Author: Carey

Norbulingka

Norbulingka means “baby garden” in Tibetan language. It is the summer palace of the Dalai and Lama (the Potala Palace is the Winter Palace). Some people also call it “the Summer Palace of Lhasa.” The garden is very distinctive, and it has the shadow of Tibetan culture and also absorbs the traditional methods of gardening in the interior. There is a new palace inside, and its architecture, murals and decorations are the integration of the essence of Tibet’s major temples, palaces and buildings. It can be said that visiting the new palace is like browsing the entire Tibetan building. There are hundreds of plants in the Norbulingka, including many famous flowers such as Tibetan hydrangea, so it is also known as the Plateau Botanical Garden. During the festival, special activities such as Tibetan opera performances can be seen. Tibetans will sit in Norbulingka with tents and food, and chat with friends and family.

Official telephone number of the Norbulingka: 0891-6826274

Time reference for visiting: 1-3 hours

How to go to Norbulingka: Take bus No. 2, No. 14 and get off at Norbulingka South Station.

Tickets: 80 RMB during the peak season; 60 RMB during off-season (during Monday-Sunday from January 1 to December 31)

Opening hours: 09:00-18:00 (summer), 09:30-17:30 (winter) (during Monday-Sunday from January 1 to December 31)

As Norbulingka is the summer palace of the Potala Palace, there is basically no tour group in it. And there is no photographing in it. Except for the Chinese words in door and the entrance of the temples, all the introductions are Tibetan. If you are lucky enough, there will be a fire-fighting patrol of Tibetans who see you don’t understand and take the initiative to ask if you need to explain it. Inside Norbulingka, there are the last Dalai’s living quarters and some collectibles, with blocks of brick-like turquoise red coral set on the stool.

Shanghai Xintiandi

Some people say that Shanghai Xintiandi is like Beijing Sanlitun. It seems that there is such a point, but it is more formal than Beijing Sanlitun, as Shanghai Xintiandi is full of petty bourgeoisie.

When you get off the subway, you can walk to Xintiandi. The first thing you will see is STARBUCKS. There are a lot of people at the entrance of the store. From time to time, you will see a few foreigners wearing suits, who are very handsome, carrying a briefcase, well dressed, wearing a watch on the wrist. Because their temperament is too elegant, you will be completely attracted by them, and this scene brings a big city workplace atmosphere to tourists who have just arrived in Shanghai.

Xintiandi is based on Shanghai’s unique Shikumen old building. It is an urban tourist attraction with Shanghai’s historical and cultural features and the integration of Chinese and Western features. Xintiandi has fewer shops, most of which are coffee shops and western restaurants. The level of consumption here can be summarized in the simplest sentence. Just drinking coffee, Starbucks may be a cheaper coffee shop here. After entering into Xintiandi, you won’t find any coffee shop cheaper than Starbucks. And the western food will be more expensive in Xintiandi.

When you first arrive in Shanghai, and stroll around the Xintiandi, you will feel it still very sensational. In terms of the architectural style, the old Shiku industrial style is a good place to take pictures. Going to the end of Xintiandi, there will be such an alley on both sides. If you come here at night, the photo taken here will be better.

The construction of Xintiandi is tidier than Tianzifang, because many of them are rebuilt later. Although they are less old, they are also amazing in terms of architecture. If you like taking photos and enjoy fashionable life, Shanghai Xintiandi is a good place for you to have a visit.

Humble Administrator Garden

Without viewing garden, it feels like you have never been to Suzhou. Humble Administrator Garde is very delicate in structure and architecture. The details are hidden in the meaning you don’t know. You must once again sigh the wisdom of the ancestors. Modern people are far worse than the ancestors.

Going to an experience hall in the garden, you will hear the tour guide said that there is an embroidered embroidery which is worthy 500,000 RMB. If you are curious, just follow the tour guide entering into it to have a look. Then there are some instructors who are introducing some things about the garden, and they are interesting.

The Humble Administrator’s Garden is the first of all gardens in China. It is said that other gardens are built on the basis of it. After many generations of garden owners, Wang Xianchen of the Ming Dynasty bought this land and built it, and invited the famous Wen Zhengming talented person to be responsible for the design. It is said that because his landscape painting is good, it is not surprising that you will feel the exquisiteness when visiting the garden. Although the ancients did not learn architecture design, they were so good when they transformed the encyclopedic mind into actual works.

The commentator said that you can understand it if you understand it. If you don’t know anything, you really think Humble Administrator’s Garden is just a garden. If you have no cultural knowledge here, you maybe don’t know the history behind the garden. The only thing you think about it is “nothing to go around.” If you want to have a good feeling, it is highly suggested that you spend half a day to view the charm of the garden. This is a place that requires patience, even a second visit, if you still have the opportunity to come over.

Tips: When taking photos of Humble Administrator’s Garden, in addition to avoiding the crowd, you must also learn to use the front scenery reasonably. The photos taken then can be at least hierarchical, virtual and real, full of space and dreams.

Hutong Alleyways

The simple alley has not been transformed and is the most authentic face. There are a lot of famous Hutongs in Beijing, such as Maoer Hutong, Bean Hutong, South Downs Hutong, and so on. While shopping, you can also just pass through the alley and go to Shichahai. There is a bright red five-star red flag in the hutong. This is the atmosphere of the festival. This is the feeling of the country and the family. There are many stalls in the hutong that sell candied haws. Come to Beijing, and the candied haws should also be tasted.

If you must feel the Hutong tour, don’t choose an electric car, as before you get on the car, you are told to have one-and-a-half-hour tour time. After a while, the car will take you to a small courtyard and visit at your own expense! And the explanation is also very boring, just is according to the text, the sound is still very small! Be sure to choose the rickshaw driver with qualification certificate!

Sitting on a tricycle, walking down the street, there is really special flavor. As a native of old Beijing, the driver has the pride of the Son of Heaven, and he will tell you the history and culture of Hutong from the past to present. It is true that people living under the imperial city are really good at talking. The hutong tour in the tricycle vision, the old house, the introduction of the Beijing dialect with Beijing accent, all make your trip there enjoyable. In addition to the scenery there, there is more mood.

It seems that every hutong is similar when you are experiencing the Beijing hutong, but in fact it is very different, it is very interesting to stroll. Hutong Tour has a self-funded project, that is sitting in a rickshaw by costing 120 Yuan per person. You can just walk by yourself, go to the depths of the hutong to feel the taste of old Beijing, it is really very special. Going to Beijing, I don’t rent a rickshaw to swim in a hutong, I don’t know how to taste Beijing.

Shanghai Tower

In the Shanghai Tower, it costs 180 yuan/person on the 118th floor and 360 yuan/person on the 126th floor. At the 118th floor, the field of view is not very good (if it is sunny, it is really a whole view of Shanghai), even if you are on the 126th floors, you can’t see anything.

The first floor of the Tourism Hall is an exhibition hall introducing the Shanghai Tower, which records the data of the world skyscrapers and the gene bank of the Shanghai Tower. There is a very cool introduction film, and you will be really impressed by this skyscraper. Originally there was a video, but it wants to leave some mystery for everyone, and it is even more shocking on the spot.

The elevator in Shanghai Tower is really great. It doesn’t take a minute to go up to the 118th floor. It seems to be 53 seconds. The main point is that the whole process is very stable. You won’t feel that you are on the 118th floor at a speed of 20.5 meters per second.

After going up to the 118th floor, it basically overlooks the whole of Shanghai. On the 118th floor, overlooking the Oriental Pearl Tower, you will feel it is very short, and the Jinmao Tower is also short. The Shanghai World Financial Center is OK. It is a great thing to have 360 degrees without a dead angle to have a panoramic view, which will make you excited and happy.

There is a souvenir shop in the sightseeing hall, which has a machine that words can be engraved on the back of the commemorative coin. How can you miss it as a commemorative coin collector (in fact, there are two kinds of coins)? Finally, you can choose a one with a strong stereoscopic effect. The bottom of the small sculpture of the building is magnetic. When it is put away, it can be directly put down. It is very cute and very nice.

Mogao Caves

The management of Mogao Caves is still very good. Buy tickets generally in the official website one month in advance, then you can see 8 caves! If you don’t buy the ticket from the official website, you can buy an emergency ticket in Dunhuang one day in advance to see 4 caves! To tell the truth, the cave is very shocking, it is the intangible cultural heritage of the Chinese nation, but it is too little caves that allow to be viewd, only to show you a few representatives! You need to go to the museums and art galleries inside to learn more about the history and greatness of the Mogao Caves! No photos are allowed inside, and visitors are queued for half an hour for viewing a very short time during the peak season.

Inside the grotto it is a statue of Maitreya, which is the world’s largest indoor cross-legged sitting statue, so people call it the “Big Buddha Temple.” This statue has many feminine characteristics, which is similar to the giant Buddha of Lucerne, which shows the king’s character in the Longmen Grottoes of the same era!

The shape of the top of the cave changed with the dynasty. Before the Sui Dynasty, the figure was covered with human figures. The algae appeared in the Tang Dynasty, giving people lofty and profound sense. The algae well in the Xixia Cave also revealed to us the matriarchal social style of the Femdom. The pattern of Mogao Caves has become the favorite of scarves design, even the women who pursue the Hermes brand are convinced! The most moving part of the mural is undoubtedly the image of the flying Apsaras. Most of them are naked for upper body, and showed plump chest, long waist and curve body lines; some play flute, some hold lotus, some dress clothes, and it can be said that the sky is flying and full of wind!

The current visit process of Mogao Caves is to go to the Digital Display Center first and then take the bus into the cave area. From the city to the digital display center, you can take the green bus diagonally opposite the Silk Road Yiyuan Hotel. When you come back, you can take the bus back to the digital center from the cave area and return by taking the green bus.

Dali Ancient Town

On the streets of the Dali Ancient Town, people come and go, and almost every store in every street, there is a lot of visitors. However, the downside is that every street, or the next street in the corner, it is too repeatable. You can see a lot of flower cake shops, the jewelry stores, the clothing store selling the same clothes, the tea shop selling the same tea; and a lot of restaurants, which are really repeatable. There are also many taverns where folk singers are resident.

Indeed, the entire Dali ancient town is neat, standardized, clear in division of labor and diversified in function. This urban area has been very successful in terms of urban planning and construction. On the bad side, too much repetition can make people lose their original freshness, feelings, and even have the sense of boredom; but on the positive side, repeating more can make a deep impression on these stores and these streets. Tourists have long-lasting memories and even can bring brand effects.

The streets of Dali Ancient Town are mostly not wide, and are divided into many sections, and there are many turns. This will help the development of small and medium-sized industries and various shops and restaurants in the city. An extensive road network provides intensive business points and avoids the dull street atmosphere. The increase in small markets has also made young people have more places to go. There are not only newer buildings on the streets, but also some old buildings. The flow of people in the ancient city is enormous. The large population density itself is enough to bring diversity. This promotes the prosperity of its business and guarantees the vitality of the entire city.

When you are having a trip there, for eating in the Dali Ancient Town, it is strongly recommended to eat near the school, you will eat a lot of delicious food which are also cheap! When walking around the streets and alleys of Dali Ancient Town, you will be very fond of the ethnic style of the Bai nationality, which are clean and refreshing without losing the atmosphere.

Big Wild Goose Pagoda

The Big Wild Goose Pagoda was presided over by the Xuan Zang Master. Although it has been vicissitudes for thousands of years, it is still intact. It is one of the famous Buddhist pagodas in China, and it is also a unique symbol of the ancient city of Xi’an. The Big Wild Goose Pagoda is a pavilion-style brick tower. The tower body is made of bricks with a square cone with a staircase spiraling up. There is a vault door in each side of each floor, and the view of Chang’an is unobstructed. On the two sides of the south gate of the pagoda, the “Da Tang Sanzang Holy Preface” monument was set by Xuanzang during the Tang Emperor’s reign, and they are well preserved. It is worth mentioning that the Tang Dynasty painters Wu Daozi and Wang Wei had made many murals for the Ci’en Temple, but unfortunately, they were already disappeared in history. However, on the stone door sills and door frames of the four-door cave under the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, there is still a beautiful Tang Dynasty line depiction.

Official telephone number of Big Wild Goose Pagoda: 029-85521890

Time visiting for reference: less than 1 hour

Transportation: Take busses such as 5, 19, 224, 237, 500, 501, 521, 526, 527, 601, 606, 609, Tour 4, Tour 6, Tour 8 (610), and Tour 9 (320) buses and get off at the Big Wild Goose Pagoda station.

Tickets: 50 Yuan for the Great Ci’en Temple, 30 Yuan for the Big Wild Goose Pagoda

Opening hours: 08:00-17:00 during Monday to Sunday

As the earliest and largest Tang Dynasty square brick tower, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda is a typical form of the ancient Indian Buddhist temple, which was introduced into the Central Plains with Buddhism and integrated into the Chinese culture. It is the landmark building combining the wisdom of the ancient Chinese laboring people.

If you go to Xi’an for the first time, you can still go and see the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, but before you go there, just understand the history and culture in advance. The ginkgo around the Big Wild Goose Pagoda is beautiful in autumn.

Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon

When taking a tour to Zhangjiajie, you are highly recommended to have a visit to the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, whose glass bridge will make your travel there unforgettable.

The entire attraction takes about three and a half hours. Note: 1. It takes nearly 1 hour to depart from Wulingyuan Bus Station, and the bus depart only when it is almost full of people, so it may take a long time to wait for it, and your tour needs count the waiting time. 2, keep in mind to control your time to enter into the scenic spot, because if you miss the time, your ticket cannot be changed, and if you arrive there earlier, you cannot enter into it in advance. 3, a lot of things cannot be brought in, such as mugs, cameras, snacks and so on. Mobile power and selfie sticks are available. There is a deposit at the door, but you can take it only after the whole trip finishes, and then take the free shuttle bus to take you to the place where you enter the scenic spot.

The bridge Bungy of the Grand Canyon is still under construction, and friends who like it can look forward to it. But it is not so recommended to you, because the scenery is really not the best, the scenery on the mountain is not as good as the Tianmen Mountain, Tianzi Mountain, Yangjiajie, Yuanjiajie, and the scenery of the canyon is not comparable to the Golden Whip Creek. The only thing that worthy experiencing is walking on the glass bridge. The bridge, but not scary at all, is not a full transparent glass, it should be inlaid with dozens of transparent glasses in the middle of the frosted glasses. The glass is also not very clear. Compared with the fare, the price/performance ratio is not so high, so it is the least recommended. It is said that the scenery under the bridge is completely invisible on rainy days. But if you still want to explore more there, it is also a good attraction for you.

Zhujiajiao Water Town

On the outskirts of Shanghai, there is a quiet and comfortable ancient town, which is called Zhujiajiao. In the morning, Zhujiajiao is the liveliest. There are restaurants selling steaming meat in the street; there are rumbling workshops selling silk quilts; there are small shops selling suave Jiangnan silk; there are bright and stylish shops selling literary tea sets, which repeats the business trajectory that comes with Jiangnan Water Town. Occasionally, there are some boat vendors selling vegetables on the shore of the bridge. You can buy some vegetables and pick up the fresh river food to cook and start a good day.

It’s a good thing to kill time on Caohe Street, because there are two places where you will be fascinated (Cat Empty Bookstore and Daqing Post Office), and when you are tired, you can find a favorite riverside teahouse to have a rest. Although it is not a good season to taste tea, it is a good time for drinking tea. If you love to drink tea, as always, drinking Longjing, only for the freshness of the first tea.

Zhujiajiao Water Town is known as “Shanghai Venice” and “Shanghai Suburb Hollywood”. The small bridge in the town has the title of “Jiangnan Pearl”. There are 36 ancient bridges in Zhujiajiao, which are simple and elegant. 9 long streets are built on the water. The residential houses are built according to the water. Featuring the type of Ming and Qing architecture, the ancient style still exists. In particular, the five-hole stone arch release bridge across the Ming Dynasty building in Dagang was built in the Ming Dynasty and is very beautiful. It is one of the oldest stone arch bridges in Shanghai and the first of the ten scenic spots in Zhujiajiao.

Zhujiajiao Water Town is not as lively as Wuzhen and Zhouzhuang. The guests on a day trip usually leave at 16:00 or 17:00 in the afternoon. When the sun sets, people leave, the shops close and the streets and lanes become quiet and elegant.