1 . Coming into the town of Santa Catarina Palopó, in the highlands of Lake Atitlan in Guatemala, the first thing you notice is the bright colors. Most of the buildings along the main street are eye-catching, deep blues and greens, dotted with red and yellow to form diverse patterns and designs.

Santa Catarina Palopó was once a sleepy town of 5, 000 people, most of them dependent on agricultural work. But as agriculture began to dry up here, poverty came. To deal with poverty and promote econ on growth through tourism, a small but creative group of laborers, artisans, domestic workers and stay-at-home moms created the Pintando Santa Catarina Palopó project.

The project aimed to paint all 850 homes and buildings in bright colors to change the hillside town into a work of art. “We wanted to paint the houses with colors and figures that represent the community” says the project’s executive director Stephany Blanco. “Families can choose designs for their house that are representative of the family.”

One of the most representative characteristics of the region is the blue huipil, a traditional blouse which has been worn commonly by local women since the 16th century. That deep sky blue was chosen the primary color-for the Pintando project, with secondary colors found in the sunsets and the nearby lake to make the design more attractive. Inspiration was also found in local culture, symbols such as volcanoes, flowers, and the national bird of Guatemala.

Each week, local artists, community members and tourists pick up paintbrushes to make buildings colorful. “At first, the idea of the project was uncertain, but now you can see a considerable difference in the town,” Melissa Whitbeck said. “The color of the buildings is believed to improve the quality-of life of the people. It uplifts the people’s mood and encourages them to be proud of their hometown.”

Cusco is a popular destination for     1     (tourist), because of its unique place in the history of South America. Cusco     2     (be) the capital city of the Inca Empire     3     was the most powerful in South America until the 1500s. There are two     4     (especial) interesting things to admire about the Inca     5     (civilize). The first is the roads and paths they built     6     (connect) their important cities. These Inca roads were made     7    of two north-south high ways and many small roads crossing the mountains east to west. The roads were for soldiers and their     8     (office). Second, the Incas built wonderful cities full of     9     (amaze) architecture-but there were no markets in these cities. One of     10     (interest) questions of history is how the Incas lived without shopping.

Rising up in the countryside of Jiangxi Province, Mount Lushan was once one of the famous cultural     1     (center) of ancient China. In fact, its historical importance meant that it     2     (honor) as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996.

Located about 20 kilometres south of Jiujiang City, it runs eastwards to the Mufu Mountains. Dahanyang Peak, the highest peak of Mount Lushan,     3     (rise) 1, 474 metres above sea level. To the north, it offers    4     (impress) views of the Yangtze River, while to, the south it overlooks Poyang Lake.

As early as the Eastern Han Dynasty, a well-known Taoist leader,     5     (name) Zhang Daoling travelled to the mountain. During the Jin Dynasty, the Donglin Temple was built on the mountain by a person called Huiyuan. From then on, many temples began coming up across the mountain, until there were over 300 of them.

However, Mount Lushan didn’t become truly famous until the Song Dynasty. During that time, it was rebuilt by Zhu Xi,    6    was the founder of Neo-Confucianism (理学). Due    7     his efforts, this place became one of the Four Great Academies of China. By the 19th century, it had become into an     8     (extreme) large place, with its own temples, study halls, and libraries. Overtime, countless writers and artists have sung the mountain’s praises,    9     (leave) over 900 works of art.

Nowadays, with its beautiful l views and famous temples, the mountain range is     10     popular tourist attraction.

9 . Amazing China in 60 Seconds is a short-video series covering cultural and scenic hotspots across the country. If you are curious about China, then here are two selections from the series .

Tibet autonomous region in Southwest China, home to the highest highland on Earth, is known as the “roof of the world”. It’s a paradise for tourists with its towering snow mountains, vast grasslands, quiet and peaceful lakes and breathtaking views. Must-visit places include the Potala Palace — a UNESCO world heritage site, Mount Qomolangma, Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon and more.

Tibet is also famed for its rich ethnic culture, including the Tibetan dance, age-old thangka painting and Lum medicinal bathing of Sowa Rigpa — traditional Tibetan bathing for a medical purpose which was put onto the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2018.

East China’s Jiangsu province is a land of abundance where the symphony (交响乐)of the mountains and rivers echoes (回响). The hustle and bustle (熙熙攘攘) of daily life reflects its prosperity, and running rivers define its magic beauty.

Jiangsu province is home to several UNESCO world heritages sites, including the Classical Gardens of Suzhou, the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum in Nanjing and part of the Grand Canal. Jiangsu is also known for its graceful Chinese-style gardens, water towns, the Kunqu Opera and Nanjing brocade — an age-old silk handicraft that represents the highest achievement in silk weaving in China.

Machu Picchu Tour

This four-day     1     (walk) tour will take you on     2     (amaze) paths through the Andes Mountains on the way to the city of Machu Picchu. After reaching your destination, you will have a day     3     (explore) and be amazed by this ancient city.     4     (Especial) amazing is the Incas’ dry stone method of building. Inca builders cut stones to exact sizes so that nothing     5     (need) to hold walls together other than the perfect fit of the stones.