The Olympics comes to Carson this week when regional qualifying gets under way for the men’s soccer tournament.

The U.S. squad, reportedly captained by one-time teenage soccer prodigy Freddy Adu and the only returning member of the 2008 Olympic team, which plays mostly with Under-23 players, is in Group A. Teams also are allowed up to three players older than 23. Adu’s unique path makes him a veteran on the United States men’s Olympic soccer team. Head Coach Caleb Porter is depending on him to lead the team through Olympic qualifying and at the 2012 games in London, according to USSoccer.com.

The U.S. begins round-robin play Thursday in Nashville, Tenn., against Cuba (live at 6 p.m. on the hard-to-find Universal Sports Network), faces Canada on Saturday (live at 4 p.m. on Universal Sports network) and wraps up with a contest against El Salvador (live at 6 p.m. on Universal Sports).

The top two teams in each group advance to the semifinals March 31. Two CONCACAF teams will qualify for the 16-team tournament.

Qualifying rosters don’t have to be finalized until today, but the MLS-heavy U.S. squad likely will include Galaxy midfielder Michael Stephens, Chivas USA defender Jorge Villafana (formerly Flores) as well as rising stars Brek Shea of FC Dallas, Juan Aguedelo of the New York Red Bulls and Chula Vista midfielder Joe Corono, who plays his club soccer with Club Tijuana.

The U.S. played three games and were done in China in 2008 despite including the likes of veteran Brian McBride and then-Chivas USA midfielder Sacha Kljestan.

The Americans beat Japan, drew with the Netherlands and lost to Nigeria, but its four points was insufficient to progress in the tournament.

【祈福地之国内】

　　推荐1：南山寺

　　可体验佛教文化，可观赏热带雨林景观

　　南山寺创建于元代，整个寺院由七层三大部分组成，下三层名极乐寺，上三层名佑国寺，中间一层名善德堂，南山寺是它们的总称。这里是海南较为出名的南山文化旅游区，其主要建筑有南山寺、南海观音佛像、观音文化苑、天竺圣迹、佛名胜景观苑、十方塔林与归根园、佛教文化交流中心、素斋购物一条街等。游客可以亲身体验佛教文化、观赏热带雨林景观，瞻仰世界上最高的海上露天大佛———108米南山海上观音。如果入住南山宾馆，晚饭之后还可以烧头香，祈福平安健康快乐，第二天大早可以到南山寺抱佛脚。

　　交通攻略：位于三亚南山，距市区40公里。游览区以北有255国道和海南环岛高速公路通过。

　　私人经验

　　到南山寺，最不可错过的是南山素斋，作为全国著名的长寿区，“寿比南山”是千古流传的吉祥名句。“南山素斋”更是天下一绝，它集寺庙素斋之精华，融宫廷素斋和民间素斋之风格，运用现代烹饪技艺，形成了独特的南山饮食文化，除野菜、时令蔬菜外，多采用云南深山野生菌类、魔芋、豆制品及三菇，六耳和各种真菌类制作，具有食疗美容、延续衰老之功效，正因如此，“南山素斋”之地也被海南省政府定为“国宾接待点”。

　推荐2：五公祠

　　最受成双成对的青年男女青睐

　　始建于明万历年间的五公祠，是为纪念唐、宋朝时期被贬谪到海南的五位著名历史人物———唐代名相李德裕、宋代名相李纲、李光、赵鼎、名臣胡铨而建造的，故而得名五公祠。这是一幢以上等木料精心构筑的红楼，楼高十几米，分上下二层，四角攒尖式的屋顶，素瓦红掾，为海南最早的楼房，故称海南第一楼。如今的五公祠也是海口不可多得的祈福热地，最受成双成对的青年男女所青睐。

　　交通攻略：五公祠位于海口市南郊，距离市中心约5000米，乘坐市内公交1路和11路都能到达。

　　私人经验

　　去五公祠，对于喜好古玩书画的游客而言，还可以识得更多古文化知识。五公祠游览区内藏有许多珍贵文物，如宋徽宗赵佶手书《神霄玉清万寿宫诏》碑、明代禁钟、黎族古铜鼓、宣德炉等，都可算是传世珍宝，此类珍品、真迹可以说在其他地方难得一见。

　　国内其他祈福目的地

湖北武当山

　　春节前后可以在武当山保存最完好的也是最大的道场———紫霄宫聆听道教梵音，观看道教法事祈福消灾，并参观《卧虎藏龙》外景拍摄地。

无锡灵山

　　春节会有“福满灵山，如来如愿”的新年灵山祈福活动。游客可在年三十当晚于灵山景区内，在梵宫广场每人手捧一盏心灯，守岁点灯，共同等候新年的到来。

北京雍和宫

　　春节可到集“帝王行宫”和“龙潜禁地”、“佛教寺庙”于一身的雍和宫礼佛，为亲人祈福

杭州的灵隐寺

灵隐寺是江南著名古刹之一。始建于东晋(公元326年)，到现在已有一千六百多年历史。当时印度僧人慧理来杭，看到这里山峰奇秀，以为是“仙灵所隐”，就在这里建寺，取名灵隐。

南京鸡鸣寺
　　
南京鸡鸣寺，又称古鸡鸣寺，位于鸡笼山东麓山阜上，是南京最古老的梵刹之一。鸡鸣寺始建于西晋，清朝康熙年间曾对鸡鸣寺进行过两次大修，并改建了山门。康熙皇帝南巡时，曾登临寺院，并为这座古刹题书了“古鸡鸣寺”大字匾额。

四川峨眉山
即便不是春节，平时上峨眉金顶祈福的人也是络绎不绝，峨眉山包括大峨、二峨、三峨、四峨四座大山。大峨山为峨眉山的主峰，通常说的峨眉山就是指的大峨山。大峨、二峨两山相对，远远望去，双峰缥缈，犹如画眉，这种陡峭险峻、横空出世的雄伟气势，使唐代诗人李白发“峨眉高出西极天”、“蜀国多仙山，峨眉邈难匹”之赞叹.

上海静安寺

静安寺是上海市的著名古刹之一，相传始建于三国孙吴赤乌年间，初名沪渎重玄寺。宋大中祥符元年，更名静安寺。南宋嘉定九年，寺从吴淞江畔迁入境内芦浦沸井浜边（今南京西路1686号），至今已近780年，早于上海建城。清末，寺成现今规模。民国34年，书法家邓散木题额“静安古寺”，沿用迄今。

　港澳台祈福目的地

推荐1：台湾南天宫妈祖庙

　　世界上“最贵重的金身妈祖”

　　如今看看省内各种春节台湾游的旅行社线路，无一不把到南天宫瞻仰世界上“最贵重的金身妈祖”作为首要看点。南天宫位于南方澳渔港底端的南天宫妈祖庙，建于日据时代，1951年时曾重建。纯金两百公斤打造妈祖，蜚声中外，可谓台湾东岸香火最盛的妈祖庙。1990年，妈祖庙加以扩建，同时请来一尊金身妈祖神像，及五尊湄州妈祖安坐此宫，使得来自各地的信徒更是络绎不绝于途。

　　交通攻略：搭乘北回线火车至苏澳车站即可到达苏澳南天宫。或者由宜兰搭乘往南方澳的台汽客运班车，在南方澳南天宫站下车即可到达苏澳南天宫。

　　私人经验

　　南天宫妈祖在春节前后一定会成为大陆游客聚集祈福的地方，建议最好参加内定旅游团，祈福比较有保证，作为散客，由于人多有时候可能比较麻烦。

推荐2：香港黄大仙庙

黄大仙祠又名啬色园，建于1945，是香港九龙有名的胜迹之一，是香港最著名的庙宇之一，在本港及海外享负盛名。据传说，黄大仙又名赤松仙子，以行医济世为怀而广为人知。相传祠内所供奉的黄大仙是“有求必应”的，他的签文十分灵验。此外，该祠是香港唯一一所可以举行道教婚礼的道教庙宇。在每年农历年底及正月初一至十五日，有大量善信前往该祠，为过去一年酬谢神恩及为未来一年求神庇佑。每年农历八月二十三日是黄大仙师宝诞，所有黄大仙的弟子会于正午时份聚集于祠内的主殿参与祭祀活动。 资讯频道环视旅游网

参拜：祠庙入口处，通常会有很多售卖香烛生果的摊子，香烛大约十元一扎，生果售十多元数个，价钱相宜。上香时，应双手合拜，然后以左手上香，这是代表对神祇的尊重，而香的数目则以一支或三支为吉。 环视旅游网 新闻

求签 ：据说黄大仙的签文十分灵验，所以许多善信都远道而来一求指点迷津。游人可于正殿旁取得签筒，内有一百根竹枝，分别编上1-100之数，每问一事，以摇签筒直至其中一竹签跌出为止，看其数字作取签纸，签纸上之经文即为大仙回应。而庙祠旁的两层建筑物则是解签之地，内有很多专业解签相士为设解签服务，价钱约每支签大约$20至$30。

推荐3：澳门天后宫妈祖

　　这是澳门香火比较旺盛的地方，春节抵达此地的朋友，可以祈福求平安，还能起身体验澳门本地最地道的妈祖文化。

One of the centerpieces of the Olympic Park in east London will be the 86 million pound ($134.76 million) Velopark with its curved roof in the shape of a Pringles crisp, while the 253 million pound aquatics centre shows off all the skill and ingenuity of the Iraqi-born architect Zaha Hadid.

If you’ve managed to get tickets to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the next hurdle is finding somewhere to stay near the Olympic venues. With hotel rooms going on sale up to a year before the event (at a much higher cost) the race is on to find affordable accommodation which doesn’t break the bank.

Camping
If you don’t fancy forking out for a hotel, Campinmygarden.com is your answer. The brainchild of chartered surveyor Victoria Webbon, who had a light bulb moment on her way to an event when walking along rows of people’s gardens, Campinmygarden.com is a great solution to when attending popular events. Log on to their site, click on the vent you want to go to and you’ll be presented with a list of available gardens to camp in. It’s genius!

Waltham Forest Council Campsite and Lee Valley Camping and Caravan Park are also both close to many of the Olympic venues, from £12 a night. Bargain!

Apartments and homestays
Looking for a home away from home? Like your own space? Renting a house or apartment is a great option for the Olympics at a far more attractive rate than hotels. Companies such as Housetrip.com and ViveUnique.com both offer fantastic city homes in the sought-after postcodes of London with hotel-style services. It’s ideal for cash-conscious people visiting London for the Olympics as it means you have all the home-comforts that you’d expect, such as a kitchen and WiFi.

If you’re just looking for a room, Crashpadder.com offers budget-friendly alternative to hotels. The site showcases over 2000 rooms, from a cheap and cheerful £30 a night. Browse the rooms on offer, choose your favourite and make a booking. Once you get a reply (booking requests need to be actively accepted by the individual host) you’re on your way!

Home-swap
Want to cut down the accommodation costs completely? Swapping homes with like-minded individuals is a clever concept and ideal for wallet-watchers. (if you’ve seen the film The Holiday, starring Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz, you’ll be familiar with the idea!). Home Base Holidays boasts thousands of home-swapping members living near Olympic venues in and around London and many offering their homes for exchange during the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Guardian Home Exchange (run by the Guardian newspaper) is another site worth browsing through for your home and area of choice. What’s great about it is that it is a reciprocal relationship and because you’re trusting each other with each other’s houses, you’re both guaranteed a worry-free holiday (plus you can make sure that someone is watering your plants!).

Holiday cottages
Olympic ticket-holders should look at the areas surrounding London, such as Kent, Hertfordshire, Surrey and Berkshire, for fairly-priced holiday cottage accommodation. Kent, for instance, is only one hour by train from central London and according to Freedom Holiday Homes, a good selection of charming VisitEngland-graded homes, which are close to railway stations and local attractions, still have availability during the Games.

Whilst many hotels in London may be raising their prices according to extra demand from the Games, the holiday rental company have signed up to the VisitBritain Fair Price Charter – to ensure that self-catering accommodation will remain good value for money.

Q. Where are most London hostels located?

A. All over – and choosing the right neighborhood to stay in London is essential.

If you want to be near the city’s major attractions and museums, stay in the charming, blooming Bloomsbury – just north of Piccadilly Circus and the West End (we recommend the Astor Museum Inn for having the best of London on your doorstep). Not far off is sleepy, residential Bayswater (just north of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens), or the iconic, posh Kensington (though you won’t find too many budget options here). Head a little farther west and you’ll find the more affordable and diverse neighborhood known as Earl’s Court.

If your priorities are to party and party hard, stay in Soho, where you may not even need earplugs if you drink enough! This ‘hood thrives on nightlife, and is packed with clubbers, gay men, hipsters, musicians, artists, and the occasional prostitute. It’s also within walking distance to some of the city’s best museums. Check into the YHA London Oxford St for a good time.

Both King’s Cross and the area around Victoria Station have tons of cheap places to sleep. While these areas may look a little grim (and there are certain corners you shouldn’t wander around alone at 3AM) there are some good options for cozy, cheap accommodation, like Journeys Kings Cross or the Astor Victoria. Both of these hostels are within a short walk from London’s major train stations for immediate access to the rest of the city.

Q. Where are the “official” London hostels located?

A. Hostelling International has seven locations in London – more than any other European city. HI is a non-profit membership organization – nonmembers are charged an extra £3 or can sign up for HI membership at check-in for £13 a year. Membership provides discounts at HI hostels, theater tickets, and other major attractions.

HI hostels are large, professional, well-serviced establishments lacking only in character. In London, the two to stay at are the YHA London Oxford St (in the middle of hipster Soho) and the newly-refurbished YHA London Earl’s Court. If you’re looking for a quieter place to sleep, try the YHA London Holland Park, divided between two buildings – a former Jacobean mansion and the new barracks-style annex nearby. The YHA London St Paul is a great location for exploring the city’s oldest buildings, bridges, museums, and cathedrals, but may not be the best spot for nightlife, as the neighborhood is known to empty out at the end of the work day.

The appropriately-named YHA London Thameside’s only attraction is the river, which you’d better enjoy looking at, because there’s not much else to see in this distant, eastern neighborhood. (This one is good for large groups traveling by tour bus.) Finally, there is the modern St. Pancras International Hostel – a brand-new facility near the gritty but lively Camden Town. It’s a good location despite the area’s night-time tendency towards sketchiness.

Q. Do London hostels have curfews?

A. A few of the hostels and guesthouses in the quieter neighborhoods of London may not let their guests check in after midnight (for example the Forest Gate Hotel, but nearly all London hostels allow their guests all-night access to their rooms.

Q. What services can I expect to find at a typical London hostel?

A. London hostels will almost always have phone and internet service (for a small charge), and breakfast, sheets and towels will usually be included in the price of a bed. Most hostels are also equipped with TVs, DVD players, cafés or bars, storage lockers, common rooms, city maps and guides, and laundry services. Most hostels will also often include a kitchen for guest use.

If you’re looking for a great value, check out the Ashlee House for lots of freebies (plus a great location just east of Regent’s Park). Another good deal can be found at the family-owned St. Athans hostel (in lovely Bloomsbury), which provides a full English breakfast at no extra charge that includes bacon, sausage, peeled plum tomatoes, baked beans, and eggs any way you like them.

Q. Are there any age restrictions at London hostels?

A. Some London hostels enforce age restrictions that prohibit guests under 18 or over 35 years old. Nearly every hostel in London will need to see a photo ID before check-in, whether they have age restrictions or not. (So don’t even think about lying about your age!)

Q. What types of hostels are there in London?

A. As in most kicking European cities, the London hostel experience is a mixed bag. One can stay in a traditional family-owned guesthouse in a 200-year-old building in a residential neighborhood (like the St. Athans hostel in Bloomsbury). Or, one can stay at an all-night pub that also happens to run a small hostel upstairs (like the Dover Castle – New Cross Inn Hotel where the earplugs are complimentary).

Most London hostels are non-smoking and many have gender-separated rooms available, too. The St. Christopher’s Orient Espresso boasts an all-new female-only wing, to provide a sanctuary “away from those yobbish males.”

Q. How much do hostels cost in London?

A. Lonely Planet’s 2008 guide to London claims that “if you are expecting to spend less than £100 a night…your lodgings probably wont provide the most cherished memories of your trip.” We beg to differ. At the Dover Castle – New Cross Inn Hotel, you can sleep for about £5 a night, and that includes free Wifi and breakfast! The bar next door has live music, DJs, and £1 beers for hostel guests.

Staying in a shared-dorm in London will average about £15 per night. If you’re traveling with friends and a little foresight, you can book a four-bed room at most of these hostels and have your own room for £15 to £20 per person per night.

If you need more privacy, most London hostels have doubles available for £20 to £45 per bed per night. Many also offer single rooms available for £35 to £90 a night. (Try out the £32 single rooms at the St. George Hotel, located right next to the Westminster Bridge.)

If you’re a student and/or a backpacker, a hostel might just be what you’re looking for. Most hostels in central London offer £5-£12 a night bunk beds, 24-hour security, free luggage storage and bedding, internet and safes for hire. If you’re more comfortable in a hotel, the London House Hotel in Kensington offers three-star rooms for £38 a night.

Keep backpacks padlocked and bags zipped up around your shoulder or hug them to your chest. Although opinions vary, many Londoners agree it’s best to avoid areas like Brixton, Tottenham, Peckham, Hackney and Elephant and Castle late at night. Don’t wander around alone or in dark underpasses. As in any country-sized city, a lack of common sense is your greatest nemesis.

IF YOU GO:

Places to rent/stay

http://www.spareroom.co.uk

http://www.easyroommate.co.uk

http://www.gumtree.com (places to rent in case of gap year, £400-£500 a month)

http://www.hostelworld.com/London

http://www.hostelbookers.com/London

http://www.centralhostel.co.uk

http://www.piccadillyhotel.net/London (hostels)

Discount coupons and entertainment

http://www.visitlondon.com (tickets and itineraries, check it out especially during 2012 Olympics)

http://www.timeout.com/london (see all the events the city has to offer)

http://www.groupon.co.uk/www.kgbdeals.co.uk (discount vouchers)

http://www.tkts.co.uk/(Leicester Square half-price West End tickets)

http://www.londoneye.com (Thames river cruise)

http://www.rsc.org.uk/buy-tickets/16-25-five-pound-tickets.aspx (Royal Shakespeare Company)

http://www.sothebys.com

http://www.toptable.com (discounts at restaurants)

1. Tune Hotels – Westminster or Liverpool Street
Tune Hotels are a popular no frills chain in Asia and this is their first opening in Europe. They offer “5-star beds at 1-star prices” and are aimed at the savvy guest who wants the best value for money, whether they are leisure or business travellers – or the kind of person looking for a cheaper alternative to grabbing a cab home after a late night out enjoying the city. Book online in advance and you should be able to get a room for £35 a night or even as low as £9 a night at times.

2. Pavilion Hotel
The Pavilion Hotel is known as London’s Fashion Rock and Roll Hotel as each room is more like a film set than a standard hotel. It’s quirky and fun and very well-priced with rooms starting from £60 per night

3. Umi London
Umi is a new concept in hotels by having a service-led attitude usually associated with 5 star hotels. Umi was given a 3 star rating in 2007 but is a cut above others in the area. Notting Hill and Bayswater have plenty of mid-range hotels and it can be hard to choose from the masses. Umi is larger than most as it takes up 6 houses on a quiet square overlooking a private garden.

4. Mayflower Hotel and Apartments
This is one of the nicest of London’s cheaper boutique hotels. You’ll find elegant bedrooms with high ceilings and fans, enhanced by hand-carved wooden beds and wardrobes, Egyptian cotton sheets and merino wool blankets. All rooms have wi-fi and the ground floor juice bar was inspired by Harry’s Bar in New York.

5. Tavistock Hotel
Tavistock Hotel is in a great location; Bloomsbury is the literary heart of London and where you’ll find the British Museum. Tavistock Hotel has an art deco entrance and 343 rooms. Some rooms overlook private gardens. There is a ground floor bar and well-priced restaurant. Free wireless internet service is available in the lobby.

为了迎接2012伦敦奥运会，英国将举办为期12周、覆盖全英范围的“伦敦2012艺术节”来为奥运会献礼。

伦敦2012文化节的第一项活动，“音乐国”（Music Nation），本周末（3月3-4日）开始。全国各地在周末两天内将举办100多场音乐会，万余音乐家参加。演奏曲目中包括18部新作品，整个活动将为BBC三台提供超过24个小时的演播时间。相关的“音乐河流”活动，也是从本周末开始，将持续一整个夏天.

七月份的伦敦国际莎士比亚戏剧节、九月份的七国莎士比亚戏剧教学案例研究、联合大英博物馆举办的莎士比亚展，以及计划在四月份推出的互动网上平台，让公众就这位19世纪英国大文豪在21世纪为什么还有现实意义?其现实意义在什么地方?以及怎样体现等主题展开交流。这些还只是RSC的一部分活动。

伦敦著名的维多利亚和阿尔伯特博物馆（Victoria and Albert Museum, V&A），2012年突出英国主题和基调，借英女王伊丽莎白二世登基60周年庆祝之机，推出跟王室今昔有关的展览并组织出国巡展。