今天早上在海湾公园，发现，一个几十岁的中年人，坐在海边椅子上，边吃东西，边扔垃圾。在他不远的几处地方，全是一大堆的零食垃圾。但是在他旁边不远的2米处，有一个垃圾桶。他就懒得多走两步，顺手把垃圾扔到垃圾桶里面。结果就这样随便往地上扔，还在那边悠哉悠哉的。看到他这副样子，真叫人生气。人家扫地的阿姨，大热天的在那边扫地，可这种人，竟这样没一点道德水准。

厦门，在这样一个美丽的海滨城市。真希望，这些人的素质可以再提高一点。。

这个城市的夏天真的好热，太阳公公每天清晨总是一大早就出现。到了很晚才落下。真不知这种热度要持续到什么时候。每天不管是什么时候，只要出去10分钟，回来，马上就全身是汗了。不过还好，我大部分时间里面，都在办公室的空调之下，还好一点。那些在外头干活的人，就不好受。在此，特别向农民伯伯跟建筑工人们敬礼，他们真的是这个社会，最值得尊敬的人了。好了，闲话不多说。

回顾下，前段时间，自己关注的一些事件：

关注完美州杯，巴西刚刚win了个champion回来。

曼联的亚州之旅也很顺利，6:0狂扫深圳，不过攻击力还是比巴赛差一点点。

中国队，又再次令人失望。

当然，现在一直让我放不下的，就是希望，可以在每天清晨，上班的湖边，能够看到“她”的影子。

伊拉克足球早已成为这个灾难深重国家的快乐来源。来自动荡不安，战火纷飞的国度的伊拉克足球人2004年雅典奥运会上历史性进步令人瞠目，一枚奥运会铜牌让所有人对伊拉克人送上了由衷的敬意，也让很多伊拉克人露出了难得的真心笑容。在全球性的足球比赛中获此殊荣，这事实上已经不仅仅是伊拉克人的骄傲，也为亚洲足球挣足了面子。在亚洲，伊拉克上届亚洲杯上用自己的表现赢得了所有人的尊敬，在多哈亚运会上，他们一路杀进决赛，已经开始展现强队姿态。本届亚洲杯上，这支经受战火洗礼的苦难之师再度用成绩证明他们的能力和精神，伊拉克人也因为他们的不断前进而平添无尽的快乐。

有报道说，当伊拉克队晋级亚洲杯足球赛四强后，巴格达球迷上街庆祝，用枪声代替鞭炮，数以百计民众在球赛结束后涌到街上跳舞，并挥舞国旗。伊拉克政府领导就此“光荣的胜利”向球队表示祝贺。 尽管枪声不断也引发了事故，但这对于伊拉克人早已经习以为常，对他们来说，在每一个能够品味快乐的时候尽情享受，才是第一位的。

还记得上届亚洲杯上，伊拉克主帅阿德南曾经在新闻发布会上有过一段掷地有声的话，“我们会尽全力争取胜利，我要为伊拉克人民带来快乐。”这一次亚洲杯上，主教练换成了巴西人维埃拉，也发出了同样的声音，“我曾经在很多地方执教过，包括非洲，包括中亚，我了解很多类似伊拉克人的苦难，我希望能和我的队员们一起为他们做些什么，当然，最好是一个冠军奖杯。”

毫无疑问，虽然受到战火笼罩，但伊拉克球员的精神让他们爆发出了更加强的战斗力，这支球队仍是亚洲数一数二的强旅。战争让伊拉克人困苦不堪，但足球长生不息。那些在美国大兵枪口下挥舞着国旗竞相庆贺的伊拉克球迷笑得那样灿烂，胜利的日子那样令他们陶醉。这个时候，他们的快乐和所有为自己球队和国家欢呼的球迷一样，有的人坐在了车顶挥动国旗，有的人探出车窗摇动双臂欢呼，每一个走在大街上的人都可以被这种气氛所感染，那一刻美国大兵的眼神也游离在惊讶和紧张之间。

欢乐如一股清新的空气弥漫开来，跨过厚重的水泥路障，跳过一排排破碎的民房，在黑洞洞的枪口和炮口前，欢乐让人暂时离开了现实的悲剧。足球给伊拉克人提供了精神庇护所，尽管那可能也是暂时的，但却是实实在在可以期待的。

有人说，足球是战争，但那时和平时期的调味剂。而在战争的时候，足球则是和平的使者。如同古希腊开始于奥林匹克山的伟大赛事，他从一开始就代表着和平和对美好生活的向往。而如今的伊拉克不正有这种诉求吗？

这支伊拉克队如同在上届亚洲杯的时候感染中国球迷一样感染了东南亚球迷，特别是曼谷球迷。他们的背景和表现，征服了所有观众，让人不由自主地联想到这群球员在国内苦难深重的同胞。小组赛中，他们面对强大的澳大利亚，完全占据了主动，而在小组轻松出线后则开始了更为精彩的表现。轻松晋级四强。相信伊拉克队会走得更远，伊拉克人需要更多的快乐和关注。令人尊敬的伊拉克足球人对得起他们国家队的名字。

Qianmen Street in Beijing will be reopened in October, after being closed off to all traffic for renovation. Nowadays, the street administration is inviting new businesses.

It is said that the 13 famous shops of long standing originality lining the street will resume their business, too. The 200 new shops will be located on both sides of the street, covering nearly 70,000 sq m, including restaurants, retailers and shops providing other services. The invitation will last till the beginning of September. The places of the 13 long-standing shops have already been reserved. "We are planning to invite some international enterprises to open their business here, too," said a staff member of the Qianmen Street administration. 

The buildings along the street will be restored to their original look in the 1920s and 1930s, with well selected materials. The five traditional ceremonial archways on the street will be rebuilt. The street will be paved with slabs, and streetcars will be put in use again on the new Qianmen Street.

In Guangxi there is an area often referred to as 'Heaven on Earth'; it is the limestone district stretching along the valley of the Li River from the popular tourist city of Guilin to the scenic wonderland of tiny, laid-back, Yangshuo.

Produced 300 million years ago when an ancient sea covered this area, the limestone is formed from the compressed fossilised remains of sea creatures. The movements of the continents caused the earth to rise up and the sea disappeared. Since then warm, wet climatic conditions have allowed the rock to be steadily eaten away by chemical weathering and physically worn away by running water. The result is the landscape we have today in this part of Guangxi, a place where art and geology have come together. An area, which has drawn artists and travellers to its attractions in now ever increasing, numbers.

Great River Journey

Reaching Yangshuo from Guilin is one of the great river journeys of the World. Several hours of meandering through a natural wonderland of limestone pinnacles reaching skywards make the Li River unique. Clouds seemed to hang listlessly around their summits while vegetation appears from any level surface on what are otherwise vertical slopes. Sometimes the boat rushes through narrow canyons or else floats gently on broad stretches of water.

A feature of the journey is watching out for the 'cormorant fishermen'. Rafts are made of five large bamboo poles lashed together and slightly upturned at either end. Two men steer the craft with long poles. A circular basket holds the catch. The 'fisherman' is actually a bird: a black cormorant with a ring around its neck to prevent it swallowing the fish. The cormorants dive, catch a fish in their beaks and bring it back to the boat. This sight is most scenic at night when lanterns, used to attract the fish, are suspended from the rafts.

Yangshuo is an attractive town sitting in narrow valleys beneath many steep hills. Due to the growth of caféculture and cheap hotels it has attracted many foreign travellers seeking its easy lifestyle while enjoying the scenery. The town does have many fascinating corners to explore off its main street. Alleys entered through moon gates are lined with traditional two-storey houses and local markets.

Cycling - the way to appreciate the landscape of Moon Hill

For many people the real attraction lies beyond the town in the spectacular natural landscape. Often the best way to experience its beauty is by bicycle.

One delightful road leads to the aptly named Moon Hill (yueliangshan) - a great limestone pinnacle with a naturally created moon-shaped passage going through just below its summit.

The scenery along the road is dramatic. After winding along a narrow valley lined with rice fields the road emerges where a river from the beautiful Baisha Valley flows out towards the Li Jiang. Towers of limestone, all appearing roughly similar in height, look stunning in the early evening light. A scene enhanced by continual human activity in the fields around the base.

Close to Moon Hill is a delightful area. Just off the road is the 1500-year-old Big Banyan Tree whose branches and roots spread over a large area close to the river.

Across the water villages spread themselves around the base of narrow pinnacles. Caves in the rock face have often  been turned into natural storage sheds. A causeway spans the river at this point. Although no problem for much of the year, crossing it is difficult when the summer rains are heavy and the brown-coloured water is high. Then, peasants  with baskets suspended from bamboo shoulder poles, and trousers rolled up, carefully wade across the strong flow.

This area is spectacularly viewed from Moon Hill. Reaching its upper section requires a steep climb up a well-made path through groves of dense bamboo. Once past the vegetation the path enters the great natural opening that distinguishes this hill from its neighbours. Beyond, a steep, narrow track involving some simple scrambling soon leads to the flat, although narrow summit. Further away still, the skyline is lined with peaks of almost equal height - resembling narrow triangles of rock pointing skywards. Most are dark green, being covered with a thick mass of fairly jagged vegetation. The more distant hills are close together, contrasting with the wider spaces around the Baisha Valley. A patchwork of fields, in different stages of growth, produce abundant crops of rice and vegetables. Villages, connected by a network of tracks, keep close to the cliffs so as not to waste valuable farming land. The main road back to Yangshuo lies in the distance, cutting a sweeping path through this serene land. Also below lie the Big Banyan Tree and the areas previously visited.

Starting to head back to town, evening was approaching and the area's natural beauty enhanced. Many peaks became silhouettes in the hazy sky. They were reflected in the calm waters of fishponds adjacent to a wide green carpet of maturing rice. There, the river also flowed in a wide bend. Mirrored on its smooth surface was Moon Hill - so beautiful it was difficult to leave that evening.

Hidden Baisha Valley

The entire area is a delight to explore by mountain bike. The Baisha Valley, for example, was so stunning that almost every minute required a stop to photograph another breathtaking scene. Tracks led through a working landscape of rice fields, fishponds and villages where the houses were built of dried adobe (mud earth) bricks. Vegetable plots sat close to the homes where small pigs often wallowed in mud holes.

The route, after winding through a network of adjoining valleys eventually followed the main river. To provide essential  irrigation water for the fields, the wide stream was dammed and canals carried fast flowing water to the fields. Arched stone bridges, possibly hundreds of years old, provided access to the rich fields on the other side.

By River to Surrounding Countryside

Riverboats, which can carry bicycles, radiate out from Yangshuo to many small towns where time seems almost to have stood still. From them it is a pleasant cycle ride back to town, the journey usually taking much longer than the distance suggests, due to the requirements of photography.

One small, fascinating town is Fuli - about forty minutes downriver. Landing at steps leading up from the river, the town was entered through an old arched gateway. Turning round, it almost seemed like a frame for the picture of the river and distant peaks - scenes that have inspired artists for generations.

Another great journey is the struggle upriver against the current. Beneath walls of peaks, bamboo and heavily foliaged trees sway in the breeze as buffaloes graze just above the water's edge. Bamboo rafts lie on the grass at shallow bays where the river bends have become home to small settlements. Life seems all around. Boats are lined up alongside the banks, tied to simple bamboo poles stuck in the mud. Often just planks of wood from the muddy shore lead up to the boats. Cargoes of rice or vegetables are being loaded for the trip to larger river towns. Everything including bicycles seems brought on board by peasants wearing circular straw hats.

One journey to be repeated several times is from the pleasant upriver village of Xingping. Cafés and restaurants near the landing stage make a visit there a pleasant experience, but the real interest lies along the road back to Yangshuo.

On Xingping's main street rice is frequently spread out to dry. Peasants will then scoop up the grains and store them in sacks for shipment to market.

Along the valley beyond the settlement rice is intensively cultivated in the lower fields. Beyond, groves of sugarcane lead to the steeper slopes reserved for grazing or left under trees and scrub bushes.

A Land Dominated by Rice

The entire route seems dominated by rice - ploughing, transplanting and harvesting. Hard work has produced this landscape. There seems endless human activity in the fields; indeed it is a 'people-centred' landscape. Most equipment employed is what I would call 'intermediate technology', with little in the way of mechanisation.

Earthen banks protect the fields from flooding by the brown water of adjacent streams. However, water is introduced to the soil to soften it up before planting.

Buffaloes pulling wooden ploughs or rakes first ready the fields for planting. These animals are the main beast-of-burden and when not working is frequently seen slumbering or rolling in the alluvial thick mud left after harvesting.
A cow is walking home from the fields while the peasant-in-charge casually strolled behind. They had just crossed a double-arched stone bridge over a river. Beside the track, straw was bundled up from recent harvesting. Meanwhile peasants continued with the planting in distant fields.

On the main road an elderly woman was leading her buffalo back to their village. They had just passed a farmer walking with a large flock of quacking ducks towards a roadside pond.

Planting the rice, although a fascinating site for visitors is hard, hot work in the strong sun. Thinking of the term 'back-breaking', I watched two peasants bent over in the mud as they transplanted young, green shoots.

Rice, when harvested was put into large foot-operated wooden threshing boxes, where the grain was removed from the stalks. This was also taking place next to fields being planted. This area can produce rice crops almost all year round.

Although the rice farmers often welcome clouds, photographers wanting bright light do not. However, at one point as I watched two peasants working in a field the clouds parted and a beam of light shone straight onto them. Their images were reflected in the calm waters - an unforgettable memory.

Yangshuo area is the place makes people feel like in Heaven - simply at home with Nature and the incredible human landscape which Man has forced from it. So many images from a place of incredible beauty.

More travel information about Yangshuo in appletravel

Source:China.travel