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Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and what we pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration. Places as unique and diverse as the wilds of East Africa’s Serengeti, the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Baroque cathedrals of Latin America make up our world’s heritage. World Heritage sites belong to all the peoples of the world, irrespective of the territory on which they are located. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity.

The World Heritage Sites in China include:
• Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1987, 2004)
• Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor (1987)
• Mogao Caves (1987)
• Mount Taishan (1987)
• Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian (1987)
• The Great Wall (1987)
• Mount Huangshan (1990)
• Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area (1992)
• Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area (1992)
• Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area (1992)
• Ancient Building Complex in the Wudang Mountains (1994)
• Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace, Lhasa (1994, 2000, 2001)
• Mountain Resort and its Outlying Temples, Chengde (1994)
• Temple & Cemetery of Confucius & the Kong Family Mansion (1994)
• Lushan National Park (1996)
• Mount Emei Scenic Area, including Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area (1996)
• Ancient City of Ping Yao (1997)
• Classical Gardens of Suzhou (1997, 2000)
• Old Town of Lijiang (1997)
• Summer Palace, an Imperial Garden in Beijing (1998)
• Temple of Heaven: an Imperial Sacrificial Altar in Beijing (1998)
• Dazu Rock Carvings (1999)
• Mount Wuyi (1999)
• Ancient Villages in Southern Anhui – Xidi and Hongcun (2000)
• Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (2000, 2003, 2004)
• Longmen Grottoes (2000)
• Mount Qingcheng and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System (2000)
• Yungang Grottoes (2001)
• Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas (2003)
• Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom (2004)
• Historic Centre of Macao (2005)
• Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries (2006)
• Yin Xu (2006)
• Kaiping Diaolou and Villages (2007)
• South China Karst (2007)

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Japan’s rich cultural traditions have trickled from one generation to
the next, and while Japanese culture often conjures up images of
kimono clad ladies pouring cups of tea in tranquil cherry blossom
temples, there really is so much more on offer.

In Japan you can learn how to wield a sword with a samurai master,
or try your hand at calligraphy or pretend to be a geisha for a day.
Really let go and sample some raw fish or partake in a Japanese tea
ceremony.

If you really want to ‘go native’ book yourself into a Ryokan hotel
(a traditional Japanese inn)to really experience the traditional
culture and customs. Guests wear kimonos, sleep on futons laid on
the floor and take naked communal baths.At dinner time it is kneeling
down to eat traditional food and sip green tea.

The Japanese have one of the healthiest diets in the world and it
is not uncommon for the hotels to arrange a cooking class. Guests are
taken to one of the most popular sushi restaurants and under the
instruction of a grand sushi chef get to try their hand at making
the Japanese national dish, nigiri sushi (rice topped with raw fish)
and maki sushi (sushi rolled in dried seaweed).

Not as though you will need to work off any calories but if your dream
has always been to fight like a ninja then you can tackle a training
session which teaches performance and techniques. You will learn taijutsu
(unarmed body contact skills) and ninjutsu and gain a better
understanding of the ‘way of the ninja’. When you get home you will
be able to impress your family and friends with your newly acquired
stealth moves, ninja style.

All in all there are so many opportunities to create unique tours of Japan and its fabulous culture.

#3 in my Top 10 Travel Experiences is Cambodia and more specifically the fabulous ancient temples near Siem Reap.

Some surviving from the 9C the wonderful faces of the Angkor civilisation and Bayon Temple

With our guide Prea and driver Trom we were given a wonderful backstage view of the wonderful temples of Angkor.

The area is a UNESCO site and you can see why when you visit – between the ever encroaching jungle and the hordes of tourists who tramp over the ancient stones it definitely needed someone to take care of it. Probably because the jungle had engulfed the temples is why so many are still in such great condition today, that and the huge amount of work that has been done by archaeological teams.

Apart from the jaw dropping sight of Angkor Wat (the most well known of the temples)at sunrise or sunset there are many other temples to discover including the red temple or ladies temple Banteay Srei. This temple was built in the 10thC and only ‘rediscovered’ in the early 20thC. What is absolutely amazing are how the intricate carvings and reliefs have been preserved – it really just stops you in your tracks when you see the often delicate carvings that were crafted 11 centuries ago.

Also on our visit we were invited by our guide to a special performance by young Cambodian girls who had been trained in the ancient art of Apsara dancing.

Once performed only for royalty now everyone can view the wonderful Apsara dancing

This traditional dancing also comes from the time of the Angkor civilisation where is was performed only for royalty. When the Khmer Rouge were in control of Cambodia many of the teachers and dancers were killed but now they are once again flourishing and this time for everyone to see.

Visiting the temples of Angkor is a true travel experience and I for one will certainly be going back again.

Have you visited Angkor? Please let me know what you thought of the temples and their history.

photo credit: Jeremy 白杰瑞 The Three Gorges is the general name for the Qutang, Wu, and Xiling gorges in China. The gorges begin at Baidi City in Fengjie County, Chongqing Municipality, and ends at Nanjinguan in Yichang City, Hubei Province, covering a distance of 193 kilometers. The Three Gorges area is renowned as a “natural gallery of mountains and rivers”, it changes daily but its cultural heritage remains.

Qutang Gorge
The Qutang Gorge, also called Kui Gorge, starts at Baidi City, Fengjie County, Chongqing Municipality in the west and ends at the Daxi Town, Wushan County Chongqing Municipality in the east.

Although it is only eight kilometers long – the shortest among the Three Gorges, it is widely known for its magnificent mountain peaks seemingly reaching to the clouds and masses of rolling and roaring water bursting over shoals and rocks.
Kuimen, or Kui Gate, is also known as Qutang Pass, the door for The Three Gorges. Here the river is flanked by sheer cliffs on both sides and it is the gate through which the Yangtze River flows throughout the Three Gorges from the Sichuan Basin.

The Qutang Gorge is rich in historical sites, for example, Bellows Gorge, Rhinoceros Watching the Moon peak, Baidi City, Star Observing Pavilion, and Red Armor Tower.

Wu Gorge
Wu Gorge is named after Mt. Wushan, famous for its deep valley and quiet beauty. It is 45 kilometers long, extending from the mouth of the Daning River in Wushan County, Chongqing in the west to Guandukou in Badong County, Hubei Province in the east.

Noted for its deep and serene scenes, the Wu Gorge is full of zigzags, weird peaks, rising mists and beautiful sights. As the river cuts through the Wushan Mountains, its roaring currents change their directions constantly.

Peaks in the Wu Gorge are often capped by fog or clouds in various shapes, and there is a famous poem describing its beauty, “one who has seen the ocean thinks nothing of mere rivers, the cloud of Wushan is my only cloud”. Wu Gorge is famous for its beautiful scenery, “night of the Ninghe ferry”, the 12 peaks represented by the Goddess Peak, Badong Shennong Stream and Lesser Three Gorges.

Xiling Gorge
The Xiling Gorge stretches from the estuary of the Xiangxi Stream in Zigui County to Nanjin Pass in Yichang, with a total length of 76km. It is the longest of the Three Gorges and is located entirely within Hubei Province.

This gorge is divided into parts. The Xiling Gorge abounds in grotesque rocks, gorges, scenic spots, and numerous legends. The vivid Lantern Shadow Rock, Lantern Shadow Gorge and Fairy Bridge, Three Travellers’ Cave and Jiuwan Stream make visitors reluctant to leave.

The climax of the Three Gorges tour is undoubtedly the Three Gorges Project, the largest water conservancy project ever built in the world, and home to the world’s biggest hydro power station.

When the project is finished, it will be the most important project functioning as a backbone in the flood control system to protect the areas in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. It has ten comprehensive functions of flood control, power generation, navigation, freshwater aquiculture, tourism, ecological protection, environmental purifying, south-tonorth water transfers and irrigation.

Major cities in the three gorges area are:
Chongqing
Located in southwestern China, Chongqing is the fourth municipality directly under the jurisdiction of the Central Government. Known as a city in the mountains, Chongqing is surrounded by mountains on all sides, and buildings in the urban area rise and fall with the terrain.

Chongqing is a modern city with the Great Auditorium of the People and Three Gorge Square in it. There are attractive Dazu Grottoes on the World Cultural Heritage List, Fengdu Ghost City, Yunyang Zhangfei Temple, Shibao Village of Zhongxian County and Fengjie Baidi City.

Wuhan
As the capital of Hubei Province, Wuhan is located in the centre of the central part of China and eastern Hubei Province, where the Han River joins the Yangtze River. The Yangtze River and Hanshui River divide Wuhan into three parts – Hankou, Hanyang and Wuchang, generally knowns as Wuhan’s Three Towns.

Wuhan connects the east and west, channels the norths and south, and links rivers and seas with its developed water, land and air traffic. Wuhan is noted for East Lake and Moshan and the (the Mill Hill) Mountain scenic areas. Wuhan is also a famous historical and cultural city with numerous historical and cultural heritages such as the Yellow Crane Tower, Guiyuan Temple, Ancient Lute Terrace (Guqintai), and the Qingchuan Pavilion.

From the kitchen of Miss Anh – Master Chef in Hanoi! Below is the actual cooking class with the steamed fish being prepared.

Steamed Fish With Five Tastes

Ingredients:

500g Fillet of any kind of fresh water fish

10g Saffron

10g Ginger

5g    Salt

2      teaspoons of soya oil

2      teaspoons of olive oil

Black pepper to taste

Pinch of Dill

1      teaspoon of lemon juice

Slice fish into bite size pieces.

Combine saffron,grated ginger, salt, pepper and dill with oil.

Marinate fish pieces in combined ingredients for at least 1 hour.

Place marinated fish pieces in steamer  and cook until tender.

Drizzle lemon juice over fish pieces and serve with salad

The close proximity of Asia to Australia means that I travel there fairly regularly and when the opportunity arises to experience these great cultures with just a guide and a driver, it makes it even more special.

Hanoi in Vietnam held many special charms and non more so than a one on one cooking school with their top chef Miss Anh. Miss Anh is known as a master chef and displayed on the walls of her restaurant/cooking school are many awards garnered both within Vietnam and internationally for her wonderful Vietnamese cuisine.

The first part of the cooking school was a visit to the local market to buy all of the ingredients and produce that was going to be used for our meal.

I hope you enjoy the video and can imagine the many aromas that the colourful markets conjour up. If you have been to a cooking school or would love to go please leave a comment below.

WARNING: Don’t watch this whilst hungry!

Do you want to escape and really experience China?

Do you want to enjoy the benefits of traditional Chinese Medicine, relaxation, and exercise routines, whilst visiting some of the most important sites of China along the way?

Do you want to spend time in small towns and big cities taking Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and Kung Fu classes?

Do you want to learn about traditional Chinese medicines, massages, and herbal remedies, and enjoy bike rides and mountain hikes?

You can, and have a journey that renews the mind, body and spirit.

Some of the highlights include – learning about traditional medicine in Hong Kong, uncovering the secrets of Chinese massage in Yangshuo,  Practicing Tai Chi with the locals in Xi’an, learning Kung Fu from the experts in Shaolin, and cycling through the Beijing hutongs.

Have you had a great experience in China? I would love you to share your story so please leave a comment below.

Email gday@ourgenerationtravel.com to create your China Experience

3

The mysteries of the Angkor Dynasty

One of the best ways to experience any destination is either solo or in the company of family and/or friends.  There are a number of travel companies who cater exclusively for individual or small group travel. There is a ‘set’ itinerary but there are lots of additional extras added or deviations made so that it becomes an itinerary tailormade just for you. The other great thing is that you have your own personal guide and driver.

The countries of Asia suit this type of travel and below is a sample itinerary visiting Combodia and the legendary Siem Reap home to the mystical Cambodia temples of Angkor.

Day 1: Phnom Penh

Arrive Phnom Penh . In the afternoon get a feel for Combodia’s unique art and architecture through visits to the National Museum, Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda.

Day 2: Udong/Killing Fields

Drive past fields and stilt houses to Udong, a forgotton outpost that served as Combodia’s capital from the 17th through to the mid 19th centuries; explore this sleepy town’s Buddhist stupas and shrines. Continue on to the ‘killing fields’ an area where thousands of people suffered at the hands of the Khmer Rouge.

Day 3: Siem Reap, Angkor Wat Tour

Flight to Siem Reap. A tour of the temples includes the South Gate of Angkor Thom, the famous Bayon, Baphoun, the Terrace of the Elephants and Terrace of the Leper King. In the afternoon visit the magnificent 12th century Angkor Wat then watch the sun set at Phnom Bakheng.

Day 4: Temples of Cambodia Ankor

Today tour the more outlying temples. After breakfast visit Banteay Srei, Kbal Spean (River of 1000 Lingas) & Banteay Samre. In the afternoon continue with Pre Rup, East Mebon, Ta Som, Neak Poan & Preah Khan.

Day 5: Depart Siem Reap

Relax in Siem Reap’s quaint cafes, bistros and art galleries until it’s time to fly out.

Have you experienced the wonders of Siem Reap? Please leave your comments below!