Beijing, China - Home of The Great Wall

The Great Wall of China
One of Seven Wonders of the World

BEIJING, China - We went to Great Wall of China on one weekend of November 2009 during our assignment in Dalian. It was winter that time so it was very cold and snowy and the floor was slippery.

We went on Saturday and contracted a taxi to bring us to the wall. My colleague and I were excited. It was our first time to see The Great Wall and it was my first time to see one of the seven wonders of the world. I was imagining how The Great Wall looks like and I was really surprised to see it. It was fascinating how the people made such a wonder that expands to thousands of kilometers.



The Great Wall of China

Wikipedia describes The Great Wall of China as a series of fortifications made of stone, brick, tamped earth, wood, and other materials, generally built along an east-to-west line across the historical northern borders of China in part to protect the Chinese Empire or its prototypical states against intrusions by various nomadic groups or military incursions by various warlike peoples or forces.

Several walls were being built as early as the 7th century BC; these, later joined together and made bigger, stronger, and unified are now collectively referred to as the Great Wall. Especially famous is the wall built between 220–206 BC by the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang. Little of that wall remains. Since then, the Great Wall has on and off been rebuilt, maintained, and enhanced; the majority of the existing wall was reconstructed during the Ming Dynasty.



The Cube
Venue of Swimming Competition
Beijing Olympics 2008

Other purposes of the Great Wall have included border controls, allowing the imposition of duties on goods transported along the Silk Road, regulation or encouragement of trade and the control of immigration and emigration.

Furthermore, the defensive characteristics of the Great Wall were enhanced by the construction of watch towers, troop barracks, garrison stations, signaling capabilities through the means of smoke or fire, and the fact that the path of the Great Wall also served as a transportation corridor.

The Great Wall stretches from Shanhaiguan in the east, to Lop Lake in the west, along an arc that roughly delineates the southern edge of Inner Mongolia.

A comprehensive archaeological survey, using advanced technologies, has concluded that the Ming walls measure 8,850 km (5,500 mi). This is made up of 6,259 km (3,889 mi) sections of actual wall, 359 km (223 mi) of trenches and 2,232 km (1,387 mi) of natural defensive barriers such as hills and rivers. Another archaeological survey found that the entire wall with all of its branches measure out to be 21,196 km (13,171 mi).



The Nest
Venue of the Opening Ceremony
Beijing Olympics 2008

We also went to some historical places in Beijing at night. I consider them historical although they are modern structures because these venues made history.

We went to "The Cube" which is the venue for swimming competition in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and to "The Nest" which was the venue for the Opening Ceremony. We were not able to get in but I can see from outside that they are world-class and unique structures.

I enjoyed our side trip to Beijing. I am glad to see a very modern yet historical city that is truely world-class.

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First trip to Dalian, China October 2009

Shanghai Square, Dalian, China

DALIAN, Liaoning, China - October 2009 was my first trip to Dalian. From Singapore, I took Singapore Airlines (www.singaporeair.com) to Beijing and then China Eastern Airlines (www.flychinaeastern.com) to Dalian. Dalian is in the Northern part of China and its near the sea so its quite colder than other parts of China.

On the first weekend of my assignment, I tried to go out as much as I can because I know that on the second weekend, our 2 bosses are coming. My first destination on Saturday was Dalian Forest Zoo. I asked my colleague to write the name and address in Chinese characters so its easier for the driver to read.  



Dalian Forest Zoo, China

I arrived at Dalian Forest Zoo which so many children at the entrance. School children were also there for fieldtrip. I just let them in first before I went. It was here in Dalian Forest Zoo where I saw a lot of animals that I haven't seen. Anyway, I've only been to a few. There was a panda who was busy eating when I came, and different kinds of bears including polar bears. There were several baby tigers inside a small fence who were happily playing with each others and children were so excited to see them. I enjoyed coming to the place.

I can't find my way back after I finish my tour at the zoo. I tried to ask the information who they also cannot speak English. So they just pointed the direction and I manage to find the taxi.



Orchidarium at Dalian Forest Zoo

Dalian is a food haven. Seafoods are very affordable and a lot to choice from. I enjoy eating that I gained 4 kilograms when I got back. It was because my colleague used to order a lot and I tried to finish as much as I can. I was thinking that people in other countries don't even have proper food to eat but we are just wasting it. I lost some of the weight i gained eventually.

Dalian is a nice city. They have the balance of business development and at the same time, preserving the nature.

Shanghai Square, Dalian, China

My bosses and my colleague went to Shanghai Square before we went to the airport. It was a park near the sea so it was very cold and windy. People come to this park to relax and play. It was also a good place to watch as the sun sets in the afternoon.

It was a good experience to come to Dalian.

Keep on following my travel blogs. Also, for all your travel needs (airfare, hotel, cruise package, holiday packages, car rental and more), please visit wow amazing holiday website.

Business trip to Jakarta, Indonesia

 

Tugu Monumen Nasional
National Monument - Jakarta, Indonesia
Photo was taken by Sony Ericsson P1

JAKARTA, Indonesia - My business trip to Jakarta in September 2009 was my second trip to Indonesia but it was my first trip with my current company. We stayed in Bogor, a city one hour away from Jakarta, but we went to Indonesia on weekends. Jakarta is nice and big city with a touch of local and Dutch architectures. Hotels are more expensive in Jakarta compared to Bogor, so my colleague guy and I shared the room. The other 2 lady colleagues shared also the room.

I met up with my colleague and former housemate in Trinidad and Tobago, who was then working in one of the auditing firm in Jakarta. He brought me first to the National Monument (Tugu Monumen Nasional) which is one of the famous places in the city.

Wikipedia describes the National Monument (Monumen Nasional or Monas) is a 433 feet (132 meter) tower in the centre of Merdeka Square, Central Jakarta, symbolizing the fight for Indonesia. Construction began in 1961 under the direction of President Sukarno. Monas was opened to the public in 1975. It is topped by a flame covered with gold foil. The monument and the museum are open daily from 08.00 - 15.00 throughout the week except for the last Monday of each month when the monument is closed.



Plaza Indonesia
Home of the first Starbucks in Indonesia

We then went to Plaza Indonesia for dinner and had coffee at Starbucks. Starbucks at Plaza Indonesia was the first Starbucks in the country. Cool! Plaza Indonesia is the first high end shopping centre in Indonesia which opened its doors in mid-1990.

Just opposite Plaza Indonesia is the Grand Indonesia. Wikipedia describes Grand Indonesia Shopping Town as a mixed-use complex including a shopping mall and the Hotel Indonesia covering an area of about 640,000 square meter (6,900,000 sq ft), located on the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Jakarta in Indonesia.



Decors inside Grand Indonesia

What I like about Grand Indonesia is that they have nice decorations inside the mall. There are trees, train stations, waterfalls and other modern designs.

It was Hari Raya (a Muslim festival) when we were there so some shops were closed for business. We also visited bars in Mulia hotel, Shangri-la and Airforce One. Of the three we visited, we found the bar at Mulia hotel to be the best. I came back to the bar by myself when my colleague went back to his home country in Malaysia. I stayed one more day in Jakarta after our audit engagement because I was not able to change my ticket back to Singapore due to the earlier flights were all fully booked. 

It was indeed a good experience. Keep on following my travel blogs. Also, for all your travel needs (airfare, hotel, cruise package, holiday packages, car rental and more), please visit wow amazing holiday website.

Gold Coast, Queensland - one of Australia's pride



Gold Coast, Queensland
Australia's Pride

GOLD COAST, Australia - We came to Gold Coast when I first visited my brother in Runcorn (near Brisbane). I know that Gold Coast is a world-class surfing paradise and is famous for white sand beaches.

True enough, the beach was very nice and nearby are hotels, restaurants and a lot of buildings. Most beaches that I have been are more quiet with simple buildings around. Howeve, Gold Coast is a business district at the beach. If I am working at one of the companies in Gold Coast, I am sure I would have a very good work-life balance. I can sit on the shore after office hours, watch the sun set and breathe the fresh air from the sea.

Wikipedia describes Gold Coast as a coastal city located in the South East of Queensland, Australia. The city is 94 km south of the state capital Brisbane. It is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and the most populous non-capital city in Australia. The Gold Coast holds the title of the largest cross-state population of any metropolitan area in Australia, due to the inclusion of Tweed Heads, New South Wales in its metropolitan area. The Gold Coast's metropolitan area converges with that of Greater Brisbane, forming part of an urban conurbation of over 3 million people.

Gold Coast, Australia

While the origin of the city's name is debatable, the name "Gold Coast" was bestowed upon the city by real estate investors. The first settlement in what is now South East Queensland was as a penal colony at Redcliffe. The Gold Coast region remained largely uninhabited by Europeans until 1823 when explorer John Oxley landed at Mermaid Beach. The hinterland's red cedar supply attracted people to the area in the mid-19th century. Later in 1875, Southport was surveyed and established and grew a reputation as a secluded holiday destination for upper class Brisbane residents.

The Gold Coast region grew significantly after the establishment of the Surfers Paradise hotel in the late 1920s. The area boomed in the 1980s as a leading tourist destination and in 1994, the Gold Coast City local government area was expanded to encompass the majority of the Gold Coast's metropolitan area, becoming the second most populous local government area in Australia after the City of Brisbane. The Gold Coast is today a major tourist destination with its sunny subtropical climate, surfing beaches, canal and waterway systems, its high-rise dominated skyline, theme parks, nightlife, and rainforest hinterland, making tourism one of its most significant industries. Gold Coast will host the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

^{Truly, Gold Coast is Australia's pride.}

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Ballarat and Phillip Island - tourist destinations in Victoria

 

Penguins at Phillip Islands, Victoria, Australia

MELBOURNE, Australia - My first trip to Australia was one of the memorable trips I had. I was so excited to come to the country as there were a lot of positive feedbacks I heard about the country.

But let me tell my experience first when I applied for the visa. I started my job on July 6, 2009 and I needed to travel to India on July 12 to 31. My next business trip to Australia was August 9. There will be no sufficient time if I apply for the Australian visa when I come back from India so I applied before I went to India.

The visa officer questioned me how come I just join the company and needed to travel to Australia. She called her Supervisor and said "this young guy just join his company and need to apply for visa". I explained to the supervisor that it is part of my job to travel to Asia Pacific to do audit of my company. The Australian supervisor accepted my explaination and my application documents. I went back to the embassy after my business trip in India to have my passport stamped for the visa. They gave me one year multiple entry visa.



Museum inside Ballarat

It was in Australia where I drove on the right hand. It was very confusing to me because I am used to left hand traffic and left  hand driving. Thank God, the car was automatic.

My 2 colleagues and I decided to go to Ballarat on the first weekend. It was about 3 to 4-hour drive from Melbourne. My colleague drove the car on the way going to Ballarat and I drove on the way bawck. I found it difficult because aside from me not used to driving on the right side, I am also not used to the directions in Australia. Thank God again that I survived. Ballarat is city that used to have gold mining. We even went down the old mining site to see the place. I was so scared that I am thinking risks when we go down. We then went out and watch some parades and shows.

We also went to nearby zoo where I saw and touched the Kangaroos in real life. I also was able to see Koala Bear, Tasmanian devil and other animals I haven't seen before.

The second weekend was also fun. My colleague and I went to Phillip Island, the island famous for penguins. The penguins are really superstar in their own because people need to wait for them to come to shore after spending the whole day in the sea. It was so cold and windy at the sea when we were there, but still we waited for penguins to come. They were cute walking from the water to the shore in groups.

After my audit assignment, I went to my brother in Brisbane for few days before going back to Singapore. I will be writing a post regarding my Brisbane and Gold Coast experience as well.

Keep on following my travel blogs. Also, for all your travel needs (airfare, hotel, cruise package, holiday packages, car rental and more), please visit wow amazing holiday website.

Aurangabad, India - the home of UNESCO World Heritage Sites



Ellora Caves, Aurangabad, India

AURANGABAD, Maharastra, India - My first trip to India was in July 2009. It was my first assignment with my current company and I was very excited as I was intrigued by positive and negative comments about the country. I took Singapore Airlines to Mumbai but my final destination was in Aurangabad.

Wikipedia.org describes Aurangabad as a tourist hub, surrounded by many historical monuments, including the Ajanta Caves and Ellora Caves, which are UNESCO World Heritage sites, as well as Bibi Ka Maqbara.

The administrative headquarters of the Aurangabad Division or Marathwada region, Aurangabad is said to be a City of Gates and the strong presence of these can be felt as one drives through the city.

Recently, Aurangabad has been declared as Tourism Capital of Maharashtra. It is also one of the fastest growing cities in the world. Aurangabad is home of manufacturing plants for several multinational companies.  

So what can we do in Aurangabad? There are 3 important places to visit. 

1. Ellora Caves. The first stop was Ellora Caves. The moment we arrived in Ellora Caves, I was really amazed because I like to visit historal and greate structures and Ellora Caves were great examples.  We took a lot of pictures and I was very happy to see these nice historical architectures. We felt privileged when a group of people approached us to have pictures. The locals were very happy to see foreigners and to take pictures with them.

Ellora Caves, Aurangabad, India

2. Bibi Ka Maqbara. Again, according to wikipedia.org, it was commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in the late 17th century to build a mausoleum in the memory of his first wife, Dilras Banu Begum (also known as Rabia Durrani).

It bears a striking resemblance to the famous Taj Mahal, the mausoleum of her mother-in-law, Mumtaz Mahal. Aurangzeb was not much interested in architecture, though he had built the small, but elegant, Pearl Mosque at Delhi.

The Bibi Ka Maqbara was the largest structure that he had to his credit. The comparison to the Taj Mahal has resulted in a general ignorance of the monument. The mausoleum is also called the Dakkhani Taj (Taj of the Deccan). It is the most conspicuous landmark of Aurangabad and its historic city.


Bibi Ka Maqbara, Aurangabad, India

An inscription found on the main entrance door mentions that this mausoleum was designed and erected by Ata-ullah, an architect and Hanspat Rai, an engineer respectively. Ata-ullah was the son of Ustad Ahmad Lahauri, the principal designer of the Taj Mahal.

Even the mausoleum is considered to be smaller version of the Taj Mahal, I was already overwhelmed to see it. Anyway, during this time, I didn't see the Taj Mahal in Agra so I don't have the comparison of how it looks like. Again, locals came to us to take some photos and we were more than willing to grant their request.



Facade of Bibi Ka Maqbara, Aurangabad, India

The facade of Bibi Ka Maqbara was also fascinating. My eyes were filled and heart was satisfied to see these beautiful, historical structures.

3. Ajanta caves. Our second weekend was spent in Ajanta caves. To most visitors, Ajanta Caves are the better than Ellora caves (although both caves are UNESCO world heritage sites).

Wikipedia.org provides information about Ajanta Caves. According to the article, there are about 30 rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments which date from the 2nd century BCE to about 480 or 650 CE. The caves include paintings and sculptures described by the government Archaeological Survey of India as "the finest surviving examples of Indian art, particularly painting", which are masterpieces of Buddhist religious art, with figures of the Buddha and depictions of the Jataka tales.



Ajanta caves, Aurangabad

The caves were built in two phases starting around the 2nd century BCE, with the second group of caves built around 400–650 CE according to older accounts, or all in a brief period between 460 to 480 according to the recent proposals of Walter M. Spink. The site is a protected monument in the care of the Archaeological Survey of India, and since 1983, the Ajanta Caves have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

They are 100 kilometers(62.13 miles) from the Ellora Caves, which contain Hindu and Jain temples as well as Buddhist caves, the last dating from a period similar to Ajanta. The Ajanta Caves are cut into the side of a cliff that is on the south side of a U-shaped gorge on the small river Waghora (or Wagura), and although they are now along and above a modern pathway running across the cliff they were originally reached by individual stairs or ladders from the side of the river 35 to 110 feet below.



Paintings inside Ajanta caves, Aurangabad

The paintings inside the caves were really priceless. I cannot imagine how the ancient people did those paintings without modern tools like what we have right now. I truly appreciate and commend these people who made something that we can learn and enjoy in these modern times.

Thanks to all the people who made these historical and beautiful works of arts. I hope that they will be preserved and maintained so its not only us who can enjoy but the future generations as well.

 

Keep on following my travel blogs. Also,  for all your travel needs (airfare, hotel, cruise package, holiday packages, car rental and more), please visit wow amazing holiday website.