Winter & Summer Activities in Calgary

Born of cowboys and the wild frontier back in 1875, Calgary is a city that today boasts the best of both the old west and a modern metropolis. Located in southern Alberta, Calgary is known as the Heart of the New West™ and its deep-rooted western hospitality nurtures a familiar small town spirit in what is actually a big, bustling, cosmopolitan city. Gleaming skyscrapers sprout from the plains, proud monuments to the success of the area's booming oil industry, while clean streets wind between them, jammed with a diversity of restaurants, bars and world-class shops. As the road leads west from the city, prairie quickly gives way to the magnificent Rocky Mountains; it's Calgary's location and weather that inspires a love of the outdoors within its inhabitants. The biting cold brings with it a snow sports culture that thrives in the city, while the sunniest summers illuminate Calgary’s beauty. No matter what time of year it is, Calgarians typically go about their days under the biggest, bluest skies that stretch over a city that combines the best of a rich, western heritage, a vibrant urban lifestyle and a unique climate.


THE BEST OF WINTER

Renowned for its chilling winter climes, the city boasts a remarkable saving grace: Chinook winds. Blowing in a sporadic few days of relief every now and then, these warming winds can raise mid-winter temperatures to a balmy 15°C (59°F) . On days that insist on freezing to -30°C (-22°F), Calgarians soldier on, getting to and fro via the heated +15 – a network of elevated corridors that connect major downtown buildings and make up the world's longest skywalk system.

Hockey Hype

	Home of the Calgary Flames, the Pengrowth Saddledome2

As the city begins to cool in preparation for winter, Calgary's pride and joy – the Calgary Flames – prepare to set the ice on fire during the National Hockey League season. Beginning in October, the NHL sends Calgarians into a fevered frenzy as they scream cheers in support of their team at home games held at the state-of-the-artPengrowth Saddledome, centrally located in the southeast of downtown. The energy inside this impressive stadium is truly electric but for those unable to get there, live, televised action can be caught at Calgary's most popular sports bar, Melrose Cafe & Bar. Located on the hip 17th Avenue, also known as the Red Mile during hockey season, Melrose packs in hundreds of fans raising the local brew (namely Big Rock Traditional Ale) to over 150 flat-screen TVs on three floor levels.


Getting swept up in the hockey hype is unavoidable during the NHL season and for those wanting to look the part, the best place to get Flames jerseys and paraphernalia is at one of the Fan Attic stores.

Winter Woolies and Gear
Once in the throes of a Calgary winter, one needs the proper gear in order to survive. The proudly Canadian co-operative, Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC), has all the winter apparel one could possibly want with locations across Canada, including an expansive store in downtown Calgary. Anyone can become a member of this environmentally-friendly co-operative for a nominal fee, gaining access to high-quality, durable and sustainable products that include outerwear, thermal under-layers, fleecy mid-layers, athletic and sports wear, as well as an unlimited range of outdoor equipment and accessories. This exciting store is all about the outdoors and is the best browse for clothing and gear any time of year. Just north of downtown on 14th Street, Ski West also gets Calgarians' votes for the best place to equip oneself for winter. As Calgary's largest ski shop it's the favoured destination for an extensive selection of top brand skis and equipment, including stylish, high-tech ski wear that looks good both on and off the mountain.

Slippery Slopes
Of course, with world-renowned ski resorts like Banff's Sunshine Village and Lake Louise within a two hour drive from Calgary, the city's residents are a bit spoiled for choice when it comes to weekend skiing and boarding. However, for a few quick runs after work, Calgarians are even luckier to have Canada Olympic Parkright on their doorstep. Just a 15-minute drive west from downtown, off the Trans-Canada Highway, Olympic Park made a name for itself during the 1988 Olympic Winter Games in Calgary. Since then, it has continued to play host to recreational skiers and snowboarders, training athletes and competitions. A great place to learn, this ski hill offers instructional programs and lessons for all ages and abilities. Bobsleigh and luge rides are also very popular, and in summer North America's fastest zipline and mountain bike trails draw visitors to this top site.

Canada Olympic Park3

To wind down after a day out taming the slopes, pull up a stool and grab a local brew (try the Wild Rose Raspberry Ale) at Calgary's favourite downtown pub, the Rose & Crown. Or, for serious après-ski therapy, book a massage at one of the city's prime spas, Oasis Spa & Wellness Centre.

Warming Up the Insides
One of the best ways to warm up during winter is by enjoying a hot, satisfying meal and nothing satisfies more than a fat, juicy steak of grade AAA Alberta Beef. Buzzard's Restaurant & Bar serves up some of Calgary's best beef within an extensive menu of cowboy cuisine that also includes organic, local bison (buffalo) and Alberta lamb. Centrally located on 10th Avenue, this extremely popular restaurant offers guests a real southwestern experience with rustic ranch decor and friendly hospitality. For something a little fancier, The Ranche is an elegant, heritage experience that is well worth the drive to Fish Creek Provincial Park. Set in a restored century-old farmhouse, this fine restaurant indulges the palate with regional gourmet cuisine, including Alberta beef, caribou and Rocky Mountain seafood.

THE BEST OF SUMMER

Calgary’s summers can be fleeting, but it is said that the best things come in small packages. Summer in Calgary is definitely special with temperatures hovering around 20°C (68°F), one of world’s biggest rodeos, a vibrant city life that sparkles in the sun, green parks, and the beautiful Bow and Elbow rivers that leisurely flow by it all.

The Big Shin-Dig 

	Barrel Racing at the Calgary Stampede4

“Black gold” is not the only thing that has hoisted Calgary onto the world stage. Since 1912, the Calgary Stampedehas been charging into town every year, bringing the Wild West to the city in a walloping celebration of cowboy culture. Held in July, Stampede attracts millions of visitors from around the globe to take part in this world-famous ten-day hoe-down featuring the best rodeo cowboys in competition, chuck wagon races, the Midway carnival, “big name” concerts, agricultural shows and an unbelievable amount more. Although the centrally located Stampede Grounds are home base, the whole city gets into the spirit and that good ol' western hospitality is never more apparent. It's not hard to guess the Stampede fashion statement – cowboy hats can be purchased everywhere during the event and the best authentic western boots can be found at Alberta Boot Co. 

Shakin’ Those Boots
While things don’t completely slow down along the popular bar trails during winter evenings, the city’s nightlife attains renewed energy when the weather heats up. Skin warms to the late evening sun and soothing beverages on outdoor patios, while inside music pumps blood through the veins of those shakin' it on the dance floors. For the most fun, don that favourite pair of boots and head to the western-themed Coyotes Bar & Dance Saloon. Special and weekly events are always highlighted by rockin' Top 40 tunes and light shows on the dance floor. For a real Honky Tonk, head south on MacLeod Trail to Ranchman's Cookhouse & Dancehall. This traditional western experience can't be beat with live country music performances and dance lessons. Those with diverse tastes in music will love the HiFi Club which features talented DJs and live bands playing everything from rock n' roll and hip hop to jazz and disco.

The Ol’ West
Summer is a great opportunity to discover this province's fascinating western past and Heritage Park Historic Village is the best place to do just that. Open from May to September, the park takes visitors back through time to experience first-hand the days of the fur traders, prairie living in the 1880s and a complete recreation of a 1910 town. Historic buildings and shops, a working steam train and river-boat, character interpreters and interactive exhibits contribute to an impressively authentic Old West experience at Heritage Park. The Glenbow Museumis another key to Western Canada's intrepid past, unlocking history through comprehensive exhibits and stories. The largest museum in Canada's west, this renowned attraction is a must-see throughout the year.

Floating Down the Elbow River5

Tubing on the ElbowPerhaps the prime thing to do on a hot, sunny day off is to join the crowd floating down the Elbow River. This distinctly Calgary summer diversion is simply not to be missed and is surprisingly easy to arrange. From late June through August, Calgarians drift down this shallow, safe, gently-flowing river on almost anything that floats. Inflatable beds, large pool toys and more sophisticated inflatable boats are hardly navigated by their reclining passengers soaking up the rays. Easy breezy. Canadian Tire is the best bet for a variety of floating vessels to fit all budgets. The popular launch spot is off Sandy Beach, just below the Glenmore Reservoir, then just go with the flow to Stanley Park, or if the current allows, a bit further on to the Talisman Centre. The most complex planning involved is arranging transport to the launch spot and from the landing point; having use of two cars is ideal. Life jackets are required by law although Elbow River is extremely safe, not to be confused with the larger, faster Bow River, on which tubing is not a good idea.

Sunday Strolls
Thanks to Calgary's prairie location, peaceful, effortless Sunday strolls go with the territory. The downtown area, residential suburbs, the river and many parks can all be reached without much of an upward struggle. Located just north of downtown, across Bow River, the beautifully historic neighbourhood of Kensington is perhaps the central city's most popular Sunday stroll destination. Complete with colourful shop fronts of days gone by, street-side cafes, bookstores, boutiques and an old festival movie theatre, Kensington allows visitors to take a moment for themselves, where time becomes irrelevant, treasures wait to be discovered and worries disappear with a steaming, hot coffee. Just east of Kensington, Prince's Island Park is another central stroller's paradise. Cleaving Bow River, this attractive 20-ha (49-acre) inner-city sanctuary features tall, leafy trees, green grass, winding pathways, park benches, squirrels, geese and ducks. The park can be accessed from the north via a bridge from Memorial Drive, or from the south by three bridges linking the island to downtown and Eau Claire. Prince's Island is en-route along the Bow River Pathway, part of North America's most extensive path system. 
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5 Best Places to Travel in a Recession

The economy is in meltdown, consumer spending is dwindling and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is seriously considering priming the monetary system with change he found inside his sofa. That just means you need a vacation more than ever — and the good news about the bad news is that the financial crisis has made some typically pricey destinations suddenly affordable.

Thank the 98-lb. weakling — the U.S. dollar — which, over the past several years, has made foreign travel outrageously expensive for Americans. Today, given the financial crisis, investors see the U.S. as safer than other markets — even though the downturn is largely the responsibility of Americans — and are flocking to the dollar. (Apparently there's no financial penalty for irony.)

For Americans, that means many foreign destinations have effectively become 25%, 30% even 50% cheaper than they were just a few months ago. You may feel a bit like a financial vulture visiting these countries but, hey, this may be the dawn of Depression 2.0. No one's turning down cash these days — not even from ugly Americans.

ICELAND

Drop in currency value since a year ago: 51%

No developed country has suffered as much from the credit crunch as Iceland, which has seen its banking system and its currency, the kronur, all but collapse. The silver lining in an Arctic cloud: what was once one of the most expensive, if memorable, destinations in Europe has suddenly gone budget. Icelandair flights from New York City start at $500 round-trip, and decent hotels in the hip capital of Reykjavik — like the Centerhotel Thingholt — are as low as $60 a night. Sure, if you go in the late fall or winter you'll get only about five hours of sunlight a day — but Icelanders know how to make those hours count. Move fast — tourist agencies are reporting a huge spike in visitors to Iceland.

CANADA

Drop in currency value since a year ago: 21%

If Canadians didn't want us to make fun of their traditionally weak currency, why did they call it the loonie? A year ago, the joke was on us — a Canadian dollar was actually worth more than its American counterpart. Fortunately, economic catastrophe has reasserted the natural order of U.S.-Canadian relations. From the cosmopolitan charm of Montreal to the amazing skiing of Whistler (and, in between, Saskatchewan), America's neighbor to the north is a great place to spend strengthening greenbacks. Bonus: Global warming will make those biting Canadian winters just a little bit more endurable.

AUSTRALIA

Drop in currency value since a year ago: 28%

The Aussies' unoriginally named currency almost managed parity with the American dollar in recent years. Not anymore. The Down Under dollar now gets you only about 66 cents. But that opens the Land of Thunder's many delights to the American budget traveler — once, of course, you mortgage your devalued home for a plane ticket. Round-trip tickets from New York City to Sydney are going for about $1,400. On the upside, when it's winter in the North, it's summer over there. (Except financially — then it's winter everywhere.)

GREAT BRITAIN

Drop in currency value since a year ago: 23%

Admittedly, it's difficult to put England on any kind of budget-travel list, given that a brief, one-way trip on the 145-year-old London Underground will still run you more than $6. But compared with a year ago, when you needed more than $2 to buy a single coin with the Queen of England's face on it, Britain has gotten considerably cheaper — relatively. Book a spin on a "champagne flight" on the London Eye — the giant Ferris wheel (and millennial white elephant) on the banks of the Thames — for a mere $692. Or don't. (See 10 things to do in London.)

SOUTH KOREA

Drop in currency value since a year ago: 30%

For South Koreans, the current economic meltdown has a sickening familiarity. During the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the South Korean won lost 52% of its value against the dollar. Things haven't gotten that bad yet in 2008, but there are still plenty of sudden bargains in the Land of Morning Calm, long an unjustly ignored travel destination. Bewildering Seoul boasts dramatic mountains, spicy street food and gorgeous royal palaces. Beyond the capital — where almost half the country lives — South Korea has arty port cities like Busan and cultural centers like Gwangju. And anywhere in the country you can get soju — the potent rice wine that will enable you to forget the recession, along with everything else. (See 10 things to do in Seoul.)

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The Luxurious Celebrity Lifestyle

Living the dream has always been a part of the lifestyle promises in the United States. As far as to what exactly that dream is varies from person to person. Some emigrating from other countries choose freedom, others simply want a prosperous but comfortable life. Yet others, perhaps mostly the majority, dream of laps of luxury.

This includes sports cars, dream mansions, and the most popular growing trend: aircraft ownership.

With dozens of songs discussing different aircraft types and how the ownership of one shows platinum status, makes one consider it of something of grand transportation. Many well known celebrities such as Pair Hilton, Madonna and Tom Cruise to name a few, own an aircraft. John Travolta, the famous celebrity who has an official pilot license. In addition Bruce Dickinson, the lead singer of Iron Maiden is also an official pilot and flies a Boeing 757s. Would it not be great to be one of these lucky few individuals and be able to own a private jet and be whisked away to whatever destination dreamt of? 


Many would agree but as most celebrities will share owning such a craft does come with some drawbacks, much like that of owning a vehicle—on a much grander scale of course.

To being, one needs to decide where to purchase the aircraft parts supplies, and locate a trusted mechanic. In addition with rising gas prices, finding the funds to fuel such a method of transportation can be costly. 

But this article is not set to discuss the downsides of owning a plan. In fact, it is meant to promote it. As stated earlier, when officially owning a private jet—regardless if the owner has his or her pilot's license is truly of stamp of approval from a much higher and elite class. As many would say, one would then become part of "The sky high club" in a sense. One would be considered the envy of the neighborhood. It would definitely be something that would be discussed by family and peers.

 

With the ability to fly to any destination there would no longer be the need to wait in extremely long lines, get uncomfortably patted down by security, and most importantly avoid the risk of lost luggage. In addition to this, by owning a private jet no need to worry about the uncomfortable seating, or being the unfortunate soul stuck next to an individual who may not be the best person to fly with. Overall, owning an aircraft is new status symbol. Years ago it was clothes, and then graduated to high-end sports cars, to now the ownership of a private plan.

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A Culinary Tour of China

Before my first trip to China, in 1983, I was warned that the food would be terrible, and it more than met expectations: greasy, gristly, dismal, prepared with that brutal indifference Communism seemed to celebrate, and served up gray and ugly. Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore kept alive the Chinese culinary tradition, three tiny candles standing in for the greatest bonfire in the world. By the early nineties, the situation was somewhat better, as long as you stuck with simple things or ate in people's homes. In the past five years, Chinese cooking has risen phoenixlike from the ashes, and divine food is now to be found in the country's unnumbered restaurants. It is hard to understand how the Chinese have retained some semblance of sanity in a country so utterly transformed, because the China of today is as dissimilar to the China I first visited as Topeka is to Zanzibar. Where miserable-looking people in Mao suits once pedaled rusty bicycles down dirt alleyways while unconvincing workers celebrated the Communist state in unbearable factory performances, one now finds a level of efficiency and sophistication in the cities that leaves me feeling that New York is quite nearly a provincial backwater. There are of course still legions of peasants laboring in poverty, but the advances in China, unlike those in Russia, seem to have spread through a broad swath of society. The improvement in the food reflects a profound social transformation: what was once unpleasant is now thrilling. And while much of these changes are in Beijing and Shanghai's smartest restaurants, they can also be found in country inns and at street dumpling stands.

I had the good fortune to do a culinary tour with the fashion designer Han Feng, who is warm and glamorous and sparkling with life, and who led us to both the fanciest restaurants in China and the best street food imaginable. "You won't believe it," she said on our second day in Shanghai as we drew near to Jia-Jia Juicy Dumplings, in the old  Yu Yuan district, a grungy-looking stand where a huge meal costs about a dollar. Seated on plastic stools on the sidewalk, we gorged on dumplings filled with soup and pork, shrimp, or hairy crab (a regional delicacy). You dip them in rice vinegar with ginger, and when you bite down, first the warm soup floods your mouth, and then you experience the smooth skin and the rich meaty filling. Mobs descend on the place in all sorts of weather, and the eight women who work there are crowded so close together that you wonder how they can move their arms. A great steamer sits outside, piled high with bamboo baskets, watched over by a woman whose face is constantly shrouded in vapor. But everyone smiles and laughs. "How can this be so good?" Han Feng asked us, glowing with pride.

She was the inventor of our trip—and it took some considerable inventing—and she is also the inventor of herself, as miraculous and unlikely as modern China in all its glory. Han Feng left China in 1985 to move to New York, but has recently taken a Shanghai apartment, relocated her production to her homeland, and started dividing her time between the two countries. I first met Han Feng 12 years ago at a dinner party. 
I had recently returned from a trip to China to write about contemporary art, and we made desultory conversation until I mentioned one of the artists I had interviewed by name. "From Hangzhou?" she asked. "Really good-looking?About our age?" "Yes," I said. "Wow, he and I dated in high school and I never knew what happened to him." She came from China and I'd been to China, so why wouldn't we know people in common?

Since then, I've learned that Han Feng knows most of the world's interesting people, and I've been lucky to be invited to the divine dinners she cooks at home and those she organizes in Chinatown, where one runs into Jessye Norman, Lou Reed, Susan Sarandon, Rupert Murdoch, Anthony Minghella, or, just as likely, her wisecracking upstairs neighbor or the fur buyer who once paid her a compliment. Her satisfying throaty laugh makes every evening feel like a celebration.

Han Feng is profoundly international. " I love wherever I am and whatever I'm doing," she once said to me. She arrived in the United States as "a Chinese peasant potato," as she says. "Some people climb staircase of success," she told her then husband. "I take express elevator." Soon she met someone who wanted to back her design activities and promised to make her rich and famous. "I said, 'Maybe we can forget about famous and concentrate on very rich.' " Since then, she has developed a private label that has been sold at Bendel's, Takashimaya, Bergdorf's, and Barneys; designed opera costumes for the English National Opera; and made a line of clothes for the Neue Galerie in New York.

After her divorce, she had a long-term relationship, which ended when her boyfriend said he wanted to move in. "I can't believe it! I say, 'Move in?Move in?I don't have that kind of closet space!' " Most people fall in love with Han Feng if they get half a chance. The King of Morocco has commissioned her to make many of his clothes, and she has been a regular guest at his palace. "I stay there and see all the pomp and circumstance," she confided, "and I think how glad I am to live a simple life!" It's the most high-powered simplicity I've ever encountered; whatever potato she was when she left China, she's now an orchid of the first order.

My favorite place in Shanghai was the YongFoo Élite, brainchild of a local decorator who leased the former residence of the British consul and spent three years and $5 million restoring the space, furnishing it with antiques, and replanting its gardens, giving it the aura of the old Shanghai: decadent, elegant, lavish, and sophisticated. While we rhapsodized about the sweet shrimp, the fish fried with pine nuts, and the quail's eggs roasted with octopus and pork, our Chinese friends were impressed by the romaine salad—an exotic touch in such a setting. Dessert is not always Chinese cuisine's strong point, but I will remember the crisp date pancakes with sesame seeds forever.

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China denies raising forex roof for individuals

State Administration department of Unfamiliar Sell initial lifted a annual banking sell share for people in late 2006, when a volume was increasing to$ 50,n announcement for unfamiliar sell services in Nanjing, Jiangsu province. A State Administration department of Unfamiliar Sell initial lifted a annual banking sell share for people in late 2006, when a volume was increasing to$ 50, 000 from$ twenty, 000.[ China Daily]

Chinese regulators denied upon Tuesday which a nation will significantly lift a annual volume of unfamiliar sell people have been authorised to modify in to yuan, as was formerly reported in a internal media.

The annual sell roof for Chinese residents will be lifted to$ 200, 000 from a stream$ 50, 000, a China Times reported, citing unknown sources informed with a policies of a State Administration department of Unfamiliar Sell( SAFE) .

SAFE pronounced upon a website which a inform is “totally groundless” as well as “at a stream stage” a administration department does not have any devise for such an adjustment.

But Yi Gang, executive of a SAFE, reportedly pronounced in Feb which a nation is meditative of permitting people to reason some-more unfamiliar currency.

SAFE lifted a annual sell acclimatisation share for people in late 2006, when a volume was lifted to$ 50, 000 from$ twenty, 000.

The Chinese banking is not openly automobile underneath a collateral criticism, together with unfamiliar approach investment as well as bonds transactions.

If a share were lifted in a destiny, it would be a vital step toward liberalizing a country’s collateral criticism, pronounced Shen Lan, an economist during Standard Chartered Bank( China) Ltd.

Hu Xiaolian, emissary administrator of a People’s Bank of China, a executive bank, pronounced in a headlines lecture final week which a nation will grasp a vital new thing in full convertibility of a yuan over a subsequent 5 years, yet she did not exhibit any minute timetable.

Hu’s criticism comes after Xia Bin, an confidant to a executive bank, not long ago pronounced China should target to grasp full convertibility of a banking by 2020 since a country’s taking flight mercantile power.

Lu Zhengwei, arch economist of Industrial Bank, pronounced if a pierce were taken in a destiny, it would assistance beget improved investment earnings upon China’s$ 2.85 trillion unfamiliar sell pot as well as palliate a country’s inflationary pressure.

“China has amassed such a outrageous volume of unfamiliar sell pot after years of stream criticism over-abundance which, as a vital player, it’s roughly unfit for it to outperform a marketplace, ” pronounced Lu.

“Individual investors have been some-more supportive to a marketplace as well as some-more stretchable, as well as permitting them to reason some-more unfamiliar pot will yield a improved altogether return.”

China’s unfamiliar sell pot rose to a jot down$ 2.85 trillion during a finish of 2010, an 18.7 percent enlarge year-on-year. A volume, a largest worldwide, accounts for about thirty percent of a tellurian sum, Lu said.

But from 2006 to 2009, a normal net earnings upon China’s unfamiliar sell pot is reduction 1.64 percent, Wang Yongzhong, a researcher with a Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, wrote in an essay published in January’s Studies of International Finance magazine.

Meanwhile, permitting Chinese people to shift some-more yuan in to unfamiliar banking will additionally assistance equivalent a outcome of collateral inflows upon made during home acceleration, Lu added.

China’s Consumer Price Index( CPI), a pass sign of acceleration, rose ceaselessly in 2010 as well as in a early partial of this year, interjection to plenty liquidity in a marketplace in a issue of a government’s$ 586 billion impulse package in late 2008, as well as increases in unfamiliar collateral inflows.

China’s CPI hovered during 4.9 percent in Feb, after attack 5.1 percent in Nov, a fastest shave in some-more than dual years. Upon Monday, Premier Wen Jiabao pronounced which a inundate of poor income caused by quantitative easing policies in “some country” – referring to a United States – was a single of a categorical causes of China’s surging consumer prices.

“Loosening carry out over a yuan’s convertibility is an in effect approach to assistance empty liquidity as well as quell acceleration, ” Lu said. “In actuality, a single of a reasons a little alternative over-abundance countries, such as Germany as well as Japan, do not face such clever acceleration is which their currencies have been convertible.”

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Travel To China

Colossal in size and from an historical perspective, China is believed to embody 5,000 years worth of heritage beginning with the Xia dynasty. For centuries it was the world’s leading civilisation and a series of dynasties shaped the country, notably the Tang dynasty which came to the fore at a time that is widely considered to be China’s Golden Age. It was during this period (618-907) that the arts flourished, Buddhism became the main religion and trade prospered. Dynasties like the Song, Yuan and Ming followed, each laying their imprints and evolving the country.

The Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive in the early 16th century but it wasn’t until the 18th century that the trade routes were fully exploited by European interests which inevitably led to tensions. The Opium Wars, a dispute over opium trade between China and Britain, raged during the mid-19th century culminating in the signing of treaties which led to China conceding, though later reclaimed, Hong Kong to Britain. China’s land mass and colonial power was further diminished when other countries followed suit and forced treaties to increase trade with China; European colonists took over Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, while Japan occupied Korea and Taiwan.

By 1911, imperial rule was brought to a grinding halt when the Qing dynasty was ousted from power and the country was declared a republic. The period was littered with disruption and a lack of political presence with warlords ruling their respective territories. By the 1920s, dominant political forces emerged in the form of the Kuomintang (KMT or Nationalist Party) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). After a brief union to ward off Japanese threats, the KMT and CCP’s stiff opposition escalated into civil war from 1945 to 1949. Under Mao Zedong, the CCP were the victors and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) was declared in 1949, while the central government of the Republic of China (ROC) retreated to Taiwan.

In the early days of the communist regime, successful economic and land reforms were carried out to resurrect the country’s economy with a focus on industrial production. Attention was turned to agricultural output and bringing the economy up a gear with the implementation of agricultural communes with plans to abolish money and private property. Rural workers were also encouraged to increase steel production from backyard furnaces which proved futile in strengthening the economy. This in addition to droughts and floods hampered production, while Soviet aid to China ceased in 1960, rendering the effort a large scale catastrophe resulting in widespread famine. The Cultural Revolution (1966-1970) sought to re-establish Chairman Mao’s weakened position within the Communist Party and ward off opponents. A militia group, the Red Army, was installed and Mao’s little red book of quotations became the main ideological framework. The Revolution amounted to upheaval on a large scale and administered the persecution of intellectuals and artists, enforced strict codes of conduct and millions of people were killed or imprisoned.

Post-revolution, the focus was on modernising the economy and an ‘open door policy’ which helped to lay the foundations for China’s current economic boom. Political change and freedom has not been so forthcoming; the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989 underpinned the government’s stance on dissent and appeals for democracy. State control and bureaucracy remains deeply ingrained and there are disparities between the booming urban areas and the rural economies. Nevertheless, China has reinvented itself over the past few decades and has a firm footing on the world stage with membership to the World Trade Organisation and is host to the 2008 Olympic Games.

Best time to go...

While a Siberian chill lingers in the northeast and sub-tropical notes hit the southwest, China’s climate is as diverse as its landscape. As a general guide, spring (April and May) and autumn (September and October) are the most weather-friendly seasons to visit. The north, including Beijing, experiences harshly cold winters from December to March, while the summer months hot up to temperatures exceeding 30ËšC. In the central region, including Shanghai and around the Yangzi River, there is a higher percentage of rainfall year round with extreme temperatures during winter and summer. The south is hot and humid with November to February bringing welcome relief with a drop in temperature. Hong Kong is mild from mid-September to the end of February, with May to mid-September making air-conditioning feel like the greatest gift on earth.

As much as weather can affect the enjoyment factor for some, peak times may also be a consideration depending on your tolerance for high levels of tourist congestion at the visitor hotspots and on public transport. The busiest time to visit is during Chinese New Year (Spring Festival), the actual date depends on the lunar cycle but usually takes place around February, with the celebrations lasting a couple of weeks before and after the given day. The week long Labour Day holiday, which runs from May 1, and the National Day Holiday, from October 1 (each lasts a couple of days or less in Hong Kong and Macau), sees a large influx of domestic visitors to the main attractions so it’s best to visit the well-known sights before these holidays kick off.

Currency and living costs… (based on prices in and around Beijing)

The China Yuàn Renminbi is China’s unit of currency. The current exchange rate is: $1 to Y7.87200. Check www.xe.com or equivalent for the most up to date exchange rate.

The average costs of life’s little essentials are as follows:

• Meals – Those on a budget can expect to pay between Y30 and Y90 on a meal for two, while upmarket restaurants charge around Y190 to Y400 for a meal for two.
  
  
• Beer – The average price of bottled beer is between Y8 and Y10.
  
  
• Coffee – a cup of coffee ranges between Y8 and Y12.
  
  
• Water – bottled water is priced between Y1 and Y2.
  
  
• Taxi ride – Taxis generally charge a flag-down rate of Y10 to Y12 and then around Y1.2 per km for a minicab and up to Y2 per km for a higher class of taxi.
  
  
• Accommodation – Budget hotels and hostels charge around Y40 to Y200, while a 2* hotel room is in the region of Y100 to Y250 per night.
  
  
• Internet café – Most Internet cafés charge Y2 per hour.

Currency and living costs… in Hong Kong

In Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Dollar is the unit of currency. The current exchange rate is: $1 to HK$7.77841. Check www.xe.com or equivalent for the most up to date exchange rate.

The average costs of life’s little essentials are as follows:

• Meals – A bowl of wonton noodles can be bought for around HK$15, while a mid-priced meal for one with a soft drink in a restaurant is priced upwards of HK$50.
  
• Beer – a beer in a bar is priced between HK$30 and HK$50.
  
• Coffee – a cup of coffee is priced around HK$25.
  
• Water – bottled water is priced between HK$8 and HK$10
  
• Taxi ride – Flag-down rates vary between HK$12 and HK$15, and range from HK$1.2 to HK$1.4 per 0.2 km thereafter.
  
• Accommodation – Guesthouses are between HK$150 and HK$250, while hostels are priced in the region of HK$200 to HK$400.
  
• Internet café – Internet access per hour is generally around HK$15 to HK$20.

Getting around...

It takes a huge dose of patience, stamina and a love of long distances to rely solely on ground transportation to cover China’s monumental distances, if planning to explore the country to the hilt that is. To get an idea of the distances involved, flights from Beijing to Shanghai are around 2 hours, Xi’an from Beijing or Shanghai is also 2 hours, while Beijing to Hong Kong is over 3 and a half hours. In accordance with its economic good fortune, China is equipped with relatively new or renovated airports together with an extensive airline network that serves the mainland as well as Hong Kong and Macau. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) oversees the country’s main domestic airlines which include Air China, China Eastern and China Southern. It’s best to book domestic flights after you arrive as it can often work out cheaper buying from an agent in China; booking a few days in advance is advisable to get the best price. Discounted rates are also available in-country on select flights.

Train travel is the next best thing. It’s a relatively speedy and safe way to get to the main cities and overnight services are common given the distances involved. Comfort levels depend on which class you choose, for long, overnight journeys, the soft sleeper option is the best. It features four bunks in compartments that are sealed off with a door for privacy, a shared western-style toilet and other mod-cons. Hard sleepers cost considerably less but usually hold 6 bunks, lack the privacy of a closed door compartment and are separated by partitions; a squat toilet is situated at the each end of the carriage which becomes vomit inducing as the journey progresses. For shorter distances, the cheapest way to travel is to opt for the hard seat class. It gets very crowded and the soft seat option is much more pleasant and is available on express trains.

Sleeper buses aren’t as comfortable as their train counterparts but there is a good network of long distance bus services available, mainly along the east coast and between the major cities, that aren’t necessarily back-crunching and leg-numbing experiences. Buses also venture out to remote villages and towns that are inaccessible by train. Bus services in rural areas, however, can seem primitive in comparison and the roads aren’t nearly as smooth as in more developed areas.

Getting around by car is not a feasible option if you want to explore the country at your heart’s desire. Foreign visitors are restricted to driving rented vehicles within Beijing, Shanghai or Hong Kong only. It’s possible to rent a car with a driver but this works out expensive for long stays.

China is the place for cycle enthusiasts. It boasts more bicycles than any other country and rental is widely available. Buying a bike is also worthwhile if you plan to spend a length of time in the country and it’s possible to re-sell it and recoup part of the cost before you leave. There are designated parking spots for bikes in most towns and cities. Long-distance buses don’t usually charge to carry bikes, unlike trains and airlines.

There’s no shortage of taxis, motorcycle taxis and pedicabs on the city roads. In most cases, it helps to have a map to hand or your destination written in Chinese characters if you don’t speak the language. In addition, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Guangzhou boast underground rail systems that are an efficient and cheap way of getting around. Beijing’s subway system is being developed further in time for the Olympics and currently has 4 lines that cover the main parts of the city with signs in English. The city also has a convenient bus network but negotiating the extensive routes can be hard work for non-Chinese speakers. Rickshaws are also available but tend to cost more than using a taxi.

Shanghai’s metro system comprises a subway and elevated light railway. It’s easy to use, (with signs in English) cheap and a speedy way to travel across the city, especially during rush hour when the roads are rammed. Like Beijing, bus travel during rush hour is best avoided, particularly between 7.30am and 10am and 5pm and 7pm. Taxis are readily available and the companies operating them are identifiable by colours; turquoise and orange taxis are considered to be among the most reliable and are run by the respective companies Dazhong and Qiangsheng. Unlike other parts of China, Shanghai isn’t as accommodating to bike riders as it once was. In line with the city’s mass development of recent years, motorised vehicles now clog up the roads.

Hong Kong is a breeze to get around thanks to a highly efficient transport system and widely used English language signs and street names. There’s an extensive bus network which includes double-deckers and minibuses; the buses are far-reaching and travel to parts of Kowloon, the New Territories and south of Hong Kong Island where other modes don’t venture. Outside of the populous areas, it is common practice to flag down buses rather than relying on them to stop at designated points. A good way to take in the scenes is to travel on Hong Kong’s major tram line that runs east to west along the northern part of Hong Kong Island. For a quicker way to get around, the underground railway network (in Hong Kong the term subway is used for underground walkways not railways) services the main hot spots and also boasts an express line that links the airport (situated on Lantau Island) to Hong Kong Island. There are also regular train services that work the commuter routes, while the Kowloon-Canton Railway links Kowloon to mainland China. The Light Rail Transit (LRT), meanwhile, connects routes in the western part of the New Territories.

Criss-crossing Victoria Harbour, ferries are a popular and cheap way of travelling between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. There are several ferry companies but the Star Ferry Company is perhaps the best known. The trip is a snip at 7 minutes total duration and ferries depart every 5 to 10 minutes depending on the time of day. There are also a number of ferry services to the outlaying islands, which can get crowded during weekends. If spending a few days in Hong Kong, it’s probably cheaper to purchase an Octopus card which allows unlimited travel for a set price on trains, trams, subways, as well as on most buses and ferries; buses and ferries require exact fares so it also avoids the need to carry around oodles of change.

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Top 10 Pool Safety Tips For Your Entertainment

Want to make kids happy? Say the word "pool" and watch them smile. But pools don't always make parents smile – in fact, they often make us worry and fret. And not without reason; statistics show that for children one to three years old, drowning ranks as the leading cause of death. Yikes! So how do you keep your kids safe, while still letting them enjoy one of the great pleasures of childhood: splashing and goofing off in a swimming pool? Here are 10 parent-tested tips for pool safety.

1. Assign lifeguard duties. One of the most common situations that leads to tragedy is the "But I thought you were watching her" scenario. Be clear about who's watching your child when, even setting up official shifts if necessary. If you and your husband or partner are together at the pool, it's still important that one person is tasked with keeping "eyes on the prize" at all times. Save important conversations with each other for later.

2. Avoid distractions. Put away the cell phone, and don't tempt yourself with a magazine if you're the one in charge. According to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, 88 percent of young drowning victims were under some form of supervision at the time they drowned — and in a startling 46 percent of cases, the child who drowned was under the supervision of both parents. So stay close by — in the pool if necessary, depending on the age of your child – and don't let yourself look away, even for a minute.

3. Be joined at the hip with your child. If you need to leave the pool area, take your child with you. The leading cause of dangerous distraction during swim time is mom or dad leaving the pool area to answer the phone, use the bathroom, or fetch something, experts say. So if you suddenly realize you forgot the sunscreen or need an extra towel, insist that your child get out of the water and come with you while you take care of your errand.

5. Teach your child water safety as early as possible. If children have taken a swimming class that teaches basic survival skills like treading water and getting to the side of the pool, statistics show they're much less likely to drown, even if they do get into a dangerous situation.

6. Take toys out of the pool when not in use. Colorful styrofoam "noodles" and blow up toys look awfully tempting floating out there in the water, and all it takes for an accident to happen is for a child to lean an inch too far out over the water. So remove all toys from the pool when kids get out of the water and store them away from the pool's edge.

7. Check pool areas for safe fencing and gates. When you're staying in a hotel or other lodging, it's easy to put too much faith in the safety of the pool protection apparatus provided. Gates can be left open, locks can fail to latch, fences can be climbed if they're not high enough. Do a safety check of the area, and if it doesn't look childproof, then don't let your children go near the pool area without an adult.

8. Use flotation devices sparingly and only when you're with your child.According to safety experts, "floaties" such as armbands, vests, and rings give both parents and child a false sense of security, yet they aren't foolproof. Blow-up devices can pop, and Styrofoam or plastic devices can slip around or shift so they don't support your child properly. It's okay to use floaties if they're in addition to the safety of your arms, but never let a non-swimming child "swim" completely dependent on a flotation device.

9. Enforce safety rules. Those big blue signs posted by pools are there for a reason. Wet cement and tile can be very slippery, and even kids who are strong swimmers are in danger if they fall and hit their heads. Diving can also pose a danger; make sure kids know to dive only into deep water and enforce any posted "no diving" rules. From the very first time you take your kids to a swimming pool, be strict about safety rules and let them know the consequence of disobeying them: no swimming.

10. Safeguard home pools. If your house has a pool or your children use a neighbor's pool, make sure it's equipped with modern safeguards. Every pool should be surrounded by permanent, four-sided fencing that encloses the entire pool area. The fence should be at least four feet high and preferably six feet high, and gates should be self-closing and self-latching. Test gates and latches on any pool your kids use to make sure they're well maintained and work properly.

Melanie Haiken lives in San Rafael, Calif., with her two daughters, Linnea, 13, and Melia, 16, but travels whenever she gets the chance. She has written about many destinations for Family Travel in the United States and abroad, including San Francisco, New Orleans, Nashville, Costa Rica, the Bahamas and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

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