Destination Travel Guides

Majestic India

India is one of the most attractive, and alluring travel destinations on the planet because of its geography, and terrain. From the Himalayan Mountains, to the golden expanse of beaches, running for endless miles along her shores, and the tropical retreats within the misty jungles further inland, India continues to enchant visitors from all over the globe. India also happens to be the most densely populated democracy in the world, and it continues to grow, while the economy takes small steps in relieving the poverty, and hardship that many of her natives suffer from. In the mean time, over sixty percent of the world’s tiger population resides in India, where the species continues to grow, thriving along with the people of India, in both population, and health.

India’s various wildlife, and natural attractions also bring visitors from all over the world, to visit almost one hundred different natural parks, and over four hundred wildlife preserves, where tourists and respectful travelers can view wildlife behaving naturally, tigers behaving in their own eco-structure, far removed from zoos, and other restricted care facilities. Several heritage festivals as well, are also an attraction to India, where travelers can watch timeless celebrations of life and harvest. If visitors properly schedule their stay, they’ll find a festival or holiday to celebrate each day. There are also historical museums, where families can share and learn the colourful tapestry that is Indian heritage, as well as art galleries, in which visitors can view some of native India’s finest art.

Indian cuisine is world renowned for its spice, and creativity. Curry, the word used by America today, in India is actually called “kari” which is not a powder, but instead a blend of many aromatic and flavourful spices such as turmeric, cardamom, ginger, coriander, nutmeg and poppy seed. Kari is not the only seasoning found in India, although it is used frequently; most Indian cooks keep over twenty-five exotic spices and spice blends in their kitchens. Vegetarian dishes are most of the far in South India because they are grown bountifully, and in many areas, therefore also cheap; however, vegetable dishes are also cooked wonderfully. In Northern India you’re likely to eat more grain based and meat dishes, seasoned just as well as vegetable dishes found South India. Some examples of North Indian cuisine are specialties like Parsi Dhan Sak, which is chicken or lamp, that has been cooked with lentils, or pomfret, which is Indian salmon.

When traveling in India, whether from city to city, or staying in one area, usually, it’s a good idea to rent a vehicle, unless you plan on shopping in unpaved or no-vehicle areas, like street markets, or a row of vendors. Public transportation in large cities such as Mumbai are ill-advised, however, in other smaller cities, it can be safer. Riding a bicycle or walking is a good idea, so long as you travel in daylight, and not for long distances in the heat. Hotels in India are also the best places to stay; there are rooms for travelers of every size budget as well. Staying in guesthouses or in the homes of others is a little less than ideal because of the risk, unless they are personal friends.

Captivating Hong Kong

The name given to the Hong Kong territory literally translates into “fragrant harbour” and the name truly fits. While Hong Kong actually consists of almost three hundred islands, including the three largest areas which are the New Territories, -connected to the Kowloon Peninsula, Lantau Island, and Hong Kong Island, which is the largest, Hong Kong has managed to remain beautiful, both naturally and culturally. Hong Kong along with being the largest island, is also the most thickly populated. Both the flora, and fauna of Hong Kong manage to stay intact over the years, as the Chinese culture continues to embrace the natural life around their large city, and incorporate much natural and floral design into the city itself, while preserving their unique natural environment as well.

One of the most popular things to do in the city of Hong Kong is to shop! Souvenirs, clothing, hand crafted jewelry, and much more, all waiting for the credit card savvy shopper’s eyes to light up with glee. Many people come to China for its rich history and lore, as can be found at museums, tours of historical sights, monuments, Chinese culture festivals and heritage tours. Other popular activities and attractions are the nature preserves, and guided walks through Hong Kong’s paradisiacal natural atmosphere.

The cuisine you’ll find in Hong Kong caters to the traveler when it comes to what you’ll find served in restaurants; a delightful fusion of Eastern and Western ethnical dishes. When eating at a four or five star restaurant, however, you have to remember, that technically, you are experiencing gourmet cooking, but you aren’t really experiencing Hong Kong’s cuisine. To do that, find the corner store dives, ask around from the locals, and see what they consider to be good food. Don’t just take your travel rep’s advice. Go looking for what’s popular amongst the locals. Americans will find that hamburgers from McDonald’s are quite a bit more expensive than in the United States, while Chinese food can be found much cheaper. Of course, tea drinking is a very large part of Chinese culture as well, the rituals of pouring the tea, drinking tea, and thanking those who poured the tea are all complex, so be sure to study up on Chinese manners.

Getting around in the city of Hong Kong is best done by either bicycle, on foot, or for those who don’t mind traffic, public transportation and taxis. The city is very busy, and has a high population; many people are trying to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible. And sometimes, that just means walking briskly; you’d be surprised how many cars you can pass just by walking quickly. However, sidewalk-legal scooters, or motorcycles can make it through traffic a little faster, and make parking simpler as well. Finding accommodation is Hong Kong is easy, and available for travelers with budgets of all sizes. There are luxury five star hotels, as well as the most expensive hotels, which overlook Victoria Harbour. There are also more modest guest houses, and youth hostels for younger travelers, found on Hong Kong, as well as in the New Territories, Kowloon, and the outlying islands.

Thailand-Home of Sun and Smiles

Thailand is located in a cultural turning point; it lays in the center of Southeast Asia, and is neighbours with countries such as Myanmar, Cambodia, Malaysia, as well as others. The full name of Thailand is “Prathet Thai” which means ‘Land of the Free’ when translated literally. Thailand has four basic natural regions; in Northern Thailand, are lush forests, and majestic mountains. In Southern Thailand visitors will find the beautiful beaches, and islands along the coast. There are also the seemingly neverending rice fields, located in Thailand’s Central Plains, and the agricultural economy, located in the farmlands of the Northeastern Plateau. Thailand is a kingdom; led by His Majesty King Rama IX, and is composed over seventy-six different provinces, all with their own unique histories, and social structures.

There are a diverse number of attractions in Thailand, available for the palate of any tourists taste, such as eco-tourism, wildlife expeditions, historical and educational points of interest, and many more.

• Go exploring in the caves of Thailand, located in the West, South and North of the country, where you’ll discover sleeping bats, intricate tiny scared houses for Buddha, and underground worlds of delight.
• Whitewater rafting is a thrilling adventure for couples or families; there’s also the more relaxed rides, bamboo rafting in the North of the country.
• The wildlife in Thailand is just as diverse as its people and culture; wildlife viewing is another popular activity, in Thailand’s various wildlife preserves, and national parks; there are even elephant tours and trekking for the whole family.
• There are coastal and sea tours available for those who want to travel over the water in style and leisure, as well as fishing, and watersports as well.
• Tourists who want to explore the array of culture delights and traditions all over the country can visit the enormous metropolis of Bangkok, the colorful cultures of the North, the fascinating traditions of the Hilltribes, and the floating markets, and canals on the river.

The cuisine found in Thailand is a cultural blend of both Western and Eastern foods; the five main tastes in Thai foods are sweet, sour, spicy, salty, and occasionally bitter. Some of the other major influences also come from neighbouring countries, such as Laos, Malaysia, and China. As a matter of fact, many of the dishes found in Thailand are actually just natively influenced Chinese food. Thai food is popular all over the world, in the United States, Australia, and all over Europe as well. There are several popular dishes, such as “rad na” which is wide noodles, with different meats, or seafoods, or “pad thai” which is rice noodles, cooked with lime juice, sugar or other ingredients, and egg, while also including meats, or tofu. Sticky rice, called “kao niao” is used in a variety of desserts, along with coconut milk, or bananas.

There are several options for transportation while traveling through Thailand; when in large cities, traveling by bicycle, scooter, can be faster, or even on foot; or, if you don’t mind a more leisurely trip, or the traffic, you can travel by bus or taxi. Traveling through the countryside can be done by car, or by rail, and for those who plan to do a little island hopping while on the coast, can also use ferries for transport. Finding accommodation is easy in Thailand as well to fit any budget; from luxury hotel suites, and spa resorts, to more modest coastal cottages, or bed and breakfast establishments in the country.

Great Wall Of China

The Great Wall of China as some believed originated as a military fortification against intrusion by tribes on the borders during the earlier Zhou Dynasty. In 770-BC-476BC, the ducal states extended the defense work, and built large structures to prevent the attacks from other states. The Great Wall of China was eventually separated during the Qin Dynasty, which preceded the Zhou Dynasty. The Zhao, Qin, and Yan kingdoms were connected to form a defensive system on the northern border of the country of Emperor, Qin Shi Huang. In 214 BC the building of the Great Wall of China was on its way. The Great Wall of China took as long as ten years to build.

The Great Wall of China took hundreds of thousands of laborers working daily beyond human limitations to construct and build. Many persons that did not work were thrown into the foundation trenches starving from hunger and exposure of the earths changing weathers. The Great Wall of China was then called The Longest Cemetery on Earth. Buried beneath its structure were more than 400,000 persons.

The Great Wall was stretched from Linzhao (eastern part of Gansu Province), in the west to Liaodong (Jilin Province) in the east. The Great Wall of China served as both a defense and symbolized the power of the emperor. The Great Wall of China was partly successful in repelling invading Mongol forces more than a century ago.

The Great Wall of China has more than 300 million trees, and its purpose was to serve as a barrier from the dust storms that swept into China from the Gobi Desert and other low-rainfall areas. The Great Wall of China was dubbed This Great Green Wall. During the 50’s, the city of Beijing was beset by 10 to 20 dust storms every spring. Visibility was only half a mile for 30 to 90 hours each month. By the 1970’s the storms had reduced resulting in greater visibility at less than ten hours per month. The reduction made work easier for the many laborers.

The Great Wall of China towered China’s mountains, plunging to the lower valleys, and marching across burning desert plains. Very cold winds coupled with snowstorms, made it very difficult for workers. At the same time raging desert sun and stinging sandstorms oppressed the workers, making their jobs difficult, and often risky

About The Author
Jeff Anderson knows about China. He knows what to look for and what pitfalls to avoid. Let him guide you to finding out more about China. Contact him at Jeff@culchina.com or visit the blog at his site www.culchina.com.

Regional Cuisines of China

It’s easily one of the world’s favorite foods. No matter where you are, someone you know is bound to suggest, “Hey, let’s do Chinese.” For decades, Chinese food meant one thing – Cantonese cuisine. It was the style of Chinese cooking with which most of the world was familiar – the appetizers and roasted meats and delicate sauces that blend vegetables and spices in a perfect marriage of flavors. But Chinese food is far more than just the Cantonese cuisine. There are four major styles of cooking across China, and several more subdivisions to divide them even further.

Cantonese is the most well-known and popular of the Chinese regional cuisine styles. Cantonese chefs specialize in delicate sauces and roasted meats, in steamed and stir-fried dishes with vegetables that are as carefully chosen for appearance and appeal to the eye as to the palate. Steamed rice is a staple of Cantonese cuisine, and is the base of most meals. Every vegetable is sliced to best show off its color and shape, even in a stir-fry or sauce. One of the more enduring and widely enjoyed traditions of Cantonese cooking is ‘dim sum’ – ‘little hearts’. In many cities, both in China and in other countries around the world, you’ll find little dim sum shops tucked beneath stairways and in storefront shops. They serve tea and the delicious savory and sweet little dim sum pastries to businessmen and afternoon shoppers.

Szechwan cuisine has grown in popularity over the last few decades. Most famous for searingly spicy foods like Kung Pao Chicken and Double Cooked Spicy Pork, Szechwan cuisine is a distinct style of cooking that is native to the landlocked mountainous center of China. The pungent flavors of ginger, fermented soybean, onions and garlic characterize much Szechwan cuisine, but there are also more subtle dishes that rely on the interweaving of texture and flavor. The typical cooking methods include frying, frying without oil, pickling and braising.

Hunan cuisine is the most well known of the several regional Chinese cuisine styles from Zheijiang region of China. It is characterized by thick, rich sauces and complex pungent flavors. Typical ingredients include scallions, chili and pepper. A popular favorite dish in the Hunan style is Pepper Chicken, with small chunks of succulent chicken quick-fried with black pepper and onions.

Shangdong cuisine is characterized by its emphasis on fresh ingredients in combinations that emphasize the flavor, aroma, color and texture of each ingredient. The Shangdong regional cuisine is known for delicate flavor combinations that are surprisingly pungent. Garlic and scallions are frequent ingredients, as are seafood, fresh vegetables and shoots. The soups are either thin and clear with a light flavor, or thick and pungent, rich with cream and spices. One of the most famous dishes from the Shangdong area, Bird’s Nest Soup, is typically served at major affairs of state.

While these are four of the main styles of Chinese regional cuisine, there are a number of others worthy of note. Fujian and Jiangsu Cuisine both focus on seafood and shellfish, accompanied by fresh vegetables. Fujian cuisine blends sweet, sour, savory and salt flavors in magical combinations. Jiangsu cuisine is light, fresh and sweet, and is characterized by its elegant presentation. More than any other style of Chinese regional cuisine, it emphasizes appearance as an important part of the appeal of a meal.

China is a complex country, with many smaller nationalities and regions within its borders. Most have typical styles of cooking that are starkly different than those of other regions around them. It is, however, a nation whose love affair with food has produced some of the most complex, rich, delicate and delicious dishes ever created

About The Author
Kirsten Hawkins is a food and nutrition expert specializing the Mexican, Chinese, and Italian food. Visit http://www.food-and-nutrition.com/ for more information on cooking delicious and healthy meals.