Now Available:
"Road Trip Tibet"
by Lowell Bennett
In advance I here must confess that the big beast referenced
within the following writing as a ‘yak’ may possibly be, strictly
speaking, not quite a yak, but, a ‘dong.’ The dongs, I am told, are
sort of ‘sacred.’ They get to freely roam the mountains adorned with
colorful ribbons and rings as applied by the spiritually-inclined
and possibly very bored locals
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Now Available:
"Designing
the Urban Utopia"
by Daniel Allen
Pipe dream design or realistic vision of the
future? Standing on the bleak concrete expanse of the world’s largest
square, it’s hard to visualize Chairman Mao’s Mausoleum surrounded
by trees and a carpet of grass. Such is the wind of change currently
blowing through China’s native architectural scene, however, the day
when a visit to Tiananmen means
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Get
—
Olympic Intel
Leverage an extensive network of
contacts and an in-depth understanding of China. Get the inside reports
and shot-to-order images on the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
Product:
- Overview of events, venues, personnel,
infrastructure development and inside prep for 2008 Games;
- Overview of Beijing society, cuisine,
hotels, restaurants, entertainment and nightlife, travel, transportation
and other cultural issues;
- High quality photo library archiving
Beijing and every region in China ...
Backgrounder
—
A Buildup Begun
— Corps Jump Aboard Accelerating Beijing Bandwagon
Consider
—
Expat Entrepreneurs
Hold the Yak Butter Tea, Make
it a Double Espresso
–
Expat Entrepreneur Takes Haute
Cuisine to New Heights
by Daniel Allen
For all its cultural richness, spectacular
scenery and recent economic development,
the Tibetan capital Lhasa isn’t the greatest of hangouts for globetrotting
gourmands. In years gone by, the best alternative to local brews that
caffeine-craving travelers could expect was a sachet of instant Nescafe.
Times are slowly changing, however.
The Tibet Summit Fine Art Café, brainchild of American businessman
and art connoisseur Douglas Wilford, has been offering Westerners
the chance to sample some culinary comforts on the rooftop of the
world for nearly a year. Just in from a long trek to Base Camp or
Mount Kailash? Kick back with a cappuccino, exchange that tattered
novel, check out some beautiful brushwork, and send a few digital
shots of Everest to the folks back home on a rented laptop
...
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Editorial Pending
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Tracking Tibetan Trade
– Industry Ascends at the
Roof of the World
For decades social and economic development
in Tibet has been hampered by a poorly developed transport infrastructure
– the result of sluggish investment and challenges posed by the region’s
remoteness and unaccommodating geography.
Begun in 2001 and completed in 2006,
the
Qinghai-Tibet
Railway (QTR) project successfully surmounted formidable obstacles
of terrain and altitude to connect the Tibetan heartland and the regional
capital of Lhasa with greater China.
Lhasa
–
Not the Final Stop
Now underway is the rail extension
to Tibet’s second largest city, Shigatse, with plans to extend the
track even further to Nepal and India. The aim is to bolster
cross-border trade and bring greater prosperity to the region.
The opening of this new transport
and trade route has already provided a much-needed boost to the Tibetan
economy, bringing an influx of tourist dollars while creating new
domestic markets for Tibetan products and raw materials.
Development has expanded throughout
the region. Many civil engineering projects are now under development,
and more schools and hospitals now offer Tibetans greater access to
healthcare and education.
Chinese officials expect that the
trade volume between Tibet and inland provinces will reach 2.8 million
tons by 2010, with about 2.1 million tons of goods transported by
the new railway. The demand for Tibetan raw materials, medicines,
yak meat and highland barley is expected to rise sharply over the
next few years.
In this special report, using material
gathered during their recent mission to Tibet, Daniel Allen and Lowell
Bennett will examine what the new railway presents for the Tibetan
economy, and what the opening of this trade and transport artery means
for ordinary Tibetan people throughout the region, now and in the
future.
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