The Best Place to See The Great Wall of China

Wrongly convinced that the Great Wall of China is visible from the Moon I was expecting it to be just here, in front of the car which dropped as at the base of the Wall. Overexcited and tired from the long flight, I was searching around looking for a glimpse of one of the top things to see before you die. It was hidden among the bushes another half mile up the hill. Luckily, we used the chairlift to take us to the top and even then we had to climb high, uneven steps to get on it. Once I stepped on the Great Wall I couldn’t hide my surprise at how wide it was. So wide that I could see Top Gear organizing racing on the Great Wall of China! The only problem would be the large number of watchtowers which I am sure Jeremy Clarkson would make disappear.

Once on the wall your mind starts wondering which way to go, left or right. My local guide, a very pleasant and knowledgeable Chinese specialist in hiking on the Great Wall convinced me to go to the right, towards Simatai.

It was December, one week before Christmas and luckily there was no snow in China yet. It was cold but not unbearable. The Great Wall of China was empty except for me, my guide and for one very stubborn hawker whose sales skills were developed under Mao’s strict regime where the word ‘no’ didn’t mean anything. She didn’t speak English and followed us all the way to Simatai. Occasionally, pushing one of the Great Wall of China books in front of me, usually when I sat down to relax. In the end, feeling sorry for her but also admiring her perseverance, I decided to buy a book from her. She took the money and before I could say good bye she was far behind me. Trotting in her high heels, her modern business suit and laptop bag bouncing to get back before it got dark.

I was wearing many layers, new trainers and had a new Sony camera. The weather was excellent for taking photos. The fact that I was on my own and didn’t have to wait for people to move out of shot was an added bonus!

At the beginning, the trek was easy but the further along we went from Jinshanling towards Simatai the Wall gradually diminished from wide to almost non-existent with very steep steps and with loose stones and bricks. At some point, my guide and I were discussing the possibility to leave the wall and walk alongside it until we reached Simatai. It was a good idea but the fact that you wouldn’t be able to get back up, made me instead get on my knees and hands and crawl up to the highest point of this part of the Wall – the Wangjinglou Tower. All my tiredness disappeared once we reached the Tower and saw beautiful views almost up to the outskirts of Beijing. According to my guide the main function of Wangjinglou Tower was to observe enemies in the far distance. If the enemy was on the move, the soldiers would light a fire to alert the next tower who would relay the message along.

Once you pass Wangjinglou Tower hiking gets easier. You are almost descending towards the Simatai section of the Great Wall of China and once you are there, you have the option to get a zip line over the river and get of of Simatai, or if you are wimp like I am then you can continue walking. The hiking route from Jinshanling to Simatai is about 10 km and it took me about 4 hours to complete. I didn’t have any training or any exercise before taking this hike. Bear in mind that I had lots of photo stops as the opportunity to be on your own up, there was too good to miss!

We passed 43 watchtowers and they are great places to relax and have a picnic or, as some people do, have a sleepover. If you are young at heart, I would always recommend you to stay an extra night in Beijing and do the hike on this portion of the Great Wall of China. Most tour operators take you to the Badaling section which is the closest to Beijing and the most commercialized! You don’t have a quiet moment on your own and most of your photos would be full of strangers jumping in front of the camera like flies! The second option would be the section at Mutiyunu which is very well-renovated and not as commercialized as Badaling.

For the ultimate experience, book yourself a private tour with guide and driver and do the hike from Jinshanling to Simatai - it’s closed for renovation until next year but if that fits in with your plans, all the better!

For more information regarding hiking on the Great Wall of China email expert Tara@ReadyClickAndGo.com  or check our website.

Meet the Romans in Serbia

 

I was sat right at the top, in the Royal Opera House it would have been seat Y51 – very high up with a restricted view. Looking down and behind the half naked archaeologist who was unmoved by the burning sun I could almost see Russell Crowe fighting ferociously for his freedom. Behind me was a flat green field with occasional glimpses of the Danube river, on whose bed was preserved this rich archaeological site.

 “We are standing at the top of the amphitheatre with a capacity of 12,000 seats” the voice of the enthusiastic guide woke me up.

We are at Viminacium, one of many Roman towns and fortress in Serbia, not far from the capital city Belgrade. It covers a huge area and some of it is still undiscovered due to the presence of the nearby power plant which produces 20% of Serbia’s energy. The government is trying to buy land still owned by the local people to stop the theft of artefacts that are uncovered after heavy rain.

Large numbers of lamps, bricks, paving tiles, rings and coins have been uncovered and exhibited either at the Museum in Pozarevac or the Museum in Belgrade. The Viminacium complex is building their own museum too at the moment.

The site has beautiful tombs decorated with frescoes whose colour was still bright and with mixed pagan and Christian symbolism. Tomb G5517 has a Christogram in a double floral garland and this is known as a Constantine Cross, after the first Roman Emperor to convert to Christianity. Tomb G2624 has animals and flowers and is clearly pagan, thus proving that Christians and Pagans were sometimes buried in the same cemetery.

Serbia has the largest number of Roman emperors born outside of Italy – 17 altogether, among them Constantine I and Justinian I. The tourist board has put together a project to combine visits to all the major Roman excavations on Serbian soil, called Itinerarium Romanum Serbiae. It will incorporate Sirmium, today known as Sremska Mitrovica, Singindunum which is Belgrade, Viminacium or Stari Kostolac, combined with visits to the forts of Nis, Kostol and Karats. The itinerary also includes visits to the imperial residences at Gamzigrad and the UNESCO site, Šarkamen, Mediana and Iustiniana Prima .

2013 will see the 1,700 anniversary of the Edict of Milan by which Emperor Constantine legalised Christianity throughout the Roman Empire, and celebrations will take place in the city of his birth, Nis. A historic moment is planned when the Pope and the Patriarch of the Orthodox Church meet formally for the very first time.

 For more information about travelling to Serbia please email Tara@ReadyClickAndGo.com or check our website at www.ReadyClickAndGo.com

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.

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