In Washington, Virginia and Maryland, the final months of the year have many festivals. Whether you are into a theatre environment, medieval times or a book festival, there is an event for you.

1). Maryland Renaissance Festival

    The festival, now in its 38th season, features 12 stages and hundreds of costumed actors offering entertainment such as music and theatre performance, sword swallowing and a human chess match. Sept. 21 through Oct.19.

2). Baltimore Book Festival in Maryland

    This three-day fair features talks and book signings from more than 275 locally and nationally known authors, including Alice McDermott and Andre Dubus III. The festival also includes live music and literary hands-on projects for kids. Sept. 26-28.

3). Middleburg Film Festival in Virginia

    The festival offers a relaxed theatre environment, and the events include a dancing party, an orchestra performance of horror film music by Marco Beltrami, and a discussion with Colleen Atwood, who is a famous costume designer. Oct. 30 through Nov.2.

4). Temple Hall Corn Maize and Fall Festival in Virginia

    The 286-acre farm offers a lot of family-friendly entertainment, including pig races, farm animals and camel rides. Grab seasonal goods at the farmers' market, take part in the corn harvest, and hear live bluegrass and folk music. Friday through Sunday, Sept. 26 through Nov.2.

5). Kids Euro Festival in Washington

    Here is a chance to celebrate and experience European arts and Culture, no passports required. Twenty-eight European countries will be represented during the multicultural children's event, which features more than 200 performances and workshops. The festival is for children ages 2 through 12, librarians and educators. Activities include puppet shows, cooking and theatre workshops. “It really brings Europe to the children, ” said organizer Sandi Auman. Oct. 24 through Nov. 9

    How did people in ancient China change their luck? Most of them would take the exam, Keju, which began during the Sui Dynasty and lasted for 1,300 years before it was ended in the Qing Dynasty.

    Keju, the early “gaokao”, played a very important role in choosing qualified persons to work for the king.

    The Keju exams were mainly based on classical literature(文学) and philo- sophy. Poetry was very important in earlier Keju exams, and later Keju focused more on writing.

    All candidates had to write an article explaining ideas from those books, which was called Eight Part Essay. Two sentences were required at the start of the article, about the main idea of the title, which was called “to clear the topic”. The exams also focused on more practical matters.  

    Most candidates in ancient China had to go a long way to the capital city for the exam. As transportation in ancient times was not developed, they usually went to the capital on foot, and some took several months to reach the capital.

    The exam was held once every three years and it was made up of four levels: the county examination, provincial examination, academy examination and palace examination. Candidates had to first pass one level in order to take part in the next level. Each examination would take from one to three days to finish, and they were locked in a small room and received cold meals.

    On the exam day, candidates had to first go through safety check. They had to let their hair loose so that it could be checked and their trouser legs, shoes and socks, even bottoms were also checked.

The Grand Canyon(大峡谷)Helicopter Tour

    You'll discover the natural beauty of the Grand Canyon as your helicopter flies to the west edge，passing over Lake Las Vegas，Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam．During the flight，you can listen to a recorded introduction to the Grand Canyon and its surroundings via headphones．At noon，you'll land for an unforgettable champagne picnic，3，200 feet below the edge．While you share a bottle of champagne，your pilot and guide will be happy to answer any questions you may have．Your flight ends with a low-level pass over the famous Las Vegas Strip．On landing，a comfortable car is waiting to bring you back to your hotel．

    Each helicopter carries a maximum of 6 people including your pilot．For a roomier experience，upgrade your flight to an EC-130 helicopter which provides larger leg room and can accommodate more weight per seat．See Additional Info for details on weight restrictions．

Pricing Information

    Services included：45-minute(approx)flight each way，hotel pickup and drop-off by   limousine，lunch．

    Our price is constantly updated．Click to check pricing & availability on your preferred  travel date．

    Additional Information

    The maximum weight per passenger to ride in an A-Star helicopter is 2751bs．If passengers weigh in between 2751bs and 3001bs，you will be required to upgrade to the    EC-130．

    Pickup is available from selected Las Vegas hotels．You must contact the local travel    agency to fix your pickup time．

    All flight times are approximate and might be influenced by weather conditions．

    Traveler Review

    This is an absolute must do．The view of the Grand Canyon at his height was absolutely amazing! Our pilot was funny，knowledgeable and a great guide．All the staff from booking to check-in and helicopter departure were fantastic．I would recommend this tour to everyone．

    Climbing Without Ropes

    The popular image of the mountain climber is of a person carefully climbing a steep cliff with a network of safety ropes, but it is not the only kind. Many climbers now enjoy bouldering. It's more accessible and better for the environment.

    Here is an example of a climber addressing a bouldering problem.

    Figure 1: The climber has two routes she could take, one to the left and one to the right. The left one appears easier because it has a jug within easy reach, but look what happens if she chooses that direction. She gets stuck on the rock and has to go back down. Sometimes that is even more difficult than going up.

    Figure 2: The climber takes the one to the right this time. Using a foothold and placing her right hand in a crimp, she is able to lift herself up and locate other handholds. After only a few moves, she is able to throw her leg over the top of the boulder and pull herself up.

    How's your happiness quotient (指数)? Science tells us that if you want to increase your "happiness quotient" every day, it's important to take time and accept the present blessings (恩赐) in your life.

    I wanted to share a moment of feeling about some of my blessings and what's in my life to be grateful for as Thanksgiving approaches.

    One of our family traditions at our Thanksgiving meal is to go around the table and to let each one share something we're especially thankful for.

    I'm going to recite lots of things, including that I'm grateful for my health, my loving husband, and the wonderful relationship we share. My husband joins me for 3-mile walk to start our day. The exercise habit keeps our moods in check and the ups and downs of life easier to manage. We talk as we walk, sharing ideas, worries and good feelings too. Sometimes we argue a little until we figure out what to do. We always come up with something. What a blessing that is!

    It is so much to be grateful for. I feel I am the luckiest woman alive. It's my wish for you that you'll be able to spot something in your life. I hope yet you will savor (体味) and appreciate it.

    Many of us spend the holiday with our aging parents or other loved ones. In my work at AgthgParents.com, we just reminded everyone that you never know if there will be another Thanksgiving with these loved ones. We can't take the day for granted. Just be in the moment. We suggest that you verbally give thanks to your parents, no matter what conditions your aging parents may be in now. Do what you can to be tuned in to what you need as well as what your family needs.

    There are billions of people on this planet, and many of us love to eat meat. In 2018 alone, the average American will consume more than 100 kgs of red meat, according to a report from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). At the same time, the environmental impact caused by meat consumption – waste, animal treatment, health issues and even the greenhouse gas effects – has given rise to a number of startups (新兴企业) looking for ways to fill our growing demand for meat. But can the demand be filled in a sustainable and affordable way?

    A bunch of companies are not only optimistic but are working to make this happen sooner. All of these companies harvest cells from animals and grow them in a lab. For example, San Francisco-based Memphis Meats is developing cell-based meats in its laboratories by manufacturing fat and muscle cells without requiring any animals. And don't worry if you're not a meat lover. Startups such as Jet Eat, which is based in Israel, are working on food products grown in labs that are plant based and produce meats using natural ingredients while still maintaining flavor, consistency and the "overall sensory experience".

    As you can imagine, there are plenty of hurdles facing the industry. Educating the public is a big one. Another controversial issue is the labelling of the products. Meat industry trade groups have been pressing the USDA to more strictly regulate alternative meats, labeled as "imitation products".

    Many of us have concerns about the challenges facing future generations as our global population swells and the earth's natural resources shrink. The good news is that there are plenty of companies around the world—like those producing lab-grown meats - who are working to solve some of these problems and make a few bucks in the process. Nothing wrong with that.