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.

7 . 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).

8 . 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.

Nobody wants to be aged, but     1     it comes to visiting cities, most of us want to visit the world’s oldest cities. Luoyang is one of the oldest and most     2     (attract) cities in the world that I’d like to recommend to you.

Luoyang stands out       3     the oldest continually inhabited(有人居住的) city in Asia. The city is considered to be     4     birthplace of Chinese culture and history as well as being one of the Seven Ancient Capitals of China. There       5     (be) no other city in China that has seen so many         6     (dynasty) like Luoyang.

With such a long and       7     (excite) history, Luoyang has really a lot to offer. The Longmen Grottoes, which       8     (include) on the World Heritage List in 2000, and many historic Buddhist temples constant attract tourists from all over the world. Luoyang is also famous for the White Horse Temple, the     9    (early) Buddhist temple       10     (build) in China. Are you anxious to visit the city?

One of the most     1     (relax) way to travel is a cruise. I went    2    a voyage with my family right before I started college.It was so enjoyable    3    when it came time to head home, I didn’t want to leave. A cruise was pretty much everything I thought it would be.But who would have known that could be so     4     (many)fun!

Everything is     5     (take) care of for you, and you just need to show up for dinner. You can enjoy amazing food in the ship’s many dining rooms and have     6     wonderful ocean view every day. It was filled with buffets, lots of drinking, and large amounts of time at the pool.

You can experience     7       (usual) local cultures when the ship stops at different seaside destinations . Of course, if the ship stays at a city for several days, you can even check in at a local hotel for a few nights, so you can see more of the local     8       (sight).

Not only did I find the whole experience fascinating and a great opportunity to people-watch, but I actually liked being on the ship itself. I was     9     (determine) to step foot on another cruise ship after     10       (graduate)from college.