WEEK 1

Ancient Cities

Xi'an, China

Economy

As part of the China Western Development policy, Xi’an became a major target for accelerated attention.

Important industries include equipment manufacturing, tourism, and service outsourcing. Furthermore, as one of China's four ancient capitals, Xi'an's many cultural sites, including the Terracotta Army, the City Wall of Xi'an, and the Famen Temple, make tourism an important industry as well. As a result of the importance of the software-outsourcing industry, the city planned construction of a Software New Town. Other major export goods include lighting equipment and automobile parts, while its major import goods are mechanical and electrical products.

Industrial zones

Major industrial zones in Xi'an include:

- Xi'an Economic and Technological Development Zone

- Xi'an Hi-Tech Industries Development Zone

a daily average of 3.7 technology enterprises established in Xi'an Hi-Tech Industries Development Zone in the year of 2005.

Software and outsourcing industries

The growing economy of Xi'an supports the development of a software industry, and the city is a pioneer in software industry in China.

Aerospace industry

In November 2006, Xi'an and the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation jointly set up Xi'an Aerospace Science and Technology Industrial Base. From its establishment, the base has focused on the development of the civil space industry, including equipment manufacturing, software and service outsourcing, new materials and solar photovoltaics.

Transportation

Xi'an has many areas that are easily accessible on foot. In many commercial, residential, educations zones in the city, especially in the shopping and entertainment districts around the Bell Tower, underpasses and overpasses have been built for the safety and convenience of pedestrians.

Electric bikes are very popular among students and offer easy transportation in and around the city for many residents. Taxi services are numerous but many citizens of Xi'an still commute to work on one of about 280 bus routes. There are more than 2 million registered automobiles in Xi'an, so cars play a very important role in people's daily life, which also means frequent traffic jams.

Airport Railway Station Railway Station Metro Metro Station

Education

Xi'an Jiaotong University Northwestern Polytechnical University

Sites

Bell Tower The Great Mosque Mount Taibai National Forest Park

Shaanxi History Museum Ming dynasty city wall Drum Tower

Pit in underground museum of Reconstructed Danfeng Gate in

Han Yang Ling, Mausoleum of Daming Palace National Heritage Park

Han Emperor Jingdi

Giant Wild Goose Pagoda

Present Cities

Colombo, Sri Lanka

Attractions

Old Colombo Dutch Hospital National Museum of Colombo Gangaramaya Temple Galle Face Green

Viharamahadevi Park Independence Memorial Hall Galle Face Hotel Town Hall

Arcade Independence Square Pettah

(Shopping Complex)

Pettah is more crowded than the Fort area. Pettah's roads are always packed and pavements are full of small stalls selling items from delicious sharbat to shirts. Main Street consists mostly of clothes shops and the cross roads, which are known as Cross Streets where each of the five streets specializes in a specific business. Most of these businesses are dominated by Muslim traders. At the end of the Main Street further away from Fort is the Sea Street — Sri Lanka's gold market — dominated by Tamil interests. This mile-long street is full of jewellery shops.

Transport

Bus

Colombo has an extensive public transport system based on buses operated both by private operators and the government owned Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB).

Rail

Train transport in the city is limited since most trains are meant for transport to and from the city rather than within it and are often overcrowded. However, the Central Bus Stand and Fort Railway Station function as the island's primary hub for bus and rail transport respectively. Other means of transport includes auto rickshaws (commonly called "three wheelers") and taxicabs. Three wheelers are entirely operated by individuals and hardly regulated whilst cab services are run by private companies and are metered.

Advanced stages of feasibility investigations into the Colombo Metro Rail, a Mass Rapid Transit railway system has begun. The project was established to control the excessive traffic.

Roads

Post-war development in the Colombo area also involves the construction of numerous expressway grade arterial road routes. The first of these constructed is the Southern Expressway, which goes from Kottawa, a southern suburb of Colombo, to Matara in the south of the country. Expressways under construction in the Colombo metropolitan area include the Colombo–Katunayake Expressway.

Ferry

An international ferry liner, the Scotia Prince, is conducting a ferry service to Tuticorin, India. Ferry services between the two countries have been revived after more than 20 years.

Air

Bandaranaike International Airport and Ratmalana Airport are the city's airports. Bandaranaike Airport serves the city for most international flights, while the Ratmalana Airport primarily serves local flights.

City buses in Colombo Commuter Rail within the city Bandaranaike International Airport

Landmarks

The historical Cargills & Millers

building

Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque Bank of Ceylon Old Colombo Lighthouse

St. Paul's Church Milagiriya

Education

Ceylon University College Royal College Colombo

Architecture

Colombo has wildly varying architecture that span centuries and depict many styles. Colonial buildings influenced by the Portuguese, Dutch and British exist alongside structures built in Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic, Indian and Contemporary architectural styles.

Colombo Fort

The Portuguese were the first colonists to settle in Colombo; establishing a small trading post, they had laid the foundations for a small fort which in time became the largest colonial fort in the island. The Dutch expanded the fort thus creating a well old fortified harbour. This came into the possession of the British in the late 1700s and by the late 19th century the seeing no threat to the Colombo Harbour, began demolishing the ramparts to make way for the development of the city.

Dutch-era buildings

There are none of the buildings of the Portuguese era and only a few from the Dutch period. These include the oldest building in the fort area, the former Dutch Hospital, the Dutch House which is now the Colombo Dutch Museum and several churches. The President's House (formerly the Queen's House)was originally the Dutch governor's house, and successive British governors made it their office and residence. However, it has undergone much change since the Dutch period.

British-era buildings

The Sirimathipaya Mansion of Sir Ernest de Silva which is now the Prime Minister's Office is an example of architecture of the British era.

Much of the old buildings of the fort area and in other parts of the city date back to the British times, these include governmental, commercial buildings and private houses. Some of the notable government building of British colonial architecture includes; the old Parliament building which is now the Presidential Secretariat, the Republic Building which houses the Ministry of Foreign affairs, but once housed the Ceylon Legislative council, the General Treasury Building, the old General Post Office an Edwardian style building opposite the President's House, the Prime Minister's Office, the Central Telegraph Office, the Mathematics department of the University of Colombo (formally the Royal College, Colombo). Notable commercial buildings of the British era include the Galle Face Hotel, Cargills & Millers' complex, and Grand Oriental Hotel.