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 »
Spending two weeks at home will surely teach you how to survive a self-quarantine. In the end, it wasn’t so bad, really. In the end, I was surprised at how quickly those two weeks went by. Now, the coronavirus is spreading around the world. Here in Shanghai, things are slowly but surely getting better. New
How to Survive a Self-Quarantine Read Post »
UPDATE: The 2020 overseas primary is over now, so if you just came here, sorry you missed your chance. Results still aren’t in. https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/2020-democrats-abroad-primary-results/story?id=69437036 Wondering how to vote in the primary from overseas? It’s actually not that hard. I’ll tell you. It might actually be easier than voting from home, because unlike those suckers still
How to Vote in the Primary From Overseas Read Post »
When I first heard about the Coronavirus, I said a hearty “meh”. Every year it seems like there’s some new horrible virus to be terrified of, and every year the new horrible virus fails to effect my life in any way whatsoever. It’s like the story about the boy who cried wolf. You know, he
The Coronavirus: We’re Surviving the Quarantine Read Post »
My first-time scuba diving, my stomach churned like a typhoon. I sat on the edge of the boat breathing in and out slowly, trying to hold back the tsunami of vomit that was building up in the bottom of my gut. Why the hell had I turned down that seasickness medication? Trying to be macho,
First Time Scuba Diving, Try Not To Drown! Read Post »
The beach at Da Nang is considered by some to be the best in the world. We think of many things when we envision our perfect beach. Long stretches of smooth sand between our toes. The gentle rhythm of clear blue water. Miles of skyscrapers blotting out the sun. The pounding of jackhammers. The diesel
Da Nang was dang disappointing. But also, it wasn’t? Read Post »
Thick stalks of bamboo tower overhead. The tops sway back and forth in the breeze. Birds are chirping. The air is brisk and refreshing. An old tractor, possibly built before the revolution, putters down the mountain pulling a trailer of freshly cut bamboo stalks. Stalks of vegetables lay on the stone walls alongside the road,
Moganshan – Prepare to Meet your new Auntie Read Post »
I’m not talking about the rulers of the Chinese Communist Party during the Cultural Revolution. The Gang of Four I’m talking about is the late ‘70s British post-punk band. They’ve been a favorite of ours for a while, and the album “Entertainment” is probably one of the best albums. So, when we read that they
Gang of Four: A Market of the Senses Read Post »
The thing about Beijing that struck me the most was how gritty it all was. Gritty to the point that you could taste it when you walked outside. There’s a constant layer of dust that settles in to your mouth with each breath. I don’t say this to disparage Beijing in any way. It’s a
Beijing: Surprisingly Gritty and Interesting Read Post »
We met a tour guide in Hoi An, Vietnam who was born and raised in the nearby city of Hue. We told him we were staying there for two nights. He frowned at us. “Most people spend four hours in Hue,” he said. “Even a full day is too long.” This seemed to be the
Hue, Vietnam is tragically underrated. Read Post »
