Harbin, Disney in ice (iii)

How to get to Harbin
Flights from Beijing cost about 1,500 yuan ($219) and it takes about two hours to g et there. Trains from Beijing start at 153 yuan (271 for sleeper) for a trip that’s about 12 hours. Nigtly express trains (429 yuan, 9.5 hours) offer soft sleepers only.[Read More]

Posted at 01:50PM Feb 24, 2010 by admin in China Travel  |  Comments[0]

Harbin, Disney in ice (ii)

From the city, there are several ways to get to the festival. If you are trying to do everything in a day, start with lunch and a stroll along Zhongyang Dajie. This pedestrian-only street is the heart of the city's Russian legacy, with interesting shops and food.[Read More]

Posted at 05:02PM Feb 23, 2010 by admin in China Travel  |  Comments[0]

Harbin, Disney in ice (i)

Harbin's annual Ice and Snow Festival, which opens the first week of January and ends this year on Feb 28, in Heilongjiang province, is a fantasy of iconic buildings made of ice and folk legends sculpted in snow. Plan a trip and veterans who have been there will repeat two words over and over: "cold" and "beautiful".[Read More]

Posted at 10:55AM Feb 22, 2010 by admin in China Travel  |  Comments[0]

Snow, rain play havoc with spring festival travel

Bad weather forecast to hit during peak festival season

The weather refused to cooperate yesterday as the country entered its peak traffic season with millions on the move home.

Over the weekend, snow and heavy fog hit northern China, closing expressways and delaying flights. And meteorologists are forecasting bad weather to sweep across the country in the week ahead.

About 2.5 billion trips are expected to be made over the 40 days from Jan 30, as people rush home for family reunions and celebrations during the week-long Spring Festival holiday, which starts Saturday, the eve of the lunar New Year.

The transport authority reported that traffic began to surge yesterday, burdening the country's railways, roads and airports.

The Ministry of Railways said some 5 million passengers took trains on Saturday and yesterday. Railway stations in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou handled more than 200,000 passengers each day.

Some 63 million people took long-distance buses and ships home each day over the weekend, the Ministry of Transport estimated.

The number of passengers taking flights also grew so fast yesterday that belts transporting luggage from a check-in counter in Terminal 3 at the Beijing Capital International Airport broke down.

"The straps became overheated and produced smoke around 1 pm. But the trouble was soon solved and we opened new check-in counters to handle passengers. Order has resumed at the terminal," an airport spokesman said.

Ten freeways were closed yesterday because of snow and fog in Shanxi, Hebei, Henan and Liaoning provinces, causing delays at some long-distance bus stations, state broadcaster CCTV reported yesterday.

Due to the shut-down, Beijing's Liuliqiao bus hub said some buses from Hebei and Shanxi provinces to Beijing would be delayed for three to four hours.

Snow and ice caused at least 21 flights to be canceled and 64 flights delayed at the Beijing Capital International Airport by noon yesterday.

Meteorologists warned that such delays at bus stations and airports could only get worse because of a strong cold snap that will hit most parts of the country this week.

Qiao Lin, chief forecaster with the National Meteorological Center, said from today to Friday, rain and fog will hit central and east China, while lingering snowstorms will sweep northeast and north China.

On Thursday and Friday, freezing rain, which caused chaos during the Spring Festival traffic peak in 2008, is likely to hit Guizhou and the northwestern part of the area to the south of the Yangtze River. Most parts of the country will experience a temperature drop of 6 to 8 C, he said.

As the period coincides with the busiest time for the country's transport system, he warned travelers and transport departments to be prepared for bad weather.

"Nothing can be done about this weather. All I can do now is pray," said Li Zhenzhen, who works in Beijing and plans to leave for home in Henan province on Friday.

Wang Yongping, spokesman for the Ministry of Railways, said that the ministry has urged local bureaus to strengthen check-ups on locomotives, trains, tracks and the electricity network in a bid to ensure no breakdowns in the abnormal weather. Emergency plans will also be implemented during the bad weather.

Posted at 10:18AM Feb 08, 2010 by admin in China Travel  |  Comments[0]

Chinese travel abroad increases

China's statistics from 2009 are expected to show its first deficit in tourism, due to a weak global economy and a strong travel incentive at home, a senior researcher said.

China Tourism Academy, the think tank for the country's tourism authority, said that mainland tourists spent some $42 billion in overseas destinations including Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan last year.

At the same time, overseas tourists spent only $38 billion on the mainland, down by 7 percent year-on-year.

Though official statistics for 2009 are yet to be released, the academy estimated that the tourism deficit will stand at $4 billion in 2009 - the first ever tourism deficit in China.

"The deficit in tourism service trade is a new sign saying that China is turning into a notable tourist source market, in addition to being an important destination," Dai Bin, deputy head of China Tourism Academy, told China Daily.

The deficit will enable China to have more say in the global travel market, and also help lift the pressure on China for renminbi appreciation, he said.

The booming outbound travel also will encourage domestic enterprises to "go out" and purchase more shares in foreign travel businesses, he said.

Some 47 million trips were made by mainland tourists to overseas destinations in 2009, up 3 percent year-on-year, the academy estimated.

In contrast, 126 million overseas tourists visited the mainland last year, down by 3 percent year-on-year, it estimated.

Though the inbound tourists far outnumbered the outbound, apparently mainland tourists, with swelling wallets and eagerness for shopping, have spent much more overseas.

"Chinese tourists have a different spending concept from others. They could endure staying at a three-star hotel and eating at a not-so-good restaurant, but would never go back home empty-handed," said Zhang Wei, general manager of the outbound department with the China International Travel Service head office.

Also, since many imported goods are sold on the Chinese mainland at much higher prices, many tourists shop for expensive watches, clothes and cosmetics overseas, she said.

Beijinger Gao Xuenan, on her trip to Europe last month, spent some 13,000 yuan ($1,900) on a Louis Vuitton bag and a purse, and spent another 2,000 yuan on a Burberry scarf.

"The prices of these goods are much higher in Beijing. The scarf, sold at more than 4,000 yuan, is even out of stock in Beijing. I kind of feel I would suffer a loss if I don't buy them in Europe," she said.

A survey by AC Nielson in 2008 said each Chinese tourist spent an average $987 per trip. Those travelling to Europe spent an average $1,781.

But foreign tourists usually do not shop for such expensive items in China, she said.

Besides, the global economic downturn has made many foreign tourists slash their China shopping budgets, said Dun Jidong, spokesman for the China Travel Service.

"But (the economic meltdown) had less impact on mainland tourists, who traveled with confidence in China's economy," he said.

The number of Beijing tourists joining outbound tour groups through China Travel Service still grew at a double-digit pace last year as usual, he said.

From another view, after years of promoting China as a tourist destination, the wealthy foreigners who used to be the primary group visiting the Chinese mainland have been replaced by ordinary tour groups and backpackers, who spent less in China, Dai Bin with the academy said.

But the average GDP per capita has hit $3,000 in China, "a level that industry experts agree sends a signal that the country is entering a stage of explosive growth in travel consumption", he said.

The academy forecast that 54 million trips will be made by mainland tourists to overseas destinations in 2010, an increase of 15 percent year-on-year.

"Compared to the average western tourist traveling at least seven times a year, Chinese tourists travel only once a year. We have a market with huge potential," he said.

Posted at 10:54AM Jan 15, 2010 by admin in China Travel  |  Comments[0]

China Building World's Tallest Airport In Tibet

Tibet already has the world's highest airport, the Bamda Airport in Qamdo. Now China is planning to build an even higher structure, the 14,553-foot Nagqu Dagring Airport. The record-setting airport will be built in Nagqu Prefecture and is set to go live some time around 2014. Construction won't even begin until 2011, and the project is just one of 97 airports that the Chinese hope to build by 2020.

Of course since it's China there's no news that doesn't have some political upshot (just ask Google). The catch here is that Nagqu Dagring is part and parcel of a broader Chinese project to integrate Tibet into the rest of the country. They want to bring Chinese Han into Tibet and wouldn't mind seeing more Tibetans moving into the rest of China, and so they're developing the region's travel infrastructure accordingly. That's happening whether native Tibetans want it or not.

Having finally linked the Tibetan capital of Lhasa to Beijing via rail in 2006, the Chinese now have another six regional railways in the pipeline. The new transportation routes were explicitly designed to create a smoother back-and-forth flow of people, raising concerns about de facto colonization.

As for the question "who wouldn't want a shiny new airport," the answer might well be "ethnic Tibetans who are more interested in preserving their environment than in building new airports and railways." Again they might not have a choice, but the response from the other side is that it's paternalistic to insist that locales wouldn't want to improve their regional economies.

As always with these kinds of questions there are no easy answers. We'll just have to wait and see how the development proceeds, and what toll it takes on the local people and environment.

Posted at 10:25AM Jan 14, 2010 by admin in China Travel  |  Comments[0]

Yoyoor China Tips: Best Rare Vegetable

Yoyoor China Tips: Shopping & Food

Best Rare Vegetable

FOR weeks, Bill Maxwell of Maxwell Farms in Changewater, N.J., put the rutabaga bug in my ear every Saturday morning at the farmers’ market.

At the beginning, his urgings were gentle.

“The rutabaga is looking particularly fine this week,” he said as the vegetable came into season in October.

Throughout the fall, he persisted: “Rutabaga is the most underrated vegetable. You should try it for Thanksgiving.”

But I kept demurring despite his coaxing.

Finally, he insisted, pressing a fat, taut root vegetable into my hands. “Just take it and try it,” he said. “I’ll bet you anything you’ll be back for more.”

Thus began my new obsession with rutabaga.

Though I’d had it before, it wasn’t often. Puréed rutabaga is hardly a restaurant staple. And the one time I made it myself (over a decade ago), the root I got was so tough and dry I could barely slice through it with an ordinary knife, resorting to the meat cleaver. The flavor was wan, not worth the effort.

But this rutabaga was moist and fresh and easy to cube. Mr. Maxwell advised boiling, then mashing it with caramelized onions. But because the oven was on anyway for chicken, I decided to try roasting.

I tossed the rutabaga cubes with oil, salt and a little maple syrup, cooking them until the flesh was tender and translucent, the edges golden. It was as sweet and rich as butternut squash with a slightly peppery turnip note.

It was so good, in fact, that I couldn’t stop eating the cubes straight from the pan before the chicken was done.

Since then, I’ve bought rutabaga (also known as Swedes or yellow turnips) every week and prepared them as boiled, sautéed or braised.

Roasting, which caramelizes the sugars of the vegetable and brings out its sweetness, remains my favorite.

Posted at 05:07PM Jan 05, 2010 by admin in China Travel  |  Comments[0]

Yoyoor Travel Express: Harbin Ice Festival 2010

Activities for the Chinese Harbin Ice and Snow Festival typically start from the Sun Island Scenic Area (Tel: +86 451 8819 0230). Among the many interactive features of the surprisingly extensive world of snow and ice, is a luge-like ice slide integrated into the attractions’ larger works (a few years ago the slide doubled as the Great Wall of China.)

The festival offers an ice wall on which daring visitors can test their climbing skills. Aided by ropes and propelled by insanity, the climbers do battle with an almost vertical ice wall with minimal, if any, traction.

For those who need a break from the frost and frigidity, small, cozy restaurants are scattered throughout the festival in the form of yurts. While it may not feel like walking into a sauna, the brief respite from the cold makes them worth a regular visit. No northeast China cuisine tasting experience is complete without using a straw to suck the juice from inside a pork bone.

Head towards Zheng Yang Lou (No. 252 Zhong Shan Rd. Tel: +86 451 8260 5558) for just such an experience. Need some takeaway? Harbin sausage is tops. Don't be frightened by the long queue at Shangwei Sausage shop (No. 999 Hong Qi Rd. Tel: +86 451  5 76  8 3 59 5), for some truly outstanding sausages (40RMB per kilogram.)

Posted at 04:32PM Jan 05, 2010 by admin in China Travel  |  Comments[0]

Get ready for tiger year

According to the Chinese Zodiac, the Year of 2010 is the Year of the Tiger, which begins on February 14, 2010 and ends on February 2, 2011.   The Tiger is the third sign in the cycle of  Chinese Zodiac, which consists of 12 animal signs.  It is a sign of courage. This fearless and fiery fighter is revered by the ancient Chinese as the sign that wards off the three main disasters of a household: fire, thieves and ghosts.



Workers carry tiger-shaped lanterns as they prepare for a lantern show at a park in Shenyang, Liaoning province January 3, 2010. 
 

Related links:
Chinese New Year: The Best Way to Get Through the Winter (i)
China Challenge: Proper Planning Pre-Holidays I

Posted at 09:57AM Jan 04, 2010 by admin in China Travel  |  Comments[0]

City rules that bikes can't go on Metro

BICYCLES, including folding bikes, are to be banned from the Metro from March 1, when new safety regulations ordered by the city government take effect.

Details just released cover the major clauses but don't specify penalties. Full details are due to be published on the city government Website, shanghailaw.gov.cn, and eastday.com soon.

The rules clarify the Metro operator's responsibility in ensuring safe operation of the system, duties of Metro staff, emergency planning and measures to prevent overcrowding and danger to passengers.

One of the major clauses is a blanket ban on bicycles.

At present the operator regulates passengers in accordance with a Metro passenger rule and a Metro management rule, which don't ban bicycles.

"We have regulations on the size of passengers' luggage, which must be no more than 1.8 cubic square meters," said Yin Wei, an official from Shanghai Shentong Metro Co Ltd, the Metro operator.

"Metro officials usually required people with folding bikes to put them into a bag or case to avoid hurting other passengers or damaging their clothes.

"We give warnings but can't fine them. Taking bicycles sometimes caused quarrels between passengers as bikes damaged other people's clothes or occupied space in rush hours," he said.

But he said the ban could be inconvenient for cyclists who use the Metro as part of their commute.

"It may be more reasonable to ban bikes during rush hours or designate special carriages with bike racks," he said.

Source: Shanghai Daily

Posted at 12:26PM Dec 14, 2009 by admin in China Travel  |  Comments[0]

Best of the rest around Huangshan

Dagger-like rocks and pine trees on Mount Huangshan.
 

Hongcun Village

Built in 1131, Hongcun Village is the best of the rest. Named a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 2000, the 30-acre village and lake retain their old-world charm and look like a Chinese scroll painting - or a water buffalo from above. People still live in the 140 ancient dwellings, replete with white walls, tiled roofs and circular gateways, and wash their clothes in the town pond. Also a great place to buy cheap local cookies and biscuits.

Lover's Valley

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon director Ang Lee shot two scenes here in 2002 - the sword fight in the bending bamboo trees between Chow Yun-fat and Zhang Ziyi, and the connecting scene where they skip over a pond still brandishing their weapons. The water here is so green it used to be called Jade Valley, but had its name changed two decades ago in memory of three couples who got lost in the area, never gave up hope and were eventually rescued. Worth visiting on a sunny day, time permitting. Bring your bathing suit.

Huangshan Mysterious Grottoes

These cube-shaped caves are of interest due to all the unanswered questions they provoke, such as when, why and how were they excavated? Some people think they were ancient granaries or royal tombs.

Tunxi Old Street

The houses and narrow lanes on this archaic 1.5-km strip can be more interesting than what they sell, although the range of Shexian ink stones, Chinese paper, hand-knitted shawls and sweet-smelling wooden bracelets (capable of warding off mosquitoes) are must-buys. Some of the shops date back over 120 years, and it has served as the backdrop for more than 100 movies. It now ranks as one of China's top 10 ancient heritage streets.

Old Street No 1 Building

The name reflects Chinese people's love of the number "1" and it was here we enjoyed the best Chinese meal I've ever eaten in a Chinese restaurant at the foot of Old Street. Its renovated gray stone and dark mahogany architecture, typical of southern Anhui, was beautiful in its minimalism while the goldfish pond and running water was calming after a day's hike. Every dish was fresh and delicious, including:

Yiping Guo (Local hot pot) - 88 yuan

Baochao Shiji (Deep-fried frog living between stones in the stream) - 118 yuan

Hongshao Chou Guiyu (Smelly Mandarin fish) - 68 yuan

Huifu Toudao Cai (Anhui government's No 1 dish) - 68 yuan

Source: China daily

Related links:
How to Get the Best View of the World's Most Visited Mountain
UNESCO World Heritage Sites Just a Stone's Throw from China's Most Famous Mountain

Posted at 10:52AM Nov 24, 2009 by admin in China Travel  |  Comments[0]

More China Travel Souvenir

Let's enjoy more wonderful China Travel Souvenir


Lacquer Jewelry Box



Clothes for Kids



Pure Silk Pajamas


Related links:
China Travel Souvenir
Gifts from China (i)
Gifts from China (ii)
Gifts from China (iii)
China Travel Tips: The Art of Giving Gifts in China
Yoyoor China Travel Tips - Shopping

Posted at 11:33AM Nov 06, 2009 by admin in China Travel  |  Comments[0]

Govt buys ticket for Disney Shanghai

SHANGHAI: Mickey Mouse and friends are on their way to Shanghai after long-awaited plans for a Disney theme park near China's financial hub got the thumbs-up from central authorities.

The news was announced yesterday by both the company and Shanghai's municipal government.

The United States-based company and its Chinese partners will now begin detailed talks about the project, which will be based in Pudong New District, the government's information office said in a statement.

Walt Disney Co welcomed the news.

"China is one of the most dynamic, exciting and important countries in the world, and this approval marks a very significant milestone," said Robert A. Iger, the company's president and CEO.

The approval paves the way for Disney and its Shanghai partners to nail down a final agreement, detailing the construction and operation of the park, the company said.

The first phase of the project will include a "Magic Kingdom-style theme park with characteristics tailored to the Shanghai region and other amenities consistent with Disney's destination resorts worldwide", the company added in its statement.

Zhang Huiming, an economist at Fudan University, said the upcoming visit of US President Barack Obama will help promote the project.

"For the US, it's a matter of the export of American culture," Zhang said.

And, on the streets of Shanghai, Donald Duck and gang already have their supporters.

"I'm thrilled to hear the news," said Lin Fuli, a 23-year-old student from Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade. "I've been looking forward to this ever since my first visit to the Hong Kong park two years ago."

Lin said the Hong Kong Disneyland was smaller than she hoped and she expects the Shanghai one to be bigger.

The park in Hong Kong, at 1.26 sq km, is the smallest of Disney's five major parks, which are located in the US, France and Japan.

Previous media reports said the first phase of the Shanghai Park, which is expected to be located in Chuansha township, will cover around 4 sq km and cost about $3.6 billion. It is slated for opening in 2014.

"The landing of Disneyland will drive up prices of commercial property, which, in turn, will send local house prices rocketing to a new high soon," predicted Xue Jianxiong, an analyst at real estate services provider E-House (China) Holdings Ltd.

Experts predicted that the dense population of Shanghai and the proximity of other major cities, including Hangzhou, Nanjing and Suzhou, means the park will not have a problem attracting visitors.

"Unlike Hong Kong Disneyland, we expect the park in Shanghai will turn profit quickly," said Qi Xiaozhai, director of Shanghai Commercial Economic Research Center.

However, some were unhappy that the company is moving to town.

Min Guoyao, a resident at Zhaohang village of Chuansha, has lived with his family in a two-floor home for more than 50 years. He now expects his house will be demolished to make way for the project.

"Our family has been living here for many generations. I really have no idea how we'll be resettled in another place," Min said.

And workers at a brick kiln factory in the village also had concerns.

"Our boss will probably shut down the factory next year as he cannot afford the rising rental fee," said a worker surnamed Chen. "We have to find other places to work, which is very hard for us."

The two existing theme parks in Shanghai, Jin Jiang Action Park and Happy Valley, were philosophical about the arrival of Disney.

"We take the Shanghai Disneyland not as a competitor, but as a foreign counterpart that will inspire us to provide better services," said Cui Zhineng, general manager of Jin Jiang Action Park.

Shanghai Happy Valley, which opened to the public on Sept 12, is one of four parks in that group on the mainland. A spokesperson said the arrival of Disney will stimulate the tourism market.

"As a home-grown theme park, we have more products based on the Chinese culture and cater to Chinese visitors and we cost less," said Ren Kelei, chairman of OCT Enterprise Co, which runs Happy Valley.

Posted at 01:23PM Nov 05, 2009 by admin in China Travel  |  Comments[0]

China Travel Souvenir

Scented Candle Set



Could Napkin


Blue Dragon Leather Trinker Tray


Smart phone, smart travel
www.yoyoor.com


Related links:
More China Travel Souvenir
Gifts from China (i)
Gifts from China (ii)
Gifts from China (iii)
China Travel Tips: The Art of Giving Gifts in China
Yoyoor China Travel Tips - Shopping

Posted at 02:02PM Nov 04, 2009 by admin in China Travel  |  Comments[0]

Gifts from China (iii)

"Old Shanghai" print canvas rolling duffle bag with leather trim

Firecracker wilver Resin Earrings



"Shou" Tote Bag



Women's phoenix bangle with gunmetal plating


Related links:
Gifts from China (i)
Gifts from China (ii)
China Travel Tips: The Art of Giving Gifts in China
Yoyoor China Travel Tips - Shopping

Posted at 10:18AM Nov 02, 2009 by admin in China Travel  |  Comments[0]