Gulangyu Island
Many westerners lived on Gulangyu in the late 19th century so remains of large colonial mansions abound, although many are in various states of disrepair. It is amazing that so much of the islands architecture and history has remained through the cultural revolution of the '70. This tiny island is less that 2 square kilometers; narrow lanes, markets, dozens of small and large guest houses, cable cars, beaches, museums, gardens and good food- it has everything you could ask for in a holiday place.
For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. A... ... read more 
