Traveling to a lot of places with X in the name

by | Oct 21, 2009 | China 2009

Dad and I find ourselves on a sleeper train once again. Our bunkmates are a middle-aged couple whom we imagine are on a little illicit “office getaway.” Who knows, it’s probably a lot less interesting than that. The last day in Xi’an was relaxing and fun. We checked...

Xi’an I get along just fine

by | Oct 18, 2009 | China 2009

The thing that has struck me on this trip compared to my trip here two years ago is that there are a lot more young people out, looking good and having fun. The difference is striking. Youth are filling the streets, restaurants, stores. The cities are happening...

Terra cotta warriors

by | Oct 17, 2009 | China 2009

We arrived at Xi’an very early this morning, but not as early as planned. The overnight train was an hour late leaving from Nanjing, and therefore got to Xi’an an hour late too. That’s ok though, since arriving somewhere at 6:30 is often easier than...

What would Confucious say?

by | Oct 15, 2009 | China 2009

We spent a good deal of time yesterday on the train from Hangzhou to Nanjing. It’s about a 5 to 6 hour ride, so there was no shortage of time to admire the scenery floating by outside the train. The people crammed in beside me didn’t have the best hygiene...

Hangzhou at all hours

by | Oct 13, 2009 | China 2009

I just got back from the lake. [note: I got back from the lake last night, but was too tired to finish this entry at that time] It’s not often you find a place in China that is quiet, nearly deserted, with an abundance of fresh air. But, Hangzhou has lots of...

Suzhou’s gardens

by | Oct 11, 2009 | China 2009

This really is quite a lovely city. Even nearly 800 years later, it’s easy to see why Marco Polo referred to Suzhou as the most beautiful city on Earth. The canals, trees, bridges and elegant architecture make it a very pleasant place overall. It’s sort of...