Top 10 must-see attractions in Anhui|china travel

Anhui province, located in eastern China, crosses the basins of the Yangtze and Huaihe rivers. It covers an area of nearly 140,000 square kilometers and has a population of 68 million people. Among the many tourist areas in the province, China.org.cn selects the top 10 most famous and popular ones for travelers.

Fengyang Royal Mausoleum of the Ming Dynasty

Fengyang Royal Mausoleum of the Ming Dynasty is located in the southwest of Fenyang county. [lvmama. com]

Located in the southwest of Fengyang county, the mausoleum is the tomb of the parents of Zhu Yuanzhang, the first Emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Construction of the mausoleum began in 1369 and was completed 14 years later.

The mausoleum is surrounded by three walls known as King, Brick and Earth. Along the walls there are many sites such as the main hall, the golden gate, Huangtang Bridge, and many stone sculptures. The tombstone of the mausoleum is about seven meters high and two meters wide, ranking first among all the emperors' mausoleums in China and a key cultural relic.

Travel Tips:

Best time to visit: all year

Admission: 50 yuan

Getting there: bus from Fengyang county.

Emerald Valley

Emerald Valley is located at the northern foot of Huangshan Mountain. [uutuu. com]

Emerald Valley, also known as "Lovers' Valley", is located at the northern foot of Huangshan Mountain. It is about six kilometers long and has more than 100 emerald ponds.

During the day, as the sunlight moves, the ponds take on different colors, just like many emerald jades spreading over the valley. After sunset, the shadows of moon and mountain present another unique sight. The most famous scenic spots in the valley are Old Dragon Pool, Green Dragon Pool, Black Dragon Pool, White Dragon Pool and Emerald Pond.

Travel Tips:

Best time to visit: sights vary by the season

Admission: 70 yuan

Getting there: bus from the bus station near the Huangshan railway station.

Taiping Lake

Taiping Lake is the largest man-made lake in Anhui province. [u0559. com]

Taiping Lake, the largest man-made lake in Anhui province, is located at the southern foot of the Huangshan Mountain and to the southeast of Jiuhua Mountain. It boasts beautiful waters, differently-shaped peninsulas and stunning stones.

Taiping Lake scenic area covers 275 square kilometers, holding 2.4 billion cubic meters of water. There are more than 10 differently shaped islands in the lake, where various wild animals to live. From the sky, the lake is like two dragons lying within the mountains, which brings the lake a reputation of the "Jade of South of the Yangtze River."

Travel Tips:

Best time to visit: April to October

Admission: 55 yuan

Getting there: bus from the bus station near the Huangshan railway station.

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Hotels in Jiangbei District, Ningbo|Ningbo travel

New East Asia Hotel

Manager: SHEN Yajuan
Add: #183 Xinma Road, Jiangbei District, Ningbo City
Zip: 315020
Tel: 87354808
Fax: 87356224
Star Rate: **
Number of Rooms: 80
Number of Beds: 150

Jinfeng Hotel

Manager: LU Mingfu
Add: #567 North Huancheng Road, Jiangbei District, Ningbo City
Zip: 315016
Tel: 87213456
Fax: 87225850
Star Rate: ***
Number of Rooms: 99
Number of Beds: 206

Bengye Hotel

Manager: MIN Yuanfang
Add: #79 South Daqing Road, Jiangbei District, Ningbo City
Zip: 315020
Tel: 87031888
Fax: 87356379
Star Rate: *
Number of Rooms: 78
Number of Beds: 172

Jianghua Hotel

Manager: TONG Jiangchun
Add: #85 Renmin Road, Jiangbei District, Ningbo City
Zip: 315020
Tel: 87039888
Fax: 87039988
Star Rate: **
Number of Rooms: 105
Number of Beds: 194

Garden Hotel

Manager: LIU Hongyou
Add: #159 Beijiao Road, Jiangbei District, Ningbo City
Tel: 87212208
Fax: 87090999
Zip: 315016
Star Rate: ***
Number of Rooms: 150
Number of Beds: 290

Alaska Airlines Resumes Flights In And Out Of Anchorage After Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport Reopens

Alaska Airlines (IATA CODE AS) resumed flights in and out of Anchorage late Sunday afternoon after Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport reopened for operations. The airport had been closed since Saturday evening because of volcanic ash on runways and surrounding areas that posed a significant risk to operating aircraft.

Alaska Airlines' first flight to Anchorage is scheduled to depart Seattle at 7 p.m. and arrive at 9:53 p.m. local time. Flights out of Anchorage were expected to begin about 4 p.m. local time. The airline will continue to operate its normal schedule as long as conditions permit. Flight departure information will be posted at alaskaair.com.

"We apologize for the inconvenience to our customers, but their safety is always our highest priority," said Ben Minicucci, Alaska Airlines' chief operating officer and executive vice president of operations. "Although we are resuming operations in Anchorage, we're monitoring the ash situation at the airport very closely. If the ash poses a hazard again, we will halt our operations there."

Alaska Airlines canceled 45 flights to and within the state of Alaska on Sunday. Since Mount Redoubt began erupting Sunday, March 22, the airline has canceled about 230 flights affecting more than 10,000 passengers.

Travelers are advised to check the status of their flights before going to the airport at alaskaair.com or by calling 1-800-ALASKAAIR (1-800-252-7522). The airline recommends that standby travelers do not return to the airports in Seattle and Anchorage on Sunday night as it is very unlikely they can be accommodated due to fully booked flights. Specific information about flight changes related to the Mount Redoubt volcano is available at alaskaair.com.

Ticketed passengers who are affected by Mount Redoubt eruptions and scheduled for travel March 28 through March 29, 2009, will be allowed changes without penalty if their new travel is on or before April 5, 2009. A full refund will also be offered for any unused portion of the ticket.

Alaska Airlines ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction among Traditional Network Carriers (tie)" in the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 North America Airline Satisfaction StudySM. For reservations, visit alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Newsroom at alaskaair.com/newsroom.

Chengdu listed as one of worlds 200 famous cities

Chengdu was included in the rankings of the Famous Cities of the World in 2009 released by The World Famous Brands Assembly last week in Tokyo, Japan.
31 cities in China were on the list, including Beijing, Hong Kong, Macao, Shanghai, Taipei, Suzhou, Wuhan, Xian and Nanjing.

Emirates marks World Book Day by taking passengers on a literary journey

4th March, 2010: To celebrate World Book Day, Emirates took thousands of travellers on a literary journey by orchestrating a mass book sharing initiative across its global network of more than 100 destinations. Lucky passengers on board every Emirates flight departing the airline’s Dubai hub today were presented a novel as part of the annual drive to encourage the joy of reading and promote literacy. Cabin crew were integral to the operation, with more than 1000 of them arriving for duty with a stack of books written by authors who are part of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, running from 10th to 13th March. Starting with the one am flight to Bahrain, they distributed books on more than 150 aircraft, until the last flight to depart Dubai on World Book Day a Boeing 777 to Bangkok at 11pm. Cabin crew also had the honour of telling passengers about the Emirates Literary Journey, explaining to readers that they were just taking the book on the first leg of its trip, and that they should pass it on to friend, family member, colleague or even a stranger in a café or metro station. Instructions are also printed on the inside cover of each book, which includes a table for each reader to fill in the details which will track each stage of the book’s ongoing journey, such as their name, and where and when they picked it up and then handed it on. In addition, each book has an individual serial number and readers are encouraged to log on to the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature website - emirateslitfest.com/literaryjourney - to share their views on the initiative, as well as comments on the novel they read. Terry Daly Emirates Divisional Senior Vice President, Service Delivery oversaw the complex plan which will see both Arabic and English-language authors reaching new audiences across the world. He said: “It is incredible to think that our cabin crew today will be spreading the joy of reading to every corner of the globe. Emirates is proud that - through our staff - the World Book Day message of promoting literacy and the joy of reading will be delivered to almost 60 different countries. More than 20 titles by leading international authors such as Kate Mosse and R.J Ellory, as well as top regional writers like Bahaa Taher and Maha Gargash - were also distributed at 26 Emirates lounges across the world, while many customers at Costa Coffee shops throughout Dubai also received a copy. In addition, novels were given to guests at the Emirates Group’s eco-friendly conservation-based destinations - Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa in Dubai and Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa in Australia - while there will be some unexpected half-time reading material for lucky football and rugby fans attending forthcoming Arsenal and Emirates Western Force matches. The celebration of books will continue next week when the 2010 Emirates Airline Festival of Literature running from Wednesday until Saturday - gets under way at the InterContinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City. And festival director Isobel Abulhoul is delighted readers across the world are already taking part in the event being held under the patronage of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority. She said: “One of our main objectives in setting up the festival has been to encourage as many people as possible to experience the joy of the written word in all its forms. What better way to do this than with a global book drop. “The thought that people - from Los Angeles to Tokyo to Sydney - will have the opportunity to participate in our festival via Emirates global reach is truly exciting and inspiring. This is exactly what the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature is supposed to be about. The publishing community has been generous in its support of the initiative and together with Emirates - donated the collection of titles, many of which are bestsellers or have won awards. Click here to see the video on how how Emirates celebrated World Book day and the forthcoming Emirates Airline Festival of Literature with a book sharing initiative across its global network.

Afridi to star in amateur side at Emirates Airline Twenty20

DUBAI, U.A.E.,16th February 2010: Shahid Afridi the talismanic all-rounder who inspired Pakistan’s World Twenty20 victory in London last year has signed up to play in the inaugural Emirates Airline Twenty20. In an amazing coup, Fly Emirates XI a team of amateurs who juggle cricket with busy jobs at the Emirates Group - have recruited the 29-year-old in a bid to claim a shock victory against the professional teams they will be facing in the two-day festival of cricket on 19th and 20th March. Afridi will be lining up alongside Emirates employees including four who are also members of the UAE team which reached the last four of the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifiers - as they attempt to upset the odds against some of South Africa and England’s most talented Twenty20 players. He said: “It is going to be a tough challenge, but I am looking forward to it immensely. I always enjoy my time in Dubai and am very excited about playing in the first ever Emirates Airline Twenty20 tournament. “I know there is a real passion among cricket fans in the UAE and it will be great to play in front of them. It is a dream come true for Fly Emirates XI skipper Nigel Fernandes, who is delighted his team will get the opportunity to learn from one of the game’s most gifted players. “I can’t believe that Shahid Afridi will be playing for us, said the 32-year-old batsman from India, who works as an Airport Services Supervisor at the Emirates Group. “He is among the best players in the world at the moment and to have him alongside us will give us great confidence. Afridi will be the star attraction at the event, but the Cape Cobras the reigning Twenty20 champions of South Africa featuring experienced players and emerging stars will also have a strong following, while fans of the English County game won’t be disappointed. Sussex are England’s Twenty20 Cup holders and NatWest Pro40 champions and, with England players Monty Panesar, Ed Joyce and James Kirtley in their ranks, they should also prove popular with spectators, who will be able to take part in a number of fun activities planned by Arabian Cricket Challenge (ARCH), the event organisers. The four-team line-up is completed by Surrey Lions with England stars Mark Ramprakash, Steven Davies and Chris Tremlett expected to be competing at 7he Sevens, Emirates dedicated sporting facility, which is set to unveil a new cricket pavilion and pitches ahead of the tournament. Maurice Flanagan, Executive Vice Chairman, Emirates Airline & Group, is a keen follower of cricket and is delighted that the Fly Emirates XI will get the chance to play with Afridi. He said: “We are excited that he has agreed to play for us. It will be a wonderful experience for our players to learn from a world-class player. Emirates is committed to the growth of cricket - both in the UAE and around the world and it is a great pleasure to be able provide cricket fans here the chance to see one of the game’s most entertaining players in action. Tournament director and ARCH founder Matthew Jackson said: “It is great to have Afridi on board. He is a thrilling player to watch and plays in a style which sums up the festival spirit we aim to create. In addition to the Emirates Airline Twenty20, ARCH will be hosting the Emirates Airline Forty40, featuring Surrey and Sussex and two other English County clubs, in the week following the Twenty20 event. The development of grassroots cricket is a key objective of both ARCH and Emirates and they will also be running the Emirates Airline ARCH Trophy for schools, which will feature under-19 pupils from the UAE, New Zealand and the UK. For more details go to www.archtrophy.com

Emirates takes the title for top consumer website

11th February 2010: Emirates.com has come out on top in a global survey rating the usability of the world’s leading airline websites. Ranked first against a tough field in the ‘Global-Local Monitor survey, Emirates global websites were assessed for how well they had been localised or adapted to the country’s language and culture by the User Experience Alliance (UXalliance), a global network of leading user research firms. Over 70 experienced professionals from 17 countries across Asia, Europe and the Americas examined ten leading airline websites for compatibility to their local markets. Five expert representatives from each country took into account the proper use of local languages, character sets and culturally sensitive imagery on each of the sites. Emirates currently has 96 localized websites in 13 languages, representing the broad mix of destinations that the airline serves. People around the world are becoming increasingly reliant on the internet to assist them in the completion of everyday tasks, including the booking and management of international and regional travel. In line with this growing trend Emirates has invested heavily in its IT infrastructure. “We have a highly skilled and dedicated team supporting our online properties and we continue to look for ways to enhance each site’s usability. Our online bookings continue to grow exponentially each year and our online communications have become an extremely important sales tool. It is important for global companies like Emirates to produce collateral that directly reaches our target markets and we are confident that emirates.com is a true reflection of our inter-cultural mentality, added Boutros. The new Emirates website was launched on 12th December 2007.