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Forbidden City

2/26/2018

On the top of the hill in Jingshan Park, we see an incredible overhead view of the Forbidden City.

Entrance to the Forbidden City

The Forbidden City is the largest ancient palatial structure in the world. It was the home of 24 emperors during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. The name refers to the fact that no one could enter or leave the complex without the permission of the emperor. Today, the Forbidden City is also known as the Palace Museum.

An average of 80,000 visitors enter the Forbidden City every day. As I re-read that number, 80,000, I am amazed that we don't feel more like sardines as we meander through the palace. But those 80,000 visitors are spread out over the course of the day, and over the 180+ acres that comprise the grounds of the Forbidden City.

The buildings are grand. Most have been restored to their original gold and purplish-red hue. They are tall and beautiful. The roof of each building is adorned with animals along each of the four corners. The overhangs of the roofs boast colorful paintings. There are so many of the buildings that, as we near what seems like the exit, we discover we have reached the entrance. We completed our walk through the outer courtyards to the entrance of the inner court. Needless to say, we need a minimum of a couple of hours to make it through the complex with time to hear our guide recount the palace's history and to marvel at the museum's beauty and vastness.

I hope that you will join me on a Chow Fun Tour to marvel at the Middle Kingdom's Forbidden City!

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Zhangjiajie

2/19/2018

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Zhangjiajie Mountain is fabulous for so many reasons, not least of which is the monkey-watching. The monkeys of Zhangjiajie Mountain are quite friendly, but can also be a bit scary. I warn travelers not to bring food on their trips up and down the mountain. The monkeys have become incredibly bold, grabbing food right out of people's hands and taking backpacks that have food inside.

The fictional floating mountains of "Avatar".

If you've seen "Avatar", you know the floating mountains on the planet Pandora. These mountains appear to be the brainchild of some incredibly gifted artist. While the adaptation of the mountains is certainly creative, the idea originated from the mountains of Zhangjiajie in Hunan Province. I have seen these mountains first-hand and they are grand, imposing and other-worldly. They certainly seem to be more likely to be part of the Pandora landscape than that of Earth.

The quartz-sandstone mountains of Zhangjiajie inspired "Avatar" director, James Cameron. They have inspired artists and poets for thousands of years. Indeed, as we walk through the trails, we will see dozens and dozens of painters working on their latest masterpieces.

The mountains are not the only attraction in this national scenic area. In order to get up one of the mountains, you may hike, take a cable car and/or ride up a snaking road in a bus. The road has 99 hairpin turns and is breath-taking and scary all at once.

There are two ways up to Tianmen Mountain. One is on a series of many escalators, one of the longest series in the world. The other option is the longest cable car in the world. It takes about 30 minutes to go the whole way from Zhangjiajie city up to the mountaintop. Then there are 999 steps up to the Heavenly Gate Mountain Cave.

Once at the top, another attraction is the glass walkway that hugs the side of the mountain and can scare even the most intrepid of travelers. I did feel as though I was walking on air. It was slightly frightening, but easily one of the coolest things I've done in China.

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Shanghai-Area Water Towns

2/12/2018

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Tongli Ancient Town

One of the perks of a visit to Shanghai is its close proximity to a whole slew of "water towns", which gave rise to the nickname "Venice of the East". The area is triangular in shape, formed by Shanghai, Hangzhou and Suzhou. In the middle of this triangle lie hundreds of little towns and villages that are created by waterways and canals. The towns are all within two hours of Shanghai, and some are less than half an hour from the city.

Most of the towns are over 1,000 years old; some are over 2,000 years. All of the towns boast beautiful old bridges, small rowing boats and stone walkways along the water. Many of the people who live in and around the towns are still doing today what generations did before them: fishing, farming, washing clothes and showering in the waterways and cooking in woks along the river.

Zhujiajiao is right outside of Shanghai but, although touristy, still maintains an authentic feel. Farther away are Luzhi and Nanxun. Both of these towns are less likely to have throngs of tourists, but not surprisingly, farther from the city.

When we have an extra day or half day in Shanghai, visiting one of these villages is a "must do". The time spent here is relaxing and enriching. Of course, there are ample opportunities to buy souvenirs, clothing and knickknacks. We eat a meal and take a little boat ride on one of the canals. We feel as if we went back in time to a simpler life.

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Evening on the Huangpu River

2/5/2018

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The lights along the Huangpu River sparkle every night of the week, every day of the year.

The Oriental Pearl Tower looks like an alien spaceship glowing on the bank of the river.

The Chinese government spends the equivalent of US $62,000 per night, or $22 million per year, to light Shanghai's skyline on the Huangpu River. I take a boat ride with Chow Fun travelers twice each year, but the colorful display never gets old. The colors are vibrant, but not gaudy.

The Huangpu River is Shanghai's main (man-made) waterway that flows into the Yangtze River. The river divides Shanghai into two parts. On the west bank is "the Bund" which was the center for foreign trade in the early 1900's. During that time, many foreign and Chinese banks were built on the Bund. This side of the river has always represented the financial, business, cultural and political center of the city. The Bund represents old Shanghai. On the east bank is the modern Pudong portion of the city. The most iconic building in Pudong District is the Oriental Pearl TV Tower.

At night, the barges thin out and dozens of mini cruise ships line the banks of the river, waiting for tourists from near and far to board for an hour long trip to witness the lights. There is a Huangpu River boat ride included in every Chow Fun Tours trip to China. Join us on an amazing adventure to the Middle Kingdom!

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Forbidden City

Zhangjiajie

Shanghai-Area Water Towns

Evening on the Huangpu River

Lauren Drazen

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