5 . I was hungry because after a full day of exploring the German town, I ate only a pizza. I’m comfortable travelling through a country where I don’t speak the language, but I would almost rather go hungry than sit in a restaurant eating alone.

After wandering around the town for hours, I finally chose an Italian restaurant that seemed friendly enough. I know I like traditional German food, but a plate of spaghetti for only six euros (欧元) was not to miss. So I nervously entered. As I stood there, I noticed all the happy families and friends eating together. The hostess found a small table for me next to the front entrance.

“Great,” I thought, “now people can look at this friendless traveller as they enter.” Then I started to wonder how many of the customers might mistake me for the hostess and how much this would interrupt my meal. Then a woman, whose name is now lost to memory, invited me to have dinner with her and her family. I couldn’t believe it! This was the German friendliness I had read about.

I walked to their table. I can be quite shy when talking to new people. I also started to wonder how this would work. The meal began awkwardly. The woman’s two children mostly stared at me.

Fortunately, the parents spoke enough English and I knew a little German. I came into this restaurant afraid of eating alone and I ended up happily.

6 . When searching for something fun and educational to do in Maryland, why not visit the Maryland Science Center? It is located at 601 Light Street, Baltimore. The ticket prices vary depending on ages, groups and the exhibits you choose. Click here for more information.

Introduction

The Maryland Science Center is basically a museum, but it gives everyone a chance to learn through experience and play, rather than just glance at an exhibit.

Activities

You can learn about various topics, including outer space, the human body, dinosaurs, electricity, marine (海洋的) biology, energy, and much more. You can also take part in the interactive activities, such as racing bubbles, digging for dinosaur fossils, using puzzle pieces to construct cars, and so much more.

The Davis Planetarium (天文馆)

At the Davis Planetarium, you can be back in a chair and look at the stars while still inside the Science Center. The stars will appear on the ceiling of the theatre as you watch them.

There are different shows to catch at the Davis Planetarium. You can learn about the galaxy and astronomy during the Dark Matters show. Learn about the stars and planets during the Sky Live show. The One World One Sky show allows children to explore the stars. The Live from the Sun show will teach you all about the hot sun.

The Kids Room

For children, they can’t miss the Kids Room. They will be able to play in a water area, construct dams and water towers, push buttons, ring doorbells, build with blocks, and more, and definitely they will learn a lot. In addition, there is also an area for kids of two years old and under, where they can crawl, walk and explore safely with soft toys.

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Yours,

Li Hua

9 . The Taj Mahal(泰姬陵)is a love story, a sad and beautiful one. If it didn’t exist, we would easily imagine that the story of its construction was simply a fairy tale. Three hundred years ago, there lived an Indian emperor called Shah Jahan. His wife was a beautiful and bright woman whom he loved greatly. Her title was Mumtazl

Mahal: its shortened form Taj Mahal, means “pride of the palace”. In the year 1630 this beloved wife of the emperor died. He was so brokenhearted that he thought of giving up his throne(王位). He decided out of his love for his wife, to build her the most beautiful tomb that he had ever seen.

He summoned the best artists and architects from India, Turkey, Persia and Arabia and finally, the design was completed. It took more than twenty thousand men working over a period of 18 years to build the Taj Mahal, one of the most beautiful buildings in the world.

The building itself stands on a marble platform 29 meters square and 6—7 meters high. Towers rise from each of the four comers. The Taj Mahal itself soars another 61 meters into the air. It is an eight-sided building made of white marble.

The emperor planned to build an identical(相同的)tomb of black marble for himself on the other side of the river connected by a silver bridge. However, his son put him into a prison in the palace before he could finish, and for the rest of his life, he could only gaze across river at the tomb of his beloved wife.

10 . Each time Chinese New Year is approaching, preparations are underway around the world. Here are some Chinatowns for those outside of China wishing to celebrate Chinese New Year.

London

Although it may not be as large or as long-built as others, having only become a center for the Chinese community during the 1950s, London’s Chinatown is a perfectly formed firework that knows how to welcome the new year with a bang. Decorated with red lanterns, previous years have seen shows with acrobatics (杂技), martial arts (武术), dances and operas nearby.

San Francisco

San Francisco’s Chinatown is perhaps the most famous in the USA. The city was the main entry point for Chinese who had crossed the Pacific to the USA during the early 19th century. Between Grant Avenue and Stockton Street, this historic area is a local treasure, attracting more visitors per year than the Golden Gate Bridge.

Bangkok

With an about 100-year-old history, the Thai capital’s Chinatown contains complex streets offering all kinds of tasty food, clothes and toys. Sunday Market days are such a good time to get the full atmosphere of the neighborhood. The area is also known for its gold dealers, whose shops line the road.

Port Louis

Founded in Port Louis, this Mauritian Chinatown shows the island nation’s rich cultural diversity. Built in the early years of the 20th century by settlers from China, its tiny shops and restaurants serve locals and visitors. During Spring Festival, the most exciting sight is the dragon dances on the Rue Royale where Chinese musicians and dancers perform the traditional dragon dances through the streets.

Melbourne

The Chinatown in Melbourne, Australia was formed with the Victorian “gold rush” in the mid-19th century. According to Reuters, Melbourne Chinatown is not only the oldest Chinatown in Australia, but also the longest in all cities in the Western world. Many architectural relics of that time are still preserved, making this street a corridor of traditional Chinese architecture.