How many “wonders of the world” are there?
By Rob
Clement
Updated February 2007
How may wonder of the world can
you name? Let’s name some of those you can see in China.
The Great Wall is one of the
oldest. For some they think that the great wall is just a wall in a
flat countryside. They think the wall just goes on and on for mile
after mile. The wall does go on for mile after mile and some areas it
is in need of some restoration. At Badaling you can see just how steep
it is and how it follows the contours of the land. At one point the
wall stops and you have to take a track outside the wall and realize
that the cliff stopped any building there. The path at the top of the
wall is worn smooth by the countless numbers of people who walk along a
small part of its length. Make sure you have good walking shoes or
trainers, some water (as the drinks are expensive) and time to climb.
The Chinese Government has
announced plans to survey the entire length of the great wall and to
see what can be done to rebuild it to its former glory.
The Terracotta army can be
found outside Xi’an (ancient Chang’an). Until you see it you cannot
understand just how big the army is and how long it took to make. The
archaeological dig at the site is still going on as different figures
are painstakingly put together again. This is another place that needs
time just to take in the scope of it.
Later this year (2007) a number
of the figures from the Terracotta army will be displayed in London. It
will lack the size and scope of the display halls in China but will
hopefully encourage people to visit Xi’an and the whole army.
Staying in Xi’an there is a
city wall. Once the whole of the city was confined within its ramparts,
now it gives an idea of what it would have been like approaching the
walls with its moat and drawbridge. Inside the city there is the old
Bell Tower (the Bell was rung at dawn) and the Drum tower (the drum was
beaten at dark). You can wander behind the Drum tower to the Muslim
quarter with its mosque and narrow market. Some of the area has been
modernized with a new market but much of it seems to have been there
for years.
What about modern marvels.
We are looking forward to
visiting the Three Gorges project. Whatever you may discuss on an
ecological basis China needs more water that it gets so this attempt to
increase the use of water is needed. Please be very careful of
mosquitoes if you visit this area. There have been some cases of
Japanese Encephalitis so please take the latest medical advice.
What about the new Maglev
(Magnetic levitation) line between Shanghai and Pudong airport? I am
told that the trains are only running as tourist attractions at
weekends at present. There have been some reports in the China Daily
about this train but as yet no definite service being offered.
We have a new railway line
opening across the Tibetan plateau. It is opened in the middle of 2006.
Again there are ecological implications but it will be a cheap way of
getting to Lhasa and return. People on the train may have more chance
to acclimatize to the altitude. There is a medical team on the train
and oxygen is available. One person has died as a result of their train
ride. They decided to ride back on the train after suffering altitude
sickness and were taken ill on the return journey. We have also read
that there are plans to extend the railway line beyond Lhasa. The
railway is already having a beneficial effect in giving local people on
the Tibetan Plateau the opportunity to get to a hospital in bad weather.
If you are coming for 2008 or
2010 then make the most of the opportunity to see the marvels of the
East. If you are avoiding the crowds at those times there is plenty of
time to come to see this entrancing country and its peoples.
Stop press.
During the Chinese New Year a
new train has appeared on the rail tracks between Beijing and Shanghai.
It is a Chinese built version of the high speed bullet train. The train
will be replacing existing rolling stock so the drivers can become
accustomed to the new locomotive. It will not be running at full speed
yet. I have no further details about when or where the trains will be
used. Please see www.chinadaily.com.cn for further details.
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