17th-March One-day trip to Qi Bao Old Street

Located in the center of Minhang District of Shanghai, only 18 kilometers (11.18 miles) from the downtown area, Qibao Ancient Town can satisfy your curiosity about ancient water townships without the bother of either long distance or the rush of crowds. As the only ancient town forming part of greater Shanghai, with a history spanning over one thousand years, Qibao is more than just a living fossil of ancient Chinese conurbation and urban planning. The town was built in Northern Song Dynasty (960-1126) and grew into a prosperous business center during Ming (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasties (1644-1911). Qibao is the Chinese for 'seven treasures' and there are two popular theories about its derivation. The more reliable one says that the name originates from the Qibao Temple, famed for its good reputation.It was this that contributed to the growth of business and culture of the previously unknown town. The other theory seems more popular among the local people who tell folk tales about seven treasures.. These were an iron Buddha made in Ming Dynasty,a bronze bell also dating from the Ming Dynasty but said to have mysteriously appeared from nowhere, a Gold Script Lotus Sutra written by an imperial concubine of the 10th century, a one-thousand-year-old Chinese catalpa tree, a jade axe, a gold cockerel and a pair of jade chopsticks. Actually of these seven treasures, the existence of only first four can be verified while only the Scripture and the bell have survived to this day.

Rate: Free

Departure: At 10:30 am in (HongKong Plaza: middle huai hai Road near south huang pi Road)

Last registration date: 9th-March-07

21st-April Two-days excursion to Yixing city

Yixing is stituated in the Yangtze River Delta, southern Jiangsu Privince, in the western of Taihu Lake (Wuxi is located in the northern of Taihu Lake; Suzhou is located in the eastern of Taihu Lake), and in the center of the three big cities, Shanghai, Nanjing and Hangzhou . It covers 2,000 square kilometres, with the population of 1.06 million and it is the famous “land flowing with milk and honey” along the shore of Taihu Lake.

Yixing is a well-known pottery capital of our country and also a tourist city of the Taihu Lake scenic Spot. It enjoys high reputation both home and abroad for its famous title of “the ancient pottery capital, the world of caves, oasis of tea and the sea of bamboo forest”. Shimmering green hills, clear azure water, bamboo forests, tea plantation------ this is the picturesque scenery of Yixing. Pottery making in Yixing has a long history-----about 5,000 years, achieving renown during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Especially the purple pottery, polychrome pottery, refined pottery, five golden flowers pottery are well-known for its design and craftsmanship. Yixing pottery products are unique. Generations of experienced craftsman have created increasingly delicate pot, bottle, disc, cup, especially teapot (various styles with special features). All these products are simple but colorful and are well-known for its artistic design and craftsmanship. People want to own them once upon they look at them for the first time. Besides their beautiful appearance, their practical function is also interesting and novel. If pouring the boiled water in the teapot, the water doesn’t become cold easily in winter and too hot in summer. Therefore, people from all over the world all consider them as treasure.

Yixing lies in north subtropics area and is rich in raining which brings about the formation of limestone caverns. There are more than 80 KARST caverns, among which Shanjuan cavern, Zhanggong cavern, Lingu cavern, Muni cavern and Xishi cavern are most famed and have opened to the visitors from home and abroad. Yixing is also famous for bamboo plantation. When the wind whistles over the bamboo forests, it looks like the waving ocean, which brings about the name “ocean of bamboo”.

Rate: 800 RMB

Transportation

Accommodation

Entrance Tickets: Shanjuan Cave, Bamboo ocean and Yixing Purple clay museum,

Lunch & Dinner of 21st-April and Breakfast & Lunch of 22nd-April

Time: 21st-April-07 to 22nd- April-07

Last registration date: 26th-March-07

17th/Aug-19/Aug Qingdao Beer Festival trip

This Beer festival, one of the biggest booze-ups in Asia, has been held every year since 1991, and aims to promote friendship and encourage economic and cultural exchanges between the people of Qingdao and visitors from all over China, Asia and further field. If you are a serious drinker or a casual weekend enthusiast, you'll see the best of China's beer drinking culture at the event.

There's a large variety of beer to sample, from all over Asia and Europe, as well as some American and African brands. The many performances are sometimes hilarious, such as the beer drinking competition. Who can chug a bottle of Qingdao beer the fastest? You'd be surprised that often times it's the ladies who excel at this admirable skill.

Shandong Cuisine
Being among the the 8 major cuisine traditions in China, it has grown into the representative of northern Chinese food. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Shandong cuisine became the principle part of royal diets. Qingdao Shandong Cuisine restaurants are known for preparing dishes with various seafoods, delicate aromas, and pure flavor.

Qingdao sightseeing
One of the first reasons for a visit to this part of Shandong would be for the numerous and impressive beaches that run along the coast. In total Qingdao has 6 beaches, of various size, cleanliness and attraction, including what is claimed to be the largest bathing beach in Asia, the Number One Beach. The beaches are good for China, fairly clean (without a close inspection of the water) and not overly full, except in peak season and during National holidays.

For those of a more active disposition just a short bus ride from Qingdao lies Laoshan, since ancient times known as "Home of the Immortals". Bordering the sea, this mountain is famed for its peak spires, piled ridges, amazing rocks and deep gullies. The mountain is also a favorite Taoist sanctuary and a proliferation of Taoist inscriptions and temples are scattered about. The Taiqing Palace, a Song Dynasty monastery, is perhaps the oldest and most impressive of these sights.

Time: From 17th-Auguest (Evening) to 19th –August (Evening) 2007
Rate (3200RMB/person) includes:
Accommodation (2 nights 4 Stars Hotel, Breakfast include)
Return air-tickets (Shanghai-Qingdao, Qiaodao-Shanghai)
Bus in Qingdao
Sightseeing entrance ticket
End Registration: 7th-July-2007