Tourism Tips
Square Done, Looks Dandy
The reconstruction of Tian'anmen Square is scheduled to end this month. The Tian'anmen Rostrum has been given a lick of paint and major refurbishment work conducted on the VIP room.
By June 5, 140,000 flagstones had been laid, covering two-thirds of the square. Other repairs to the Chairman's Memorial Hall, the monument, Zhengyang Tower and the museum to its east have already been completed.
God Leaves Cliff Notes
Mysterious "Heavenly writings" on a cliff of a small hill in Fanzipai Village of Fanzipai Township in Miyun County in northeast Beijing, will be open to tourists from July 1.
The writings were carved on the cliffs in three styles: The biggest character is 40 centimeters wide and the smallest 10 centimeters wide. Nobody could read it. In 1983, another cliff with a character was discovered 500 meters away. But nobody could read it.
Professor Huang Shuo from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences concluded the characters were carved in the Yuan Dynasty not more than a 1,000 years ago. The languages used are ancient Indian, Tibetan and Mongolian.
The characters, he suggests, possibly mean "praying for blessings from God."
Tibetan Tours Tempt
Like a mighty mountain magnet, the "Earth's Third Pole" lures people from all over the planet to the Tibetan plateau. July is the best time to visit as the scenery is at its most spectacular.
Next month is the Yogurt Festival, with the best food, horse racing and local song and dance performances, according to Tibet Century International Travel Service. The Beijing Office is organizing trips with different routes and times throughout the year.
"After traveling thousands of miles to pay homage to Tibet, visitors will find it to be like the crystal clear lakes in which they will see reflected the dream that has always been there, deep down in their hearts,?according to the travel service.
While savoring the benefits of the Chinese government's Tibetan Plateau Modernization, the Tibetans' kindness, compassion, hospitality, love and tolerance etc. will never change, according to the tour guide company.
"Today, the Tibetan people are creating a new life for themselves. In the process of modernization, Tibetans may find that the centuries-old influence of religion can sometimes become trammels to progress," reveals the press release.
Tibet Century International Travel Service in Beijing
Add: 149 Gulou Xidajie,
Qomolangma Hotel
Tel: 6404-3672, 6401-8822 ext. 2870Aquarium Looks Fishy
You can see it. You can touch it. But there is no water in the aquarium. Can you believe it?
The Dreamy Sea World has made the impossible possible, thanks to a high-tech combination of lasers, electronics and sound. The undersea tunnel is daubed with fluorescent colors and in the stone cave are hundreds of fish. Touch them and they change shape.
Business manager Chu Hui summed up the benefits of his no-water, no-fish approach: There's no need to feed any fish and no worries that any fish will die in this aquarium.
Chu has plans of including more rarities. Thus even as a vast array of colorful underwater creatures teeter on the verge of extinction, we can all admire the pretty fake fish in his excellent collection.
Address: 8/F, Huanan Mansion, Xidan
Ticket: RMB35 (adult), RMB20 (student)Wild Canyon Comes Closer
With completion of the road between Beijing and Shidu (Ten Ferries) in Fangshan this year, Yesanpo Canyon in the center of the Yesanpo Scenic Area is only two hours' drive.
To the west of Beijing, Yesanpo Canyon consists of a group of more than 10 small valleys, with primitive trees, wild flowers and wild animals. Many of its sights are very rarely visited. Strange-shaped rocks, steep cliffs are everywhere. Temperatures are much lower than Beijing.
Driving route: Liuliqiao - Jingshi Expressway - Liulihe - Hancunhe - Zhangfang - Shidu (Ten Ferries) - Yesanpo
By train: 795 (leaves 6:38 am from Beijing south railway station, arriving at 9:27 am) 897 (leaves 5:40 pm from Beijing south railway station, arriving at 8:34 pm)
Enquiry: 6371-3073 ext. 679, 6373-3075Charter Firm Takes Off
Hainan Airlines proffers DeerJet, a flexible and private on-demand charter flight service that takes care of all the details of your trip from ground handling to in-flight catering.
China's only executive air charter organization, DeerJet promises to solve difficult air transportation problems for busy businesspeople. Last year, the airline established its own business aviation base in Beijing, and was granted rights to be the first Chinese charter carrier in China and Asia.
The company's Deerjet has been the carrier of choice for none other than beloved former US Secretary of State Dr. Henry Kissinger. Big name corporations like Esso, Ford Motor, General Motors, Novartis and Ericsson have all employed the flight service. For reservations and information, call 6506-8280 or 6506-8300.
Established in 1989, Hainan Airlines is one of the top 10 in China. In the 1997 fiscal year, the company made 21,658 flights, a passenger transport volume of 1.54 million. Due to its excellent performance, Hainan Airlines was publicly listed in the Shanghai Stock and Security Exchange Market in 1997.