Travel Permits & Restrictions:Traveling individually to Tibet is officially not allowed. Aside from visas for China, travelers to Tibet must also obtain permits from the Tibetan Tourism Bureau. Tibet Travel Permits are easily organized by the travel agencies working on your other travel arrangements for getting to Tibet.Getting There:There are three ways to get to Tibet: by air to Lhasa, or by rail and car – both routes ending in Lhasa. Read on to find out How to Get to Lhasa.Essentials:Population: 2.7 millionWeather: The winter in Tibet can be very fierce. Winds whipping across the plateau coupled with plunging temperatures make a visit in winter months to Tibet the stuff of the hearty traveler. Temperatures are much more varied in the summer months: it can be at freezing before sunrise and hit 100F by noon. Ideal time to visit Tibet: The spring and autumn when temperatures are milder and less extreme.Recommended time for visit: As long as you can afford. Five days is probably the minimum to take your time and see the most important sights. Remember, with the altitude, even the fittest traveler will find himself moving very slowly. This itinerary details how to spend Ten Glorious Days in Tibet.

Most of Shanghai's parks do not charge entry fees (some do not, usually 5-20rmb). Parks are a great way to observe and even participate in the Chinese culture. Folks head parks early to exercise and walk. Kids Play and Grandmothers to walk hand in hand, while taking care of children. You will usually encounter a group oldies to sing or dance, and you may even be asked to join. That's badminton set, and hit the shuttlecock back and forth, you will definitely attract some attention, and probably the challenge match – but beware, the locals are great!

Xintiandi, also written Xin Tian Di (新天地), is an area of reclaimed 1920s-era shikumen¬ houses that were ubiquitous in the area until very lately. As recently as 2005, the entire neighborhood around the current Xintiandi was made up of these old lane houses that were home to hundreds of families. Most of them have been torn down, having the same fate as Beijing’s. But Xintiandi stands out as an entertainment complex housed in rebuilt, remodeled lane houses of Shanghai. Be careful, while it’s free to walk around, there is plenty to tempt the RMB out of your wallet. Address: Huangpi Nan Road and Taicang Road Opening Hours: daily (approximately) 10am-10pm Say it in Chinese: Xintiandi (新天地) pronounced “shin tian dee”

Chinese lunar calendar is based on the cycles of the moon.

The Chinese calendar counts years in cycles sixty years. Every year, the label consists of two parts. The first part is the heavenly stem is one of the five elements. The second part of the earthly branch is one of the twelve animals (zodiac) sign. Equation is five times the amount of twelve sixty, or one cycle of the Chinese calendar.

Five elements: There are five universal elements of Chinese philosophy: wood, fire, earth, metal and water. Elements associated with five planets in ancient times, Jupiter = Wood, Mars = Fire, Saturn = Earth, Venus = Metal, Mercury = Water. Astrologers read the position of the planets to understand what the effects would be dominant in a person's life.

Elements associated with the colors: green (wood), Red (Fire), Brown (Earth), white (metal) and Black (Water). The elements are still related to the animal zodiac signs. A twelve-year period, the animal will take one of the elements, until all five have been used.

Legend of the Twelve Zodiac (Animal) signs:

There are different stories about the origin of the twelve Chinese zodiac animals. Some people use Chinese gods used some of the Buddha, but the core story is that the higher is called all the animals arrive at the meeting and the first to be selected. Before all this, the rat and the cat were good friends. But in the morning meeting, the rat, in his excitement, I forgot to wake up the cat and the various means gimmickry (or cleverness, because it interprets the rat), the main gods of the first and was therefore selected as the first. A cat slept and stayed in the collection, and after the two have been enemies.

Index of the Twelve Zodiac (Animal) Signs:

Unlike many cities in China with a long and varied history, the history of Shanghai is quite short. The British opened a concession in Shanghai after the Opium War and turn on the evolution of Shanghai. Once a small fishing village on the edge of the murky waters of the Huang Pu River, has become one of the most modern and sophisticated cities in the world.

The British established a concession by treaty forced the Qing Dynasty after China lost the Opium War. Grants are governed by the occupying country and were untouchable by the law in China. The French, Americans and Japanese soon followed the British territories in the establishment of Shanghai.

Shanghai has become the most important port in Asia and the world's largest commercial and banking institutions have set the house along the Bund. Tea, silk and porcelain candles to Europe and America and opium comes to paying for it. Shanghai is the most modern city in Asia – the Astor House Hotel has the first electric light bulb – but also the most licentious and opium dens, brothels and ease of escape from the law abound. No visas or passports are required at the port of Shanghai and soon became famous as an exotic port of call.

Shanghai becomes a haven for Jews fleeing the Nazi terror. Like other countries closed their doors to immigrants in the period before World War II, more than 20,000 Jewish refugees found refuge in Shanghai.

Japanese bombs hit Shanghai and evacuate foreigners en masse. Shanghai Japan control and much of the east coast of China until his defeat by the allied powers in 1945.

Two floors of a shopping complex of eyeglasses and sunglasses. You can go with or without prescription. Opticians make your eyes on the ground and within one day (or one week, if the recipe is complex), you will have a new pair of glasses. Why go? Because you pay a fraction of the price your home.

Taxi or Metro Line 1 – Shanghai Railway Station stop (上海 火车站). The glasses market mall is across from the intersection of the southern exit of the station.

I was really impressed. It's only taken me six years to the famous (among expats) market. There are so many stalls with many lenses to choose from – it could be a dream come true or your worst nightmare if you have problems with his choice. I took my dad already wearing an ill-fitting pair of plastic frames for $ 300 U.S. a few years. For less than half that he bought two new pair of frames with bifocal lenses that actually fit. The market is great for prescription sunglasses. You can bargain a bit, especially if you buy more than one seat.

First JW MarriottThe JW Marriott Tomorrow Square is the most futuristic name and is housed in the most futuristic building in Puxi (Shanghai, east of the river). Towering above the People's Square, JW Marriott commanding views over the city. Their Mandara Spa is an Eastern retreat in itself and a necessary luxury after a long flight. Boasting one of the few outdoor pools in Shanghai, it also has a very good gym. With all of the usual five-star amenities, is JW Marriott is a good choice for visitors who want to be at the heart of downtown Shanghai.

Address: 399 Nanjing West Road, Shanghai, 200003 China Tel: +86 21 5359 4969 Fax: +86 21 6375 5565 Website: JW Marriott

Address: 33 Fu Cheng Road, Pudong, Shanghai 200120 ChinaTel: +86 21 6882 8888 Fax: +86 21 6882 6688 Website: Pudong Shangri-La

Here's how: tissue package. Before you even leave the hotel, make sure you got the toilet paper with you laptop. A lot of public toilets do not provide. Wet wipes and hand sanitizer is also good to have along as if there was a sink, there can be any soap, no towels and probably either.Plan your business 1. "Peeing preventive" or go before you go is a good way to avoid being caught in a place that will not have a nice bathroom. (Nice is not necessarily the western among other things.) Pretend you're all five years and make sure they are the first to leave your business house.Plan 2. If you're going to be around, think about where you are and try to plan a few pit stops in between. Particularly in large cities, international hotels, luxury restaurants and shopping centers will clean the bathrooms with the most services (toilet paper, toilet West, soap and towels).

Places to avoid using the bathroom: large markets (especially outdoors), street-side public toilets (though getting better), tourist sites.

Bag Hand-Off. If you can, hand any unnecessary bags to a friend while you use the washroom. There are generally no hooks and you’ll need your hands to balance, to dig around your purse for tissues and to hold on to the door if the lock is broken.Queuing Up. If you find yourself outside the comfort of your hotel, don’t panic. It won’t be unbearable. Queues in China don’t work the same way as they do in the States. Women generally line up in front of a particular stall rather than hang back as one opens. This can create a free-for-all so it’s best to stick to one door and keep your eye on it. If it happens not to be a Western toilet, better to get in there than re-queue. Many times, doors have pictures or signs indicating Western or squat-style toilets. Also, check the lock, if it’s red, then it’s occupied. Green means free but always knock.Pants Check. I don’t want to scare you but some washrooms are rather wet – either from splash effect or the toilet maid (usually there is someone assigned to sit in the washroom and clean it) running amok with her mop. Either way, it’s not moisture you want on your new linen trousers. If it’s wet, roll them up, especially if you’re in line for a squat toilet. If you see other Chinese ladies rolling, then be sure to. They know something you don’t.The Squat. OK, well, you’ve found yourself in a squatty potty. It’s really not that bad and many argue it’s actually healthier to go this way than sitting down. Whatever, if you’re not used to it, squatting can be really difficult. Face forward and try to let your pants down while ensuring that the ends are up (hopefully you’ve rolled) and not touching the floor. There are grooved places for your feet on either side of the toilet. Try to get somewhere in the middle, feet flat on the floor (you don’t want to fall in, believe me) and aim for the potty.Paper Discard – Not in the Pot! Chinese plumbing in public restrooms generally doesn’t handle paper. If you can remember, please put anything other than #1 or #2 in the basket. Try as hard as you can NOT to look at the basket, it’s usually open and teeming with things on which you’d rather not lay eyes. Finish Up. Out you go, you accomplished squat toilet user. Unroll your pants, wash your hands, if you can, and find your friends waiting for you outside. Tips:It’s really not that bad once you get the hang of it and isn’t it better than hovering over a public toilet seat?A note on the trough. As hideous as this sounds, there are places where there are still troughs in public bathrooms. In these types of public toilets, there are usually door-less stalls facing up to a long trough with water running down from one end to the other. Folks back up and squat over the trough and everything floats away. These types of toilets are going the way of the dinosaur, but consider yourself warned. China’s reputation for horrible public bathrooms used to be well-deserved, but these days, the government is doing a lot to improve the state of the facilities. You’ll often find public toilets rated with stars. There’s a lovely 4-star public toilet on the Sacred Way outside of Beijing, for example.Have a few coins (1-2rmb) with you for use in public restrooms. There’s usually a charge and toilet paper will be given with the fee. Try not to freak out about the squat toilets. Likely as not, you won’t have to use one and if you do, it’s all part of the experience. What You NeedToilet Paper (e.g. pocket tissues)Anti-bacterial wipes or gelHandkerchief for drying hands when towel isn’t availableAn open mind and a sense of humor

I often get questions about where is best to study Kung Fu. Many students perceived that voice to the Shaolin Temple, the cradle of traditional Chinese Kung Fu, it makes more sense. But after talking with some people who have studied in and outside China, going to master the art of Shaolin Kung Fu can not be the best value.

Like many who have studied outside of China know Kung Fu is usually taken very seriously by those teaching and studying. Physical training is rigorous and is often accompanied by severe mental exercises and philosophy.

In addition to Matthew Polly, who describes his immersion in the training Kung Fu at Shaolin Temple in 1992 in his fantastic book, American Shaolin, many Westerners who travel to the Shaolin Temple in these days leave disappointed.

A French student of Kung Fu went to Shaolin to learn from the masters left after three months. He said that teachers assigned to Western students are soft on the students and I do not think that these "tourists Kung Fu" are really interested in learning, no matter how dedicated and eager you are. Western students are isolated in dormitories of foreign students and can be difficult to mix with local students.

When I was younger, was a traveler's check the way to go. You held the small number different from controls themselves and do not worry. You can spend them anywhere – even at home if you do not use them. Simple. These days, with the global network, ATM and credit cards, traveler's checks are no longer a necessity.

Read below to understand everything you need to know about money during your trip to China.

Understanding the banking hours and holidays (although you can usually find a bank open seven days a week).

Understand tipping in China – it's generally not expected, except for tours (see next paragraph).

Eight rules and two myths about negotiation and shopping in China.

Halloween is essentially a trip West and has a long history, originally celebrated by the Celts to commemorate the dead. Halloween as we know the U.S. is a holiday for fun and parties, dressing in costumes, trick or treating and pumpkin decorating.

Unlike Christmas, where non-religious traditions have crossed the Pacific, Halloween is really a non-event for the Chinese. You could see pumpkins or gourds decorated storefronts and grocery stores selling Western products could stock a few sweets, but you will not find hordes of Chinese children knocking on doors treats.

How to celebrate Halloween in China – Adults:

Halloween is a gimmick and a lot of bars, pubs and restaurants use as a Halloween theme party. If you are visiting China during Halloween, you'll probably find that these parties in big cities that have more expats living there as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. You can check the local expat magazine for the parties and hit the bar scene for a spooky night if you're in the mood.

How to celebrate Halloween in China – Children:

Unfortunately, only the international schools will likely be doing anything Halloween-related so if you’re just visiting China with your kids during Halloween there will not be public parties or trick-or-treating for them. Find a fun kids’ activity for them that day to help them forget about Halloween and the candy they’re missing!