Summer Olympics 2008, China
China will host the prestigious Summer Olympics in 2008.
Already, Olympics fever has gripped China and we’ll probaby see
another exciting Olympics in 2008. The two cities that will host
the Olympics in China are Beijing, which is the nations capital
and Qingdao, a seaside city in the province of Shandong, in
north-east China. Let’s get to know these two Olympics cities
better.
Beijing
Beijing is the capital for China. It was also a capital for the
last two monarchies that ruled China before being overthrown by
Sun Yat Sun in 1911 and has been the capital since Mao Tse Tung
declared China a People’s Republic in 1949.
Beijing is located in northern China, close to Tianjin
Municipality and partially surrounded by Hebei Province. The
city covers an area of more than 16,800 square kilometers (6,487
square miles) and has a population of 13.82 million people.
Beijing is at its best in late spring and autumn, particularly
during the months of May, September, and October when people can
enjoy bright sunshine and blue skies.
As the capital of the People’s Republic of China, Beijing is the
nation’s political, economic, cultural and educational center as
well as being the China’s most important center for
international trade and communications. It has been the heart
and soul of politics and society throughout its long history and
consequently there is an unparalleled wealth of discovery to
delight and intrigue travelers as they explore Beijing’s ancient
past and enjoy its exciting modern development.
Beijing is also the tourist capital of China, boasting of
favourite tourist sites such as :
Great Wall of China
Forbidden City
Summer Palace
Temple of Heaven
Ming tombs
Tiananmen Square.
Beijing will also be the host for the Summer Olympics in 2008.
Already, Olympics fever has gripped the city as construction of
new buildings, hotels and stadiums, sprucing of tourist
facilities, cleaning up of air and water pollution takes on a
fervent pace.
Qingdao
Qingdao is a bustling city located in Shandong province, in the
North East of China. Qingdao will be the site for sailing events
for the Summer Olympics as Beijing is not by the sea.
Qingdao city lies on undulating hills with luxuriantly green
trees and buildings noted for their attractive architectural
styles. The red colour of the tiled roves, green colour of the
trees thills and blue of the sea contrast beautifully. All this
along with its beautiful climate, make the city well-known as a
summer and health resort.
The city occupies an area of 10 654 km2. The city is located in
flatlands, with mountains spurring up nearby. The highest
elevation in the area is 1133 m above sea level. The city has a
730.64-kilometer coastline. Five significant rivers that flow
for more than 50 km can be found in the region.
Qingdao is estimated to be the home for more than 7 million
inhabitants, of which around 2.6 million is residing in the
Qingdao urban area.
Qingdao enjoys mild summers and relatively warm winters, with
the average July temperature at 23.8C and the average January
temperature at -0.7C. The city gets most rain in June and July,
at an average of 150 mm.
Qingdao has very strong German influence in the 19th century and
many German influenced buildings can still be seen. In fact,
Qingdao beer is famous throughout the world, and every year,
hundreds of thousands of people, both local and overseas gather
in Qingdao for the annual Beer festival.
Qingdao attracts many tourists due to its seaside setting and
excellent weather. Parks, beaches and sculpture — as well as
some unique architecture — line the shore. Qingdao’s major
attractions include:
* Ba Da Guan, the older area of town with some surviving German
architecture.
* Laoshan, a famous Taoist mountain.
* Lu Xun Park, named after Lu Xun, a famous modern Chinese
writer.
* Qingdao Beer Museum, on the site of the old brewery.
* Qingdao Naval Museum
* Qingdao International Beer City, the primary site of the
annual Qingdao International Beer Festival.
* Qingdao Underwater World
* St. Michael’s Cathedral, a Gothic/Roman cathedral designed by
German architect Pepieruch, completed in 1934.
* Zhan Qiao (Zhan Pier)
* Zhanshan Temple, Qingdao’s only Buddhist temple.
Qingdao has such nice weather and scenary that the China ruling
party has a large rest and retirement santuary in Qingdao for
it’s retired cadres.
