A bit of news that should encourage environmentalists throughout China: China has abandoned controversial plans to build a huge dam which would have submerged one of the country’s most renowned tourist areas and forced the relocation of 100,000 residents in the south-western province of Yunnan. In a rare and high-profile victory for China’s environmental movement, [...]
In August of last year (2006), at the end of my month-long trip to Vietnam, I had dinner at a Hanoi restaurant with a middle-aged American with extensive experience living and working in Asia. During our conversation, I remarked how nice it was to be able to travel safely in Vietnam now only thirty years [...]
This following conversation, I’d guess, is fairly common among China-residing Westerners coming home for the holidays: “Do you eat street food in China?” “Oh sure- all the time. A lot of it is really good,” “But aren’t you worried about getting sick?” “I do get sick sometimes” “How often?” “Oh- maybe once a month I [...]
I want to wish all of my readers a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year. (Though I won’t stop blogging, mind you).
Some notes: – On my second afternoon I walked all the way to the train station from my house, passing rows of smart houses with neatly manicured lawns. It was two in the afternoon and silent save for the occasional car driving past. I had the feeling that I was walking not in reality but [...]
Culture shock has thus far been light, though perhaps this is due to having spent the majority of my time drowsily enduring jet lag inside my parents’ condo. I did, however, have a moment in the Vancouver airport. I was walking in the terminal when I made eye contact with a sharply dressed middle-aged woman [...]
Upon the advice of a friend, I visited the large 798 art complex on my first full day in Beijing. Located in the northeast of the city, 798 was formerly an industrial neighborhood full of factories and gray silos that has since been converted into art galleries, cafes, and quirky little bookshops that would not [...]
It is just after 6 am in California and pitch black outside and your blogger is wide awake, sipping coffee. Jet lag is wonderful, isn’t it? Beijing was lovely, hardly the “punishment” I hinted at in my previous post. I was treated quite well by my host Al and enjoyed some fantastic Xinjiang cuisine with [...]
Just kidding. Beijing isn’t all that bad. Your faithful blogger will be traveling to China’s capital city tomorrow and then on Tuesday heading back to California for the holidays and then some. Never fear, though- I will be returning to Kunming in February after Spring Festival subsides and life in the Middle Kingdom returns to [...]
I had a minor bike accident yesterday. As accidents go, this was fairly benign: neither myself nor the pedestrian with whom I collided were injured and my bike wasn’t damaged, but it was frightening all the same. I landed hard on my hip but quickly got to my feet, apologizing to the man whom I [...]