When the Covid-19 virus first hit, we had friends and relatives telling us to come back to the U.S. To be honest, I thought about it quite seriously. But we took a gamble, and we stayed in China. Now, the numbers are slowing to a trickle in China while rising to crazy levels in the […]
How is China reopening after the Coronavirus? Read Post »
Most temples in Thailand are beautiful but pretty standard. Sharply pitched roofs with carved decorations, often covered in gold leaf. Inside, you take off your shoes and sit under the high arched ceiling looking at a carving of the Buddha. They’re cool, but honestly, they all started to look the same to me after the
The Weird, Colored Temples of Chiang Rai Read Post »
Khao Yai National Park is full of animals. Despite being only three hours or so from Bangkok (or almost a full day if you go the way we did), the park is still a relatively pristine wilderness. It’s home to an astounding variety of wildlife; monkeys, lizards, snakes, hornbills, gibbons, and one of the last
Chasing Elephants in Khao Yai National Park Read Post »
Pak Chong, Thailand is only about two and a half hours away from Bangkok. It’s the gateway to Khao Yai National Park, which may be one of the top national parks I’ve ever been to anywhere. The park’s one of the best places to see animals like gibbons, hornbills and wild elephants. So yeah, of
How the hell do you get to Pak Chong, Thailand? Read Post »
Gucun Park in Shanghai is also known as “dinosaur park.” Walk through dense forests of leafy green plants. There’s a rustling in the leaves. Something is lurking in the forests just beyond the shadows. Water ripples in your cup as heavy footsteps come closer. Then the leaves part. It’s a giant, animatronic tyrannosaurus! Also, a
Hold on to Your Butts: It’s Gucun Park, Shanghai Read Post »
There are many things you could do to celebrate Valentine’s day. You could go on out for a nice meal at a romantic restaurant. You could take a long sunset walk and hold hands, then sip champagne by a lake or river. Or you could go to Bangkok’s monitor lizard park.
The Romance of Bangkok’s Monitor Lizard Park Read Post »
Our Chang Xing Island adventure started with a message from the boss. “We’re going to Chang Xing Island next week. We booked a hotel room for you.” That was it. Was it a business trip? Was it a vacation? How long were we going to be gone? What were we going to be doing? What
Shipyards and Strawberries on Chang Xing Island Read Post »
Guyi Garden is a lovely classical garden just an hour north of downtown Shanghai. It’s not as famous as some of the other nearby gardens, but that makes it feel all the more special. Avoid the crowds and relax in Guyi’s classical splendor. One of the best things about China is its classical gardens. Stone
Guyi – Shanghai’s Secret Garden Read Post »
“Authentic.” What does that word even mean? Part of the reason we travel is to have an “authentic” experience. We want to see what the “real” locals look like. What is “authentic” daily life for the people in the countries we’re visiting? All too often, this quest for the “authentic” is framed through centuries of
An “Authentic” Hill Tribe Trek in Chiang Rai, Thailand Read Post »
The Oriental Pearl Tower is arguably the most iconic representation of Shanghai’s skyline. It may be the most iconic representation of modern China. Huge reddish-purple spheres held up by three massive cement columns tower over the Pudong River. The tip of the tower reaches up into the sky like it’s trying to reach the future.
The Oriental Pearl Tower – Yesterday’s Future, Today! Read Post »
