China's Forbidden City

I'll be honest, until yourLDSNeighborhood decided to award a free Trip for Two to the lucky winner, I'd never though about the Forbidden City. But before we get into the details, you might be wondering how YOU could be that lucky winner. By subscribing to the Neighborhood Newsletter your hat is tossed into the ring and you become of the possible lucky ones. First, you get a newsletter which drops into your inbox four times a week filled with wonderful articles, products, services and interests from around the world. And second, you could win that trip to China where you'll get the chance to check out China's Forbidden City.

So, you might be asking yourself, just what is the Forbidden City? Well I'm not talking about the Hollywood version, but the real thing. I picked up some information from Wikipedia about this ancient place:

The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the mid-Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644) to the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is located in the middle of Beijing, China, and now houses the Palace Museum. For almost five centuries, it served as the home of the Emperor and his household, as well as the ceremonial and political centre of Chinese government.

Built from 1406 to 1420, the complex consists of 980 surviving buildings with 8,707 bays of rooms^[1] and covers 720,000 square metres. The palace complex exemplifies traditional Chinese palatial architecture,^[2] and has influenced cultural and architectural developments in East Asia and elsewhere. The Forbidden City was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987,^[2] and is listed by UNESCO as the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world. ~ Wikipedia

Imagine walking up those ancient steps into the Forbidden City and steeping yourself in ancient Chinese tradition and majesty. Simply drop by the Neighborhood and subscribe to the Neighborhood Newsletter and see if July 24th is your lucky day.

The Great Wall of China

On July 24th, yourLDSNeighborhood will draw a winner from all their Neighborhood Newsletter subscribers, which number in the thousands, to win a Trip for Two to China. Yes, an exciting time will be possible for all who receive the Neighborhood Newsletter in their inboxes four times a week. Filled with wonderful articles, products, services and interviews from around the world, the Neighborhood Newsletter is one of the most popular newsletters available to people. And just a quick reminder, it's not too late to be included in the drawing. Just click on any of the links above and subscribe and you're "in like Flynn." But it was China we were talking about . . .

One of the places you'll get to visit on this fabulous vacation is the Great Wall of China. So I thought we'd take a quick look at one of the famous Seven Wonders of the World, or are their eight now? But I digress.

The Great Wall of China winds up and down across mountains, deserts, grasslands and plateaus of China. It stretches over 4,100 miles, can you imagine that, running east to west across that vast expanse of the Orient.

Constructed over 2,000 years ago, from Wikipedia we learn:

"The long wall of 10,000 Li (里)"^[1]) is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in China, built, rebuilt, and maintained between the 6th century BC and the 16th century to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire from Xiongnu attacks during the rule of successive dynasties. Several walls, referred to as the Great Wall of China, were built since the 5th century BC. The most famous is the wall built between 220–200 BC by the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang; little of it remains; it was much farther north than the current wall, which was built during the Ming Dynasty.^[2]

The Great Wall stretches from Shanhaiguan in the east to Lop Nur in the west, along an arc that roughly delineates the southern edge of Inner Mongolia. At its peak, the Ming Wall was guarded by more than one million men.^[5] It has been estimated that somewhere in the range of 2 to 3 million Chinese died as part of the centuries-long project of building the wall.^[6] ~ Wikipedia

Rich in history and sorrow, the Great Wall of China brings thousands of visitors each year. You have a chance at actually standing on this ancient wall, steeped in the history which surrounds it . . . if . . . you subscribe to the yourLDSNeighborhood Newsletter.

So drop by the Neighborhood today and toss your hat into the proverbial ring . . . you just might win.

yourLDSNeighborhood Huge Giveway in 14 Days

Fourteen days and counting. yourLDSNeighborhood has been running a tremendous promotion which is reaching its climax July 24th. For every person who signs up for the Neighborhood Newsletter they become eligible for one of the fantastic prizes we've got lined up. Your days are running out, my friends, if you want a chance at a free 7 day, 6 night trip to China or one of the dozens of other prizes up for grabs.

If you win, you and a friend will be on your way to visit one of the world's most exciting and historic cities. Located close to famous sites such as the Great Wall, the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square, you will be immersed in Chinese culture and enjoy the breathtaking panoramas this nation has to offer. Beijing offers something for every type of traveler. And what is this great trip valued at? $4,000 . . . all for signing up for and receiving the Neighborhood Newsletter.

So you might be asking yourself why yourLDSNeighborhood is willing to shower so many gifts on its customers. It's as simple as this: yourLDSNeighborhood burst onto the scene in 2007, bringing to the market a unique idea for a business. They launched a website with a unique design, a neighborhood comprised of blocks revolving around art, books, jewelry, sports and recreation, home and family and more. Businesses from around the nation leased buildings on the blocks, providing a plethora of shopping opportunities for the Neighborhood browser. They then launched the Neighborhood Jukebox where music can be downloaded. Oh, but they didn't stop there, they're not far from launching a radio station.

It's a wonderful place to visit, browse and shop. But one of the greatest things I like about yourLDSNeighborhood -- the Newsletter. It drops into your email inbox four times a week filled with wonderful articles, interviews, products and services . . . all with an LDS perspective.

So how do you visit this great Neighborhood? Simply go to http://yourldsneighborhood.com. How do you sign up for the Newsletter and become eligible for one of this great prize? Simply sign up for the Neighborhood Newsletter at http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Subscribe.aspx.

So come on over to the Neighborhood and join us. You might just win a 7 day 6 night to China!