May
07
I kind of expected Xian to not be that interesting. It is a major international tourist destination, and there is an incredible amount of hype surrounding the Terra Cotta warriors. One can only be disappointed, and I was. Sure, I was glad I finally was able to see the Terra Cotta warriors, the City Wall …
Apr
27
Hua Shan, near Xi’an, is known as one of China’s most dangerous mountains. Unbelievably steep stairs coupled with sheer drops on either side makes for a potentially deadly combination. However, its crazy beautiful and one of its paths, in particular, has captivated my imagination for the past couple of years. I can’t remember how I …
Apr
22
On my way to Langmusi, on the border of Gansu and Sichuan, I had no idea what a sky burial was. Fortunately, I met two other travelers who were going to Langmusi specifically to seek one out. A Tibetan sky burial is a ritual where, after a person dies, their body is put on a …
Apr
16
Tibetan people from all over China make there way to Xiahe in Gansu province to follow the “kora” or pilgrim path around the huge Labrang Monastery. My journey to Xiahe started with a beautiful bus ride from Xining to Xiahe, passing through huge grasslands and high mountains, all while listening to the constant chanting/singing of …
Apr
12
Since leaving Shanghai to go to Xiamen, I have seen and experienced a lot of interesting things. Much of it has been possible because I am on my own. Humans are social creatures, and I have found that I am much more open to interacting with and meeting new people now that I am on …
Apr
07
A few weeks before I was going to fly to Kashgar, several “terrorists” and police officers were killed there. For many decades, Xinjiang has been a sensitive region, much like how Tibet is. As I would quickly find out once arriving there, the Uyghur people in Xinjiang have a totally different culture, language, and appearance …
Mar
21
Taroko gorge is considered to be Taiwan’s top tourist destination. Doable as a day trip from Taipei, it is quite close to Taipei, although the closest major city, Hualien, is only about 15 km away. I originally thought that you pretty much had to stay in Hualien to have an inexpensive place to stay, and …
Mar
11
It took a couple days for me to warm up to the place, but I can now say that Taipei is the best city I have been to in Asia. Nonetheless, when I first got to Taipei and saw a couple of the night markets and temples, I thought it was a lot like China, …
Mar
06
I originally was planning on going to Taiwan directly from Shanghai. I had my round-trip flight booked and started on the nearly 2 hour journey from the apartment to Pudong International Airport. I got to the airport and stood in the line. And stood. And stood. Finally, after an hour and a half or so, …
Mar
05
This is something I wrote a while back (about 4 years ago) while still a grad student. So maybe I don’t still recommend eating spaghetti every day for lunch (although I did this for over a year and loved it), but I enjoyed reading just how extreme I was even back then. Hope you enjoy …
