Discover China

Once again I have the privilege of  experiencing Lunar New Year and the Chinese Spring festival in China, this time in Shenzhen. The New Year was welcomed last night with the annual New Year Gala which has a massive nation-wide audience. You can watch video from the spectacular gala on the CCTV website.

Shenzhen saw a spectacular fireworks display at midnight, and city streets, shops and buildings are adorned with lanterns and other New Year decorations (as shown at left).

Our August 2009 trip to Henan, Anhui and Zhejiang provinces was fantastic – amazing ancient villages, stunning mountain scenery, beautiful lakes, excellent shopping and dining, and of course the friendly Chinese people.

Our trip began in Zhengzhou, capital city of Henan province. There we visited the nearby Shaolin Temple and the Yellow River Scenic Area. After that we travelled to Anhui province to visit capital city Hefei, the ancient villages of Xidi and Hongcun, beautiful Huangshan (Yellow Mountain), and the Yangze River city of Wuhu. We also briefly visited Qiandao lake and Hangzhou city in Zhejiang province, and finished the trip with a return visit to Xiangcheng Henan.

For the story of the trip see My China Trips – Henan, Anhui, Zhejiang 2009 and photos see the Galleries.

In less than a week I will be back in China again. I can’t wait—the last few days before the flight seem like an eternity! We will again visit Shenzhen briefly, then fly to Zhengzhou, capital of Henan. There we plan to visit the nearby Shaolin Temple, and also Yuntai Mountain. After that we travel to Anhui province to visit capital Hefei, the Yangze River city of Wuhu, Huangshan (Yellow Mountain) and nearby historic villages. We will finish the trip with visit to Xiangcheng Henan. Look for the story and photos here.