Easter in the U.S. (3)

San Francisco, California Coastal Trail (whales and elephant seals), Santa Barbara, Los Angeles (Beverly Hills, Hollywood, Copiague (Long Island N.Y.) 

Easter in the U.S.

This year we decided to spend two weeks in the Western Coast of the U.S. We drove for 3000 miles through California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah and again California. Here you can find some pictures of our visits to Holliwood, Palm Springs, Phoenix, the Grand Canyon of Colorado, the Powell Lake the Antelope Canyon and the Bryce Canyon. — Easter in the U.S.

Autumn 2012: visist to China

In October and November 2012 I visited China to participate in an international conference which took place in the famous touristic site of Zhangjiajie where the film Avatar was turned, and to Beijing (in the Chinese Silicon Valley) and the Liaoning Province to visit several University centres. Excellent meetings, fruitful contacts, usual splendid Chinese hospitality !!!

May 2012: Messina

Presentations to the University with Li Daoliang

April 2012: Israel and Jordan

Johannesburg, Beijing-Chengdu, Sarajevo

Hi ! Fall 2011: my last missions for the EU

July 2011 – China (1) – Beijing

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  Hi ! This summer we went to China once more at the invitation of our good friend Prof. Li Daoliang and visited the Western Regions of Xinjiang and Qinghai. After two weeks of visits we travelled to the Eastern province of Henan, cradle of Chinese civilisation. At our arrival in Beijing we visited three interesting sites in the surroundings: the Zhinshanling Great Wall, the aromatic herbs farm in the Tang village and the Tanzhe Temple, older than the City of Beijing. Our good friend Ms Xu Liying and her husband organised these visit and reserved us all their warmest hospitality.

July 2011 – China (2) – Xinjiang

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Xinkiang is the largest Province of China ( 1.600.000 sq. km !) with an important Huygur population and several Central-Asia etnic groups in addition to the Han majority. Thanks to our excellent guide, Li Guohao, we visited the modern City of Urumqi, we went to Turpan and its splendid fruit production through incredible desertic and windy landscapes, the ancient city of Jiahoe, grape gully amusement park and the flaming mountain.  We visited also the Tianshi lake and a forest of petrified trees. Great impressions, extraordinary hospitality, a splendid vacation !

July 2011 – China (3) – Qinghai 1°

 

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In Qinghai we visited the Kumbum  Monastery, an historic  Buddist spiritual and artistic site which hosts 500 monks, and the Qinghai Lake, more than 3000 metres above the sea level, surrounded by astonishing landscapes. In Xining we met the local education authorities in an interesting event which allowed a wide exchange of views and information. Then we visited two school premises both extremely modern and very well equipped: in the first one the children performed dance, painting, modelling, artistic writing and music activities; in the second one we visited some classrooms and we could speak with the students and reply to their questions.

July 2011 – China (4) – Qinghai 2°

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Just outside Xinang we visited the Tu Village where the local community welcomed us with ritualsongs and a dance show. Then we visited the  Dongguan Mosque, the Longwu  and the Renkong Buddist Monasteries and the ancient city of Dangaer on the silk road.