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Throughout history, China had remained a relatively isolated country, little known to the western world. For many people, it was too far away, or too mysterious, or too communistic. Now undergoing a period of extreme rapid economic development and modernization, this once distant country is now opening its arms widely to the outside world. China is indeed a new frontier for travellers, quickly assuming its place among the world’s top travel destinations. There has never been a better time to experience the wonders of China. From exploring the majestic Forbidden City to walking on the Great Wall, no trip to China would be complete without spending time in and around Beijing. Next visit Xian, China's ancient capital, featuring the terra-cotta warriors’ site. Some call it an Eighth Wonder of the World. With dig excavation still in progress, this is a remarkable chance to witness the uncovering of history first-hand. To make the most out of a visit to China, plan a cruise on the Yangtze River. Known for its beautiful landscape, travellers can see a mix of both the new and traditional Chinese culture. One of the places we visited is Shibaozhai, home of the 12 story temple which was built in 1650 and offers a spectacular view of the winding Yangtze River and the villages below. The natural beauty of China's landscape appears today much as it did centuries ago to the eyes of Marco Polo. Experience the wonder of the Three Gorges Dam, considered China’s greatest engineering feat since the construction of the Great Wall. The massive scale of this project has caused grave concern among environmentalists, economists and human-rights activists, arousing perhaps the most outspoken words against the Chinese government since the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. Several years ago National Geographic wrote that nearly half the world's construction cranes were in operation in Shanghai alone. The resulting modernization of Shanghai has been nothing less than astonishing. The skyscrapers along Shanghai's Pudong District contrast the famous colonial era buildings across the Huangpu River's Bund. Travellers will also want to enjoy a visit to the Yu Gardens, the Old Town, and the Shanghai Museum. Hong Kong, long known as the "Jewel of the Orient" boasts a neon lined skyline that rivals any in the world. It has so many major attractions, it is difficult to choose what to see and do. Don’t miss Victoria’s Peak, Aberdeen’s sampans, the Stanley Market and a Star Ferry ride to Kowloon. Yet these famous sights are just the beginning in discovering the fascinating land and faces of China. Traveling in China is a learning experience that will leave an impression on you for a lifetime. As China continues this period of rapid change, it is making its presence known around the globe. Dare to adventure to China!

In Revisiting the Silk Road , experienced author and traveler Julie Hill takes us on a spellbinding journey into the heart of a little known but volatile region, stretching from Western China to the shores of the oil-rich Caspian Sea and beyond to the Black Sea.

 

Hers is not only a series of journeys overland or a march through ancient history, but an informed and contemporary view of life in both the liveliest cities and the farthest-flung outposts of what once was the world’s stoutest and longest economic artery.

 

Julie Hill’s journey focuses on bazaars as a recurrent motif—bazaars being the economic, social, and cultural centers of the Silk Road—and radiates from these bazaars to the life around them.

 

Because she speaks their language—literally and culturally—Julie is often welcomed by her hosts not as a customer or a trader but as a confessor and a friend, and she vindicates their trust by bringing their stories to life. In Iran, the author hears the predicament of women crying for freedom, frustrated by the deteriorating economy and the conservatives’ stranglehold on power.

 

While inescapably exotic in its subjects and imagery, the book is also a penetrating report on the effects of the recent geopolitical upheavals that have coursed through the region—seen not from the distance of spy satellites or high government places but on the ground, often literally on the street or in the homes of ordinary folk.

 

The realities of today’s Silk Road are far more complex than often understood, and this book provides an absorbing and authoritative guide to any reader in search of both a magical adventure and a hard-nosed investigation into one of the world’s most important and dynamic regions.

 

 

 

This is a compelling narrative of a long train journey and an illuminating insight from the shadows of the past, descending from the mountains, the unbroken silence of the forest, intertwined with the people who shaped historical events along the route.

 

From the former Tsarist Russian capital of St. Petersburg, this 10,000 kilometre railway odyssey terminates in the great metropolis of Shanghai. Allowing for stop-overs in Moscow and Irkutsk, this journey will take me along the world’s longest railway line, itself an extraordinary achievement by the thousands of men who carved this track through a hostile environment, using only the technology of the 19^th century. Things may come and things may go, but the Trans-Siberian rolls on forever.

 

After the endless Siberian taiga, the journey continues along the majestic southernmost shore of Lake Baikal, the blue eye of Siberia to Ulaan Baatar, capital of Mongolia. Then through the wilderness of the Gobi Desert and up to the Great Wall of China at Beijing. From the current Chinese capital, it is then on to Xi’an, the ancient capital to see Emperor Qin’s mighty terracotta army, before finally reaching Shanghai.

 

When a grade school teacher wanted to get her students interested in geography, and the people and their customs in different lands, she sent Teddy, a small bear, out to hitch a ride on a long trip around the Pacific Rim. His letters and postcards back to the class gets them excited to find out where he is in the World. But keeping him out of trouble is a challenge to Omami and Grandpa Stan, Teddy’s hosts. With this book:

• Learn world geography
• Follow his location while he explores the World
• Learn how to find any place on the globe
• Learn of beautiful clothes and exotic customs of other people
• Learn history of cultures that existed long ago
• Follow Teddy by the beautiful pictures.