High speed train Beijing – Shanghai

Fast Leap Forward 

 

After introducing the high speed train on short distances around Shanghai, the Chinese are now developing it on the longer routes between big cities, and it’s due to be introduced on the Shanghai – Beijing line from the 1st July 2011.
The maximum speed on this route could be as fast as 380km/h but bizarrely, there are new regulations requiring all high speed trains to run no faster than 300km/h, so the Shanghai-Beijing train would run at between 250 and 300 km/h. There will two classes and restaurant on board, prices start from RMB510. The 300km/h train will take 4hrs and 48 min from Beijing to Shanghai while the 250km/h will take 7 hours and 56 min. Considering that flight between those two cities takes around two hours and usually is delayed the train journey of mere 5 hours is a very good deal.
I can’t wait to ride on the high speed train when I go back to China in November!

 

The Perfect Sightseeing in China

 

 

When you book a group tour to China usually there is not much choice about what to see and when. Your day is packed from 8am to 7pm when you are taken to a restaurant where the menu is decided by the government. You are usually presented with a visit to the Great Wall of China without specifying which part of the Great Wall. To keep costs down most companies take you to the Badaling section which is close to Beijing and most of the time, very overcrowded. 

If you are on a group tour your not able to see any current exhibitions in any of the cities visited, because there’s just not time. In the evenings, you are booked to see a performance of Beijing Opera but without any explanation what is the significance of any of the colours or costumes or masks or dances, so you’ll sit there out of sheer politeness and stay till the bitter end like most tourists do.You’ll go to Shanghai but you won’t have time to catch a world-class performance in the magnificent Shanghai theatre (the seats are so cheap too!). Nor will you be able to ride the fastest train in China, the Maglev, as there is no time, nor will you be able to go to the charming Taikang Lu district as buses can’t park down the narrow streets. 

However, on your group tour you will be taken on factory visits, so-called friendship shops, again earmarked by the government for tourists, in order to increase guides’ commission. Most of the time clients are get annoyed that they weren’t told about these visits (sometimes 3 a day) which can take up a considerable proportion of your time – for example, instead of spending some quality time at the Great Wall of China you have to go to the pearl shop and even if none of the group members buy anything, the will still guide get commission. On your group tour there will be at least 20 other people, sometimes 30 or 40, and just one guide – how many questions are you going to be able to answer? Are you going to be able to get close enough to hear them even?
For a perfect holiday in China, book your own guide and driver and set your own pace on a series of private day trips in each city, special discounts are available for more than 3 tours when booked together.

This is what you can see and do in China in just a week with ReadyClickAndGo!

Day 1 Beijing

AM: If you early starter get to the Tiananmen Square for flag rising ceremony. Later in the morning visit the magnificent Tiananmen    Square bordered by Great Hall of the People and Mao’s Mausoleum. Later visit the impressive UNESCO site, the Forbidden City which was a home to a succession of Emperors for more than 500 years. Exit through the north gate of the Forbidden City and visit the Jingshan Park for panoramic views of the city.

PM: Visit another UNESCO site in Beijing, the beautiful Summer Palace, and the best preserved Imperial Garden in China.

EVENING: Spend the evening with the performers at the Beijing Opera learning about this uniquely Chinese art.

Day 2 Beijing

 

AM: Drive to the less-crowded section of the Great Wall of China at Mutiyunu for a gentle walk.

PM: In the afternoon visit another UNESCO site and the Ming dynasty masterpiece, the Temple of Heaven and try Tai Chi. Opposite the Temple of Heaven visit one of the biggest market of fake goods in China, the Hongqiao Market where you can try your haggling skills.

EVENING: In the evening enjoy a traditional Peking Duck Dinner.

Day 3 Beijing

AM: Start the day with a visit of the authentic Beijing hidden in the local Hutongs. Don’t miss the Lama and the Confucius Temple.

PM: Learn about modern Chinese art at the funky 798 street which was formerly a military industrial complex from the 50’s. What’s fascinating is that several of the factories within the complex are still operational.

EVENING: Spend the evening at the Hou Hai Lake among the modern bars and restaurants.

Day 4 Beijing, Xian

AM: Fly to the ancient city of Xian and transfer to the hotel for two nights.

PM: On the way to the hotel visit the excellent Provincial Museum of Shaanxi Province built on the site of a former Confucian temple.

EVENING: In the evening enjoy the Tang Era music and dance dinner performance.

Day 5 Xian

AM: Visit the greatest archaeological find of the 20th century – the Terracotta Warriors who were interred with the Emperor Qin Shu Huang, marvel at the 7000 individually crafted, life sized clay figures. Stroll around the Muslim Quarter and visit the magnificent Grand Mosque. 

PM: If you are travelling to Xian between April and October 2011 try to visit the magnificent International Horticultural EXPO whose landmark is Changhan Tower which has the characteristics of a traditional timber-structure pagodas of the Tang Dynasty: every layer of roof overhang has a layer of supporting pedestals with a patterned layer-by-layer structure.

EVENING: Visit the illuminated Big Wild Goose Pagoda.

Day 6 Xian, Shanghai

AM: Fly to cosmopolitan city Shanghai for two nights and take the Maglev train from the airport to the city.  

PM: Along with the usual visits to the Jade Buddha Temple and the Yuyuan garden. I suggest you walk to the fast-disappearing Jewish quarter around the Astor Hotel. You can even ask at the hotel reception and try to visit the room in which Albert Einstein received a phone call about his Nobel Prize. It’s still the same. Continue along the Bund and watch Chinese people performing tai chi. If you are hungry you can either go to the 8th floor of the Peace Hotel for a sumptuous Chinese meal at the Phoenix restaurant with fascinating views over the Huangpu River. If you prefer something more western why not visit Cloud 8 on the 88th floor of the Grand Hyatt Hotel on the other side of the river. The views are breathtaking…

EVENING: In the evening visit Taikang Art Street, full of art galleries, sculpture workshops, photography studios, pottery and woodcarving workshops, etc. Stroll through Xintiandi Concession area where bars, cafes and shops are housed in typical old Shanghai houses.

Day 7 Shanghai

AM: Visit the world class Shanghai Museum. Check what’s on at the Shanghai Theatre and continue through the People’s Park to watch the locals relaxing playing cards, performing tai chi…If you are hungry try the Barbarossa restaurant situated in the middle of the People’s Park.

PM: Continue through the famous Nanjing Road towards the Peace Hotel and listen to jazz there at the bar which has been playing there since 1923. Take the stairs to the famous Phoenix restaurant for panoramic views of the Huangpu River.

EVENING: Continue to the Bund and take an evening cruise on the Huangpu River.

For more information please email Tara@ReadyClickAndGo.com

Visit the Agra Bear Rescue Facility (ABRF), India

When you’ve seen the Taj Mahal, what do you do for the rest of the day in Agra? Are the kids fed up with forts and temples and markets? Why don’t you try Agra’s  lesser-known but rare and uplifting sight, the Agra Bear Rescue Facility (ABRF), a visit to which can be expertly arranged by ReadyClickAndGo on one of their Private Day Trips.

This 70-acre sanctuary, about 10 miles from the Taj Mahal, has been caring for many of India’s rescued ‘dancing’ bears for nearly a decade, rehabilitating and providing a safe haven for over 500 sloth bears who have been rescued from a life of cruelty and neglect as ‘entertainment’ for locals and tourists alike. Although the sanctuary rescued the last dancing bear a couple of years ago, the threat of poaching and smuggling cubs for bile production and bear-baiting remains severe. There are around 300 bears at ABRF now and several cubs, living in family-sized groups in large, shady enclosures with trees, climbing frames, toys and pools, enjoying air-conditioned quarantine and veterinarian facilities, funded by the Indian charity Wildlife SOS and the UK’s International Animal Rescue – the latter organisation is sent a team of expert ophthalmic surgeons out to Agra in May 2011 to operate on several of the bears who have lost their sight. Permission to visit ABRF has to be sought beforehand, and visitors are met by armed guards and forms to fill in, but the doctor arrives to greet you and show you around, explaining the work and history of the sanctuary, and if you wish, will play a short film about it too, although some scenes in it are distressing  but you will see only happy and healthy animals in the flesh. The whole experience is incredibly heartening, and will enthral children especially. You can also sponsor one of the bears here, and of course, donate to this very worthy cause.

ReadyClickAndGo organises private day trips, sightseeing tours and excursions in India, including a tour that combines the Taj Mahal and the Agra Bear Rescue Facility. This full-day excursion with your own guide, driver and car, entrance fees to sights, plus the Fort and the ‘baby taj’, and permission to visit ABRF, costs £52.50 per person, based on 2 people. More details are available here

ReadyClickAndGo’s wide range of private day trips, sightseeing tours and excursions elsewhere in Asia: China, Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia and Singapore as well as in Eastern Europe can be found here www.ReadyClickAndgo.com

Build it Bigger in Belgrade, Serbia

In our post “The Newest Attraction in Belgrade“ dated 23rd December 2010 we mention one of Belgrade’s most eye-catching landmarks taking shape, a new bridge across the Sava River that will be the largest asymetric single-pylon cable-stayed bridge in the world.

The main span of 376m has no supports actually in the Sava so as not to restrict shipping even during construction, and the deck is anchored by 80 stay cables as thick as a man’s arm and a single pylon 200 metres high – one of the highest points in the city. The whole bridge including the main span will be nearly a kilometre long and 45 metres wide with 6 road traffic lanes, 2 railway lines and 2 cycle and pedestrian paths, and it is due for completion in September 2011. See more at Sava Bridge website.

You can watch program about Construction of the Serbia’s Largest Bridge on the Discovery Channel on the 6th May at 10pm.
 
For more information about traveling in Serbia please email Tara@ReadyClickAndGo.com

 

Hong Kong’s Top Museum in Hong Kong district 

Are you flying to South East Asia with a stopover in Hong Kong and you have half a day to kill before your next flight? Or, you’ve been to Hong Kong already and seen the major sights, and want something different? Then read this, and keep an eye out for new blog posts on what to do in Hong Kong, and private day trips off the beaten track 

HONG KONG FILM ARCHIVE

Hong Kong Film Archive opened in 2001 and has a collection of several hundred thousand items. In addition to collecting and conserving film prints and artefacts, from an 1898 documentary to the present day, the archive promotes Hong Kong’s film culture. Highlights include “The Soul of China” (1948) found in the UK’s National Film and Television Archive and “The Orphan” (1960) discovered in the Rank Film Laboratories of the UK. There is a 127-seat cinema showing a wide variety of film programmes on both Hong Kong cinema and international cinema and a 200 square metre exhibition hall which shows various temporary exhibitions related to cinema.

LOCATION – 50 Lei King Road, Sai Wan Ho

OPENING HOURS – 10am to 8pm (or 15 minutes after last screening) Sunday to Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Christmas Eve and Chinese New Year’s Eve 10am to 5pm. Closed on Thursdays.

Resource Centre – Monday to Wednesday and Friday 10am to 7pm, Saturday 10am to 5pm, Sunday and public holidays 1pm to 5pm

Exhibition Hall – opens 10am to 8pm but is closed when no exhibition is taking place.

THE HONG KONG RACING MUSEUM

The Hong Kong Racing Museum is owned and operated by The Hong Kong Jockey Club and is dedicated to the history of horse racing in Hong Kong and the Jockey Club’s considerable charitable role in the development of Hong Kong. The museum opened in 1996 within the main stand at Happy Valley Racecourse and has panoramic views over the racecourse. The museum has a four galleries with permanent exhibitions on

1) “The Origin of Our Horses” detailing the origins of horses in northern China and their migration to Hong Kong,

2) “Understanding Horses” which displays the skeleton of three-times Hong Kong Champion Silver Lining with game stations and videos of the day in the life of a Hong Kong trainer.

3) “Shaping Sha Tin” illustrates the development of the Jockey Club’s splendid Sha Tin Racecourse which opened in 1978. 

LOCATION – 2/F, Happy Valley Stand, Happy Valley.

OPENING HOURS – Tuesdays to Sundays (except the first two days of Lunar New Year) 10am to 5pm (to 7-30pm on Wednesday night meeting days). Closed on Mondays and some public holidays. Souvenir shop opens same hours as museum and until 9-30pm on Wednesdays when night race meetings take place at Happy Valley.

UNIVERSITY MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY, THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG

The University Museum and Art Gallery is the oldest in Hong Kong, and houses over one thousand items of Chinese antiquities, mainly ceramics, bronzes and paintings with examples dating from the Neolithic period to the Qing dynasty. The bronze collection includes works from the Shang to the Tang dynasties and the largest collection of Yuan dynasty Nestorian crosses in the world. The Museum also has a number of carvings in jade, wood and stone and a collection of Chinese oil paintings.

LOCATION – The University of Hong Kong, 90 Bonham Road, Pokfulam.

OPENING HOURS – Monday to Saturday 9-30am to 6pm, Sundays 1pm to 6pm. Tea Gallery open Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm, Sundays 2pm to 5pm. Closed on public holidays and university holidays. 

FLAGSTAFF HOUSE MUSEUM OF TEA WARE

The museum is located in Flagstaff House which until 1978 was the former residence of the Commander of British Forces in Hong Kong. This historical building was converted to become the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware in 1984. It is the first specialised museum in the world devoted to the collection, study and display of tea ware.
The museum has a Chinese Teahouse serving Chinese tea and tea snacks. The Teahouse also holds demonstrations and the museum has a gift shop selling all kinds of tea vessels, tea leaves, art books and exhibition catalogues.

LOCATION – 10, Cotton Tree Drive, Central (inside Hong Kong Park)

OPENING HOURS – 10am to 5pm Sunday, Monday and Wednesday to Saturday. Closed every Tuesday and Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and the first three days of Chinese New Year.  

HONG KONG MUSEUM OF COASTAL DEFENCE

The museum was converted from the 100-year-old Lei Yue Mun Fort and stands on a hill overlooking the eastern approaches to Victoria Harbour with panoramic views. There are two main areas, the Redoubt and the outdoor Historical Trail. The Redoubt was built in 1887 and was regarded as a large-scale fortification of the British Forces.  The Historical Trail preserves various military structures including the Ditch, Torpedo Station, Caponiers, Artillery Barracks, Batteries and Underground Magazines.

The permanent exhibition in the Redoubt comprises eleven small galleries illustrating the history of coastal defence in Hong Kong from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), through the Qing Dynasty, Opium War, British Period (1841-1941), Battle for Hong Kong, Japanese Occupation, return to British control and up to the current day. The outdoor Historical Trail follows various historical military structures of the fort including the Central Battery, West Battery, Torpedo Station, Ruined Structure, Gunpowder Factory, Underground Magazine and ditch. From the trail visitors can enjoy spectacular views of the Lei Yue Mun Channel and Victoria Harbour.

The museum has a café and gift shop.

LOCATION – 175 Tung Hei Road, Shau Kei Wan

OPENING HOURS – 10am to 5pm Sunday to Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
Closed on Thursdays (except public holidays) and the first two days of Lunar New Year.

FIREBOAT ALEXANDER GRANTHAM EXHIBITION GALLERY

The Fireboat Alexander Grantham Exhibition Gallery is a small branch museum of the Hong Kong Museum of History and opened to the public in 2007. When commissioned in 1953 Hong Kong had previously had only small fireboats and fireboat Alexander Grantham was testimony to the ongoing advances in capabilities and size of the fireboat fleet. The fireboat was renovated on Stonecutters Island immediately after its decommissioning and moved to its present location in Quarry Bay Park to form part of the exhibition in 2006.

LOCATION – Quarry Bay Park, Quarry Bay

OPENING HOURS – 9am to 5pm Sunday, Monday and Wednesday to Saturday. Closed on Tuesdays (except public holidays) and the first two days of Chinese New Year.

NOTE – The Exhibition Gallery is within short walking distance of another of Hong Kong’s museums, the Hong Kong Film Archive.

POLICE MUSEUM

 The Police Museum is at the renovated Wan Chai Gap Police Station on The Peak. This quiet museum aims to provide the public with a better understanding of the history of the Hong Kong Police Force and the various aspects of its work whilst preserving historic artefacts and facilitating historic research. There are four galleries on two floors. Orientation Gallery describes the general history of the Force through photographs, archives, uniforms, equipment, firearms and other artefacts. The head of the “Sheung Shui Tiger” which was shot in 1915 after killing a policeman is displayed in this gallery. The gallery also contains some rather gruesome photographs of a group of decapitated pirates following their execution after capture from having attacked the ship “Naome” in Mirs Bay. Triad Societies and Narcotics Gallery details the history of local Triad Societies and their activities and displays include ceremonial robes. This gallery also highlights the narcotic problem in Hong Kong through the display of replica drugs, drug smoking and trafficking paraphernalia and an example of a heroin manufacturing laboratory. Heroin Factory – this is a gallery displaying a heroin production site which was dismantled by the Police in 1980s. The seized raw materials, utensils, stoves and packaging tools are used to reconstruct the manufacturing of heroin and enable visitors to learn about the menace of drugs.

LOCATION – 27 Coombe Road, The Peak

OPENING HOURS – Sunday and Wednesday to Saturday 9am to 5pm, Tuesday 2pm to 5pm. Closed Monday and public holidays.

HONG KONG MARITIME MUSEUM 

Located on the ground floor of the fine colonial building Murray House on Stanley waterfront this is a small but interesting museum divided into two galleries, Ancient and Modern. The Ancient Gallery shows how the fortunes of Chinese shipping rose and fell in ancient and dynastic times and also illustrates how China’s overseas neighbours and Western trading nations shaped the maritime history of Asia and beyond. The gallery has some impressive replica boats and pottery models. The Modern Gallery explores the evolution of Hong Kong as a major international port and the influence of Chinese entrepreneurship.  

LOCATION – Ground Floor, Murray House, Stanley

OPENING HOURS – Sunday and Tuesday to Saturday and public holidays 10am to 6pm. Closed Mondays and the first two days of Lunar New Year.

LAW UK FOLK MUSEUM

Law Uk (the Law House) is a 200-year old Hakka village house named after the original owner, Law. Law Uk village was founded by in the early eighteenth century by migrant Hakkas from the San On County of Guangdong (today’s Shenzhen). It was one of six Hakka villages established in Chai Wan by the same group of migrants, the village being originally close to the sea with sampan as the main form of transport and the villagers mainly engaged in farming.  The house is about 120 sq metres in area with a central main hall which opens to a light well and is flanked by lofted bedrooms, storeroom and kitchen. There is a display of traditional village furniture and farm tools.

LOCATION – 14 Kut Shing Street, Chai Wan

OPENING HOURS – Monday to Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 10am to 6pm.
Sunday and public holidays 1pm to 6pm. On Christmas Eve and Chinese New Year’s Eve the museum closes at 5pm. Closed on Thursdays, Christmas Day, Boxing Day (26 December), New Year’s Day (1 January) and the first three days of Chinese New Year.

HONG KONG MUSEUM OF MEDICAL SCIENCES

The museum is housed in a fine renovated three-storey Edwardian building which originally accommodated the Old Bacteriological Institute, founded in 1906, which later became the Pathological Institute. The museum displays the history of both Traditional Chinese and Western medicine and the development of medical and health sciences in Hong Kong through eleven exhibition galleries displaying equipment, instruments, objects, specimens, reconstructions and information boards.

The museum also has a lecture room named after Professor Gordon King, Head of Department of Obstetrical and Gynaecological Services in Hong Kong from 1938 to 1956 which has a small exhibition of photos and gynaelogical instruments and a herbal garden showing the medical properties of different herbs.

Visitors should note that some of the information displays in some of the galleries are in Chinese only.

LOCATION – 2 Caine Lane, Mid-Levels.

OPENING HOURS – Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm. Sundays and public holidays 1pm to 5pm. Christmas Eve and Lunar New Year’s Eve open 10am to 3pm. Closed Mondays and Christmas Day, New Year’s Day and the first three days of Lunar New Year.

Hong Kong’s Top Museum in Kowloon district

 

Are you flying to South East Asia with a stopover in Hong Kong and you have half a day to kill before your next flight? Or, you’ve been to Hong Kong already and seen the major sights, and want something different? Then read this, and keep an eye out for new blog posts on what to do in Hong Kong, and private day trips off the beaten track.  

HONG KONG HERITAGE DISCOVERY CENTRE 

Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre opened in 2005 in a splendidly preserved former colonial British Army barracks in Kowloon Park. The centre has a permanent exhibition gallery on the first floor displaying, pottery, glassware, ceramics and other artefacts and on the ground floor is a thematic gallery for temporary exhibitions. This is a good place for visitors to go to obtain information, leaflets and guides on heritage trails, antiquities and monuments in Hong Kong.

LOCATION – Kowloon Park, Haiphong Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
OPENING HOURS – 10am to 6pm Monday to Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 10am to 7pm Sundays and public holidays. Closes at 5pm on Christmas Eve and Chinese New Year’s Eve. Closed on Thursdays (except public holidays) and the first two days of Chinese New Year.

HONG KONG MUSEUM OF HISTORY

A permanent exhibition, The Hong Kong Story, comprises eight galleries:

The Natural Environment
Prehistoric Hong Kong
The Dynasties : From The Han to the Qing
Folk Culture in Hong Kong
The Opium Wars and the Cession of Hong Kong
Birth and Early Growth of the City
The Japanese Occupation
Modern Metropolis and the Return to China

LOCATION – 100 Chatham Road South, Tsim Tsa Tsui, Kowloon
OPENING HOURS – 10am to 6pm Mondays and Wednesdays to Saturdays, 10am to 7pm Sundays and public holidays. Closed on Tuesdays and the first two days of Chinese New Year. Closes at 5pm on Christmas Eve and Chinese New Year’s Eve.

HONG KONG SCIENCE MUSEUM

A favourite amongst adults and children alike with its many “hands-on” interactive exhibits and entertaining and educational demonstrations. The exhibition halls span four floors all of which encircle a huge 22 metre high Energy Machine, the largest of its kind in the world. The Energy Machine operates at 3pm, 5pm and 7pm and additionally at 11am and 1pm on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. The First Floor Exhibition Hall has Occupational Health and Safety and Electricity and Magnetism Galleries and a Computer Lab where visitors can try their hand at various multimedia computer activities. The Second Floor Exhibition Hall has a Science News Corner and exhibits on Food Science, Home Technology, Transportation featuring Hong Kong’s first airliner, a Cathay Pacific DC-3 suspended from the ceiling and a flight simulator. The Third Floor Exhibition Gallery has an Energy Efficiency Centre and Mathematics Hall with interactive puzzles graded into levels of difficulty.

LOCATION – 2 Science Museum Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon
OPENING HOURS – 1pm to 9pm Monday to Wednesday and Friday, 10am to 9pm Saturday, Sunday and public holidays. Closed on Thursdays (except public holidays) and the first two days of Chinese New Year. Closes at 5pm on Christmas Eve and Chinese New Year’s Eve. 

HONG KONG MUSEUM OF ART

The museum’s collection comprises over 15,000 items divided into five major categories: Chinese Antiquities, Chinese Painting and Calligraphy, Contemporary Hong Kong Art, Historical Pictures and the Xubaizhai Collection of Chinese Painting and Calligraphy. On the first Sunday of each month there is a free concert performance in the Lobby of the museum from 3-30pm to 4-30pm.

LOCATION – 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
OPENING HOURS – 10am to 6pm Sunday to Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Closes at 5pm on Christmas Eve and Chinese New Year’s Eve. Closed on Thursdays (except public holidays) and the first two days of Chinese New Year. 

 

HONG KONG SPACE MUSEUM

Located next to the Hong Kong Museum of Art and Hong Kong Cultural Centre this museum is divided into two wings, the East Wing houses the planetarium, Stanley Ho Space Theatre with 23-metre IMAX screen and Hall of Space Science and the West Wing houses the Hall of Astronomy and Lecture Hall. From 15th November 2010 until 30th April 2011 is a 47-minute Omnimax show “Arabia – in search of the Golden Ages”. The documentary follows a Nabataean frankincense caravan, moving through Madain Saleh on its way north to Petra and the Mediterranean Sea around the first century. From 6th January 2011 until 30th June 2011 the museum is showing its latest Sky Show “We are Astronomers” which shows the latest methods used by astronomers to explore the universe.
LOCATION – 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
OPENING HOURS – Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 1pm to 9pm, Saturday, Sunday and public holidays 10am to 9pm. Closes at 5pm on Christmas Eve and Chinese New Year’s Eve. Closed on Tuesdays and the first two days of Chinese New Year.

LEI CHENG UK HAN TOMB MUSEUM

Discovered in 1955 during construction works, the Han dynasty (AD25-220) tomb was excavated and preserved in its original site. In a small gallery are pottery cups, bowls, models, pots and cauldrons and bronze bells and mirror found in the tomb, and although visitors are not allowed to enter the tomb the front and rear chambers can be viewed through a transparent screen. There is a small secluded park behind the tomb.

LOCATION – 41 Tonkin Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon
OPENING HOURS – Monday to Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 10am to 6pm, Sundays and public holidays 1pm to 6pm. Closes at 5pm on Christmas Eve and Chinese New Year’s Eve. Closed on Thursdays, Christmas Day, Boxing Day (Dec 26), New Year’s Day and the first three days of Chinese New Year.

For Private Day Trips, sightseeing and excuriosn off the beaten track in Hong Kong please email Tara@ReadyClickAndGo.com

UNESCO Heritage Croatia Sites

Croatia has seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites and four are featured with ReadyClickAndGo:

The ‘Pearl of the Adriatic – Dubrovnik

The Diocletian Palace of Split

Plitvice Lakes National Park

Episcopal Complex of the Euphrasian Basillica, Porec

The Old Core of Trogir

Cathedral of St. James, Sibenik

Stari Grad Plain, Hvar

For more inforamtion about Croatia, Private Day Trips and off shore excursions in Croatia please email info@ReadyClickAndGo.com or check our website at www.ReadyClickAndGo.com

 

 

What and where to eat in China?

There is something about spices tasting different once they change their country of orgin but it’s the same with people. I don’t recognise most of my friends since I changed my country and I can’t expect my Dim Sum to have the same taste here as in China.
If you are travelling to China on a group tour most meals are included. Seating is different from the usual Western style where 2 maybe 4 people share a table. In China meal times are a time to socialize, to talk, to have a meeting, to do business and as result 8 or 10 people, sometimes even more, share a round table and food. Chinese people don’t just dine, they banquet, which in western countries is done only at weddings. The order of the dishes may come in different ways from how you are used to at home – soup could be served last and the whole banquet could be served without rice. In some places serving rice is regarded as a lower class thing, the rich would eat meat and preferably fish.
Some of the dishes are very tricky to eat with chopsticks such as nicely roasted nuts in unspecified spices, but if you risk huge embarrassment when all the nuts spill over the table you can always pick up a few with your spoon and put them on your plate from where you can pick them up by hand. Don’t serve yourself from the main dishes on the table with your hands or your own chopsticks or cutlery, it’s not hygienic!
Apart from the different seating system and order of food the biggest problem is to recognise the dishes served you. The safest way is to grab your local guide and keep him close to you until all the dishes have been put on the table. This way you can find out which are spicy, vegetarian, cold or hot. On numerous occasions I simply guessed and presumed food was not particularly spicy only to find myself spitting it out under the table.
The tourism industry is still young in China and the government still decides which restaurants can cater for foreigners and of   course which meals should be served. Hence after 14 days travelling on a group tour through China you will find Chinese food somewhat repetitive and often bland. The only solution is not to book an all-inclusive tour and give yourself a break by eating somewhere else – perhaps at the hotel you are staying at. This is of course only valid if the hotel if of a good standard as you may end up with an even worse choice than the restaurant chosen for your group tour. From my experience of travelling around China, I would suggest eating with your local guide: they are resourceful in finding cheap restaurants and home-made meals. I really enjoy dishes I haven’t seen or tasted before. In this type of restaurant of course all the menus are in Chinese and some of them don’t even have a menu: the restaurants are full of local people who decide what to eat on the spot by just shouting their order at the chef. These types of restaurants are basic: some chairs are broken, tables are not cleaned properly, service is non-existent but the food is excellent. If you are worried about ordering chicken feet check what other diners are eat and order by pointing at their plates. If you feel adventurous I would recommend eating with locals at their secret places.
If you are vegetarian these places could be your only solution to the greasy chips or courgette served in government-approved restaurants. China doesn’t cater for vegetarians and is losing a huge amount of people who refuse to come because of it. As I said at the beginning of this article: tourism is still young in China and they are improving and hopefully we, tourists, may soon be able to eat where we want and order what we want.
Etiquette during meals is closely observed especially if you are dining with a Chinese host who sets the seating plan by choosing the most important person to sit next to him at the top of the table (which is opposite the entrance). If he decides to give a speech you must reciprocate by giving a speech yourself too. Chinese people don’t drink alcohol and if they do it’s usually just one glass of rice wine or a glass of beer. If you are lifting glasses to toast, hold the bottom of the glass with your left hand while touching other people’s glasses. This way you show respect to your Chinese host.
If during the banquet the Chinese slurp their soup that means they are enjoying it very much and it’s a tradition to make a noise while eating. Just think of a Western person saying “The soup was delicious.”
After chopsticks the second most important meal prop on the table is the tooth pick. The Chinese love them and use them all the time. On my recent trip to China I actually collected toothpicks and counted 24 different ones from just one province – they are all with carvings on the head rather than just the uniform ones in the West.
Recently some Chinese restaurants have started to put salt and pepper on the table but that is only for the tourists. Most Chinese wouldn’t dare ask for salt and pepper as that would be insulting to the chef.

For Private Day Trips to China please email Tara@ReadyClickAndGo.com or check our website at www.ReadyClickAndGo.com

 

Chinese New Year in London

 

Chinese New Year with ReadyClickAndGo

 

We went through Christmas here, then New Year here and there with a time difference of one hour, then Christmas there, the one called Orthodox, and now to round the celebrations off we will finish it with Chinese New Year, here in the UK. If you can’t celebrate it in China the best place to experience Chinese New Year is in London and I do apologise to all people in Singapore, Toronto, Sydney who claim their celebration of Chinese New Year is the best. It is not! 

My friend, Jenny Chen, a girl from Beijing, is excited as she is flying home on Friday to spend the holidays with her elderly parents who she hasn’t seen for the last two years. She is in a shopping mood and austerity measures brought on by Mr Osborne don’t apply during Chinese New Year. And why should they? I never thought about spending less on my parents when I was getting them a present for Christmas. And with my background they get two presents for the two Christmasses as well! Jenny’s credit card is redder then the lantern in our office that she put up to mark her contribution to the celebration of the Chinese New Year in London. She is sorry that she is not going to be here but also happy at the prospect of seeing her parents. 

This year celebrations in London are the biggest since they began in London. Apart from celebrations at Trafalgar and Leicester Squares, where colorful Chinese dragons, lions and acrobats will dance followed by loud music, you can mark the Chinese New Year at different establishments around London.  

The Victoria and Albert Museum set the exhibition of Imperial Chinese Robes to coincide with Chinese New Year in London. Among the many garments on show are gowns designed for everyday life as well as rituals, banquets, travelling, hunting and official royal visits. The Imperial Chinese Robes exhibition takes place from 10am – 6pm, Tuesday 7th December 2010 – Sunday 27th February 2011 at Victoria and Albert Museum. Tickets are £5.00 or £3.00 concessions. For more information please click here.

You can celebrate Chinese New Year at the National Maritime Museum with a spectacular evening of stargazing which takes place from 5.25pm, on Saturday 12th February 2011. Tickets cost £16.00 per person. For more information and to book tickets, click on the link below. For more information please click here.

The Wallace Collection contributed to the celebration of the Chinese New Year by arranging a special silk painting workshop hosted by artist Caroline Dorset.

The silk painting workshop for Chinese New Year at the Wallace Collection runs from 11am – 4pm, Saturday 5th February 2011. Tickets cost £25.00. For more information and to book tickets, call the gallery on 0207 563 9500. Fo rmore information please click here.

Find out more about Chinese culture through arts and craft activities as part of the Chinese New Year at the Museum in Docklands celebrations which will take place on the 5th and 6th  February 2011.  For daily activities please click here.  The Grand finale to end the Chinese New Year London celebrations will take place at Leicester Square with a huge (and free!) fireworks display.

Gong Xi Fa Cai

恭禧發財

For Private Day Trips to China email Tara@ReadyClickAndGo.com or check our website at www.ReadyClickAndGo.com

Sagano Romantic Train, Kyoto, Japan

 

The narrow-gauge steam train Sagano Torroko Ressha or Romantic Train is one of Japan’s most scenic journeys, and can be combined with an exciting boat trip back on the Hozu River to make a wonderful day trip from Kyoto. The scenery is beautiful all year-round, with cherry blossom in spring, maple leaves in autumn, and bamboo groves. However, it is tricky to piece together with the trains and buses and boats all going from different places – these directions will take the stress out of trying to find your way! 

The Sagano train goes from Arashiyama to Kameoka on a 25-minute ride costing around 600 Yen, and the boat trip back on the Hozu River takes around 2 hours and costs around 4000 Yen. 

1. Take the JR train on the Sagano Line from Kyoto Station to Saga-Arashiyama Station. This takes around 15 minutes and costs around 230 Yen.

2. In the same building as the Saga-Arashiyama Station is the Torroko Saga Station. From here, take the Sagano Romantic Train to Torroko Kameoka Station, it runs every hour between 9am and 5pm every day except most Wednesdays from March to the end of December (but check the departure times beforehand – you should pre-book tickets a day or two ahead anyway at the JR ticket desk at Kyoto Station). Car number 5 is usually the open-sided carriage – great in summer, a bit chilly perhaps at other times!

3. When you get off the Sagano Romantic train at Kameoka, you need to either take a bus to the Hozu River to get on the boat, and this takes around 15 minutes, look for the Hozugawa-kudari bus, or get another train from Torroko Kameoka Station to JR Kameoka Station and then walk about 10 minutes to the boat.

4. The boats down the river are small, for around 20 people and you sit on the floor on carpet with a vinyl see-through top in cooler weather. The boats are rowed by 3 oarsmen who are very skilled at negotiating the rapids and pools. They depart every hour from 9am to 3.30pm for Togetsukyo Bridge at Arashiyama, a famous beauty spot, and worth lingering at.

5. Once you are back in Arashiyama, the nearest station to the disembarkation point to get to central Kyoto is the Keifuku Arashiyama tram, about 10 minutes’ walk away, and which takes you to Shijo-Omiya Station in about 20 minutes and costs 200 Yen. 

If you just want to do the Sagano Romantic train, you can return to Arashiyama from Kameoka, and perhaps take a gentle hike through the bamboo groves and past some beautiful little Zen temples, or break your journey at the intermediate station, Hozukyo. The train runs in both directions. http://www.sagano-kanko.co.jp/eng/index.htm 

If you just want to do the boat trip, you should take the JR Sagano Line train from Kyoto Station to JR Kameoka Station which is about 10 minutes’ walk from the embarkation pier. Note that the boat trip only goes one way, downstream, from Kameoka to Arashiyama. http://www.hozugawakudari.jp/en

For more information about Sagano Romantic Train and another Private Day trips in Japan please email Tara@ReadyClickAndGo.com or check our website at www.ReadyClickAndGo.com