Almost 400 Xinjiang scenic spots offer free admission during the Spring Festival

Near four hundred A-class scenic spots in Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region offer free admission to travelers during the Spring Festival holidays,     1    February 10 to 24, a move to further embrace the ice and snow tourism boom across China over the upcoming major festival holiday.

Xinjiang also introduced     2    series of high-quality travel routes and key cultural activities during the Spring Festival holidays. During the Spring Festival     3    Lantern Festival,     4    (vary)cities in Xinjiang will host a total of 724 key cultural     5    (event) showcasing local customs, folk traditions, and cultural heritage. There will be 221 tourism-related activities in total.

Local scenic areas have     6    (quick) moved to capitalize on(利用) market trends like the ice and snow boom and continuously launched marketing events     7    (expand) related consumption, attracting consumers from across the country and even globally.

The surge(激增) in ice and snow tourism,     8     started from the New Year holiday, or even earlier, has already brought benefits of consumption     9    (recover) to China, from Harbin in Northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province to Sanya in South China’s Hainan province.

In the whole year of 2023, tourism in Xinjiang also     10    (achieve) rapid growth. As the Chinese Lunar New Year holidays approach, it is expected that the tourism market nationwide will continue to see a relatively big boom.

2 . 4 places in the Midwest that look like they could be in Europe

If an expensive overseas trip isn’t in the cards for you right now, don’t worry. Take a road trip from Chicago and check out these Mid-western tourist spots that look like they’re straight out of a European postcard．

★Niles, Illinois

If you visit a square at 6300 W. Touhy Avenue, you’ll find a pleasantly European surprise — a half-sized copy of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Constructed in1934 to hide a water tower, the Leaning Tower of Niles stands 94 feet tall with a 7. 4-foot tilt which looks like the Italian one．

★Lindsborg, Kansas

Originally settled by Swedish immigrants, Lindsborg’s Scandinavian culture remains clear through public art and Swedish specialty shops, so prepare to collect Scandinavia n clothes, cookies, and wine. Best of all are the town’s yearly Scandinavian celebrations, where you’ll find various Swedish traditions．

★Frankenmuth, Michigan

Lovingly called “Little Bavaria”, this central Michigan town look like they’ve been transported straight out of a Franconian village. For the full Bavarian experience, you can stop by one of its restaurants for traditional German food. You can also learn a little more about the town’s Franconian origins．

★New Glarus, Wisconsin

Many people in Chicago know New Glarus for its brewery. Take a walk there and you’ll soon realize why it’s called “Little Switzerland”. Named after the big city of Glarus in Switzerland, New Glarus’ wooden houses, Swiss restaurants and museums, and gently hilled landscapes make for an almost Alpine（阿尔卑斯山的）experience．

4 . Are you a fan of outdoor adventures? Do you enjoy scenic views to relax? Look no further, as the following destinations offer all that and more.

Athabasca Falls

Alberta, Canada

Water from the Canadian Rockies flows down into the waterfalls of Jasper National Park, creating a flow with wild energy. The falls are wheelchairs accessible, with a paved path taking admirers to a number of viewpoints. If visitors leave the path, they can explore both the upper and lower regions of the trail.

Akaka Falls Trail

Hakalau, Hawaii

A short half-mile hike is big on sights and low on hard activity. The well-kept ring like trail guide visitors around to see a number of waterfalls, including the 442-foot main attraction, and beautiful local flora (植物群) among the famous landscape. Though there are no hills to climb, there are a number of stairways to go.

Nugget Falls

Juneau, Alaska

Located in Tongass National Forest about 12 miles from Juneau, the Mendenhall Glacier has produced Nugget Falls, a fan-like waterfall that leads into a lake. A series of short hikes allows for different views of the waterfall and icy surrounds, which are also known for frequent brown bear sightings.

Yosemite Falls

Yosemite Valley, California

Yosemite National Park is one of the oldest national parks in America and home to the fifth tallest waterfall in the world. Hikers can reach it by taking a 1-mile trail from the lodge or the 7.2-mile round-trip Yosemite Falls Trail route. Late spring is best, with the highest water flow. In the winter, the temperatures dip below freezing. A park admission fee applies.

7 . During this holiday, my family took a trip to Tanzania. Getting there was really an adventure! We took fifteen different planes. The ride was difficult, but the scenery was amazing. When we arrived, the time difference was difficult to deal with, but after a few nights I got used to it. We stayed in a safari resort (游猎度假村). There were all kinds of noises. But they weren’t ones I was used to hearing; the noises came from animals and insects.

On our first day, we saw a herd of giraffes and two rhinos (犀牛). Our guide Mishi told us that the two black rhinos had been caught and brought here because they were in danger of dying out due to poachers (偷猎者), who wanted them for their horns (角). The two rhinos are not in a zoo but in guarded pens (牲畜栏) of about 100 acres.

The next day, Mishi took us to a river. In it, there are big crocodiles (鳄鱼) and even bigger hippos. After we took pictures, Mishi brought us to a suspension (悬挂) bridge. My family was very nervous about crossing it after seeing what was in the river and there was a sign saying “No more than one person on the bridge each time”. Mishi finally promised us that it was not dangerous, and she was right! We all made it to the other side in one piece.

After we explored a little in the area, we found a long line of ants. I noticed that a few were bigger than the others and these bigger ants were walking next to the line, as if keeping the others in order. Mishi told us that they were called Army Ants and were used by old Tanzanian tribes (部落) for medical treatment. They could live with nature harmoniously.

After many days of fun and great adventure, our trip was over. I am looking forward to going back someday.

8 . Four Best Hikes in the World

There's nothing like getting out and getting some fresh air on a hike. No matter whether your idea of a hike is a leisure walk or climbing the highest mountain on Earth, we've got you covered. Below are four best hikes in the world.

Torres del Paine W Circuit

Location (位置): Patagonia. Chile

Distance: 37 + miles

Time: 5~6 days

Best time to go: October to January

The W Circuit is one of the most recommended hikes you'll find. Not only will you appreciate the diverse landscapes and striking granite pillars (花岗岩柱子), but you'll probably meet some new friends along the way.

Grand Canyon Rim - to - Rim Hike

Location: Arizona, the United States

Distance: 48 miles

Time: 1~3 days

Best time to go: May to June, September to October

There's no better way to experience one of the greatest wonders in the world. Located in one of the USA's most beautiful parks, the views are absolutely appealing. Just make sure you're prepared for the challenge.

Trek to Petra

Location: Jordan

Distance: 47 miles

Time: 5~ 6 days

Best time to go: October to April

Take the road less traveled through the Kingdom of Jordan and experience one of the seven wonders of the world. Hike through canyons, gorges and ridges, and see tombs and temples along the way all while avoiding crowds of tourists.

Yosemite Grand Traverse

Location: California, the United States

Distance: 60 miles

Time: 6~7 days

Best time to go: July to September

Known for some of the best hiking in the world, Yosemite National Park is famous for its views and huge sequoia (红杉) trees. Praised by National Geographic, the Yosemite Grand Traverse will take you through waterfalls and green mountaintops.

9 . Prague is one of Europe's most magical cities with its postcard views. To experience the best of Prague, we've put together a walking guide to help you explore the city. Choosing this self-guided tour means that you can do it at your own pace.

Vrtba Garden

One of Prague's most beautiful and precious gardens. The garden dates back to 1720 with its old school Italian baroque style. This is one of Prague's lesser known attractions so you may not find many tourists around, but it's well worth the visit and a great way to start your walking tour of Prague.

Address: Kamelitsksá, 373/25, 118 00 Praha 1-Malá Strana, Czechia

Saint Nicholas Church

The most famous church in Prague is the Saint Nicholas Church. Three generations of great architects took around 100 years to build this magnificent church. The church remains active to this day, so why not go and have a close look at the church?

Address: Malostranské nám., 118 00 Praha I-Malá Strana, Czechia

Prague Castle

Situated on a hill on the left bank of river Vitava, the Prague Castle is roughly the size of seven football fields, which is the largest ancient castle in the world, so there's a lot to see. The Prague Castle has been rebuilt many times through the centuries, so it is an obvious mix of architectural styles.

Address: 119 08 Prague 1, Czechia

Lennon Wall

The wall is not just a memorial for John Lennon and his ideas for peace. It speaks highly of freedom of speech and is a form of non-violent rebellion of Czech youth who fought against   authorities during 1980.

Address: Velkopřevorské náměstí, 100 00 Praha 1, Czechia