Wednesday, December 31, 2014

XI’AN - Terracota Warriors

Went for 7 days 6 nights to Xi'An, Luo Yang, Kai Feng and Zhengzhou. The main goal is to visit terracota warriors.   We took China Southern Airlines from KL to Guongzhou, then transit for 3 hours, took domestic flight to Xi an.  We left KLIA at 9.50am and landed to Xi An around 7.15pm.

On our first night, we had our dinner at Da Meng Gong Palace where they serve us more than 15 dishes, like having a food feast.  The food was great.

Overall the food is a lot better than other provinces in china. Not so oily and spicy.  The accomodation was good. The tour guide speaks mandarin and that's the only drawback. Got to ask friend to translate it in English.  This tour is really an eye opener for me where I can learn so much of history. Even they got strategy to bury the Terracota Warriors.

I'm so happy that I able to see terracota warriors, visited yellow river via hovercraft, place where guan yu head was bury, justice bao court house, peony flowers and even shaolin temple.





My itinery are as follows :

Visit to Great Mosque, located near the Drum Tower on Huajue Lane, is one of the oldest
and most renowned mosques in the China.
Drum tower
The Great Mosque is completely Chinese in its construction and architectural style, except for some Arabic lettering and decorations, for the mosque has neither domes nor traditional-style minarets. Then, go to Bell and Drum Tower (Zhonggulou) Square. The tower was used to announce the time of day for Xi'an residents and serve as a watchtower. Next, proceed to visit Muslim Street.




Continue visit to Big Wild Goose Pagoda ( excluding Ascending Pagoda), located in the Temple of Great Maternal Grace (Daci'en Si) complex. Built from brick and wood in classic Ming style architecture, Big Wild Goose Pagoda was constructed to house and protect the Buddhist sutras and figurines brought from India by monk Xuan Zang, who would later translate them into Chinese. Then, visit Musical Fountain and Tang Dynasty Culture City.



This morning, visit to Terracotta Army (include buggy). Terracotta Army rank among the world's top
archaeological finds. This incredible collection of well over 6,000 figures was accidentally unearthed by a group of peasants trying to dig a well in 1974. The figures vary in height, according to their role, the tallest being the generals. The figures include warriors, chariots, horses, officials, acrobats, strongmen, and musicians. This 2000 year old statue of a warrior made to protect the tomb of the Emperor Qin Shi Huang, the founder of the Qin Dynasty and the first man to rule over a unified China. Visit to Emperor Qin Shi Huang Tomb, Armor Pit and Chariot Pit at there. Transfer to Lingbao which located in Henan Province

The farmer that found Terracota warrior


Tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang

Today, visit to Guo State Museum located at Sanmenxia [about 1 hour], a special topic museum set
up in graveyard site of Guo's State of western Zhou Dynasty. Depend on the Yellow River in the north of its, next to Xiao mountain in the south, it is one to collect the historical relic and display, site show, garden view are the integrative modernized, multi-functional museum. Continue journey to Luoyang [about 2½ hours], one of the cradles of the Chinese civilization and one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China.

Luoyang famous for peony


Upon arrival, visit to Longmen Grottoes (include buggy). Along with the Mogao Caves and Yungang Grottoes, the Longmen Grottoes are one of the three most famous ancient sculptural sites in China. Work on the carvings began in the Northern Wei Dynasty and continued over the Sui Dynasty well into the Tang Dynasty.

longmen grottoes



Then, visit to Guanlin Temple, is a series of temples that have been built in honor of a hero of the Three Kingdoms period, Guan Yu. After that, proceed to visit Peony (Mudan) Square.

Guan Yu Temple

After breakfast, transfer to Dengfeng [about 1½ hours]. Visit to Shaolin Temple (include buggy), a Chán Buddhist temple at Song Shan. Founded in the 5th century, the monastery is long famous for its association with Chinese martial arts and particularly with Shaolin Kung Fu and it is the Mahayana Buddhist monastery.




You can view the DaMo Cave at there. Continue visit to Pagoda Forest, a concentration of tomb pagodas for eminent monks and abbots of the temple. Enjoy the Shaolin Kungfu Show. Proceed to Kaifeng [about2½ hours].

 Visit to Kaifeng Court, is a complex of Song Dynasty buildings. The Former Kaifeng Hall was the court both for administration and judicature of the capital city of the Song Dynasty, and always taken as the biggest one in China then. According to the local gazetteer, there were 183 Kaifeng mayors totally, and Lord Bao was regarded as one of the best. Lord Bao (Bao Zheng) was a Northern Song official well-known for his incorruptibility and uprightness. Continue visit the Iron Pagoda, is a Buddhist Chinese pagoda built during the Song Dynasty. The pagoda is so-named not because it is made of iron, but because the color of the building resembles that of iron. It is a brick pagoda tower built on the location of a previous wooden pagoda that had been burnt down by lightning fire. Transfer to Gulou Night Market.

Kai Feng
Kai Feng Court

This morning, continue our journey to the capital of Henan Province - Zhengzhou [about 1½ hours]. You will have a hovercraft experience at the Yellow River Park, located not far from Zhengzhou city, and is backed by the beautiful Yue Hill.

Yellow River via hovercraft
Yellow River


Next, visit to ErQi Square, located in the city center, memorial of the Erqi Strike,which occurred on February 7, 1923. Then, transfer to Zhengzhou Shopping Area - free shopping at there.

You need to watch the show at Kai Feng, is an outdoor show and the standard is similar to Impression of Westlake at Hangzhou.


Share some of the food pictures serve during our trip :









Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Batang Kali

Is been a while since I update my blog. If you are looking for a short trip not far away from Kuala Lumpur, you can consider visiting batang kali which is after Rawang.

On the way to Batang Kali you can stop by at ulu Yam for their famous loh mee.
In Batang kali, you should visit the factory that makes rice crackers.
Then you can visit the Chinese temple up the hill where you have a magnificent view.

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Bukit Koman

Bukit Koman is after Raub town which is 2 hours drive from Kuala Lumpur.

Places to visit at Bukit Koman are :
1. delicious local food and snacks at Chop Yoon Thye, only opens at 2pm
2. beancurb factory - you can buy their soya bean drink, white beancurb and also deep fried tau foo pok
3. Soon Loong Groundnut Factory
4. Cheap Gua Musang Durian only at RM15 per kg.

Tau Fu Factory - less than 5 minutes drive from Chop Yoon Thye shop

Local food such as cakes, nasi lemak, chee cheong fun, hakka snacks, pumpkin cake and etc. This shop only opens at 2pm. 

Soon Loong Groundnut Factory  
- if exit from Bukit Koman, at junction turn left and drive less than 5 minutes, the shop is before the Accessories shop.
- Groundnuts are from Cambodia and China. Sold at RM2.70 per packet.


Gopeng Adventure

You can visit the following places in Gopeng :
a. Taman Herbal
b. Wall Murals at Gopeng town
c. Agricultural market i.e. bazaar next to Mydin
d. Lucky San Restaurant for seafood i.e Sultan Fish and Big river prawn

Wall Murals at Gopeng Town



Delicious food at Lucky San Restaurant at Gopeng


Big River Prawns at Lucky San Restaurant


The beautiful lake inside Taman Herba