China, the Time is Now

Human beings are instinctively obsessed with the past and future, life and death, the yin and the yang. These reasons are why China is such a fascinating place to visit at the moment. 
 
I just returned from China and was once again reminded why it is a country that shows you much about your past and gives us a glimpse of how the future will look.   So much of what we eat, do, think, and how we live today took root in China many years ago.  For instance, pasta has been incorporated into many of the world's delicious cuisines and without which many of the scrumptious Italian dishes would not be the same; paper which lead to books, printing and a vehicle by which to educate; silk which is omnipresent in fashion and house wears; iron and steel which is found in almost everything we use today and without which we could not build skyscrapers, large ships and bridges and other important structures; porcelain dishes on which we eat today; Buddhism's various philosophies such as Buddhism and feng shui.
 
China is one of the most ancient civilizations in the world.  While the Chinese are proud of their legacy, they are busy creating a new future for themselves and the world.  China is changing so quickly that the China we know today will probably be a different place in our lifetime.   The Chinese thinking is also changing almost as quickly as the urban landscape.  Every time I return to Beijing and Shanghai I am amazed by the newest skyscraper and the ever present cranes, which guides love to refer to as China's new national bird.  China is also taking steps to decrease pollution in Beijing which is a source of a lot of discussion.
 
China is a fascinating country.  The time to go is now. Zoom Vacations recently upgraded all hotel offerings in China with the best service and locations at each destination.  Check out the detailed itinerary and you will see why.

A Different World from when we were Younger

I always get a kick out of the sentence, "why would you want to go there", as there are few places on Earth I wouldn't want to see for myself.

Arguably, almost every country has enough sites of interest and things to do to make a vacation.  Granted, of course I understand avoiding a country embroiled in a natural disaster or human-made conflict, or countries that are antigay. However, I have noticed that some people hold ill-perceived ideas about some places, originating from the past.

For instance, myself and a lot of my peers grew up during the Beirut War, and a lot of us can't get past that. It's a shame, because Beirut is often called the Paris of the Middle East, and visitors to the city now can see that it is gaining back its former glory.  Plus, there is so much to see and do outside of Beirut, throughout Lebanon, such as ancient ruins and natural wonders.

The other place about which many people have a misperceived idea is Vietnam. Before going, you may link Vietnam with war.  After a vacation to this stunning country, you'll instead associate Vietnam with impeccable cuisine, natural beauty, gorgeous hotels, and a fascinating, beautiful culture.