Olympic Room for 2008 :: Forum

beijing 2008 olympic accommodation [by bjtour99]

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 01:49:51 +1500

Accomondations:: beijing 2008 olympic accommodation
www.2008homtel.com provide kinds of beijing apartments rentals for Olympic accommodation during beijing Olympics 2008.Most apartments located in Olympic Green area.Perfect location at good price. All the apartments are full furnished,24hours hot water,24hours security etc.
More Info: www.2008homtel.com

We offer all-around services: beijing apartment rentals, Tours, Guide service,Car Rental, Massage sevice, Show tickets reservation etc. Please do Not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or enquiries.
Email:2008homtel@gmail.com

beijing apartment rental during olympics [by bjtour99]

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 01:10:49 +1500

Accomondations:: beijing apartment rental during olympics
www.2008homtel.com provide kinds of beijing apartments rentals for Olympic accommodation during beijing Olympics 2008.Most apartments located in Olympic Green area.Perfect location at good price. All the apartments are full furnished,24hours hot water,24hours security etc.
More Info: www.2008homtel.com

We offer all-around services: beijing apartment rentals, Tours, Guide service,Car Rental, Massage sevice, Show tickets reservation etc. Please do Not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or enquiries.
Email:2008homtel@gmail.com

Entry in and exit out of China [by Anonymous]

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 09:31:08 +1500

Travel in China:: Entry in and exit out of China
To enter China you will need:

* Your valid passport (or other credentials which can be proof of identity instead of your passport);
* Completed visa application form and recent 2-inch (4 cm X 6cm) full-face, bare-headed, half-length photo;
* Payment for the visa.

The Chinese visa issuing authorities are located at the Chinese embassies, the general consulates and other organizations authorized by The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China stationed abroad.
The following is a list of available visas:

L Visa (tourist Visa) is the appropriate one for tourism purposes, issued to those who enter China temporarily for touring, family visiting or other personal affairs (multiple-entry is not granted for this category).

C Visa (Crewmember Visa),
D Visa (Residence Visa),
F Visa (Business/Visit Visa),
G Visa (Transit Visa),
L Visa (Tourist Visa),
X Visa (Study/Student Visa),
Z Visa (Work Visa),
J Visa (Journalist Visa).

Do not enter restricted areas unless you have first obtained a Foreigners Travel Permit from the local public security bureau.
Lost passports should be reported to the local public security authority as soon as possible. You also need to contact the embassy or consulate of your own country to apply for an exit document with a certificate issued by the local public security bureau.

Remember to abide by the Chinese laws and respect the Chinese habits and customs. Anyone who disturbs China's national security, public interests and social order is likely to be punished.

Procedures on arrival in China:

Health Check - First stop â€“ quarantine. Produce your visa and passport and fill in a Health Declaration Form. People with the following listed diseases such as yellow fever, cholera, VD, leprosy, infectious pulmonary tuberculosis or AIDS will be prohibited. Inoculation certificates will be required from those coming from areas with epidemics of yellow fever.
Frontier Inspection - Complete the Entry Registration Card, and present your passport, visa and quarantine certificates for inspection.
Luggage Check - For public safety reasons, your luggage may be checked. During this process a customs declaration will be made and only after passing all procedures will you be allowed to enter China.
Customs Regulations:

Entry:
Complete a baggage declaration form (in two copies) and hand it in to customs, retaining the carbon copy to show upon exit.
Personal belongings will be admitted duty free, including food, two bottles of liquor and two cartons of cigarettes. Wristwatches, radios, tape recorders, cameras, movie cameras, and similar items may be brought in for personal use but cannot be sold or transferred to others and must be brought out of China.
Gifts for relatives or friends in China, or articles carried on behalf of others, must also be declared.
Visitors can bring in an unlimited amount of foreign currency and Chinese Renminbi travellerâ€™s checks, and the unspent portion can be taken out.

Prohibited items include:
Arms, ammunition, and explosives of all kinds, radio transmitters-receivers and principal parts
Renminbi (Chinese currency) in cash, Poisonous drugs, habit-forming drugs, opium, morphine, heroin, etc.
Animals, plants and products thereof.

Exit:
Submit the baggage declaration form for customs inspection (the second copy). Travellers by ship are exempted.
Items purchased in China with RMB converted from foreign currencies may be taken out or mailed out of the country after receipts are presented for customs inspection. In cities where a Customs Office does not exist, this can be arranged through the local Friendship Store.

Prohibited items include:
Arms, ammunition, and explosives of all kinds ,Radio transmitters-receivers and principal parts
Renminbi (Chinese currency) in cash and negotiable securities in RMB , Ungratified foreign currency, foreign notes or drafts
Rare and precious copies of books about Chinese revolution, history, culture and art that are not for sale
Valuable animals, plants, and seeds
Precious metals, pearls, and jewels (things declared to the customs are exempted)
Other articles the export of which is prohibited by state regulations

All articles you have declared on the Customs Luggage Declaration Form upon arrival should be brought out of China. If any item is missing, a certificate from the relevant department is required or else a certain amount of import duty will be charged on it. All the articles detained by the customs upon your arrival can be retrieved if wished.

Departure:
Exit Registration Cards must be completed and passports and visas are checked.
To enter China you will need:

How to get around [by Anonymous]

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 08:48:47 +1500

Travel in China:: How to get around
Now that we hope we have whetted your appetite for the fabulous attractions of Beijing, you will be wondering how to get around this huge city... Here is a brief outline of the easiest ways to travel:

[color=FFCC00]Taxiâ€“ With over 60,000 taxis waiting at airport, railway and bus stations you wonâ€™t have to wait long. The flag-down charge for the more basic mini cab like Xiali is 10 Yuan which extends about 4 kilometres and then 1.2 Yuan for each extra kilometre. The more spacious Santana and Fukang have a flag down rate of 10-12 Yuan for the first 3 km and then 1.6 or 2 Yuan for each additional km. After 11.00 pm there is an extra 20% surcharge and due to traffic conditions taxi drivers charge 1 km fee for every 5 minutes of waiting time stuck in traffic. Not the cheapest way to travel but convenient. Always ask for a receipt in case you wish to complain afterwards.

[b]Tourist Train[/b] â€“ Special trains to suburban tourist destinations run from the 4 railway stations. Tickets are available in advance from any ticket office or travel service or can be bought on board. You can also pay for the site admission fee at the time of purchasing the ticket.

Subwayâ€“ As in most cities with a subway itâ€™s the fastest way to travel. The operating hours are from 5.00 am until 11.00 in the evening. Cost of tickets ranges from 2 â€“ 6 Yuan and subway staff can advise you about the correct line and direction.

Bus â€“ Buses in Beijing are very crowded but cheap. Air conditioned buses are indicated by the initial number 8 and there are also special tour buses, night buses etc. Many buses are â€˜self serviceâ€™ (no conductor) so have your money ready in advance to put in the on-board machine. Prices are 1 Yuan for city routes and 2 Yuan for an air conditioned bus.

Bicycle â€“ The humble bicycle can be rented from many hotels in Beijing. If you feel fit why not try it for a day to see all of those out of the way places that the taxi canâ€™t go to. Cost ranges from 20 -30 Yuan per day.

Rickshaw â€“ Donâ€™t expect the old style Rickshaw with the man with the long plait pulling you along. Todayâ€™s Rickshaws are ridden like a bicycle and the prices can be [/color] high. Very popular around the tourist spots but you must be certain you have agreed a price before you hop in. Time to bargain.[img align=right width=150]http://www.accommodation-olympic-games.com/userfiles/image/(18)Rickshaws.jpg[/img]

The Forbidden City [by Anonymous]

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 08:40:28 +1500

Travel in China:: The Forbidden City
With well over 9,900 rooms this is certainly the largest and most well preserved palace complex in the world. The palace was the administrative centre of China for more than 500 years and the emperors of Ming and Qing dynasties resided there. Surrounded by a 6 metre deep moat and a wall reaching 10 metres high, it is located in the centre of Beijing, North of Tiananmen square.

The wall has a gate in each side : to the South there is the Meridian Gate which is so named from the Chinese emperorsâ€™ belief that they lived at the centre of the universe. To the North is the gate of the Divine Military Genius which is the largest of the four. Standing at 35.6 metres high it connected the imperial palace to the market area.
The distance between the two gates is 960 metres. The other two gates â€“ the West Flowery Gate and the East Flowery Gate stand at their respective points at a distance of 750 metres apart.

The palace is divided into two sections â€“ the Outer court in the Southern section was the place where the emperor wielded his power over the nation and the Inner court in the Northern section was where the emperor and his family lived. In 1924 when the last emperor was driven out of the palace, 24 emperors from the Ming and Qing dynasties combined had lived there.

The dominant colour in the Forbidden City is yellow, being the colour of the Royal Family. Yellow tiles are used on the roofs, decorations are painted yellow and even the bricks paving the ground are made yellow. The one exception is the black roof of the Royal Library as black was believed to represent water which could of course extinguish fire.

Begun in 1407 the palace complex took 14 years to build using more than a million labourers and artisans. At the centre of the Outer palace stand 3 halls â€“ the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Complete Harmony and the Hall of Preserving Harmony. In the Inner Palace you will find the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the Hall of Earthly Peace, the Hall of Prosperity and the Imperial Garden.

Standing at 35 metres high, the Hall of Supreme Harmony is the largest and best preserved wooden hall in China. The roof is supported by 24 pillars with the 6 central ones adorned with gilding and red paint. In the middle of the hall stands the Emperor Throne, surrounded by treasures of art and symbolic significance.

As the largest museum in China the Imperial Palace holds more than 900,000 priceless antiques and treasures which cover all the Chinese dynasties and is definitely a place that should not be missed. At the entrance you can obtain self-guided audio tour tapes in several languages to bring this marvellous heritage to life.[img width=150]With well over 9,900 rooms this is certainly the largest and most well preserved palace complex in the world. The palace was the administrative centre of China for more than 500 years and the emperors of Ming and Qing dynasties resided there. Surrounded by a 6 metre deep moat and a wall reaching 10 metres high, it is located in the centre of Beijing, North of Tiananmen square.

The wall has a gate in each side : to the South there is the Meridian Gate which is so named from the Chinese emperorsâ€™ belief that they lived at the centre of the universe. To the North is the gate of the Divine Military Genius which is the largest of the four. Standing at 35.6 metres high it connected the imperial palace to the market area.
The distance between the two gates is 960 metres. The other two gates â€“ the West Flowery Gate and the East Flowery Gate stand at their respective points at a distance of 750 metres apart.

The palace is divided into two sections â€“ the Outer court in the Southern section was the place where the emperor wielded his power over the nation and the Inner court in the Northern section was where the emperor and his family lived. In 1924 when the last emperor was driven out of the palace, 24 emperors from the Ming and Qing dynasties combined had lived there.

The dominant colour in the Forbidden City is yellow, being the colour of the Royal Family. Yellow tiles are used on the roofs, decorations are painted yellow and even the bricks paving the ground are made yellow. The one exception is the black roof of the Royal Library as black was believed to represent water which could of course extinguish fire.

Begun in 1407 the palace complex took 14 years to build using more than a million labourers and artisans. At the centre of the Outer palace stand 3 halls â€“ the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Complete Harmony and the Hall of Preserving Harmony. In the Inner Palace you will find the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the Hall of Earthly Peace, the Hall of Prosperity and the Imperial Garden.

Standing at 35 metres high, the Hall of Supreme Harmony is the largest and best preserved wooden hall in China. The roof is supported by 24 pillars with the 6 central ones adorned with gilding and red paint. In the middle of the hall stands the Emperor Throne, surrounded by treasures of art and symbolic significance.

As the largest museum in China the Imperial Palace holds more than 900,000 priceless antiques and treasures which cover all the Chinese dynasties and is definitely a place that should not be missed. At the entrance you can obtain self-guided audio tour tapes in several languages to bring this marvellous heritage to life.[/img]

Travel in Beijing you need these [by Anonymous]

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 08:36:44 +1500

Travel in China:: Travel in Beijing you need these
Beijing, the capital city of China, is regarded as the birthplace of Chinese Civilization. One of 6 capital cities from ancient times it has had the honour of being the capital for several dynasties during the last 3,000 years.

Located in the Northwest part of the North China Plain, Beijing is the countryâ€™s second largest city and is home to more than 11 million people. The warm temperate climate makes it an ideal place to visit all year round.
Being Chinaâ€™s political centre more than 140 foreign embassies are located here and it is the countryâ€™s second largest economic centre.

With more than 30 universities and over 40 scientific research institutions it is also the centre of education, science and technology employing the largest number of professional people.

As you would expect from the capital city there are plenty of museums and the libraries boast the largest collection of books in the country.

If you find yourself with time to spare in Beijing you will be spoilt for choice from the numerous attractions to visit. The following is a selection of some of the most prominent to get you started...

Jingshan Park [by Anonymous]

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 08:24:32 +1500

Travel in China:: Jingshan Park
Jingshan Park, the highest point in Beijing City was built in 1179 during the Jin Dynasty and has a history of more than 800 years. This Park is located directly to the north of the Forbidden City's Shenwu Gate. Visitors will discover that Beihai Park is located directly to the west of Jingshan Park. Further north again from Jingshan Park, the Bell and Drum Towers are located at the top of Di An Men Da Jie.

Inside Jingshan Park, an area of approximately 57 acres, is Jingshan Hill which rises to a height of 48 metres, and from its top visitors can oversight the entire city of Beijing. Jingshan Hill was built in 1420 during the Ming Dynasty and was initially called 'Long Live Hill' and then later was named 'Zhen Hill'. In later periods coal was piled at the foot of the hill and it became known as 'Mei Shan' (Coal Hill). However in 1655 during the Qing Dynasty the name was changed to Jingshan Hill, the name by which it is known today.

Great Wall [by Anonymous]

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 08:21:25 +1500

Travel in China:: Great Wall
[img width=300]http://www.foreignercn.com/images/image/060624171129352.jpg[/img]Juyongguan Pass is located at 50 kilometers northwest of downtown Beijingï¼ŽThe mountains flanking the valley have many graceful peaksï¼ŽThe slopes on both sides of their narrow passes are covered with dense trees and plantsï¼ŽSo it used to be one of the famousâ€œEight Views of Yanjingâ€ï¼ŽThere was a 20â€”kilometerâ€”long valley called â€œGuangouâ€ from south to north with 4 passes along the valley named â€œNankouï¼ŒJuyongguan, Shangguan and Badalingâ€ï¼ŽThey were of great strategic importance in defending the national capital Beijingï¼ŽJuyongguan Pass is one of them.

The 20â€”kilometerâ€”long valley flanked by mountains was considered a screen of vital importance in the defense of Beijing in ancient timesï¼ŽJuyongguan Pass was one of the important passes along the valleyï¼Œand also one of the most famous passes of the Great Wallï¼ŽIt was built in a mountain gap between mountain peaks with only one road leading to the capital Beijingï¼Œ which determined its military significance in ancient times through many dynasties and it has been a contested point place by military strategists through the agesï¼ŽIn history it witnessed several battles that decided the fate of some dynasties. In 1122,the Jin court empire(1115â€”1234)1ed the armyï¼Œtook Juyong Pass firstï¼Œthen marched on to Beijing and finally overthrew the Liao Dynasty(907â€”1125)ï¼ŽThe troops of the Ming also first took the Pass before they attacked Beijingï¼Œthe capital of the Yuan Dynasty(1206â€”1368)ï¼ŽSome 277 years laterï¼Œthe peasantsâ€™ uprising troops led by Li Zicheng did the same thing in 1644 and overthrew the Ming Dynastyï¼ŽFrom these we can see how important role that Juyong Pass played in the historyï¼Ž

Tiananmen Square [by Anonymous]

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 08:19:13 +1500

Travel in China:: Tiananmen Square
[img width=300]http://www.foreignercn.com/images/image/2007918211704.jpg[/img]Tiananmen Square is the heart and symbol of Beijing and is the biggest square in the world. Tiananmen ( Gate of Heaven Peace ), which is on the north of the square, is originally the frontispiece of the imperial city of Ming and Qing Dynasties, constructed in the fifteenth year of Ming Yong Le. The original name of it is the Gate of Heavenly Succession (Chentianmen), which means shouldering the duty from the Heaven. In the eighth year of Emperor Shunzhi of Qing dynasty it was reconstructed and got its name Tian An Men Rostrum. Tiananmen Rostrum is 33.7 meters high, it is a peak city gate tower with double eaves. The Rostrum is nine Ying wide and five rooms deep. Numbers nine and five symbolize the most superiorily. There are 60 huge and towering columns on the rostrum where floor is paved with gold brick. There are chestnut lattice fan gate on south and north. There painted Chinese traditional auspicious picture and gold dragon colored painting on Tian Hua Gate and girder. There are five arch passages in the face of the Rostrum and the path in the very middle is especially reserved for the Emperor himself. Tiananmen is the place of issuing imperial edicit by emperors of Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasties. It is used when there are important celebration activities, such as ascending the throng of new emperor, marriage and sacrifice, and the parents of the emperor come into the Palace. In addition, before the emperor personally led his soldiers in a military operation or senior generals go out for a battle, they should hold sacrifice in front of Tian An Men and pray for victory. There is the outer golden water in front of city gate tower and seven jade stone bridges run across the river. The most spacious bridge in the middle the â€œ Imperial Bridge â€which is used by the Emperor exclusively. The â€œRoyals'Bridgesâ€ on the two sides of the â€œRoyals'Bridgesâ€ is used by officials above rank three. Official and soldiers below rank four and servant could only use the â€œ Common Bridge . Common Bridges run across before the Imperial Ancestral Temple (nowadays the Working People's Cultural Palace ) and the State Temple (nowadays Zhongshan Park ). Tiananmen has been repaired four times after 1949.

National Stadium--natural "Bird's Nest" [by Anonymous]

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 08:17:03 +1500

Travel in China:: National Stadium--natural "Bird's Nest"
[img width=300]http://www.foreignercn.com/images/image/20080224bird%20nest04.jpg[/img]Yalu River
Other cities

The Yalu (Amnokï¼ŒChinese name é¸ç»¿æ±Ÿï¼Œkoreannameì••ë¡ê°•)River is a river on the border between China and North Korea.

Geography

From 2,500 metre|m above sea level on Baitou Mountain in the Changbai Mountains mountain range, on the Chinese-North Korean border, the river flows south to Hyesan before sweeping 130 km northwest to Lin-Chiang and then returning to a more southerly route for a further 300 km to empty into the Korea Bay between Dandong (China) and Sinuiju|SinÅiju (North Korea).

The bordering Chinese provinces are Jilin and Liaoning.

The river is almost 800 km long and receives the water from over 30,000 km of land. The Yalu's most significant tributaries are the Changjin, Herchun, and Tokro rivers. The river is not easily navigable for most of its length: although at its widest it is around 5 km, the depth is no greater than 3 m and much of the river is heavily silted.

Read more...

Travel Guide in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai (ä¸Šæµ· ShÃ nghÇŽi), with a population of more than 18 million (and over 5.8 million migrants), is one of the most populous and most developed cities in the People's Republic of China.

Shanghai was the largest and most prosperous city in the Far East during the 1930s, and remained the most developed city in Communist China. In the 1990s Shanghai again became an attractive spot for tourists worldwide.

Read more...

National Art Museum of China
Beijing

National Art Museum of China is located on Wu Si Street. It is a national level art museum focused on displaying, collecting and researching the works of the artists in China modern times. Chairman Mao Zedong wrote the name of the museum.
National Art Museum of China covers an area of 30,000 square meters with its construction acreage of 17,051 square meters. And its exhibition halls are 6,000 square meters. The construction was started in 1958 and finished in 1962. It is one of the Great Ten Constructions to mark the occasion of the 10th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China and also the largest art museum in China. After over one year's decoration, it was reopened on July 23, 2003.

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Capital Museum
Beijing

The Capital Museum is a patriotic education base in Beijing. It is a large modernized comprehensive museum that reflects the past and present of Beijing in terms of history, construction, folk customs, and culture. It was open to public on May 18, 2006.
The museum, with 5 floors above the ground and 2 underground, covers an area of 24,800 square meters, with a total floor space of 66,690 square meters. The building itself is a work of art, combining classical and modern aesthetic concepts. The huge roof has traditional upturned eaves; the grey stone screen wall follows the style of traditional architecture of Beijing; the sloping road on the square suggests the grandeur of ancient palaces in the city. Thedanbi(a decorative slab of stone) that adorns the pavement outside the north gate and the archway in the hall exude the special charm of traditional Chinese architecture. The slanting, protruding wall of the elliptic bronze hall signifies the bringing to light of ancient relics.

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Peking Opera
Beijing

Peking opera of China is a national treasure with a history of 200 years. In the 55th year of the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty(1790) ,the four big Huiban opera Troupes entered the capital and combined with Kunqu opera, Yiyang opera, Hanju opera and Luantan in Beijing's thearetical circle of the time. Through a period of more than half a century of combination and integration of various kinds of opera there evolved the present Peking opera, the biggest kind of opera in China, whose richness of repertoire, great number of artists of performance and of audiences, and profound influence are incomparable in China.

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Ghost Street
Beijing
Red lanterns, traditional courtyards, hundreds of restaurants along the street ......This is Guijie Street, Beijing's famous eating street, known to locals as 'Ghost Street'. Eating on Ghost Street is about more than food and drink, it's a way of life for many Beijingers.
Tucked behind Beijing's Inner Dongzhimen Street, "Ghost Street" stretches 1,442 m from Dongzhimen cloverleaf junction in the east, to Jiaodaokou East Street in the west. Along the street there are more than 150 shops, including 100 restaurants, making it one of the most unique streets in Beijing.

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National Stadium--natural "Bird's Nest"
Beijing

"Bird's Nest" is jointly designed by Herzog and De Meuron Architekten AG, Switzerland, and China Architecture Design Institute. It gained high praise and also aroused most controversy.

Some people think the design is too avant-garde and trendy, and not in keeping with acceptable traditional ideas. However, insiders think "Bird's Nest" has properly expressed a new architectural vernacular. Such schemes can not work out without an understanding of Chinese philosophy and the Chinese idea of good timing, geographical convenience and harmonious human relations.