1 . Fallingwater is a house built over a waterfall in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Frank Lloyd Wright, America’s most famous architect, designed the house in 1935. It instantly became famous, and today it is a National Historic Landmark.

▷Guided House Tour

This tour features all the major rooms of the house and lasts about one hour. Photography is not permitted during this tour. The Guided House Tour allows children six-year-old and older to enjoy the house with their parents.

Adults—$$ 20. 00 with advance purchase

—$$ 23.00 when purchased on site

Youth (ages 6~12)—$$ 14.00 with advance purchase

—$$ 17.00 when purchased on site

Daily from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, except Wednesday.

▷ In-Depth Tour

The tour is best if you desire a greater understanding of what Wright was seeking to create with his masterwork. The number of visitors on each tour is limited and photography is permitted for personal use only. Children eight years and older may accompany adults on this tour.

$ 65.00 per person (Available by advance ticket purchase only)

Daily from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

▷Sunset Tour

As afternoon turns to evening, the changing light allows you to see Fallingwater from an entirely new perspective. The number of visitors is limited and photography is permitted for personal use only. Children under nine-years-old are not permitted on this tour.

$ 110.00 per person (Available by advance ticket purchase only)

July and August—Daily at 4:45 pm

▷ Brunch Tour

The guests join their guide for brunch before they leave. Children nine years and older may accompany adults on this tour. Please allow three hours total for this experience.

$ 115.00 per person (Available by advance ticket purchase only)

Saturdays & Sundays at 9:00 am

3 . Nature has inspired many of the most fascinating designs around us, including those in architecture. Today, architects continue to explore ways to capture the beauty of natural forms, to mimic the way nature works or even to make natural organisms part of a building.

Art Science Museum, Singapore

People whose interest is exploring the relationship between art and science will enjoy Singapore’s Art Science Museum. The building was designed to show the connection between nature and the modern city environment in which it sits. Shaped to resemble a lotus flower, it appears to float above the waterfront promenade and the water that surrounds it. Its roof collects rainwater and channels it 35 meters down to a waterfall in the centre of the space. The water is then recycled through the building’s plumbing system. The building so truly captures the beauty of natural forms.

The Eastgate Centre, Harare

Harare’s Eastgate Centre is a superb example of biomimicry. To use biomimicry is to create structures based on natural forms and processes. Zimbabwean architect Mick Pearce was inspired to create the Centre while watching a nature documentary. The insects built mounds covered in little holes designed to allow air to move freely in and out of the mounds. In a similar way, the Eastgate Centre has a “skin” covered in holes. During the day, warm air is drawn into the building through the holes, cooling as it reaches the middle of the building. At night, the heat absorbed by the wall during the day warms the cool air, creating a comfortable temperature inside. The design reduces the need for traditional air conditioning and heating systems, so the building uses less energy and costs less to run.

The Algae House, Hamburg

The world’s first algae-powered building is in Hamburg, Germany. The surface of the apartment building is covered in panels that contain algae. In bright sunshine, they grow faster and provide shade. The panels also capture heat from the sun and convert it into energy that powers the building. And that’s not all — the algae inside the panels can be harvested and used to produce fuel. The building therefore not only responds to its environment and uses less energy, but also reduces damage to the environment by generating its own renewable energy.

Creating building such as these enables us to live in closer harmony with our environment. To meet the needs of today while protecting the world of tomorrow may be a challenge, but even the simplest organisms can help teach us how to achieve this.

4 . Sitting back in my seat, I can’t quite believe that I’m about to travel along the railway that many foreign experts claimed was “impossible”. The train has been racing along steadily since it left Xining. All this time, the song “Sky Railway” has been playing inside my head. The words “railways like massive dragons are winding among the mountains” seem particularly vivid as I travel across the “roof of the world”.

I was one of the people who came from all parts of China to work on this railway. Taking years to complete, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway is a record of all of our efforts to overcome the most difficult engineering challenges. How to protect the delicate ecosystem was among the top concerns.

The first landmark to catch my eye is the splendid Qingshuihe Bridge, the world’s longest bridge built over permafrost. Look! A group of Tibetan antelopes is moving under the bridge, with some stopping to eat grass at their leisure. Thirty-three passages have been built under the railway to allow the animals to move safely and freely in their natural habitat. Wild animals such as these Tibetan antelopes have now been using these passages for years. They seem totally unaware that we are speeding past at over 100 kilometers an hour.

To prevent damage to wetlands and grasslands, 675 bridges with a total length of about 160 kilometers were built between Golmud and Lhasa. We even moved 140,000 square meters of wetland to a new area in order to protect its distinct ecosystem.

The journey has been flying by, and before I know it, we have reached Tanggula Station. Located at over 5,000 meters above sea level, this is the highest railway station in the world. In locations such as this, the thin air, changeable weather and high levels of UV radiation presented perhaps the greatest challenge for railway workers. To make sure we stayed healthy, several oxygen-making stations were constructed. We were also able to enjoy regular breaks in lower areas.

As we pass Cuona Lake, I feel a sense of pride and achievement. Using thousands and thousands of sandbags, we built a twenty-kilometer wall along the lake to protect it from construction waste. Cuona Lake is so close to the railway that I want to reach out and touch its pale blue mirror-like surface. Water birds playing in the lake, and cattle and sheep wandering the grasslands bring the scenery to life.

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has been attracting people’s admiration for centuries. Now, thanks to our efforts, passengers from all over the country have been enjoying these magical landscapes. I am proud that we built our “impossible” railway, and did so with the care that the environment deserves. It truly is an extraordinary “Sky Railway”.

7 . Enjoy your stay in Louisiana

Plan you triptothe Sheraton Newreans Hotel.Weertravera well-placed downtown location,a variety of facilities,and accommodation in New Orleans,Louisiana.

*TRANSPORTATION

Airport Shuttle

Fee: 24 USD per person one way and 48 USD round trip

Tel: (877) 592-2226; reservation (预定) required

United Cab

Fee: 40-50 USD, depending on the number of guests and luggage

Te1: (504) 522-9771

*ROOMS

Guest Room

32 Square Meters

Each of our Guest Rooms reflects a contemporary, warm style and classic New Orleans charm. Located on floors 9-41, many of our rooms offer views of the Mississippi River and French Quarter. High-speed Internet access is available for a fee.

Sheraton Club Room

32 Square Meters

Our Sheraton Club Rooms are located on floors 42 and 45-49 and include access to the Club Lounge on the 42nd floor, where you can take in spectacular views of the Mississippi River and French Quarter. Sheraton Club Room guests also enjoy free bottled water and comfortable bathrobes (浴袍), High-speed Internet access is available for a fee.

*AT THIS HOTEL

Roux Bistro

While many of the world’s finest restaurants are located just outside of doors, you are guaranteed an extraordinary breakfast or lunch without having to leave the hotel. Using only the freshest local ingredients, our talented chefs (主厨) create an original experience second to none in a city famous for dining.

Cuisine (菜品): Local

Hours of operation: Daily: 6:30 am-2:00 pm

Atmosphere: Breakfast & Lunch

Outdoor Pool

Our outdoor pool is located on the 8th floor. The pool is open as weather permits. No lifeguard (救生员) is on duty. Seasonal offering includes a full food menu and bar service Friday — Sunday from 11 am — 6 pm as weather permits.

8 . Edinburgh is the world’s festival city. There are 12 festivals throughout the year, half of which are celebrated during the months of July and August.

Hundreds of thousands of people visit the Scottish capital during the summer.

Here are some of the events:

The Edinburgh International Festival

This is the original Edinburgh festival, which began in 1947. Actors, musicians, dancers and opera singers from all over the world perform to huge audiences. You need tickets for most events which take place in theatres around the city.

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe

This is the largest arts festival in the world with thousands of shows taking place across the city. More than 20,000 artists take part, as the festival is open to anyone. Visitors can choose from a huge variety of acts.

Join thousands of visitors and locals at the Royal Mile, Edinburgh’s main street, to watch all kinds of performers and shows.

The Edinburgh International Book Festival

The largest book festival in the world began in 1983 and takes place every year in Charlotte Square Gardens, in the center of Edinburgh. There are more than 700 events for children and adults who love books. You can meet many authors, talk to them, ask them to sign a book or listen to them talk about their stories. Children can listen to stories and watch illustrators (插图作者) draw pictures.

The Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

Music lovers come to this festival to enjoy music shows around the city. One of the highlights of this musical event is the street carnival (嘉年华), which is free to all. Artists perform street theatre, dance and circus shows in amazing costumes, and everyone can join in the dancing.

The first time I went abroad was when I went to London. It was in the summer holidays about five or six years ago and I went with my friends. The plane and train were quite expensive, so we decided to travel by coach.We left at five o'clock in the morning and the journey to London took about sixteen hours.

We stayed in London for three days, in a youth hostel（青年旅社）not far from the centre. My friends and I had a big room on the top floor.The beds were not very comfortable and the bathroom was very small but it had a wonderful view overlooking the Thames.

While we were in London we walked a lot. First, we went to see all the famous attractions: Big Ben, Piccadilly Circus,and Buckingham Palace.Then we went shopping in Oxford Street.On the last day my friends and I went to Camden Market.You can buy all kinds of jewellery and clothes there. I bought a silver ring for my sister. It was really sunny in the afternoon, so we went to watch a football game. Unfortunately, I think the ring fell out of my pocket during the game,and I had to buy another one.

I really enjoyed visiting London although the youth hostel was not perfect.Next time, I will stay at the Ritz but I will ever feel as excited as I did that first time.