The Ultimate Slumber Party – Sleep ON The Great Wall Of China!

A journey to China is filled with dozens of unique travel experiences for first time visitors. The miles of neatly parked black bicycles, the first time you’re offered a “1000″ year old egg to eat, the brightly painted Ming Dynasty temples, the sheer size and breadth of the highways and public squares, and the pace of new construction, all create a juxtaposition that is staggering.  At the top of most traveler’s sightseeing list is a visit to The Great Wall, located about 3 hours outside of Beijing.  What a shame it would be to travel all the way to China, and all the way to The Great Wall only to be herded like lemmings onto a restored section of the wall with hundreds (maybe thousands) of other sightseers.  Forget about jogging on The Great Wall… you’ll be lucky to find a spot to peep over the parapets and glimpse the countryside beyond.  If you’re like me, there will be way too many heads and necks in your view!  And don’t spend too much time walking along the wall, for you’ll surely want to visit the gift shops and purchase your requisite “I Climbed The Great Wall” tshirt before the bus leaves.  The picutre above was shot on May Day with a few of my fellow sightseers!!!  Fortunately there’s another way….

The folks at TheChinaGuide.com (an American managed/Beijing based travel company) offer a unique and intriging tour to The Great Wall that includes a “Sleep On The Wall” experience.  (Less adventurous travelers can opt to stay in a traditional courtyard hotel at the base of the wall instead.)  The tour visits a section of the wall that is less frequented by tour buses, so you will have plenty of opportunity to roam.  Following dinner in the village and an evening hike along the wall, tour participants who opt to ’sleep on the wall’ climb to a watchtower along with their guide, and bed down in a cozy sleeping bag with sleeping mat.  After a night of imagining you’re a trusty tower scout watching for an invading Mongol army, breakfast arrives (hot coffee, muesli and fruit) and it’s off for a 6 mile walk to discover more mysteries of the wall along with your guides.  Imagine the stories you’ll have to tell when you return home.  “I not only climbed the wall, I lived on it like Chinese soldiers did thousands of years ago”!  Here’s a link that will bring you to a full description of this unique Sleep On The Wall tour.  You might also like to read the trip report and watch a video by a Toronto Star reporter.

Now for the rest of us who are not entertaining a trip to China in the near future…. TheChinaGuide website has an outstanding feature -   360 degree panorama videos of  major sights in and around Beijing including The Great Wall,  Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, The Forbidden City, and Olympic stadiums – you’ll almost feel like you’re there.   Enjoy this virtual tour of Beijing!

ps – the photos in the article were not taken on The China Guide tour – they are my photos from a previous visit to China.

Phantom Of The Opera Sequel Lights Up The Night In London

Attention theater lovers – The Phantom is back!  Andrew Lloyd Webber’s much anticipated sequel production, Love Never Dies, opened in London this week to glowing reviews. The plot picks up 10 years after the mysterious disappearance of the Phantom in the basement of the Paris Opera House at the end of the play.  We find that the Phantom has followed his love (Christine) to New York where she has been offered an opportunity to perform at the newly opened Coney Island amusement pavilion.  In the excitement of traveling to glamorous New York with her husband Raoul and young son, Christine is unaware of the true identity of her benefactor who has lured her to New York.  “LOVE NEVER DIES is a rollercoaster ride of obsession and intrigue  in which music and memory can play cruel tricks and The Phantom sets out to prove that, indeed, LOVE NEVER DIES “.

Well respected theater ticket/travel company Keith Prowse is the exclusive ticket agent for Love Never Dies performances at the Adelphi Theatre.  They have put together London theater packages that include performance tickets and hotel stay starting at $129.59 per person (remarkable).   Click over to Keith Prowse/Love Never Dies for all the details – you’ll find a calendar displaying dates when tickets are available.

Plan A Family Surf Vacation – And Bring Your DOG!

Ever wonder who could learn to surf faster – you or your frisky pup?  Bring the whole family (plus the dog) on vacation to the Loews Coronado Beach Resort in San Diego California and find out! The Loews family of hotels loves pets and has developed imaginative vacation opportunities for travelers who want to bring their beloved dog or cat along on vacation.

The Coronado Beach Resort offers Su’Ruff Camp at Coronado’s Dog Beach where dogie surf instructors treat your favorite pooch to a one hour surfing lesson. But first they’ll need to look the part…. shake on a pair of complementary brightly colored board shorts and a designer surf bandanna – and don’t forget the camera!!  VIPs (Very Important Pets) are treated to gourmet room service, including a Surf & Turf dinner for surfer dogs and rawhide bones, catnip and scratch poles for your favorite felines.  Loews hotels customarily offer a special room service menu for cats and dogs, specialized bedding, leashes, collars, litter boxes and pooper scoopers.  You’ll also find pet-walking trails and pet-sitting services available at many properties as well.

And if your favorite 4 legged champ turns out to be a real surfing superstar, you may want to return in May for the 5th annual Surf Dog Competition that takes place on May 22, 1020.  This fun event attracts big crowds with proceeds going to a local charity.  Your dog doesn’t like water? – No worries, check out the Pumped Up Pets program and exercise along with your pet instead.

All the amenities are not just for the pets.  Your family will find lots of space to play in the sprawling ocean front resort spread over 15 acres.  You’ll find 3 swimming pools, an 80 slip marina, tennis courts, whirlpools, bike and rollerblade paths, and paddle boat rentals to name a few of the family friendly offerings.  Check out the hotel and all the special packages at LoewsHotels.com.

(Photos are from Loews Hotels’ website)

Newport RI – Come Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day & Irish Heritage Month

Vegas Gets A New Kind Of Show – Bullfights – Without The Violence!

The Next Big Thing In Boating – Seabreacher

Even The Olympics Is Discounting This Year!

Pies On Parade – Take A Bite Out Of Winter

Power Up A Snowcat And Take It For A Spin At Crested Butte Colorado

Rub Noses Like An Eskimo In An Igloo Hotel!

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