I’m glad to hear that you’ll visit China this summer vacation! Knowing that you’re amazing at traditional China, I’d like to recommend my most favourite city, Suzhou to you.

Suzhou, referring as the Venice of the East, is an attractively city located in the southeast of Jiangsu Province. It had been listed by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage. The Classical Gardens are the symbol of the city, there you can have better understanding of China. Because these gardens are not large, they’re unique to their designs. It bring together the beauty of nature, architecture and painting.

I believe you will enjoy your time in Suzhou.

Yours,

Lihua

3 . Who says you have to stay indoors when the temperatures drop? Here are favourite places to explore this winter.

Athens, Greece

In Athens, every November temperatures stay around the mid-20s, so have a trip to the Parthenon and Acropolis. A full afternoon is also necessary for exploring the Museum of Cycladic Art and its exhibitions — recently it has hosted Picasso’s.

In the streets of the Pysrri district is a hidden hole in the wall, from which one can go down to the basement restaurant, Diporto.

Huaraz, Peru

To some, Peru gives people images of students in printed shorts on a tour of Machu Picchu. There’s obviously so much more to do in the UNESCO World Heritage (遗产) site. Any hike through the surrounding Huascaran National Park will make you feel like you’ve stepped into The Lord of the Rings.

April and November are considered “shoulder season”, which means fewer clear days but you can enjoy the trails (路线) with fewer people.

Edinburgh, UK

Yes, it’s probably going to be freezing cold. Hot coffee steam up in a pleasing, romantic fashion in cafes. People can take a few minutes’ walk from the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.

For simple Scottish dishes there’s neighbourhood inn, the Little Chartroom. And the Sheep Heid Inn has been long enough to have served Mary, Queen of Scots. In the eight bedrooms at the 18th century Rock House, each is a mixture of ancient details and current fashion.

Valletta, Malta

Flights from the UK to Malta’s capital are only around £30, making it one of the best destinations for a November trip. This tiny city has a temperature of 17 or so and has changed itself into a year-round city break with artistic cafes, hotels and newly opened galleries — Muza opened last year and houses the former National Gallery collection.

5 . Is there a place that you have a strong desire to visit before you are too old to travel? If so, you’re in my shoes. The following places are where I desire to visit very much and most probably your best choices.

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

The region is famous for its amazing natural beauty. Many 5A scenic areas and geological(地质的)parks are located there. The park not only has natural wonders, such as strange looking peaks and a thick forest, but also rich animal and plant resources. Tourists can feel like stepping into a natural botanic(植物)garden and kingdom of animals. After visiting here, one will realize the great natural beauty of our world.

The Rainbow Mountains

These geographical(地理的)wonders look as if they were painted with a giant paintbrush. The bright colors stand obviously among the surrounding green plants. Wild as it is, these mountains are a part of our world in China’s Zhangye Danxia Landform Geological Park. This wild variety of color does exist in the real world. No Photoshop is necessary for the natural beauty of these mountains.

Bora bora.

This place offers the chance to live like a native Polynesian. The clear open sky and the calm waters offer you the unique opportunity to observe how the native people lead a life nearby the sea. Many holiday centers are built here and offer different tours and experiences.

The Galapagos Islands.

The islands consist of 13 volcanic(火山的)islands and six smaller islands. Although known for Darwin’s visit, they’re more attractive than you might imagine. There are 900 species of animals found on these islands. 200 of these species are specific(特有的)to the Galapagos. Most travelers come to this lovely place for the specific wildlife here.

6 . At the foot of the Tianmu Mountain in Zhejiang, a homestay (民宿) is attracting travelers from far and wide, which has won architectural medal at the 2021 German iF Design Awards.

The owners of the homestay are a couple in their late 30s who decided to return to their hometown three years ago. Li Xiumei used to be in charge of a division at a company in Hangzhou, and her husband was a sales director. It was an ordinary situation where Li’s husband was on business trips a lot and Li still worked on weekends. City life sometimes is not easy.

In 2018, they quit jobs and went back to Dongtianmu village, which lies in a forest of bamboo. The first time they drove into the village was one late afternoon. The cooking smoke was rising from the foot of the mountain, which gave them a very different feeling from the city.

The homestay was built beside her husband’s old countryside house. The old house is preserved (保留), while a brand-new building was built on its side and the whole site is made up of four courtyards. It has been updated to have a hall, a tea room, a kitchen, a dining room. Japanese cherry trees are planted in the east courtyard. A swimming pool is placed in the west courtyard, with a bar located on one side.

Li and her husband love gardening and music, and their new home gives them enough space to continue their interests and relax in the heart of nature. Li wants to share the quiet country life, so she makes her new home a homestay. In 2019, the homestay became an online hit after guests shared their experiences on social media. “The longer I stay here, the more I feel it was the right choice to come back, and this is more meaningful than making money,” Li says.

9 . Are you Looking for a museum off the beaten path? Try these places.

Bata Shoe Museum

The Bata Shoe Museum opened in 1995 on the premise(前提) that “footwear is a source of delight and reflection of human history”. The space was designed by Raymond Moriyama. Permanent collection includes 12000 pairs of shoes and artifacts. Notable shoes are those belonging to Marilyn Monroe, Princess Diana, Elton John and Madonna.

Campbell House

Campbell House was built in 1822 by Sir William Campbell – chief justice of Upper Canada from 1825-1829. Campbell lived in the house for 12 years before he died. The house was occupied by various other families and used for various other uses (vinegar factory, glassworks). In 1972 in order to preserve the building, the Advocate’s Society moved from its location on Adelaide St to its current home at Queensland University. The building was restored to be as historically accurate as possible.

Gibson House Museum

The Gibson House Museum is an example of Georgian architecture. It was built in the mid 19th century as a farm house for David Gibson – a member of the Legislative Assembly. After being used as a boarding house for many years, the building interior was restored. The museum has a hands -on “discovery gallery” with interactive（互动的）games and exhibits. On weekends workshops are offered on cooking, desserts, breads and preserves.

Black Creek Pioneer Village

Black Creek is a recreation of a Victorian Farm with buildings moved and reconstructed from around Ontario. The result is a 1860s Ontario village. Exhibits demonstrate how domestic tasks were completed before modern technology. Activities include spinning, baking, and a history lesson.

Historical interpreters dress in the clothing of the period and answer visitors’ questions. Favorite destinations in the village include the farm, doctor’s house, and the mill. At the historic brewery, beer is brewed using all natural ingredients. The restaurant serves meals using locally sourced ingredients. On site are also areas for concerts and gift shop. Black Creek is operated by the Toronto and Region Conservation (TRCA).

10 . 1. Macao Tower AJ Hackett Bungee Jump

The Macao Tower,338. meters tall, is the world’s 10th highest tower, with a variety of activities, such as gambling, eating and entertainment. One of the famous activities is the bungee jump. The AJ Hackett Macao Tower Bungee Jump is 233 meters high, making it a Guinness World Record as the highest commercial bungee jump in the world. Raise your arms and off you go! If you are not daring enough to jump that height, you can try the skywalk on the 57th floor-it’s still remarkable. Grab this chance and tick off this item on your bucket list.

2. Grab a traditional Portuguese dinner

Macao was colonized by Portugal before 1999. As a result, Portuguese culture is deeply into many corners of Macao. Many Portuguese settled and opened Portuguese restaurants in the special administrative region, but the flavor is more adaptable to Chinese people.

3. Visit a museum

Macao, as a tiny little city with only an area of 30. 5 square kilometers, has 23 eye-catching museums. Due to its unique history, both Eastern and Western historical sites can be found. Many of them are preserved for cultural heritage, tourist spots or museums, such as the Grand Prix Museum, Maritime Museum and Wine Museum.

4. Selfie (自拍) at the Ruins of St. Paul

The Ruins of St. Paul is the signature landmark of Macao. The ruins consist of the St. Paul’s College and the Church of St. Paul, built in 1583. However, after three fires in 1595, 1601 and1835, the church was seriously damaged. Surprisingly, after the rebuilding and fires, the huge front part and the front stairway remain unburned.