Going for Gold in Beijing...
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The world’s eyes are on Beijing as this city prepares, amidst great controversy over air pollution and human rights issues, for the influx of Olympic competitors and spectators. I found it to be a beautiful city, possibly because of the grandeur of Tiananmen Square (The Gate of Heavenly Peace), located right in the centre of Beijing City, where the Great Hall of the People, the Monument to the People’s Heroes and the Mao Zedong Memorial Hall flank three sides of the square. The Mao Zedong Hall is where this ruthless visionary who united a fractured people and inspired revolution beyond China, lies in a crystal coffin surrounded by fresh bouquets of various famous flowers and grasses.
There is always an endless queue of the devoted waiting to pay him homage! For me the most fascinating part of Tiananmen Square is the north end, the front door to the Forbidden City built in 1417 by the Ming Dynasty. This is where the rulers of the day lived out a life of treachery, decadence and rules.
Court life was strictly organized into routines, protocols and ceremonies. By the end of the 18th Century approximately 9000 people lived within the Forbidden City, composed of guards, servants, eunuchs, concubines, and the Royal Family. Everything was symbolic in nature, so can you imagine a closed world of brightly painted wood; stone floors covered by brilliant yellow carpets, incense burners perfuming the air, kingfisher feathers and painted scenes decorating the walls, flower arrangements adorning the room and numerous courtiers, eunuchs and concubines dressed in swishing silks and heavy embroideries…they all had their parts to play on this lavish stage of hedonism!
So once the hype of the games has died down consider a visit to this fascinating city, not to mention the Great Wall combined with a couple of days in Shanghai, China’s cosmopolitan city. The ‘hotspot’ of modern China: a city buzzing with the concept of ‘lifestyle revolution’ showcased in the architectural temples of art, fine dining and contemporary urban living on the ‘Bund’.
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The Road slightly less traveled… Mysterious Madagascar
Madagascar offers something different for every adventurous traveller. Idling the time away on palm fringed sun-baked beaches, hiking pristine rainforests in search of lemurs, climbing bizarre rock formations or canoeing down a river?
You're spoilt for choice here...
This two-week trip takes in the very best of Madagascar, the world’s fourth largest island. You’ll walk through pristine rainforests harbouring some of the most interesting creatures to be found anywhere in Africa, stop in intriguing and picturesque villages to meet the local people, and also have the opportunity to snorkel in the azure blue waters of the inviting Indian Ocean.
Enigmatic Ethiopia
Travelling in Ethiopia is not every discerning traveller’s cup of chai; there is not much of a tourist infrastructure and taking your blackberry or palmtop along with you may be a waste of time as checking your emails will probably take as long as your holiday! But the landscape is splendid, the people are welcoming and the sense of history is tangible and there certainly won’t be the crowd one so hates when visiting popular destinations. Ethiopia is truly a land of discovery. Brilliant and beautiful, secretive, mysterious and extraordinary, above all things, it is a country of great antiquity, with a culture and traditions dating back more than 3,000 years.
Zambia's Victoria Falls
David Livingstone Safari Lodge & Spa is located on the banks of the mighty Zambezi River with the Victoria Falls as a spectacular backdrop to this new and exclusive Lodge and Spa. This colonial styled structure offers 72 well appointed hotel rooms and 5 loft suites, which accommodate a total of 154 guests in four star style. A state of the art conference centre, tropical swimming pool, restaurant and bar are available to guests. There are a combination of activities, such as game drives, helicopter flights over Victoria Falls, Zambezi River cruises, white water rafting, canoe safari's, Bungi jumping, lion encounters and elephant back safari's guaranteeing guests a spectacular safari experience. Or you can simply enjoy the view from the hotel swimming pool and watch the activities of elephant, hippo and crocodile as they go about their daily business on the river.
Marvellous Maputo
Maputo is an inspiring recovery from a devastating past. Breakaway for a weekend in this colourful city, where you will find, great restaurants serving the legendary peri peri prawns, a bustling market, charming colonial architecture, colourful local cultures. Staying at the Holiday Inn Maputo is the perfect position as it is magnificently situated on the beachfront, the Avenida da Marginal, which overlooks the glistening Indian Ocean.
Computravel have over 400 packages for you to choose from, this is just a soupcon of the worldwide destinations featured on the site. Indulge in a mug of hot chocolate and browse for a holiday best suited to your individual needs. Our travel consultants are expert at planning and putting together a unique itinerary for your dream holiday, whether it is through the vineyards of Chile or a Patagonian cruise, experiencing Cambodia and visiting the awe-inspiring Angkor Wat Temple we will source it and make it happen just for you!
Go Well!
Lindsay Quail