Darius' Travel Blog

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Thanks everyone for checking my blog over the last 10 months or so! My year on the road is slowly coming to an end but I plan on updating this blog when I travel again which might be as early as September.

Cheers,

Darius

Thursday, April 26, 2007

Beijing, the capital of China and the host of the 2008 Olympics Summer Games, was the seat of the Ming and Qing dynasty emperors until the formation of a republic in 1911. It is well known for its flatness its concentric rings road which go around the metropolis.

Gate of Heavenly Peace

Tiananmen Square

Entrance to Forbidden City

Summer Palace

Chairman Mao Mausoleum

Delicious Peking Duck

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

The Great Wall of China was built over 2,000 years ago and it stretches for 6,400 kilometers. It was originally built as an impenetrable line of defence but its became an elevated highway, allowing people and equipment to cross moutainous terrain. Today some parts of the wall have been renovated but other parts are still in its original condition.

Friday, April 20, 2007

Nanjing has a long history and prehistoric sites discovered go back as far as 400 BC. Its name means "southern capital" (which Beijing being the "northern capital") and it served as the nation's capital for several dynasties. Today it is an attractive city which is home to many colleges and universities with a large international student population.

Skyline of Nanjing

Entrance to the Heaven Dynasty Palace

Sacrifice Hall at Dr. Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum

Revolutionary Martyrs' Memorial Park

Not very helpful :-)

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Shanghai is China's largest city with about 18 million people and it is almost possible to see it grow with your own eyes. The level of construction activity is amazing with new skyscrapers being built in many areas of the city. Some pockets of the city are very modern with Western-style malls, cafes, and restaurants and a lot of young people are more trendy than compared to Chinese that I have seen in other cities on my trip.

The skyline of Shanghai with the unique Oriental Pearl Tower on the left

Old Bank Building on the Bund

People's Square (Shanghai Museum in the background)

Nanjing Donglu - one of the main shopping areas

Model of the city in the Urban Planning Museum really shows how massive it is

Friday, April 13, 2007

Hangzhou is a pleasant city 2 hours south of Shanghai and its a major tourist destination for the Chinese. The main attractions are scenic West Lake and Lingyin Temple, one of the 3 oldest and most famous temples in all of China.

West Lake

One of the many parks around the lake

Lingyin Temple

Sampling Longjing tea with a local family

Yummy street food!

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Xi'an was the ancient capital of six dynasties and its old city wall can still be seen today. Islam has a strong influence on the city and mosques and marketplaces can be found in many back alleys.

Bell Tower