"Wow, guess where we were a year ago today?" A says, looking at his phone while getting ready for work. From my vantage point across the room, it looks like he is buried by a mountain of belongings. Stuff (clothes, kitchen things, pots, pans, appliances in their somewhat beat up boxes, shelving units, books, papers, and... Continue Reading →
Rice Terraces and Rain in Rural Guangxi
From my perspective, I absolutely believe in a greater spiritual power, far greater than I am, from which I have derived strength in moments of sadness or fear. That’s what I believe, and it was very, very strong in the forest. - Jane Goodall We haul our heavy backpacks out of the car, legs... Continue Reading →
But what about the bathroom? The Forbidden City: Day 4 in Beijing
We spent our last full day in Beijing exploring the Forbidden City. Epic in its sweeping palaces, intricate in its tiny decorative details, this ancient home of China's emperors is a must-see in Beijing for a reason. While Chinese nationals have to book tickets in advance, there is a dedicated window for the few foreign... Continue Reading →
The Great Wall of China: Day 3 in Beijing
John picks us up at 7:33 am in his shiny, black Honda van. Though there are many tours to the Great Wall, we opt to use the driver our friends recommend, a Beijing native who introduces himself with, "I've lived in Beijing my whole life, so please ask me your questions." We set off on Beijing's third... Continue Reading →
Time to Get Out the Map – Day 2 in Beijing
For all the perfectly captured pics, tales of spectacular sights, and recountings of the joys of travel, there are about ten times as many behind the scenes mishaps, moments of boredom, long lines, and spending seemingly hours trying to find ANYWHERE and ANYTHING to eat. This is especially true when visiting China's capital city, a... Continue Reading →
Finding Heaven – Day 1 in Beijing
Stepping off the plane in Beijing, we already felt the difference from Guangzhou in the dry and chilly winter air. Not a trace of humidity in this city that hadn't seen rain or snow since October. We were stunned at our good fortune as we stared at an ice blue sky, no clouds or smoggy haze in... Continue Reading →