By Don Epperson, Sr. We first walked through Tiananmen Square to the Forbidden City with thousands of Chinese tourists; the Forbidden City is no longer forbidden after centuries of being off limits to the masses. Today the Forbidden City is a vast tourist attraction with hundreds of buildings containing thousands of rooms. It is mainly a ceremonial palace for the Communist … [Read more...] about Endless Beijing
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Looking for Big Buddha, Finding Big Trucks: Making the Most of What You Get
By Russ Kirk ITWPA Member We’re in Wuwei, Gansu province, Northwest China. No English spoken anywhere. We’re off to see the 1,600-year-old Big Buddha of the Tiantishan Grottoes. This massive 45-foot-high carved sitting Buddha is 31 miles south of Wuwei. Arriving at the turnoff to the grottoes, we find the road closed. After some pantomime with the guard and taxi driver, … [Read more...] about Looking for Big Buddha, Finding Big Trucks: Making the Most of What You Get
Breathtaking. Stunning. Utterly Amazing. Hiking the Great Wall of China
By Colleen Bessel ITWPA Member Gingerly I step through the crumbling watchtower at Samatai West and onto the Great Wall of China. I will never forget that first moment. The wall snaking off in either direction as far as the eye can see, the trail undulating up and down along the crest of the mountain ridge. It stops you in your tracks. It takes your breath away. Steep, … [Read more...] about Breathtaking. Stunning. Utterly Amazing. Hiking the Great Wall of China