Travels, tours, places and what to do in ChinaLola (666)   Passport to China Interesting Facts about the Great Wall of China.Posted Thursday, February 15, 2007 (1 year 279 days ago.) Viewed 4,353 times. By far, this icon has become an manmade wonder which continue to attract tourists from around. With a rich historical and cultural background, the Great Wall of China has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. But then again, you may be curious to know why the Great Wall of China was built. Something about the Great Wall of China is that, you need to see and climb it to truly appreciate its majestic beauty. Dating back to some two thousand years ago, the Great Wall of China was built as a key to protect the agricultural lands from invasion and to keep the nation’s people from vacating the empire. Originally built out of stone, wood, grass and earth, the construction of the great wall began in the early seventh century B.C when the earliest regional kingdoms were built solely for their own defensive military needs. The different watch towers across the wall were used by the army as a warning system. The time warning system during this period used the fire and smoke signals to declare night time and day time respectively. This enabled reliable communication to be relayed from one tower to the other. Progressively, more sections were added to the construction of the wall as the different kingdoms flourished. It was later during the Qin dynasty (221-206 BC) that unified China made the wall a whole entity; the wall was built, repaired and further renovated to link the old sections which were previously built to the new ones. Over the next 1700 years, the Great Wall of China was enhanced which gradually became a world renowned manmade wonder. Additional information about the Great Wall of China is: • It used to be called the Ten Thousand Li Wall. This referred to the length of the wall. (1 li is equivalent to half a kilometer or one third of a mile). • Being the travel icon of China, the great wall has become a world renowned tourist destination. • It is a beautifully structured photogenic symbol with imposing watchtowers winding up and down steep hills, cliffs, plateaus and deserts from across the east coast to Xinjiang in the northwest of China. • It was built by over a million people who happened to be peasants, prisoners and soldiers many of who lost their lives in the construction process. • It was during the Qin (pronounced as "chin") dynasty that the modern word "China" was derived. • The sections in the eastern part of China were built out of bricks and stones while the western sections of wall were made out of low quality materials – earth and grass. • The watch towers on the wall served as a deployment zone between one another. Now that the Great Wall has become what it is today, it has four popular sections where you can visit when you travel to china. These are the Badaling section, Mutianyu section, Simatai section and Shixiaguan section, all of which serve different purposes for scholars, tourists and researchers on a great wall tour. The best month to visit the Great Wall of China is between May and October when weather allows for great visiting periods. For comments and inquiries about this article, visit Great Wall of China tours. Read More about 100 Wonders of the World at Hillman's Wonders of the World. 
Permalink Comments (13) In and around Guilin and Yangshuo – The China Backpackers haven.Posted Tuesday, February 13, 2007 (1 year 280 days ago.) Viewed 140 times. Guilin is the perfect getaway for nature lovers who want to escape from the noisy and bustling cities to explore one of China’s most beautiful cities. Considered as the pearl which showcases China’s scenic beauty, Guilin cannot be compared to other cities because it is a complete destination with everything a tourist wants to see from green mountains and plateaus, to crystal clear waters, unique caves and magnificent landscape. Being that Guilin is a well developed tourist center with convenient forms of transportation, the most common tourist activity in Guilin is moving around through the hills and plains appreciating the beauty of this countryside. During the peak tourist seasons, the climate of Guilin is usually around 20°C and 30°C which allows for a perfect weather for sightseeing. As soon as you arrive in Guilin, the first attraction to see is the Elephant Trunk Hill and the Water Moon Cave. The Elephant Trunk Hill is a hill which looks like an elephant drinking water at the confluence of the Taohua River and Lijiang River. In between the trunk and its body is the Water Moon Cave which creates a beautiful scene especially at clear nights. Going halfway down the hill is another cave where sopranos are heard singing at the top of their voices entertaining the tourists and visitors. The Reed Flute Caves are impressive limestone caves with stalactites and stalagmites with exotic lighting and flashing names. The rock formations here are given these names based from the stories of their formations and the kind of sceneries the illumination creates. The Li River is one of the major highlight which has added more to the beauty of Guilin. The flow of this river is the centerpiece of any trip to northeastern Guangxi province as its crystal clear waters flow through karsts peaks and old villages showcasing the typical Chinese peasant’s lifestyle. There are also quite a lot of activities which take place on the Li River: this includes the Li River cruise which is good for travelers who want to have a quiet cruise along the river enjoying the fresh air of the natural green landscape. Boat tours and rafting is also popular on the Li River for backpackers going to Yangshuo. Other famous tourist attractions in Guilin are the Pagoda Hill, the Solitary beauty Hill, water buffalos and the local fishermen. As you move further along the Li River, you will find yourself in the backpackers’ capital of the world – Yangshuo. Its magnificently formed landscape with the blend of rich cultural history is what makes Yangshuo a backpacker’s haven. West Street is a small town in this place which was converted from a local village into a western community filled with coffee shops, small gift shops, hotels and bars. Tourists who visit Yangshuo engage in all forms of hiking, rafting, rock climbing, bike tours and general exploring. A one hour bamboo raft trip along the river allows you to see heavenly sceneries which make you feel like you are in paradise. The sceneries are so captivating that you find yourself taking pictures continuously. An interesting activity which many people love to take part in is the mud bath located in the water cave. The entrance to this cave is so small and dark that only small lights are available to light the pathways. Upon entering the cave, you come across the ever anticipating mud pool which many tourists look forward to swimming in. It is said that taking a mud bath in the pool leaves you refreshed and clean making it some form of spiritual and cleansing therapy. The Mural Hill, Moon Hill and Schoolboy Hill are famous sight seeing and attractions in Yangshuo. Indeed if there is a paradise on earth with so much activities to do, Guilin and Yangshuo is definitely the place to go for an unforgettable experience. For comments and inquiries about this article, visit China Tour and Travels.
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