Archive for category Travel & Tourism
Interesting Facts about Beijing
Posted by admin in Travel & Tourism on May 25, 2011
One of the most famous cities in the East and about to become a financial hub for the entire world, Beijing is destination for the New World. Beijing is a metropolis city in Northern China and also the official capital of the People’s republic of China. The city is under the direct administration of the central government and continues to be a major political, cultural and educational center of the People’s Republic of China. It’s one of the few cities that have been a very important part of Chinese heritage and culture since many centuries. It’s really strange, but Beijing is one of the few cities in the world which has been renamed constantly. During 1115-1234 it was named as Zhongdu, from 1271 to 1368 it was named as Dadu. Marco Polo named Beijing as Cambuluc and again in 1949 after the end of the Chinese Civil War, the Communist Party of China renamed it as Beijing.
Beijing Facts and Information
The present situation of the city is as fascinating as the history of Beijing. It has witnessed a unique transformation with passing of time and has reinvented itself as one of the most modern and advanced cities of the world. It’s situated at the northern tip of the North China plain and is shielded by mountains on the north. Let’s have a look at some more interesting facts about Beijing.
- Beijing is the second largest city after Shanghai and also the capital of the People’s Republic of China.
- It’s no secret that the Chinese love their bicycles, which is why once you get to Beijing, you will see thousands of cyclists on the roads.
- Beijing also hosted the 2008 Olympics.
- In the Imperial Times, the city was also known as Peking.
- There are 16 districts and 2 counties in Beijing.
- If you want to go on a trip to Beijing, remember that not many people speak English. So make sure you know the basic Chinese phrases or you are going to face a tough time.
- Beijing is called one of the ‘Four Great Ancient Capitals of China’.
- The literal meaning of the term Beijing is ‘Northern Capital’.
- The Beijing zoo is one of the most famous tourist destinations of the city and its popular for its Panda Bears. The Beijing zoo is also the largest zoo in the country.
- The hottest tourist destination in Beijing is ‘The Forbidden City’. The Forbidden City comprises of 980 buildings and 8707 bays of rooms. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987 and is listed as the largest collection of old wooden structures in the world by the UNESCO. Read the rest of this entry »
Top 10 Tourist Attractions in South Africa
Posted by admin in Travel & Tourism on May 25, 2011
Situated in the southern part of the African continent, with a coastline on the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, the country of South Africa is a beautiful place, blessed with a number of assets. Countries of Namibia, and Zimbabwe lie to its north and Mozambique and Swaziland are present to the eastern side. South Africa is rich in diversity of language and cultures, with the black African ancestors being a part of its population even today. This country is surrounded with great historical evidence, exotic wildlife, extraordinary sceneries, beautifully built cities and extremely friendly people. When you think about all these great facts about South Africa, it surely tempts you to take a trip to this wondrous paradise. Therefore, we have the top 10 tourist attractions in South Africa put together in the paragraphs below. Take a look!
1: Kruger National Park
The first of the top 10 attractions in South Africa is the Kruger National Park, a 2 million hectares animal sanctuary. It is about 1000 miles above sea level and is situated on the low altitude grassland known as, Lowveld area which is called the “real Africa” by the natives. The climate is subtropical with a combination of both dense leaved and thorny trees, that make up a naturally created botanical garden. This national park is home to the great African elephants, lions, zebras, giraffes, and various other wild animals, both great and small. Walking safaris, mountain biking, or simply a guided tour are some of the most entertaining attractions in this national park.
2: Garden Route
The Garden Route is another brilliantly created stretch of mountain ranges with sea waves dashing to the feet of these ranges. It is situated on the south eastern coast of South Africa and it stretches from the western Cape, Heidelberg to the Storms River. The climate here is typically tropical, which is warm and humid in summers, and breezy in the winters. Since, it is a home to various marine ecosystems such as coral reefs, animals like dolphins and seals, 300 species of birds and of course the Southern Right Whale, there are lots of sights to see and things to do! Read the rest of this entry »