer Palace is the archetypal Chinese garden, and is ranked amongst the most noted and classical gardens of the world. In 1998, it was listed as one of the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.
Constructed in the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234), during the succeeding reign of feudal emperors; it was extended continuously. By the time of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), it had become a luxurious royal garden providing royal families with rest and entertainment. Originally called 'Qingyi Garden' (Garden of Clear Ripples), it was know as one of the famous 'three hills and five gardens' (Longevity Hill, Jade Spring Mountain, and Fragrant Hill; Garden of Clear Ripples, Garden of Everlasting Spring, Garden of Perfection and Brightness, Garden of Tranquility and Brightness, and Garden of Tranquility and Pleasure). Like most of the gardens of Beijing, it could not elude the rampages of the Anglo-French allied force and was destroyed by fire. In 1888, Empress Dowager Cixi embezzled navy funds to reconstruct it for her own benefit, changing its name to Summer Palace (Yiheyuan). She spent most of her later years there, dealing with state affairs and entertaining. In 1900, it suffered again, being ransacked by the Eight-Power Allied Force. After the success of the 1911 Revolution, it was opened to the public.
Composed mainly of Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake, The Summer Palace occupies an area of 294 hectares (726.5 acres), three quarters of which is water. Guided by nature, artists designed the gardens exquisitely so that visitors would see marvelous views and be amazed by perfect examples of refined craftwork using the finest materials.
Centered on the Tower of Buddhist Incense (Foxiangge) the Summer Palace consists of over 3,000 structures including pavilions, towers, bridges, and corridors. The Summer Palace can be divided into four parts: the court area, front-hill area, front-lake area, and rear-hill and back-lake area.
Front-Hill Area: this area is the most magnificent area in the Summer Palace with the most constructions. Its layout is quite distinctive because of the central axis from the yard of Kunming Lake to the hilltop, on which important buildings are positioned including Gate of Dispelling Clouds, Hall of Dispelling Clouds, Hall of Moral Glory, Tower of Buddhist Incense, the Hall of the Sea of Wisdom, etc.
Rear-Hill and Back-Lake Area: although the constructions are fewer here, it has a unique landscape, with dense green trees, and winding paths. Visitors can feel a rare tranquility, and elegance. This area includes scenic spots such as Garden of Harmonious Interest and Suzhou Market Street.
Court Area: this is where Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu met officials, conducted state affairs and rested. Entering the East Palace Gate, visitors may see the main palace buildings: the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity served as the office of the Emperor, the Hall of Jade Ripples where Guangxu lived, the Hall of Joyful Longevity, Cixi's residence, the Hall of Virtue and Harmony where Cixi was entertained.
Front Lake Area: covering a larger part of the Summer Palace, opens up the vista of the lake. A breeze fluttering, waves gleam and willows kiss the ripples of the vast water. In this comfortable area there are the Eastern and Western Banks, the Seventeen-Arch Bridge, Nanhu Island, and so on. On the western bank float six distinct bridges amongst which the Jade-Belt Bridge is the most beautiful.

Admission Fee:CNY 25 (Nov. 1 to Mar. 31)CNY 35 (Apr. 1 to Oct. 31)

Opening Hours: 07:00-17:00 (Nov. 1 to Mar. 31)06:30-18:00 (Apr. 1 to Oct. 31)

Recommended Time for a Visit: One and a half hour

Bus Route: 907, 375, 801, 808, 732, 394, 718

Kínamúrinn í Beijing

He who has not climbed the Great Wall is not a true man.- Chairman Mao

The Great Wall of China (simplified Chinese: 长城; traditional Chinese: 長城; pinyin: Chángchéng; literally "Long wall") or (simplified Chinese: 万里长城; traditional Chinese: 萬里長城; pinyin: Wànlǐ Chángchéng; literally "The long wall of 10,000 Li (里)"[1]) is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in China, built, rebuilt, and maintained between the 5th century BC and the 16th century to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire during the rule of successive dynasties. Several walls, referred to as the Great Wall of China, were built since the 5th century BC. The most famous is the wall built between 200 BC - 220 BC by the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang; little of it remains; it was much farther north than the current wall, which was built during the Ming Dynasty.[2]
The Great Wall stretches over approximately 6,508 km (4,000 miles)[3] from Shanhaiguan in the east to Lop Nur in the west, along an arc that roughly delineates the southern edge of Inner Mongolia, but stretches to over 6,700 km (4,160 miles) in total.[4] At its peak, the Ming Wall was guarded by more than one million men.[5] It has been estimated that somewhere in the range of 2 to 3 million Chinese died as part of the centuries-long project of building the wall.[6]

The Great Wall of China, one of the greatest wonders of the world, was enlisted in the World Heritage by UNESCO in 1987. Just like a gigantic dragon, the Great Wall winds up and down across deserts, grasslands, mountains and plateaus, stretching approximately 6,700 kilometers (4,163 miles ) from east to west of China. With a history of more than 2000 years, some of the sections of the great wall are now in ruins or even entirely disappeared. However, it is still one of the most appealing attractions all around the world owing to its architectural grandeur and historical significance.

History of the wall: Excitement abounds in the origin, vicissitude and nature of the great wall of the Qin, Han, and Ming dynasties.
The Great Wall was originally built in the Spring, Autumn, and Warring States Periods as a defensive fortification by the three states: Yan, Zhao and Qin. The Great Wall went through constant extensions and repairs in later dynasties. In fact, it began as independent walls for different states when it was first built, and did not become the "Great" wall until the Qin Dynasty. Emperor Qin Shihuang succeeded in his effort to have the walls joined together to fend off the invasions from the Huns in the north after the unification of China. Since then, the Great Wall has served as a monument of the Chinese nation throughout history. A visit to the Great Wall is like a tour through the history backwards; it brings tourists great excitement in each step of the wall.

Construction of the wall: The mystery of the construction of the wall is amazing.
The construction of the Great Wall, drew heavily on the local resources for construction materials, was carried out in line with the local conditions under the management of contract and responsibility system. A great army of manpower, composed of soldiers, prisoners, and local people, built the wall. The construction result demonstrates the manifestation of the wisdom and tenacity of the Chinese people.

Sections of the wall: Ready to show you an incredible diversity of scenery and ethnic people along its way.
The Great Wall as we see today was mostly built during the Ming Dynasty. It starts from Shanhaiguan Pass in the east to Jiayuguan Pass in the west traversing provinces of Liaoning, Hebei, Beijing, Tianjin, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Shaanxi and Gansu.

Protection of the wall: The China Great Wall Academy has called for greater protection of this important relic.
Following a forty-five day long survey of 101 sections of the Wall in different provinces, the China Great Wall Academy reported on December 12, 2002 that the forces of nature and destruction at the hand of mankind are bringing about the gradual reduction of its extent with the result that less than 30% remains in good condition. The Academy has called for greater protection of this important relic.

Culture of the wall: Unfolding a considerable part of Chinese culture beyond the wall.
The Great Wall has long been incorporated into Chinese mythology and popular symbolism. The most beautiful of several legends is about the collapse of a section of the Great Wall caused by Meng Jiangnu, who cried bitterly over the death of her husband in the construction of the Great Wall. This legend has been spread widely through textbooks, folk songs and traditional operas. It is well-known in China.

Travel of the wall: Make a trip to at least one section of the Great Wall should be a must for your China Tour. Elaborate tour plans make travel comfortable, memorable, enjoyable and informative.
If you prefer to see the wall in a relatively natural state, visit Simatai, 110km north-east of Beijing. This part of the Wall is the best choice, for it is still in its original state without being developed into a popular tourist attraction due to its distance and little public transportation options.

Shamian Island í Guangzhou

Shamian Island, formerly known as Shameen Island, from its Cantonese pronunciation (Chinese: 沙面岛, pinyin: Shāmiàn dǎo) is an island in Guangzhou city, Guangdong province, China. The territory was originally divided in two concessions given to France and the United Kingdom by the Qing Dynasty government in the 19th century. The island's name literally means "sandy surface" in Chinese.


The island covers an area of 0.3 square kilometers[citation needed] and is a gazetted historical area that serves as a tranquil reminder of the colonial European period, with quiet pedestrian avenues flanked by trees and lined by historical buildings in various states of upkeep. The island is the location of several hotels, a youth hostel, restaurants and tourist shops selling curios and souvenirs.
Various bronze statues are scattered around the island which depict life as it was during earlier periods on the island, as well as from more recent times. For example, one statute entitled "A gentleman, a lady and a darn woman" shows a Western couple watching a Chinese woman darning cloth. Another depicts the changing appearances and stature of Chinese women, with a woman from colonial times in traditional clothing, a slightly taller woman from the early or mid 20th century wearing a cheongsam, and a relatively tall and slender young Chinese woman wearing shorts and talking on a mobile phone.
Since the early 2000s, Shamian Island has become well known for the many Western couples who reside there while seeking to adopt Chinese babies and young children, most of whom are orphaned and female. The White Swan Hotel is perhaps the best-known hotel in Guangzhou, having been in operation for many years, and is usually the hotel of choice for these couples. One reason for this popularity is that the hotel was once adjacent to the United States consulate, making it convenient to file paperwork and handle bureaucratic matters. The consulate has since moved (about 40 minutes away by car), but the hotel is still the most popular destination for adopting couples.


Adopting Families
Map of Sha Mian Island
Groceries, Diapers, Shopping and More

Dear friends,
Ni Hao! (Chinese for “hello,” pronounced Nee How). We’re pleased to offer you this map to help you get around Sha Main Island. We offer a description of numerous important places on the Island. Each place is numbered. Please find the corresponding number on the map to find each place’s location. The Island is small, so everything is within easy walking distance.
Where You’ll Stay Spot 2. White Swan Hotel,Most families stay here. Please go to http://www.whiteswanhotel.com, and you’ll see a complete description of this five-star hotel. It’s a wonderful place to begin your new family. Among it’s many fine amenities, the Hotel offers: Post Office ,Beauty Parlor and Massage ,Currency Exchange .
Spot 6.& 27.Old (New) Victory Hotel. Some of you will stay here. There are two locations. Please check their website at: http://www.vhotel.com/gdvhen/. This four-star hotels is quite affordable – and nice and comfortable,it's getting to more famous and popluar, that's why many adoption families came to stay here because they also have good price to compare with White Swan Hotel.
Where You’ll Need to Go Spot 1. American Consulate In Guangzhou,please check their web site for details http://www.usembassy-china.org.cn/guangzhou/
Spot 13. Kodak Digital Express & Spot 12. Sha mian Photo Shop ,You’ll have your baby’s passport photo taken at either of this two places ,if possible bring the pictures to get a granite etching – a unique and interesting art form, either Sherry's Place & others, but be sure to compare the quality and the price.
Spot 24.Physical Examination & Health Certification Department, here’s where you’ll go to have your baby’s physical examination done.
Food, Necessities & Shopping: Spot 7. Beatrice Grocery Store（倍顺超市） Yes, Sha Mian Island has a fully stocked grocery store! You’ll find baby food, bottled water (a lot less expensive that the White Swan), diapers, baby wipes, juice boxes, beer, wine, fresh bread, etc. Their prices are very good. It’s about a 10 minute walk from the White Swan, or if you want to get more stuff which they don't have in Sha Mian island, please stop by and ask Sherry's Place, we will tell you or write down Chinese/English of the right place and items you are looking for.
Spot 9. Sherry’s Place & Swan Courtyard.（沙面书画苑）Hello, my name is Sherry. My family (my sisters Bing, Daisy, Amy, and brother Jerry) run Sherry’s Place. For over a dozen years, we helped adopting families. Just like hundreds of families before you, please make Sherry’s Place your home away from home. Whatever you want and you need, we will try the best to do for you.
· Free Stroller: After you check in at the White Swan, stop by our place, and pick up your free stroller. You can use it all week; all we ask is that you donate 1 Yuan to help us keep the strollers in tip-top shape.
· Laundry Service: Take advantage of our expert laundry service, 5-Star Service and special deal for you.
· Free E-Mail: All week you can come by and check your e-mail – for Free ,(no purchase required).
· Relax: We invite you to enjoy our lovely courtyard (the largest on Sha Main Island).
· Shopping: And of course everyone loves to shop! At Sherry’s Place you’ll find literally hundreds of gifts for your baby, friends, family – and for you. We offer a wide selections at very reasonable prices. In particular, we pride ourselves on helping our customers find just the right gift,and also, you can bargain with us if you can not accept the offer from us, we are happy to negotiate with you and help you getting the favorite items from our place, but not too tight, we will agree whatever you say, because your happy smiles will bring us more than we expect.
· Need Help? If you have a question or need a recommendation on a good restaurant or an interesting place to visit, come in and ask us. You’re a long way from home – and we’re here to help
Spot 11 & 25. Seven Eleven.Now, there are two in Sha Mian Island,it's pretty similar to the Seven Elevens back home. You’ll find snacks, soda, some baby food and bottled water. Very reasonably priced. It’s small, but well stocked.
Where to Eat Spot 2, White Swan Hotel, it's expensive place, but it's still worth to go and eat for qulity stuff, because they have good condition and nice view of the Pearl River side and along with convenient room service. But you’ll find several fine restaurants in outside of hotels, they also offer English menus, and welcome you to bring your baby. Three people can eat a nice meal at these restaurants for 250 Yuan ($35.00).
Spot 8. Cow Bridge（牛桥餐厅）. Thailand cuisine. This restaurant is getting to popular for adoption groups, when you are there, you will feel it's a familiar place to eat and they take care of your baby very well.Very good place to have dinner or lunch. It’s a 10 or 15 minute walk from the White Swan; you can see it from Sherry’s Place and Swan Courtyard.
Spot 16. Lucy Bar（露丝吧） Very popular place to have party with your friends. Located at the front of Sha Mian Park. The offer both Western and Chinese food.
Spot 14. Coffee Restaurant（沙面咖啡餐馆） Just a few steps from the White Swan Hotel, a good and inexpensive place to have a quick snack, lunch or cup of coffee or tea. They’re open from 9:00 am to midnight.
Spot 28. Rose Bar（玫瑰园餐厅） Located in Sha Mian Park, along the Pearl River. A very romantic place to have dinner. It’s only open at right.
Spot 17. Lan Gui Fang Restaurant（兰桂芳）,it's near by the Tennis Courts. Delicious Chinese food and seafood.
Spot 12. there are two restaurants very close to each other, they are Qiao Mei Restaurant（侨美食家） and New Litchi restaurant.Traditional Chinese food, good places to have lunch and dinner, reasonable prices when you consider the Yuan to Dollar exchange rate.
Where to Go? What to See? Sha Mian Island is small and pedestrian friendly. Ideal for strolling your baby around. Here are three recommends for excursions on Sha Mian Island. I also suggest a nice trip to a park nearby Sha Mian Island: A stroll down Main Street: When you exit the White Swan Hotel, go right along South Street, then make a left and go up 4th Street. Half way up the block, you’ll find Sherry’s Place Private Courtyard. A peaceful place to relax. Then, when you leave the Courtyard, go left and continue up 4th St. At the first intersection, you’ll find Main Street. Go right. It’s a lovely tree-lined street with a median full of flowers and benches and badminton nets,and walk along Eastern Main Street in 10 minutes, you will find Sha Mian Play Ground which is Spot 19, a number of the exercise equipments free play and exercise there,especially for your babies, it's a definite good place to play with local children.......
And Stroll around Sha Mian Park Spot 15:（沙面公园）When you exit the White Swan Hotel, go right along South Street and on your right you’ll run into Sha Mian Park. It’s a wonderful place to relax, stroll the baby – and get a good taste of Chinese culture. You’ll see locals doing exercises, practicing traditional dances and Tai Ji, Kung Fu ,and playing badminton. The park also boasts a small amusement park with a train for children to ride in. A walk along the Pearl River is lovely. And it’s exciting to see all the river traffic.
Churches, Spot 22 Sha Mian Catholic Church， Spot 36. Guang Zhou Christian Council, you can also go to either of this two place on Sunday, there are many local people and foreigners to go to churches in this two places.
Back to Sherry's Place at Sherry Mama Co.
站长统计

Yuexiu Park í Guangzhou

Yuexiu Park is the largest park in downtown Guangzhou.

Covering an area of 860,000 square meters (212.5 acres), the park is made up of three artificial lakes and seven hills of Yuexiu Mountain; hence the name Yuexiu Park.
Yuexiu Park is a perfect combination of cultural relics and ecological tourism, reputed for its pretty water and hills as well as cultural relics. The main places of interest include the stone sculpture of the Five Rams, Zhenhai Tower, the site of the Ming Dynasty City Wall, and Square Cannon Site.
The Five-Ram Sculpture is one of the most famous structures in Guangzhou. It has become the emblem of Guangzhou City. Legend has it that more than 2,000 years ago, Guangzhou was a barren land with people who despite hard work were suffering from famine. One day five immortals in five-color garments came riding on five rams, playing their legendary music. The rams held sheaves of rice in their mouths. The immortals left the sheaves of rice for the Guangzhou people, gave blessings to the city and left. The rams turned into stone and the city of Guangzhou became a rich and populous place. Guangzhou got the name of the City of Rams and the City of Ears.
Zhenhai Tower, better known among the locals as the Five-Story Tower, is one of the landmarks of Guangzhou city. An interesting historical record has it that Zhu Liangzu, Yongjia Marquis of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), saw yellow and purple air rising over Yuexiu Mountain and was told by a sorcerer that it was the omen of a new emperor. To subdue this omen, Zhu Liangzu ordered this tower to be built in 1380. Over the past 600 years, the tower has been destroyed five times and set up five times. Now it is the Guangzhou Museum, housing relics and documents showing Guangzhou's history over 2, 000 years. Known as the first tower in Lingnan (South of Nanling Mountain) Area, Zhenhai Tower now is 28 meters (91.9feet) high and 16 meters (52.5 feet) wide. The striking contrast of green glazed titles and red walls makes the tower elegant.
While the historical traces create a serene environment, singing birds and exuberant plants add vigor and natural beauty to the park. Three artificial lakes -- Dongxiu, Nanxiu, and Beixiu-- cover an area of more than 50,000 square meters (538,213 square feet). Dongxiu Lake and Nanxiu Lake are tranquil and elegant, inviting painting and sketching artists. Beixiu Lake, surrounded by trees, is open for boating and fishing. What's more, the lakes are connected with arch bridges and decorated with pavilions and corridors in the Lingnan Style. Flower exhibitions are held here from time to time. For nature lovers who can't get to the faraway countryside or forests, Yuexiu Park is an optimum choice with modern conveniences.
As a large comprehensive park, Yuexiu Park provides an amusement park, swimming pool, gymnasium, restaurants, stalls, museum and art museum besides plant and flower viewing area. All visitors find pleasure in Yuexiu Park.
Tips:There are five gates to Yuexiu Park, namely the Facet, East, West, North and South Gates. There are many buses at each gate with Metro Line 2 arriving at Facet Gate.

Admission Fee: CNY 5
Opening Hours: 06:00 to 21:00
RecommendedTime for a Visit: 45 minutes
Bus Route:5,7,24,29,101,103

Yuntai park í Guangzhou

Yuntai park.

It is part of Baiyun Hill Scenic Region. Grown here are flowers famous at home and abroad and city flowers and state flowers of Guangzhou's friendly cities. Yuntai Garden is characterized by rich artistic features with both ancient and modern culture and Western and Oriental style structures.

Guangzhou Zoo

GUANGZHOU ZOO: Located on Xianlie Road, 430,000 square metres in area, it is the largest zoo in South China. More than 2,000 animals in 200 species are on exhibition in the zoo, including the giant panda, golden-haired monkey, red-crowned crane and other precious animals unique to China.

The animals inside the zoo are exhibited in different areas according to their types, for example, the insects, reptiles and amphibians, birds, primates, felines, and herbivores. What's more, there are not only rare animals from China such as panda, golden monkey, South China tiger, elk, brow-antlered deer, and black-necked crane, but also those rare animals all over the world such as chimpanzee, giraffe, African elephant, hippopotamus, zebra, rhinoceros, and black swan.
Besides, the zoo has the largest overland ocean exhibition house and the largest butterfly ecology garden in China; and the delicate and special outdoor fancy fishes exhibition garden, Jinlin Garden, the only one in China; as well as the exciting and adventurous performance of wild animals training.

Chan academy í Guangzhou

Guangdong Folk Art Museum (Chen Clan Academy)
广东民间工艺博物馆（陈家祠）

Open hours: 8:30-17:30(daily) Admission Fee: ￥10 (adult), ￥5 (students, pupils and children) Add: Chen Jia Ci, Zhong Shan Qi Rd, Liwan District, (West to the crossroads of Zhongshan-7 Rd. and Kangwang Rd.) 中山七路陈家祠Tel: 8181 4371,8181 7371, 8181 4559

Chen Clan's Academy, sitting in the west town of Guangzhou, is just most recommendable buildup of folk art and tradition of the city. The academy was established in 1894 in Qing Dynasty. Its construction was financed by all the 72 Chen clans in Guangdong to provide to Chen juniors accommodation and place to study and prepare for provincial examination. Later it was changed to be the Chen Clan’s Industry College, and then middle schools afterwards.
It features classic excellences of typical Lingnan architecture, well-and-balanced layout, exquisite, and richly-decorated. You are greeted in a spacious square just outside and then attracted into the open matrix of four landscaped courtyards, imposing halls and peaceful corridors inside. Wood, brick and stone carvings, clay and pottery sculptures, iron structuring, glazed glass windows, painting, calligraphies and so on by local masters are all in functional art here and there.

It is now the biggest, best preserved and decorated clan complex in Guangdong.
Adding to its in-built cultural gems, wide collections of Cantonese folk craftworks and life items have been showed here, such as porcelain, embroidery, paper-cutting, historical furniture, ink slabs, and various carvings (such as ivory, jade, bone, nut ,miniature etc.) , since the ancient Academy was designated as the Guangdong Museum of Folk Art in 1959.

Most highlighted are the clay sculpture collection of Xiguan (Westend of Guangzhou downtown) Folklore for Century, by Wan Zhaoquan, a local master sculptor. They give lovely and vivid presentation of the very tradition of local life, tinted with passion, understanding, pride, humor and historic reminiscence. Majestic buildings, exquisite constructional details, delicate courtyards and gardens, and fabulous art pieces are well mingled to pose tasteful pleasure at ease. The Academy has been named as one of the Eight Sightseeing Sites of Guangzhou in New century and the National Key Historic Site.

Transportation: Subway (line1) - Stop of Chen Jia Ci (Chen Clan’s Academy) Bus- 85,88,104,107,128 (Gaoji Stop), 268 (Chen Jia Ci),or 15,52,55,105,124,133,193,196,205,207,231,232,256,275,530,539,555 (Zhongshan Ba lu)

Service: Walkie-guide (￥10) Recommendations: Building itself: Gate-Spirits, Constructional wood carvings, halls and rooms, courtyards, brick and tile carving and glazing, Art shows: Clay sculptures of Xiguan Folklore for Century by Wan Zhaoquan, carvings of jade, bone, miniature and nuts

Source: www.fodors.com

Mömmunni var létt þegar húð sá loksins að Chan academy væri menningarleg stofnun. Því að við fyrstu leit á Google var mest um heimsfrægan kínverskan pókerspilara sem býr í Ameríku en er frá Guangzhou. Húkkít !!! Þetta gat nú heldur ekki verið að það ætti að sýna okkur pókerspil - ekki það að ég hafi eitthvað á móti póker - nei nei - fannst þetta bara ekki viðeigandi á túristaplaninu okkar :-)

Komumst út til Guangzhou fyrir Trade Fair

Aldrei þessu vant var mamman ekki búin að fara á Netið í allan dag en á meðan var allt að gerast í Kínamálunum.

Við erum að fara út núna í mars !!!!!! VEI VEI VEI - það er varla að maður trúi því !!!

Pabbinn var á íshokkí æfingu og mamman gat ekki beðið með að segja honum þessar stórkostlegu fréttir.

Þessi mynd sýnir vel hvað pabbinn var glaður þegar hann heyrði fréttirnar.

Á morgun fáum við nánari fréttir frá Guðrúnu í ÍÆ varðandi ferðaplanið okkar til Kína.

Fyrir eða eftir Trade Fair ?

Mamman hefur fylgst reglulega með öllum fjölskyldunum sem fengu upplýsingar á sama tíma og við og deildu sínu bloggi á RQ.
Það eru tengingar á allar þeirra síður frá þessari síðu undir "Upplýsingar á sama tíma og við".
Þar eru t.d. hjón að bíða eftir Elizu sem er einnig í Guandong héraðinu eins og Harpa Hua Zi. Þau hafa verið logandi hrædd um að komast ekki út til Guangzhou fyrir stóru sýninguna Trade Fair í apríl. Það myndi nefnilega þýða að ekki væri hægt að fara fyrr en eftir sýninguna sem væri í byrjun maí. En eflaust eins og flestir vita er í byrjun maí hátíðarhöld vegna 1. maí sem standa einnig í nokkra daga. Öll þessi töf - bara vitandi að þetta gæti farið svona er alveg að fara með okkur.
Nema hvað ! Í dag sá ég að þessi hjón hefðu fengið TA ið sitt (travel approval) frá Kína í morgun þar sem þau ná að fara út fyrir sýninguna.
Mikið vona ég að við verðum líka svona heppinn, það munar nú um að sjá hana fyrr.
Guðrún í ÍÆ sagði okkur í gær á ferðafundinum að hún væri ekki mjög bjartsýn en það væri búið að leggja inn óskir okkar í hópnum að við vildum láta reyna á að komast út sem fyrst. Bætti einnig við að ef við kæmumst út fyrir Trade Fair þyrftum við líklega að fljúga alla leiðina á þess að gista t.d. í Beijing, þ.e. Ísland, Kaupmannahöfn, Beijing og svo til Guangzhou í einni lotu.
Það verður vissulega langt og strangt ferðalag en allt þess virði. Með þessu plani myndu líka Ingibjörg og Bjarni ná að hitta stelpuna sína rétt fyrir eins árs afmælið hennar sem er 1. apríl.
Vonandi vonandi vonandi gengur þetta upp !!

Hugsanleg Kínaferð hjá pabba og mömmu, ef ég hefði ekki komið til, og það á afmælisdaginn minn

Pabbi og mamma hefðu líklega verið í þessari ferð, ef þau væru ekki að fara að ættleiða mig. Þá hefðu þau lagt af stað til Kína á sjálfan 1 árs afmælisdaginn inn. Þau langar miklu frekar að baka nokkrar kökur og bjóða gestum í fyrstu afmælisveisluna mína. Ferðin til að sækja mig verður líka áreiðanlega miklu skemmtilegri :-)
Þetta er hópferð sem rafiðnakennarar um allt land eru að fara í næsta sumar, ásamt mökum. Pabbi tilheyrir þessum hópi og mamma hefði farið með. Þó að þessi ferð sé áhugaverð hafa þau miklu meiri áhuga á ferðinni sem framundan er hjá þeim, ferðinni þar sem þau eru að koma í til að sækja mig. Þarna eru samt áhugaverðar punktar, varðandi Bejing, bólusetningar og margt fleira.

< Frá Keflavík til Beijing 02. - 13. juni 2008

Beijing er upplögð borg fyrir viku af menningu og góðu fríi. Bei þýðir Norður, Jing Þýðir Höfuðborg, Beijing er einmitt hin Norðlæga Höfuðborg í sögulegu samhengi.
Hér finnur þú áhugaverða staði á heims mælikvarða sem dæmi Forboðna borgin og Kínamúrinn. Í Beijing eru góðar verslanir, hinn stóri silkimarkaður, fjöldi veitingastaða fyrir sælkera og iðandi mannlíf allan sólarhringinn.
Beijing er nútímaleg og áhugaverð heimsborg með breiðum strætum og torgum þar sem boðið er uppá mikið úrval af þjónustu, vörum og verslunum.

Borgin endurspeglar gamla sögu og menningu í Kína, ásamt þeirri þróun sem á sér stað í Kína í dag. Fram að Ólympíuleikum árið 2008 í Beijing er ótrúleg vinna lögð í að breyta innviðum borgarinnar í vestrænt útlit. Breytingarnar eru örar, þess vegna er hver að verða síðastur til að upplifa hina "gömlu” Beijing. Bæði hvað varðar arkitektur vorgarinnar en einnig íbúa hennar, því líf þeirra og lífstíll breytist hratt.
Flugáætlun:
Brottför frá Keflavík 02. júní kl. 13:15 Lending í Kastrup kl. 18:15
Brottför frá Kastrup kl. 20:55 Lending í Beijing 03. juni kl. 11:50 +1
Brottför frá Beijing 13. júní kl. 14:45 Lending í Kastrup kl. 18:30
Brottför frá Kastrup kl. 22:30 Lending í Keflavík kl. 23:40

Tillaga að dagsprógrammi:

03. júní - Þriðjudagur: Koma til Beijing

Lending í Beijing um hádegið, leiðsögumaður tekur á móti ykkur og fer með ykkur á hótel Tiantan 4* en þar munið þið gista á meðan á dvölinni stendur. Þegar þið hafið innritað ykkur á hótelið er restin af deginum á eigin vegum.

04. júní - Miðvikudagur: Tianmen-torgið, Forboðna borgin og fl.
Eftir morgunmat heimsækjum við Tianmen-torgið (Torg hins himneska Friðar) og Graf- hýsi Maos, þar sem hinn þekkti foringi liggur innsmurður í glerkistu. I gegnum torgið liggur breiðgatan Changan Boulevard, sem við göngum eftir upp að Keisaratorginu, Forboðnu Borginni sem líka er kölluð Hallar safnið. Nafngiftin er frá árinu 500 því þá var almennum borgurum meinaður aðgangur.
Keisarinn Yongle byrjaði að byggja borgina og um 1 milljón vinnumenn unnu við bygginguna árin 1406 - 1420 var þetta lokaður heimur stjónað af geldingum. Marg oft hefur höllin brunnið og flestar byggingarnar eru nú frá 17. öld. Það gefst nógur tími til að labba um og skoða þessar stóru hallir með hofum, styttum og sýningum. Allur morguninn er helgaður Forboðnu borginni sem er upplifun fyrir lífið. Eftir hádegi förum við í öðruvísi en spennandi ferð í gamla bæjarhlutann í Beijing sem heitir Hutongerne, við ferðumst með hjólataxa, hutongerne eru hús frá norður Kína sem öll eru grá múrsteina hús á einni hæð byggð kringum innri garð. Við munum einnig sjá gamla trommuturninn. Hádegis matur innifalinn.

09. júní - Mánudagur Frjáls dagur (Námskeið)

10. júní - Þriðjudagur: Frjáls dagur (Námskeið)

11. júní - Miðvikudagur: Frjáls dagur (Námskeið)

12. júní - Fimmtudagur: Frjáls dagur á eigin vegum

13. júní - Föstudagur: Brottför
Brottför með SAS um köldið beint til Beijing. Það er þjónusta um borð matur og fl. (áfengi er ekki innifalið). Flugtími er ca. 9 tímar til Kastrup.
Heildarverð frá ca. DKK 14.200,- eða ca. ISK 187.300,- (Gengi 15/02 2008) með öllum sköttum og gjöldum

Ekki innifalið: Vegabréfs áritun til Kína

Athugið að breytingar geta orðið á dags til dags prógrami vegna námskeiða



Skráning í ferðina er hjá Ferd.is í síma 49 12345 eða í tölvupósti á ferd@ferd.is
Góð ráð:

Bólusetningar: sjá http://www.vaccination.dk/
Huga ber að bólusetningum ca. 2 mánuðum fyrir brottför

Vegabréfs áritanir: Vegabréfsáritun til Kína: Sækja skal um áritun í Kínverska sendiráðinu, Víðimel 29, Reykjavík, s. 552 6751. Skrifstofan er opin alla virka daga á milli 9:00-12:00. Umsækjendur skulu hafa meðferðis vegabréf og eina passamynd. Áritunarferlið tekur fjóra vinnudaga