I Got Altitude Sickness in Shangri-La
According to the legends, Shangri-La is a green Himalayan paradise. A mystical Buddhist haven where people never age. A peaceful, magical utopia where everything is wonderful all the time. The …
Lijiang, China’s Touristy Time Warp
Do you want to travel back in time? Be careful. Anything you do in the past might alter the present, with grave consequences. Better yet, skip the dangers of causality …
The Magic of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. The name sounds like something out of an ancient myth or a 70s Kung Fu movie. The mountain towers over the city of Lijiang in the …
Dali: The Town in China, Not the Painter
Not to be confused with the artist, the town of Dali is located a couple of hours’ train ride north of Kunming in China’s Southwestern Yunnan province. There are no …
Kunming: More than Just Nice Weather
Kunming is the capital of China’s mysterious, Southwestern Yunnan province. Kunming is known by such nicknames as “The City of Eternal Spring” or the “City of Flowers” highlighting the city’s …
Sanya is China’s Surprising, Secret Tropical Paradise
Sanya is China’s premier tropical island beach destination. It’s full of palm trees, beaches, and crystal-clear water, but remains relatively unknown West of the former Iron Curtain. Imagine a kind …
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I Finally Broke Down and Went to Shanghai Disneyland
Disneyland. Ugh. What place on earth better represents the soulless void of American consumer capitalism? Maybe Walt Disney himself wasn’t actually a Nazi sympathizer, but he was anti-union and virulently …
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It Took a Funeral for me to Fully Appreciate Hoi An, Vietnam
Hoi An, Vietnam is an ancient city, both bustling and quaint. The old streets are clogged with charming buildings. Walls are strewn with thousands of cute little lanterns that seem …
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The Best YouTube Videos for Learning Chinese
Learning Chinese isn’t easy. It’s much harder if you aren’t in China and don’t have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the language. You could run down to your nearest …
Ko Samui and Ko Tao: Island Paradise or Overrated and Full of Lice?
Ko Samui and Ko Tao are two tropical islands that hang out in the warm tropical waters of the Gulf of Thailand. The tourist websites flaunt the islands as the …
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