Zhou Zhuang is one of the loveliest watertown daytrips from Shanghai. It has magical narrow canals with atmospheric old Chinese houses and ancient temples. But what’s a place without the people? Though there’s no doubt Zhou Zhuang has become commercialized
Ghost Clearing Festival : Jincheng Town Kinmen Island
On my recent visit to the Taiwanese Jinmen island I had a very unexpected surprise. The annual City God birthday festival was taking place in the island that week and festivities were grander than ever. The night before the celebrations
Dapeng Fortress Ancient Village : Shenzhen
Hong Kong and Shenzhen are usually not associated with history, but Dapeng Fortress or Dapeng Walled City in Shenzhen will take you back as far as 1394 to a time where the local fishermen tried to defend against the intruding
A Random Taiwanese Buddhist Garden : Kinmen Island
While riding around the charming Taiwanese Kinmen Island on a motorcycle, I came across a lovely Buddhist garden. While I was living in Taiwan I was used to occasional surprises of spiritual beauty in the middle of nowhere, but it’s
Peace Memorial Park : Kinmen Island
There’s still some time before any peace would come between Taiwan and the mainland, but with the recent changes in policy in the Taiwanese administration both sides have atleast tried to pretend there might be some peaceful resolution to this
Hong Kong From Above : Wan Chai – JResidence
Unexpectedly, I discovered an amazing place to get some stunning views of Hong Kong. In the heart of Wanchai, just next to the Pawn, is an upscale building called J-Residence (on Ship st.). For a farewell party to a dear
Tiu Keng Leng residential area : Apartment hunting in Hong Kong
This week I moved to a new apartment in Hong Kong. The university, for the second time, has announced that I’m no longer entitled to university apartments and so I was forced to try and find a decent room elsewhere
Taipei 101 & City Hall
Though I’ve been to the Taipei 101 many times, and have gone up to the observatory more times than I could remember, the Taipei 101 is still somewhat of a treat. Though Hong Kong and mainland China have numbed my
Kinmen Civil Defense Tunnel Exhibition Museum : Jincheng Town
Protecting the civilians in Kinmen from the mainland Chinese invasion are a series of long tunnels built by the civil defense during the 1970. They’re spread all throughout the island, but in Jincheng you can take a walking tour underground
Monkey Mountain : Hong Kong
On the way to see the gorgeous Yuen Yuen Institute and Western Monastery in Tseun Wan, we made a stop along the way to show our visitors a different side of Hong Kong – wild monkeys. Turns out, there’s quite
