2012 Longtan Temple Fair

January 27th, 2012

 

Longtan Temple Fair has been my favorite. The reason for my affection is many-fold, including its short distance to my residential area, it spacious area since the temple fair is located in Longtan Lake Park and its richness in offering various festival activities.
 
Longtan Temple Fair has entered its 29th year since it was first held in 1983. From last year, it added Ice and Snow activities for the temple fair, which had its official name “The First Longtan Park Winter Carnival” . Part of the Longtan Lake was turned into an ice and snow playground just behind the north gate of Longtan Lake Park. This year the Second Longtan Park Winter Carnival is held together with Longtan Temple Fair.
 
The 2012 (29th ) Longtan Temple Fair has little change in comparison with the temple fair held in 2011. Its main activities include new year product shopping, games playing, eating local snacks and amusement for kids.
 
For many temple fair goers,  each year any temple fair comes to them without little surprises and or freshness. So why come to a temple fair again  year on year? It is the atmosphere, it is the huge hordes of people that attract people to come to a temple fair. Here, you feel the new year, here you touch the new year, here you expect some hope for future.
 
Now we buy online, we eat online, we talk online, we write each other online, we do business online and the list can be much longer. But we are human beings and we need real world network, not just virtual interaction. Under the background of internet era, we need something like a temple fair to remind us that we are human beings.
 
Follow me to the 29th Longtan Temple Fair to celebrate the new year 2012.
 
Follow the happy kid to the temple fair 

Follow the happy kid to the temple fair

 
The huge Chinese character “福” sign wishing everybody happy and healthy in the new year. 

The huge Chinese character 福 sign wishing everybody happy and healthy

 
So many people and you have to move with the people flow 

So many people and you have to move with the people flow

 
Kids like to enjoy a pirate ship

Kids like to enjoy a pirate ship

 
Balloon Dart game 

balloon Dart game

Intoxicated 

Intoxicated

Have a cup of tea from a huge copper tea pot 

Have a cup of tea from a huge copper tea pot

Xinjiang Uyghur Kebabs 

Xinjiang Uyghur Kebabs

Do you dare to try? Fired Scorpions! 

Fired Scorpions!

Have a bit

Have a bit

 
Sugar coasted haws and res lanterns 

Sugar coasted haws and res lanterns

A foreigner with a dragon hat is lost in the sea of people

A foreigner with a dragon hat drops is lost in the sea of people

 
The Ice and Snow in Longtan Temple Fair

The Ice and Snow in Longtan Temple Fair

The best place for kids in Beijing

January 27th, 2012

 

For many kids as well as some “big kids”, the best place to play in Beijing is to visit Beijing Happy Valley, topping the list of Top 10 Things for Kids to Do in Beijing. Beijing Happy Valley is dubbed “Disney in Beijing”, a Chinese theme park, one of the “Happy Valley” chains.
 
The first “Happy Valley” has been successfully operating for many years in Shenzhen in south China’s Guangdong Province. At the same time, the group has built two more “Happy Valleys” in Shanghai and Chengdu beside this one in Beijing. Plan your Beijing kid tour? Beijing Happy Valley is highly recommended.
 
The Southern Entrance to Beijing Happy Valley

The Southern Entrance to Beijing Happy Valley

 
Beijing Happy Valley Location
Add: Xiaowuji Beilu, Dongsi Huan, Chaoyang District, Beijing  (located on the south east end of the city)
Entrance Fee: RMB 150 for adult; Kids between 1.5m and 1.2m; RMB 100; Children under 1.2m: free
Opening Hours: 9:00-19:30 (weekday); 8:30-19:30 (weekend)
Telephone: 67383333, 67389898
 
Beijing Public Transport
Take bus 52 and get off at Jinsongqiao Dong Station , then take bus 41 and get off at Houfengqiao Nan Station, walking about 50 meters and get to the park;
Take Metro Line 1 and get off at Dawang Lu Station from Exit A, then connect bus 31 and get off at Houfengqiao Nan Station, walking 50 meters to the park.
Take Metro Line 10 and get off at Jinsong Station, then take bus 41 at Jinsong Qiao to Houfengqiao Nan Station.
  
Travel Tips for Beijing Happy Valley
Beijing Happy Valley is composed of seven subtheme parks, including Happy Time, Ant Kingdom, Shangri-La, Lost Maya, Aegean Sea, Wild Fjord, and Atlantis. Generally speaking, there are three basic routes of visiting Beijing Happy Valley – Family Route, Senior Route and Central Route. Why the best place for kids in Beijing. Well, please follow me into the best theme park in Beijing through its main gate – Southern Gate to Beijing Happy Valley.
 
Suggested Tour Line for Seniors 

Senior Route

 
Suggested Tour Line for Family 

Family Route

 
Suggested Tour Line for young people 

Centro Route

 
Seven sub-themes of Beijing Happy Valley 

Seven sub-themes of Beijing Happy Valley

 
 
Happy Time Section
As its name suggests, Happy Time Section is one of the most happiest place in the theme park with such rides and attractions as Extrem Rusher, Angel’s Wing Festival of Speed, Happy Hot Wheel, X Extra Powe, Mini Trains, 4D Royal Cinima and Foadm Factory, Happy Stage, Happy  Time Square and Parade of Inserts Carnival.
 
Happy Hot Wheel 

Happy Hot Wheel

X Extra Power 

X Extra Power

 
Ants Kingdom Section
This section is most favored by kids with so many funny things to do including Rush Hour, Jumping Frog, Bug’s Party, Harvet Time, Flying Ant Squad, Mini shuttle, Dandelion, Grand windmill, Turning Cup, Jump Around and Samba Balloon.
 
Ants Kingdom

Ants Kingdom

 
 
Shangri-la Section
Shangri-la means a mysterious and peaceful place away from the bustle and hustle of the world. The word Shangri-la is derived from Tibetan “Shambala” which is the holy land aspired by visitors from all over the world. Its amazing rides and attractions include golden Wings in Snowland, Twin Tower Heroes, Haunted Grove, Drifting through fairland, Shambala Tower, camelback rescue, Lost Snowland, Forest Climbing and Good Luck Archery.
 
Totem signs for the ancestors of the people in Shangri-la

Totem signs for the ancestors of the people in Shangri-la

 
Shangri-la Bazzar 

Shangri-la Bazaar

 
 
Lost Maya Section
Though the ancient Maya Civilization has been lost for centuries, people never stop seeking the traces of the splendid culture with wild imagination. Here you can enjoy the scenes of Central America with many activites which immerse you in the beautiful ancient world. Its rides and attractions include Apolo Wheel, Jungle Racing, Straw Hats, Treasure Troop, Voices from the Deep Cavity, Virgin Forest Stage, Mini Train, maya Catastrophe, Dr. Norman’s Digging, Mayan Gateway, Maya Shangri-la Bridge, Maya Pyramid, Phoenix Sculpture, Head Portraits of Sixteen Mayan Deities, Maya Pagoda, Maya Town, Margaret Beach, Ghost Monkey Forest and Mayan Lane.
 
Head Portraits of Sixteen Mayan Deities

Head Portraits of Sixteen Mayan Deities

 
Don’t listen, Don’t look and don’t say 

Don't listen, Don't look and don't say

 
Aegean Sea Section
In the clear air and blue sea, the old Aegean stories are told among the flowers, sunshine and birds singing. Here, the true meaning of life is annotated and the Olympic Spirit is developed and expanded. This section’s rides and attractions include Trojan Horse, The Odyssey, Honeybee Boats, Happy Water Cannons, Downtown Heliene, Issaca, Olympia, Bridge Andromeda, Olympic Torch Sculpture, and Minotaur Palace.
 
Olympic Culture Square 

Olympic Culture Square

Trojan Horse 

Trojan Horse

 
Wild Fjord Section
The romantic and peaceful Northern European Civilization is the perfect combination of style and nature. You will have verdurous and vision feel while passing through Wild Fjord. Its rides and attractions include Golden Mask Dynasty Show, OCT Life Art Center, Happy Valley Square, Wild Fjord Square, Sightseeing cars, Electrical motorcycles, and X-game performance.
 
Mini Train 

Mini Train

  
Atlantis Section
Atlantis is the central part of Beijing Happy Valley depicting an ancient culture produced by Atlantis people. Its rides and attractions include Energy Collector, Crystal Wing, Energy Storm, Water Gambol, Holy Crysatl Castle, Giant Derrick, Magic Theatre, and Funny Fancy Diving.
  
Energy Collector

Energy Collector

 
Holy Crysatl Castle

Holy Crysatl Castle

 
Extrem Rusher with drums

Extrem Rusher with drums

 
Clown Parade

Clown Parade

Panjiayuan Temple Fair

January 26th, 2012

 

If you are an antique lover traveling Beijing during spring festival, then you should not miss Panjiayuan Temple Fair. Panjiayuan Temple Fair has its own official name called “Panjiayuan Spring Festival Fair”. This year 2012 is the 4th Panjiayuan Spring Festival Fair.
 
Panjiayuan Temple Fair is located in the west part of Panjianyuan Market ( Panjiayuan Flea, Antique or Dirt Market). Panjiayuan Market‘s east part is still open to vendors and shoppers.
 
Open hours for Panjiayuan Temple Fair
9:00am – 5:00pm
Jan 21 – 29, 2012
 
Open hours for Panjiayuan Market
Monday – Friday 08:30am – 6:00pm
Saterday – Sunday 4:30am – 6:00pm
 
 
The 4th Panjiayuan Spring Festival Fair
This year’s Panjiayuan Temple Fair is mainly composed of one performance stage, snacks stalls, antiques and handicrafts booths and amusement for kids. What makes this year fair special is that there is an Amber Exhibittion sponsored by Polish government during the fair.
 
The center of the fair is the stage on which trandtional Beijing cultural performances are on show. People are gathering around the stage enjoying the performance and feeling the festival of the new year.
 

People are gathering around the stage enjoying the performance

 
For many temple fair goers, tasting the local snacks is one of their highlights. One row of over a dozen of food stalls are orderly arranged in the special zone in the fair. Beef pies, Lamb kebabs, Stuffed Sausage, Steamed buns with fillings, Sugar Coated haws on a stick…
 
A beauty kebabs vendor  

A beauty kebabs vendor

 
Making of beef pies

Making of beef pies

 
Kids will not be disappointed since there several amusement facilities in the fair.  

Kids will not be disappointed since there several amusement facilities in the fair.

 
Panjiayuan Temple Fair still keeps its characteristics of being a platform of trading for antiques and handicrafts. In the fair there are four rows of makeshift stalls selling various staffs – amber, jade, pearls, coral, turquoise
 

four rows of makeshift stalls

 
 
Panjiayuan Temple Fair still keeps its characteristics of being a platform of trading antiques and handicrafts. 

Panjiayuan Temple Fair still keeps its characteristics of being a platform of trading antiques and handicrafts.

 
 
Panjiayuan Flea Market
Of course, if you really want to hunt for the bargains you like, you should go to the east part of the market where hundreds of vendors are waiting for you, selling Jewelry such as amber, jade, pearls, coral, turquoise; Cultural Revolution-era items; Buddhist statuary; Porcelain & ceramics and Chinese paintings and calligraphy objects.
 
 
amber, jade, pearls, coral, turquoise 

 
Buddhist statuary

Buddhist statuary

 
calligraphy objects. 

calligraphy objects.

 
Chinese paintings 

Chinese paintings

  
New Year Wishes 

New Year Wishes

 
Panjiayuan Market is festively decorated

Panjiayuan Market is festively decorated

amber, jade, pearls, coral, turquoise

Precious Stones

Precious Stones