Maria's blog
WindhorseTour’s customer service hours
In order to make your China travel more convenient and enjoyable, and to limit confusion that may arise due to the time differences between China and other countries, the following outlines WindhorseTour’s hours of availability.
Overland from Lhasa to Kathmandu – documents and permits
Recently, I have fielded many questions regarding documentation required for overland travel between Lhasa and Kathmandu. Here, I will give an overview of the necessary permits and paperwork.
Best Places to See Chengdu Spring Flowers
In March and April, many places around Chengdu are filled with beautiful blooming flowers. If you happen to visit Chengdu during this period, we highly recommend planning extra time to take photos with the beautiful blooms and breathe in the fresh spring air of Sichuan.
Legend of the Golden Symbol of Chengdu: the Sun and Immortal Birds
Are you familiar with the image to the above? These days, the golden Sun Bird crest seems to be finding almost limitless artistic life in the fields of sculpting, painting, and other arts and crafts, as well as popping up in many other noteworthy places – during the 2005 Shenzhou VI spacecraft mission, a piece of Shu embroidery with this symbol was carried into space; on August 16, 2008, it officially…
Jinsha Site Museum’s amazing light display for Chinese New Year
In order to celebrate China’s 2012 Spring Festival, the Jinsha Site Museum put on the Chengdu Jinsha Sun Festival, which showcased local Chinese lanterns and a vivid lighting atmosphere.My brother and I came to the Jinsha Site Museum in the evening, like many of the locals do, because the display is most interesting when the many different colors of lights and lanterns shine brightly in the dark. There…
My new year trip to Jiuzhaigou – The Bus Ride Up
In anticipation of this year’s New Year holiday, my friends and I decided that it would be a fantastic opportunity for a three-day road trip to see the beautiful Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong parks. As a bonus, we opted to take the bus for the scenery as we rose into the mountains on the 10 hour trip.
Face to face with Tibetan Mastiffs at Yamdrok Lake!
When we stepped out of our car near Yamdrok Lake in Tibet, what surprised me the most was not the imposing snow-capped Himalayan mountains or the vibrant blue alpine lake, but a group of strange, huge, black dogs! I was bitten by a dog when I was young, so obviously I hesitated to touch them when they came up to sniff my clothes, and in fact, (I am a little embarrassed to admit) I screamed and asked their…
Traveling During The Chinese National Day
The National Day of the People’s Republic of China (Chinese:国庆, pinyin: guóqìng jié) is celebrated every year on October 1. The reason we celebrate it on October 1 is because our country was founded on October 1, 1949 with a ceremony at Tiananmen Square.
Jiuzhaigou Valley – a fairy tale world in autumn
A legend about Jiuzhaigou Vally goes like this. Long, long ago one deity of mountain named Dago had a crush on the goddess Semo. One day he gave a mirror that was made from wind and cloud to Semo. Unfortunately, the devil appeared and cast his covetous eyes on the mirror. During the flight, the mirror slide from Semo’s hands which was broken into 114 pieces, then they fell down to earth and turned in to…
Let’s eat hot pot at ease
Hot pot boasts itself is a Chinese culture dating back over 1,000 years in our history. Nowadays hot pot (Chinese: 火鍋; pinyin: huǒ guō) is gaining increased popularity. It is common to see people standing in long queues only to wait for their turn to eat hot pot in most cities of China. Even in hot summer, you can still see them eat hot pot meals with air conditioner on. At the center of dinner table,…
Best Places to See Chengdu Spring Flowers
In March and April, many places around Chengdu are filled with beautiful blooming flowers. If you happen to visit Chengdu during this period, we highly recommend planning extra time to take photos with the beautiful blooms and breathe in the fresh spring air of Sichuan.
Legend of the Golden Symbol of Chengdu: the Sun and Immortal Birds
Are you familiar with the image to the above? These days, the golden Sun Bird crest seems to be finding almost limitless artistic life in the fields of sculpting, painting, and other arts and crafts, as well as popping up in many other noteworthy places – during the 2005 Shenzhou VI spacecraft mission, a piece of Shu embroidery with this symbol was carried into space; on August 16, 2008, it officially…
Face to face with Tibetan Mastiffs at Yamdrok Lake!
When we stepped out of our car near Yamdrok Lake in Tibet, what surprised me the most was not the imposing snow-capped Himalayan mountains or the vibrant blue alpine lake, but a group of strange, huge, black dogs! I was bitten by a dog when I was young, so obviously I hesitated to touch them when they came up to sniff my clothes, and in fact, (I am a little embarrassed to admit) I screamed and asked their…
Qinghai-Tibet Railway History Of The “Snow-Covered Plateau“ Construction
The Qinghai-Tibet Railway, often heralded as an engineering marvel, is a high-altitude railway that extends from Xining in Qinghai Province to Lhasa in the Tibet Autonomous Region. Spanning over 1,956 kilometers (1,215 miles), it is the world’s highest railway, with sections running over 5,000 meters above sea level.
Jiuzhaigou Valley – a fairy tale world in autumn
A legend about Jiuzhaigou Vally goes like this. Long, long ago one deity of mountain named Dago had a crush on the goddess Semo. One day he gave a mirror that was made from wind and cloud to Semo. Unfortunately, the devil appeared and cast his covetous eyes on the mirror. During the flight, the mirror slide from Semo’s hands which was broken into 114 pieces, then they fell down to earth and turned in to…