February 10, 2012 Filed under Travel
By Zhang Dongya
Some hot destinations during summertime, such as Lhasa in Tibet and Kanas in Xinjiang, are seeing their winter tourism numbers increase.
Sure, more people are opting to avoid the peak tourism season, but it’s also because some places offer stunning winter views. Here are some examples.
A warmer winter in Kanas
Kanas Scenic Spot in north Xinjiang is famous for its beautiful scenery during the summer, so for a long time, people avoided visiting during the winter. But then tourists wised up. Last year, for the first time, Kanas charged admission during the winter due to an upsurge in visitors.
Kanas is usually bitterly cold, with temperatures dipping to -40 C, along with big snowfalls that can reach thigh-deep.
But it’s been warmer this winter, with the lowest temperature only hitting -25 C. Be warned that it’s still not warm, with the highs only reaching -10 C, but there’s been 20 percent less snow this year.
Hemu Village is highly recommended. Dubbed one of the top 10 most beautiful villages in the country, it’s attracted many photographers who take pictures of its every corner. Home inns, restaurants and small bistros add to the village’s charm.
All houses are built with wood, so the village smells like a forest. The yellow cottages turn snow white during the winter, adding a layer of cream. During the day it is very tranquil, almost like no one is around. Around dinnertime, smoke rises from kitchen chimneys in every household, offering a picture of hamlet life.
Kanas Scenic Spot hosted folk performances during Spring Festival. People in ethnic costumes showed off this skills in archery and horse racing.
Kanas prefecture has a large population of Kazakhs. Visit a Tuvan family, where they will serve local specialties. During the winter, some home tours are suspended, but you can still visit locals. It’s common to see women embroidering and weaving carpets and rugs.
Visitors can also ski in Kanas. Locals use old-fashioned wooden ski board that were made by nomads using fir and horsehair. If you’re lucky, you will see a traditional ski race.
Kanas Scenic Spot
Getting there: Fly to Urumchi. One can bus to Kanas from there, or fly to Altay and bus from there. Arriving in Kanas, take an SUV or horse-drawn sleigh to the villages.
Open: 9 am – 2 pm, 4-7 pm, Monday – Friday; 10 am – 3 pm on weekends
Tel: 0999-8028 697
Admission: 230 yuan in summer, 150 yuan in winter (October 10 – May 10)
Note: Be sure to wear several layers of clothing.
A dry and real Lhasa
It’s low season for Lhasa from November to April. The temperatures are low and the air is dry, but if you visit now, you’ll get the opportunity to see a more real Tibet.
There’s a big temperature difference in the day and night. Staying in Lhasa, dubbed “City of Sunshine,” you’ll feel warm even now. Surrounding areas, however, are bitterly cold, with piercing winds.
The good news is you’ll get to see Potala Palace in all its glory, without heads blocking your view. You can spend an entire afternoon investigating temples and monasteries like Drepung Monastery and Tashilhunpo Monastery.
Lhasa is an ideal place to take life at a slow pace. Walking into a teahouse and ordering a cup of local sweet tea, you can enjoy the sunshine from the window while chatting with locals. Local dishes like Tibetan baozi are a delight.
The square in front of Jokhang Temple is grander at this time of year than any other.
For photo enthusiasts, there are some scenes that you can only catch during this time of year. Now’s the best time to view Namcha Barwa and also a great time to glimpse Mount Everest.
This year, the Tibetan New Year is a month after Spring Festival, so visitors get to see how Tibetans celebrate this special occasion.
Note: It’s much cheaper to go to Tibet during the winter, with air tickets and lodging priced as much as 50 percent less. Admission prices are also discounted.
Other Destinations
Jiuzhaigou Valley
This scenic spot has closed many parts for the winter, but there are still several to explore. The Pearl Shoal Waterfall becomes an ice falls during the winter, and the color is rare blue. It’s like a natural ice sculpture when viewed with the frozen lakes. There are also interesting folk customs related to Spring Festival in the surrounding villages. You can also ride a horse to Muny Valley, where the Zhaga Waterfall and Erdaohai Lake are located. The waterfall is frozen like a giant animal, as is the lake below.
Open: 6:30 am – 6 pm
Tel: 0837-7739 529
Admission: 220 yuan
Arxan
This is a small city with thousands of people located on the border of Inner Mongolia. The city is tranquil during wintertime. With snow, the wooden houses feel like they belong in Northern Europe. There are two big ski resorts in Arxan, with a hot spring at the foot of the mountain. Beside the city is Bailang (white wolf) folk village, where visitors can experience local activities: chopping wood, playing ice gyro and watching the folk dance yangko.
By Zhang Dongya
Some hot destinations during summertime, such as Lhasa in Tibet and Kanas in Xinjiang, are seeing their winter tourism numbers increase.
Sure, more people are opting to avoid the peak tourism season, but it’s also because some places offer stunning winter views. Here are some examples.
Visiting Lhasa in the winter, you can slow down and see a more real Tibet. CFP Photos
A warmer winter in Kanas
Kanas Scenic Spot in north Xinjiang is famous for its beautiful scenery during the summer, so for a long time, people avoided visiting during the winter. But then tourists wised up. Last year, for the first time, Kanas charged admission during the winter due to an upsurge in visitors.
Kanas is usually bitterly cold, with temperatures dipping to -40 C, along with big snowfalls that can reach thigh-deep.
But it’s been warmer this winter, with the lowest temperature only hitting -25 C. Be warned that it’s still not warm, with the highs only reaching -10 C, but there’s been 20 percent less snow this year.
Hemu Village is highly recommended. Dubbed one of the top 10 most beautiful villages in the country, it’s attracted many photographers who take pictures of its every corner. Home inns, restaurants and small bistros add to the village’s charm.
All houses are built with wood, so the village smells like a forest. The yellow cottages turn snow white during the winter, adding a layer of cream. During the day it is very tranquil, almost like no one is around. Around dinnertime, smoke rises from kitchen chimneys in every household, offering a picture of hamlet life.
Kanas Scenic Spot hosted folk performances during Spring Festival. People in ethnic costumes showed off this skills in archery and horse racing.
Kanas prefecture has a large population of Kazakhs. Visit a Tuvan family, where they will serve local specialties. During the winter, some home tours are suspended, but you can still visit locals. It’s common to see women embroidering and weaving carpets and rugs.
Visitors can also ski in Kanas. Locals use old-fashioned wooden ski board that were made by nomads using fir and horsehair. If you’re lucky, you will see a traditional ski race.
January 13, 2012 Filed under Travel
By Zhang Dongya
In west Qianwei County in Leshan City, Sichuan Province is a throwback town where a steam train runs every day. The sound of the locomotive’s clatter will instantly take you back in time.
Half-century of history
The steam train runs on a length of track that is nearly 20 kilometers. The track gauge is 76.2 centimeters – half that of a modern railway gauge.
It’s affiliated with Jiayang Coal Mine, which was founded in 1938, the earliest Sino-British joint venture company in Si- chuan. In its 50 years of operation, the train has transported 20 million tons of coal and carried about 14 million passengers.
An employee said the train had two or three passenger carriages behind the freight carriages in the 1960s; starting from 1978, passenger and freight carriages were separated. In the early 1990s, with the opening of a new coal mine, the track became a special railway line, and the train became a commuter line for locals.
For those living in Shixi Town around the new mine, the steam train is the only transportation passing in and out of the mountainous area. In 2006, a line was opened for tourists.
Preserved
steam train
Steam trains are relics of a bygone era: very few remain around the world. As a result, the Jiayang train has attracted visitors from different countries.
It’s said that foreigners first discovered the train through satellite pictures of moving clouds in Leshan City. They later discovered that these clouds came from the train’s steam.
The small railway station is old. It has retained its ancient slogans and some instructions on the walls. The train is operated manually, employing people like brakemen. Staffers use whistles and flags to send signals to the train’s operators.
“The mini steam train is now only used for transporting passengers. Normally, the steam locomotive only needs repairs every two or three months. It’ll have no problem running another 20 years, I think,” one employee said.
Running on the narrow track, the ride can be a bit bouncy at times. While turning and on slopes, passengers have to clutch their armrests. But locals who are used to it laugh and talk, even through the shrieking brakes. One senior passenger said he has taken the train for decades and never heard of an accident happening.
“My first job is selling tickets, and I also give passengers some safety instructions. But I have a more important job: brakeman assistant. Beside the door of each carriage is a brake, and we have to assist the engine driver to brake when going downhill,” one conductor said.
Students take the early train to go to school and back. Sometimes, you’ll even see poultry and livestock on board. When locals go to the fair in Shixi Town, they will purchase some poultry and farrow for feeding. It is common to see pigs and cattle on the train.
The carriages are blackish green, and have been fitted with wooden seats. The glass windows remain open, ideal for picture-takers.
Train scenery
The train has seven passenger carriages, each with 20 seats. The route includes many turns and steep slopes. Some slopes are steeper than those along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. A roundtrip takes about two and a half hours. There are nine stops, four specifically for sightseeing.
The scenery is beautiful along the way. The railway was built around the mountain and passes through many tunnels. Visitors can view precipitous hills and layers of terraces from the train. In deep canyons, there are forests of Cyatheaceae trees – living fossils from the age of dinosaurs.
Small villages are dotted along the railway, with fields and cottages. The best spots to take pictures are at the Plantains Ravine, Big Turn in Caizi Dam and Bee Rock. When the train stops at Liangshuituo Scenic Spot, visitors can get off to view the train blowing out steam.
In March, there is large area of golden cole flowers; in April, tung trees begin to blossom, which will turn the area snow white. Any picture you take will turn out wonderfully.
The terminal Bagou is a residential area that gathers the earliest villagers. Locals there live a simple and slow-paced life.
Travel information
Getting to Jiayang: Take a flight or train to Chengdu; the fast train takes 27 hours. Take a bus from Xinnanmen Bus Station (departs at 3 pm) to Jiayang. Or head to Leshan first and transfer to a bus, which departs at 2:30 pm from Leshan Lianyun Station. From Jianwei County, there are buses to Jiayang every 10 minutes.
Train schedule
Four trains daily at 7 am, 10:30 am, 2 pm and 5:30 pm.
Ticket: 20-50 yuan
Tips
1. Since the train goes through a mining area, visitors are advised to wear a hat and sunglasses. The coal dust can get very heavy.
2. Experienced visitors say to sit on the side where the steam is blowing so that, on a lucky day, you’ll see a rainbow through the steam.
Accommodations
There are many hotels and guesthouses. During peak season in the spring, accommodations will be more expensive. Lodging at Bagou is recommended. Jia- yang Guesthouse, which is in Bagou, has standard rooms starting at 100 yuan.
By Zhang Dongya
In west Qianwei County in Leshan City, Sichuan Province is a throwback town where a steam train runs every day. The sound of the locomotive’s clatter will instantly take you back in time.
The steam train is operated manually; staffers use whistles and flags to send signals to the train's operators. CFP Photos
Half-century of history
The steam train runs on a length of track that is nearly 20 kilometers. The track gauge is 76.2 centimeters – half that of a modern railway gauge.
It’s affiliated with Jiayang Coal Mine, which was founded in 1938, the earliest Sino-British joint venture company in Si- chuan. In its 50 years of operation, the train has transported 20 million tons of coal and carried about 14 million passengers.
An employee said the train had two or three passenger carriages behind the freight carriages in the 1960s; starting from 1978, passenger and freight carriages were separated. In the early 1990s, with the opening of a new coal mine, the track became a special railway line, and the train became a commuter line for locals.
For those living in Shixi Town around the new mine, the steam train is the only transportation passing in and out of the mountainous area. In 2006, a line was opened for tourists.
August 12, 2011 Filed under Travel
By Annie Wei
Unlike in other parts of Hangzhou, tourists are few and traffic is light at Baileqiao, where Beijing photographer Chen Yan, her friend Cai Yan, a graphic designer in Guangzhou, and two others built their dream house: a six-room boutique hotel called Uhouse.
“Areas like Baileqiao are hard to find in Hangzhou,” Chen said.
The area is striking for its mix of scenery: tall ancient trees along with mountains constantly shrouded in fog along with rivers and temples.
In the morning, the leaves are sprinkled with dew, birds sing in the trees and water laps against the shores as it flows under bridges.
“The water is so clean that local residents make tea with it,” said Wei Chao, a Hangzhou resident who runs the apparel brand Choc (ilovechoc.cn).
Wei stayed in Uhouse and praised its design for matching its surroundings.
Uhouse is a distinguished white building with three floors, big windows, wood frames and a terrace floor. It is home to, among other things, two large poodles.
Wei checked into a room on the third-floor that cost 388 yuan per night. “I was impressed by its half-wood and half-concrete construction,” he said, “as well as many details such as designer ceramic wares, quality furniture and utilities.”
Although the price was a bit higher than other inns and youth hostels, Uhouse is more affordable than five-star hotels. For example, Amanfayun, 15 minutes away by car, charges 4,225 yuan per night.
“It takes less than 20 yuan to take a cab from Uhouse to West Lake,” Chen said. Hangzhou, after all, isn’t all that big.
Two girls
A graduate of the China Central Academy of Fine Arts, Chen works as a freelance photographer, primarily with Elle Décor.
The hotel business was never in her mind before she spent a week in Baileqiao with her close friend Cai Yan.
The two met in 2003, and though they had few chances to hang out because they lived 2,300 kilometers apart, they felt they had a tight friendship.
Both feel the other is “another me in the world,” Cai said. “We share a passion for design. We talk a lot on the phone or QQ about our dreams, work and various kinds of ideas … We always wondered why we were so far apart because we should be doing something together.
“Having not seen each other for a while, we deided to meet in a city between Beijing and Guangzhou – and that was Hangzhou.”
After spending a week together in Baileqiao, neither wanted to return to their respective cities.
From workshop to artsy hotel
At first, the two only planned to own a workshop.
“There are a lot of people in the creative industry in Hangzhou,” Cai said. “We are both freelancers and hoped to spend two or three months living and working in Hangzhou every year.”
But friends did not approve of their idea, saying it was a bad investment to build a workshop in a city they were not familiar with and only live there two or three months every year. Also, for two women making a middle-class income, it would have cost them all their savings.
The two eventually gave up that dream.
“But one day, Chen said something that touched us again,” Cai said.
Chen had said: “If we still have dreams, no matter what the result will be, we should try. After all, 2012 (the end of the world) is coming.”
Instead of building a workshop that’s empty most time of a year, why not build a small hotel that can generate income?
When they were in Hangzhou, they stayed at a hostel called Yiju. “There are many youth hostels in this area, renovated from local residents’ houses, quite cozy and well-accepted by mass customers,” Cai said.
However, there was something missing.
“With such a beautiful scene, there should be much better and nicer livable buildings – ones affordable to young people like us,” Cai said.
“We spent half a year in looking for the right location.”
Whenever Cai and Chen could schedule time off from Beijing or Guangzhou, they flew together to Hangzhou.
“At first, we did not know the city well, so we bought flights that arrived at almost the same,” Cai said.
Back in their own cities, they kept working on their business plan, which drew the interest of two of their friends who became investors.
Eco-friendly architecture
Chen Yan’s husband, Dong Yan, a Beijing architect and interior designer, contributed to Uhouse’s design and construction.
He and Chen wanted an eco-friendly and simple design. They chose to build with recycled wood and concrete. The interior was redecorated to make sure each room is spacious and comfortable. They bought quality beds, same as those used in the Westin Hotel, and a Toto bath and toilet.
“We want a big and comfortable bed for our customers that can be shared by three friends who travel together,” Dong said.
His experience while traveling with friends was that nights would be spent talking, anyway.
The recycled wood was processed just outside Hangzhou.
“Processing used wood costs twice as much as new wood,” Chen said. But used wood has memories, and they did not want to feel like they were cutting down new trees.
Still, Dong was not completely satisfied with the construction result, such as the concrete floor. “Ten to 15 years ago, many buildings had well-polished concrete floors. But modern workers don’t have the necesary skill.”
Also, due to restrictions by the city management bureau, they weren’t allowed to make sweeping changes to the building’s exterior.
A promising future
The Uhouse started accepting guests in August and is already fully booked.
The owners have plans to turn Uhouse into a franchise, but they’re worried about it getting copied.
“The design isn’t too complicated,” Dong said. “But are others willing to devote so much time and effort on it?”
To create Uhouse, everyone chipped in with the skill they’re best at: Chen is a photographer, Cai is a visual designer, Dong is an interior designer and worked at the construction site. It was a dream team.
Cai said they invested nearly everything into Uhouse and that it might take two or three years to get the money back.
But “it’s not about making money,” said Dong, who volunteered his design to fulfill his wife and her friend’s dream.
UHouse
Where: 269 Baileqiao, Linyin Zhi Lu, Xihu Jingqu, Hangzhou City
Tel: 0571-8516 6946
By Annie Wei
Unlike in other parts of Hangzhou, tourists are few and traffic is light at Baileqiao, where Beijing photographer Chen Yan, her friend Cai Yan, a graphic designer in Guangzhou, and two others built their dream house: a six-room boutique hotel called Uhouse.
A guest room on the first floor/Photos by Chen Hetong
“Areas like Baileqiao are hard to find in Hangzhou,” Chen said.
The area is striking for its mix of scenery: tall ancient trees along with mountains constantly shrouded in fog along with rivers and temples.
In the morning, the leaves are sprinkled with dew, birds sing in the trees and water laps against the shores as it flows under bridges.
Photographer Chen Yan and graphic designer Cai Yan
“The water is so clean that local residents make tea with it,” said Wei Chao, a Hangzhou resident who runs the apparel brand Choc (ilovechoc.cn).
Wei stayed in Uhouse and praised its design for matching its surroundings.
Uhouse is a distinguished white building with three floors, big windows, wood frames and a terrace floor. It is home to, among other things, two large poodles.
Wei checked into a room on the third-floor that cost 388 yuan per night. “I was impressed by its half-wood and half-concrete construction,” he said, “as well as many details such as designer ceramic wares, quality furniture and utilities.”
Although the price was a bit higher than other inns and youth hostels, Uhouse is more affordable than five-star hotels. For example, Amanfayun, 15 minutes away by car, charges 4,225 yuan per night.
“It takes less than 20 yuan to take a cab from Uhouse to West Lake,” Chen said. Hangzhou, after all, isn’t all that big.
Two girls
A graduate of the China Central Academy of Fine Arts, Chen works as a freelance photographer, primarily with Elle Décor.
The hotel business was never in her mind before she spent a week in Baileqiao with her close friend Cai Yan.
The two met in 2003, and though they had few chances to hang out because they lived 2,300 kilometers apart, they felt they had a tight friendship.
April 22, 2011 Filed under Travel
By Zhang Dongya
Beijing may be the birthplace of crosstalk – or xiangsheng – but Tianjin has kept the best ambiance and tradition of the performing art.
Watching crosstalk from a Tianjin teahouse may be the best way to learn about this art. Well-known anecdotes from history are mixed with current affairs. Listen carefully and you’re sure to catch jokes and puns that will induce uproarious laughter.
Crosstalk roots in Tianjin
Crosstalk is everywhere in the city. You’ll find elders gathered around TVs in residential communities, and cab drivers listening to it on the radio. Some people listen repeatedly to the same show and never get bored. For them, the best crosstalk shows can be like pop songs: they get better, catchier every time.
Tianjin, as a northern harbor and the metropolis nearest Beijing, has been a gathering place for all kinds of regional cultures for a long time. It’s merely a coincidence, however, that some of the best crosstalk masters were born in Tianjin, such as Ma Sanli and Guo Degang, the most popular performer today.
In Tianjin, even ordinary people on the street have the gift of crosstalk gab. Part of the reason may lie in Tianjin’s strange dialect, which locals are willing to poke fun at. And if there’s one element of humor that characterizes crosstalk – other than puns – it’s the willingness to be self-deprecating.
Tianjin crosstalk listeners are also, by extension, the hardest to please. Professional crosstalkers must constantly innovate, otherwise they’ll face a damning rebuke: “already heard that.”
Traditional teahouse shows
In Beijing, crosstalk is performed in theaters, but in Tianjin, people watch in teahouses.
Teahouses were important places for Chinese people to relax and socialize. Pingshu – talk shows – were often hosted in teahouses as well.
There are several teahouses in Tianjin where you can watch authentic crosstalk. The smaller ones can fit a few dozen people, while the bigger ones can seat more than a hundred.
Mingliu Teahouse is the most popular. Crosstalk guru Ma’s signature is on the signboard near the entrance.
The teahouse was built in 1991: the first of its kind since the tradition was revived following a lull during the Cultural Revolution.
There are now three Mingliu Teahouses, the latest of which opened in 2009.
The place is usually crowded. The interior is designed according to layouts from ancient times. The playbills passed around and posted on the walls are all in the ancient style. Cups of water and tea are free for those attending a performance.
Shows begin with a zhuban – bamboo clapper – performance, with actors dressed in long mandarin gowns.
Then the crosstalkers take the stage, usually for 20 minutes. The language they use is more colloquial than what you might see on TV.
Guankou, a type of fast and rhythmic talk, usually is the best part of every show. Afterwards, performers are always asked to give an encore.
The best performers are able to give three or more encores, which is always a treat for audiences.
The entire performance lasts two-and-a-half to three hours.
Mingliu Teahouse
This one now has three teahouses in the city. It attracts many people on weekends, so it’s recommended people go to the theater 30 minutes early to buy tickets. Reservations are not accepted. Seats are first-come, first-served.
Time: Daily, 8 pm; on weekdays, there is a 1 pm and 4 pm matinee
Xinhualu Teahouse
Where: F1, Heping Culture Palace, 177 Xinhua Lu, Heping District
Getting there: Take bus 1, 4, 50, 611, 650, 808, 831, 851, 901 to Shandonglu and walk along Chifeng Dao for 200 meters. Turn left on Xinhua Lu and walk another 100 meters to the west.
Tel: 022-2711 6382
Admission: 40 yuan
Ancient Culture Street Teahouse
Where: F2, Ancient Culture Street, Nankai District
Getting there: Take bus 15, 801, 804, 954 to Dongbeijiao and walk 100 meters to the east.
Tel: 022-2728 6420
Admission: 50 yuan
Gulou Teahouse
Where: 52 Gulou Commercial Street, Nankai District
Getting there: Take bus 161, 168, 635, 652, 657, 855 to Gulou and walk 100 meters to the south.
Tel: 022-8825 2627
Admission: 40 yuan
Getting to Tianjin: The fast train from Beijing South Railway Station to Tianjin departs every 20 minutes. It takes 30 minutes to reach Tianjin; tickets cost 58 yuan.
Other places to watch crosstalk shows in Tianjin
Qianxiangyi Theater
This is an old teahouse in a Qing-style building. Both young and experienced performers work here.
Where: 12 Guyi Jie, Dahutong, Hongqiao District
Tel: 022-2705 3206
Admission: 45 yuan
Grand Stage Crosstalk Teahouse
In addition to daily crosstalk shows, there is an interactive event held here every Saturday morning, where amateur crosstalkers are given the stage. Professional performers watch and offer suggestions.
Where: 57 Chifeng Dao, Heping District
Tel: 022-8578 8185
Admission: 30 yuan
Hexie Theater
This theater uses young performers born in the ’80s and ’90s, with shows on weekends only.
Where: Xinxiuju, New Culture Garden, Fu’an Dajie, Heping District
Tel: 022-5805 6037
Admission: 15 yuan
China Grand Theater
This crosstalk show, staged in the small theater inside China Grand Theater, features older performers.
Where: 104 Harbin Dao, Heping District
Tel: 022-2712 1315
Admission: 30 yuan
Laocheng Xiao Liyuan (Small Theater in Old City)
Located inside Tianjin Old-City Museum in a courtyard, this theater is for crosstalk, talk shows and operas.
Where: Tianjin Old-City Museum, 202 Gulou Dong Jie, Nankai District
Tel: 400-101-9899
Admission: 40 yuan
By Zhang Dongya
Beijing may be the birthplace of crosstalk – or xiangsheng – but Tianjin has kept the best ambiance and tradition of the performing art.
Watching crosstalk from a Tianjin teahouse may be the best way to learn about this art. Well-known anecdotes from history are mixed with current affairs. Listen carefully and you’re sure to catch jokes and puns that will induce uproarious laughter.
CFP Photos
Crosstalk roots in Tianjin
Crosstalk is everywhere in the city. You’ll find elders gathered around TVs in residential communities, and cab drivers listening to it on the radio. Some people listen repeatedly to the same show and never get bored. For them, the best crosstalk shows can be like pop songs: they get better, catchier every time.
Tianjin, as a northern harbor and the metropolis nearest Beijing, has been a gathering place for all kinds of regional cultures for a long time. It’s merely a coincidence, however, that some of the best crosstalk masters were born in Tianjin, such as Ma Sanli and Guo Degang, the most popular performer today.
Having a good laugh at Tianjin's crosstalk teahouses is a great way to relax.
In Tianjin, even ordinary people on the street have the gift of crosstalk gab. Part of the reason may lie in Tianjin’s strange dialect, which locals are willing to poke fun at. And if there’s one element of humor that characterizes crosstalk – other than puns – it’s the willingness to be self-deprecating.
Tianjin crosstalk listeners are also, by extension, the hardest to please. Professional crosstalkers must constantly innovate, otherwise they’ll face a damning rebuke: “already heard that.”
March 25, 2011 Filed under Travel
The Sichuan-Tibet Line and Qinghai-Tibet line are many outdoor lovers' dream routes, which offer splendid views and true adventure. CFP Photos
By Zhang Dongya
The dream route for outdoor aficionados is the Sichuan-Tibet Line and Qinghai-Tibet Line, which offer splendid views and satisfy the hiker’s appetite for challenge.
But for Tan Xiaomin, 25, the route is but a footpath on a bigger journey. She just completed hiking the Sichuan-Tibet Line this week, and already her sights are on bigger roads.
Tan, who began her journey in Beijing last month, aims to return to Beijing through the deserts of Gansu Province and grasslands of Inner Mongolia.
Beijing Today is following her on her incredible journey via phone calls and the Internet, trying to catch a glimpse of all that she sees.
Tan Xiaomin, an outdoor enthusiast, is hitchhiking his way to Tibet and back. Photos by Tan Xiaomin
Reaching Qinghai
On Monday, Tan finished the Sichuan-Tibet route and lodged in a small tavern in Yanshiping, or Stone Ground for Wild Goose, a small plateau town in Tibet.
As a border town between Tibet and Qinghai, Yanshiping is accustomed to welcoming commuters. But few have logged as many kilometers as Tan – and few have as far to go. As the poet Robert Frost says, there are “miles to go before I sleep.”
March 4, 2011 Filed under Travel
By Liang Meilan
Beidaihe, Qinhuangdao, a three-hour drive from Beijing, is typically visited by people during warmer months, but in recent years more people have begun visiting during the winter and early spring to avoid the crowds and catch the amazing sight of drifting ice blocks.
The ice off the coast of Beidaihe usually melts in April, which means there’s time yet to check it out. The temperature is expected to be mild, too – highs of about 10 C in the coming week.
Frozen reef in the sea create a unique landscape. CFP Photos
Appeal of the middle beach
The Beidaihe coast can be divided into three parts: west, middle and east. The middle beach is the best, and it’s no surprise that there are plenty of guesthouses in the area. Take Bus 34 to Haibinchenzhan station, the terminal, and walk a few blocks to the sea.
Take a moment to enjoy the fresh air and lack of tourists. September to April is the low season for Beidaihe, which means you won’t need to fight the crowd for hotel reservations or the perfect spot on the sand.
The nearby district of Liuzhuang is famous for its resorts, which offer quality service in a commercial area. Many of the hotels there are closed at this time, but those that are open offer rooms for a third of the price during peak season.
February 11, 2011 Filed under Travel
By Zhang Dongya
The Great Wall, the defining architectural wonder of ancient China, was built as a defense against the nomads of the north. But a little known fact is that the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) also built sections of the Great Wall in the south.
The Great Wall in Hunan and Guizhou provinces are the only sections in southern China. The Wall here is a unique case of contrast, and surrounded by traditional villages and customs.
Miao Great Wall, the only part of the Great Wall in southern China, reflects parts of Miao culture and customs. Photos by Yang Nan
Featuring Miao culture
Located in northwest Hunan Province, the wall here was built to guard against the Miao, a rebellious minority during Ming. Thus, the section was later called the Miao Frontier Great Wall.
Its major body is located in today’s Fenghuang County, a well-known ancient town in western Hunan.
During Ming, Miao people living on the border of Hunan and Guizhou provinces were divided: some submitted to the court, while others organized violent uprisings. To stabilize the border, the Ming built the Great Wall to isolate the rebellious group.
Today, more than 33 percent of people living in western Hunan are Miao descendents who has maintained traditional Miao manners and customs.
Miao drums and Miao hamlets built primarily with bamboo poles are commonly seen around the Great Wall here.
January 7, 2011 Filed under Travel
By Zhang Dongya
If you’re missing the snow this winter, travel north to Harbin, where the city is preparing to receive visitors from around the world for its ice and snow festivals.
While the ice festival is internationally renowned, visitors should also check out the Harbin Snow Sculpture Art Expo, which opened at the city’s tourist hotspot, Sun Island, on December 28.
Co-organized with the Italian cities Innichen and Virgilio, it features Italy-themed snow sculptures that commemorate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations with China.
Co-organized with the Italian cities Innichen and Virgilio, this year's Harbin Snow Sculpture Art Expo features Italy-themed snow sculptures. CFP Photo
December 3, 2010 Filed under Travel
By Zhang Dongya
As an ancient capital, Nanjing precedes Beijing. It first became Wu’s capital in 229 during the Three Kingdoms Period (220-280), and was a national capital as recently as 62 years ago, when it was capital of the Republic of China (1912-49).
The centennial of the Xinhai Revolution, led by Sun Yat-sen, is next year, providing a fitting opportunity to look back on the short history of the Republic.
Nanjing has many places that can take you back to that period, from museums to mausoleums to the streets themselves.
Sun Yat-sen's office is a Western-styole one-storey building. Photos by Mockingbird
November 22, 2010 Filed under Travel
By Zhang Dongya
Visitors from all over the globe flock to Tibet every year to have a glimpse of its mystery and magnificence. Many are content to take a picture in front of Potala Palace in the capital city of Lhasa in order to show friends back home.
But the most essential part of Tibet is its plateau scenery, which is hidden among cordillera. The best place to experience this is in Ali, located at the nexus of the Kunlun Mountain Range, Gangdise Mountains and the Himalayas.
While Tibet is called the “roof of the world,” Ali has been dubbed “the roof of Tibet.” The route to Ali, a loop that takes about 20 days to complete by car, is considered the most adventurous and exciting experience in Tibet. Beijing Today talked to travelers who have taken this trip.
Palkor Monastery is famous for the "one-hundred-thousand pagoda," consisting of hundreds of sutra halls. Photos by Zhao Yan
Natural beauty and cultural relics
Leaving Lhasa, you’ll first come to the southern part of Ali, which features snow-capped mountains and cultural and historical attractions, like old temples.
The path you’ll want to take is called the southern way of Xinjiang-Tibet Road, also known as the “southern line.” One important city on the path is Shigatse, situated in southwest Tibet. The biggest temple here is Tashihunpo Monastery, built in 1447 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
The grand temple, which is closed between noon and 2 pm, attracts both pious and secular people from different regions and countries.
Another famous temple is Palkor Monastery, built in 1418. It accepts three sects of Tibetan Buddhism – sakya, kadampa and gelukpa – and has architecture that fuses the three styles.
