I loved Hong Kong. I could have spent a week or more just exploring within a ten block radius of my hotel ( Read more... )

I'm back!

There will be a few more catch-up trip posts, as there's tons of stuff I never got a chance to write up. Such as the obsession of many people we met with Cameron's movie Avatar. I swear, every other conversation, someone would mention it. I was beginning to think it would be impossible to escape back to the US without getting dragged to ( Read more... )

I saw some rather strange productions in Xian as a result of having a tour guide, and thus being unable to say no. There was the incomprehensible pre-Peking Opera I mentioned before. There was Tang Dynasty Las Vegas, which consisted of several dances of dubious historicity, despite the program's claims (I am certain that hoop skirts did not exist ( Read more... )

Note: I am posting on Hong Kong time. Page down if you think you're missing stuff (and don't want to ( Read more... )

I don't think I've described Taiwan much yet. The busy main roads and short, narrow side streets lined with cafes and small shops and street food carts remind me a bit of New York City and also Tokyo, as does the mix of glittering skyscrapers and older buildings. Once you're out of the main part of the city, the tropical forest presses up against ( Read more... )

It will give you a sense of the jam-packed nature of the Xian tour when I say that in a single day, we visited a Han Dynasty mausoleum, a Buddhist temple, a museum, the tomb of China’s only official female Emperor (Wu Zetian; as opposed to dowager empresses or powers behind the throne), and dinner theatre ( Read more... )

I have had extremely limited internet access on this trip, so while I’m now back in Taiwan, I’m going to start catching you all up with my adventures in Xian ( Read more... )

Last night at a Chinese banquet featuring smoked goose, prawns wrapped in bacon, sticky rice, and ten other courses I'm too lazy to describe, the room began to vibrate. Due to jet lag, the late hour, and three glasses of wine it was some time before I finally said, "Er... does anyone else feel that ( Read more... )

I have very little to report as I arrived late - very late - two hours late last night, my flight having been delayed in Tokyo. If I'd known the flight would be delayed, I would not have eaten the disgusting pizza served by American Airlines and instead gotten some ramen at the airport in Tokyo ( Read more... )

Has anyone applied for a visa to go to China before? The PRC website, from which I get the application, is very unhelpful ( Read more... )