Contributions
Bargain for Chinese Silk in Suzhou
Created on November 08, 2011 by Camilla Cheung, WriterYou can’t walk down a street in Suzhou without coming across a silk store. Suzhou (also known as Soochow) is one of the top destinations in China for authentic classical gardens, complete with rock gardens, pagodas, glimmering pools full of goldfish, towering bamboo, and intricately carved wood buildings. It is easy to see how the Chinese city has garnered a reputation for being “paradise on earth”. As you stroll along the garden walkways, it’s easy to imagine a time when the gardens catered to silk-clad Chinese ladies carrying dainty parasols, and somber calligraphers dressed in black, enjoying the fresh air. In the midst of this idyllic atmosphere, a vibrant Chinese silk industry flourishes, making Suzhou one of the hubs for the textile industry in China. ...
Gamble the Night Away in Macau, the Vegas of the East
Created on November 08, 2011 by Camilla Cheung, Writer
Count the Bighorn Sheep at the Living Desert
Created on November 08, 2011 by Camilla Cheung, WriterAdmittedly, most people who go to Palm Springs are there for two things: the warm weather and the golf. But this resort town in the middle of the desert has more to offer than restaurants and condos. Just 15 minutes away from Palm Springs is the Living Desert, a zoo and conservation area that specializes in habitats and wildlife from the world’s deserts. In addition to perennial zoo favorites like meerkats and giraffes, the Living Desert has swathes of land devoted to the desert bighorn sheep, a formerly threatened native of California that is being rehabilitated through conservation areas such as the Living Desert and nearby areas such as Anza-Borrego State Park. Although the Living Desert has the crowd-pleasers—gazelles, warthogs, and zebras—the most interesting exhibits ...
Watch the Windmills in Solvang, California
Created on July 19, 2011 by Camilla Cheung, WriterNestled within Santa Barbara’s wine country is one of the California Central Coast’s most intriguing secrets: the Danish town of Solvang, California. Drive along Highway 101 when you visit California, and be clued in to Solvang’s existence by the incongruous sight of an Old World windmill located right by the side of the highway. Becoming one of your more typical things to do in California, a short drive off the highway takes you into the heart of the “Danish Capital of America,” a village where Old World traditions have been preserved for the last hundred years. Founded by Danish Americans in 1911, Solvang was planned to be a place where Danes could keep living according to their traditions, with their own school and church. Since ...
Check Out One of the Tallest Aquarium Exhibits in the World at the Monterey Bay Aquarium
Created on July 19, 2011 by Camilla Cheung, WriterLocated in the historic Cannery Row district of Monterey, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is one of the most popular aquariums in California. They have a host of state-of-the-art exhibits that allow visitors to glimpse the ocean like never before. Spectacularly situated right on the bay, the outdoor viewing platforms (one of which is free and located outside the aquarium) are outfitted with free monoculars. They allow you to get a close-up view of the sea otters floating in the beds of kelp near the shore, the rambunctious California sea lions, and fat, spotted harbour seals. The outdoor platforms are just the start of your fascinating journey into the waters of Monterey Bay as you enter the aquarium’s exhibits. The Open Ocean exhibit is one of ...
Admire the Mayan Ruins in Tulum, Mexico
Created on June 15, 2011 by Camilla Cheung, WriterA lazy holiday at Cancún resort can easily be highlighted with a trip to the Mayan ruins at Tulum, Mexico. As the most important archaeological site on the coast of the Riviera Maya, Tulum is a fascinating cultural experience, and provides an opportunity to glimpse the coastline of the Yucatan Peninsula as it might have been hundreds of years ago. Tulum is just a few hours south of Cancún, and is one of the most easily accessible archaeological sites in the area. When temperatures and humidity are soaring, the relatively small size of the Tulum site (compared to Coba and Chichen Itza), and the accessibility of Tulum’s beach, make the archaeological site one of the best choices on the Riviera Maya. Green lawns surround the ...
Tour a Millionaire's Playground at Hearst Castle, California
Created on June 15, 2011 by Camilla Cheung, WriterIf you’re driving midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco on scenic Highway 1, look up into the hills of San Simeon and you may see, in the distance, several white towers and flying pennants. Look closely, and you may see a few zebras grazing on the grassy hillsides of this part of California. No, you’re not dreaming. You’ve just found millionaire William Randolph Hearst’s personal playground: Hearst Castle. Hearst Castle is a National Historic Landmark that is now operated by California State Parks; but it was originally built as a private residence by newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst in 1919. What began as a modest residence soon grew into an opulent castle with two towers and a variety of different styles, from Spanish Revival ...
Look Back to the Middle Ages in the Hall of Mirrors at Heidelberg Castle
Created on June 15, 2011 by Camilla Cheung, WriterA visit to Heidelberg, Germany, is a visit back in time to a medieval world where knights and castles were commonplace, and monks were busy brewing beer in their monasteries. The towering red sandstone castle of Heidelberg towers at the top of a hill in the centre of Heidelberg, presiding over the cobblestone streets, historic houses, and Old World charm of the lively university town. With the River Neckar meandering by the town, pleasure boats and ancient bridges, hills covered in greenery, and a lively downtown core filled with quaint shops and cafes covered in ivy, Heidelberg would be an idyllic place to visit, even without the castle. However, Heidelberg Castle (Heidelberg Schloss) is the city's crown and joy. The five-hundred-year-old structure comprises construction from ...
Feed the Sika Deer at Nara Park
Created on January 21, 2011 by Camilla Cheung, WriterThe approach to Nara Park in the old capital city of Nara, Japan, is dominated by an imposing view of a wooden pagoda and beautiful tall trees. However, it is arguably the deer that make Japan's Nara Park as famous as it is. In fact, in many cases, Nara Park is known as “Deer Park” for the hundreds of so-called “wild” sika deer that roam the grounds. Although they are not raised by humans, the 1,200 sika deer within Nara Deer Park have grown so accustomed to tourists feeding them that they will boldly venture up to visitors, expecting pieces of rice crackers, sold at carts throughout Park for this purpose. Nature-lovers from Western countries will undoubtedly deplore this interference with the natural habits of ...
See the Rare and Elusive Condors of California at Big Sur
Created on January 21, 2011 by Camilla Cheung, WriterOne of the most well-known sights of Big Sur along the central coastline of California is McWay Waterfall, where a stream of water cascades down an 80-foot sheer cliff right onto a sandy beach. Perhaps the most photographed site, and certainly the most popular image in Big Sur, the little cove is surrounded by majestic views of seaside cliffs, towering pines, and glimmering aqua water. And as if the sight of the landscape of Big Sur was not enough, add to that the possibility of sighting the rare California condor, which has the largest wingspan of any land bird in North America. With only two hundred of these birds left in the wild, seeing one in its natural habitat is a truly rewarding sight. McWay ...
Explore the Old and New Charms of Xintiandi in Shanghai
Created on January 21, 2011 by Camilla Cheung, WriterThe Xintiandi district of Shanghai is where the trendy, well-heeled and in-the-know go to dine, shop, and be seen. This award-winning district is located near the French Concession of Shanghai, in the heart of Shanghai's expatriate-friendly dining and nightlife area. Walking through Xintiandi (which means “New Heaven and Earth”) is a strange but charming juxtaposition of old and new. One of the first lifestyle centres to be deliberately renovated and designed in Shanghai, Xintiandi is composed of renovated shikumen (traditional stone gate houses) that have now been turned into art galleries, restaurants, and shops. These stone houses, shikumen, were enormously popular in Shanghai in the 1860s, and are comprised of stone townhouses that line narrow stone alleyways. They were known for their strong stone doorways ...
Bargain Hard at the Yu Yuan Garden and Bazaar, Shanghai
Created on January 21, 2011 by Camilla Cheung, WriterAmid the glittering skyscrapers of Shanghai, Yu Yuan Garden is an enclave of traditional Chinese architecture and a classical garden. One of the most popular tourist attractions in Shanghai, Yu Yuan Garden is worth a visit for the garden and teahouses, especially if you don't get a chance to go to the nearby garden cities of Suzhou and Hangzhou. But beautiful as it is, the true attraction for many who visit Yu Yuan Gardens is the enormous bazaar that extends from the central area and the entrance to the garden, to the outskirts of the local neighborhood. Here, great deals on all sorts of things can be found, from embroidered slippers, “new” antiques, lucky charms, fake paper money to burn for your ancestors' ghosts, parasols, ...
Ride a Camel Through the Desert in Egypt
Created on November 23, 2010 by Camilla Cheung, WriterThe Pyramids at Giza are an awesome sight, and the experience is made even more amazing when you see the Pyramids from camel-back in the desert. The tall Arabian camels sway gently to and fro under the blazing desert sun as you make your way through the dusty white buildings of town, finally breaking out into open sand dunes. The footsteps of these majestic animals are nearly soundless in the sand, the sky clear, and in the distance, the iconic silhouette of the Pyramids of Giza are outlined against the horizon. Time falls away, and you might almost be part of a caravan in the desert thousands of years ago. Most camel rides at Giza start at the entrance to the Pyramids, but do not ...
Eat Your Fill at a Hawker Centre in Singapore
Created on November 23, 2010 by Camilla Cheung, WriterOf the best places to eat in Asia, Singapore ranks among the top international cities. This city of English-speaking, Western-influenced Asian culture, boasts a populace that is cosmopolitan and sophisticated (Singapore is the fourth largest financial centre in the world), and greatly enamoured for good food. Known as a nation of foodies, delicious gastronomic delights await visitors of all budgets in Singapore. The best (and cheapest) way to experience foodie culture in Singapore is to make a trip to one of the city's famous hawker centres. These hawker centres are conglomerations of many food stalls, usually outside with a roof over them, and with each stall specializing in its own version of a Singaporean dish. Here, you can sample dishes with Malaysian, Chinese, and Indian ...
Stroll the Mount of the Beatitudes in Galilee
Created on November 23, 2010 by Camilla Cheung, WriterIf you're trying to travel around the Sea of Galilee, try not to get there on a Sabbath. That's when all local public transportation shuts down, and you're stuck trying to thumb it around this gorgeous jewel of a lake. Not that hitchhiking is a terribly bad idea, and in Israel many people feel sorry for those who didn't plan ahead for their transportation on the Sabbath—and they’ll graciously pick you up. In fact, that's how we ended up touring one of the most beautiful sites on the shores of the freshwater Sea of Galilee, the Mount of the Beatitudes. More of a grassy knoll on the shore of the lake than a mountain, the Mount of Beatitudes is nevertheless one of the most breathtaking ...
Watch the Sunrise at Yellow Mountain in China
Created on October 22, 2010 by Camilla Cheung, WriterFor those of us whose idea of modern China consists of crowded, hectic cities and growing pollution, the experience of visiting Yellow Mountain, or Huangshan, is a welcome relief from the frenetic pace of modernization. The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Yellow Mountain in Anhui province is the most famous natural tourist attraction in China, and has the sweeping mountain views, bamboo forests, and ancient pine trees that inspired the cinematography of movies such as “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” which was filmed on location at Yellow Mountain. The unexpected majesty of Huangshan is truly awe-inspiring as you gaze out at the huge peaks and boulders of the mountain range around you while riding in comfort up the slopes of Yellow Mountain on a gondola. You ...
Eat Your Fill at a Night Market in Taipei
Created on October 22, 2010 by Camilla Cheung, WriterThe best food in Taipei is enjoyed at night, on the street, from a cart. Anyone who visits the capital of Taiwan will tell you that you must visit a night market to truly sample the culinary excellence of Taipei. Forget black-vested waiters with white towels. This is time to get down and dirty, and plunge right into the mounds of “stinky” tofu, fried sausages, and oyster pancakes. (“Down and dirty” was just an expression—most vendors are quite clean). Of the six major night markets in Taipei, Shilin Market is the biggest and the most famous. A trip to Shilin Market is like going to the county fair, but with heaps more crowds, neon lights, and a much wider variety of food. Immediately upon entering ...
Learn About The Unique Culture of Baba Nonya in Malacca Town, Malaysia
Created on October 22, 2010 by Camilla Cheung, WriterIf you're interested in the unique fusion of cultures that makes up the population of Malaysia, there's no better stop on your trip to the peninsula than the town of Malacca. Located along the Straits of Malacca, Malacca Town (also known as Melaka) is a World Heritage Site that gathers together historical shophouses and colonial architecture dating from the 15th- to 16th-century Straits Settlements. In particular, the unique culture of the Peranakans, or Baba Nonya, is better represented in Malacca than possibly anywhere else in the world. Malacca is well suited for exploration on foot. Stroll down Jonker's Walk in the middle of town and you'll be in the heart of Peranakan history. The Peranakans are the descendants of ethnic Chinese who settled in the ...
Race to the Top of the Bun Tower in Hong Kong
Created on September 22, 2010 by Camilla Cheung, WriterIf you're looking to experience traditional Hong Kong in one of its most unique and fascinating festivals, look no further than the weeklong Cheung Chau Bun Festival. This whimsical holiday, characterized by folkloric costumes, traditional handicrafts, crowded festive streets, and crowned by the race to the top of the bun towers, is one of the liveliest events in Hong Kong every year. Taking place in late April or early May (it's a lunar festival, celebrated in the fourth moon of the year), the Cheung Chau Bun Festival makes the little island of Cheung Chau (the smallest of Hong Kong's outlying islands) the focus of the entire metropolis. Take the half-hour ferry ride to Cheung Chau during the Bun Festival, and you will be greeted by ...
Early Morning Hustle of the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo
Created on September 22, 2010 by Camilla Cheung, WriterA trip to the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo is a defining experience, and often a thought-provoking one. It is a hub for fish and sea life deliveries from all over the world, and the place to get the freshest sushi in Tokyo. Watching rubber-booted fishermen with deft hands fillet, slice and clean fish of every variety, as well as sea urchins, eels, shellfish, and pretty much anything imaginable, is an intriguing sight. As you make your way around buckets and trays full of live sea life, this is not a place for the squeamish, or the vegetarian. The Tsukiji Fish Market's crowning glory, as well as its bitter shame (depending on who you talk to) is the fresh tuna fish auction early in the ...
Hike Ten Thousand Gates at the Fushimi Inari Shrine
Created on September 22, 2010 by Camilla Cheung, WriterThe vision of thousands of crimson torii gates stretching up the mountainside is one of the most iconic images of Kyoto, and of Japan. The Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto is one of the most famous shrines in the city, and one of the oldest Inari shrines in Japan, founded in 711. Popularized throughout the world in the film adaptation of Memoirs of a Geisha, walking through the tunnel of red lacquered torii (a distinctive shape for Shinto gates) is one of the most memorable experiences you can have in Kyoto. The Fushimi Inari Shrine stands out among the temples of Kyoto as a unique and whimsical tribute to the Shinto god of rice and industry, Inari, whose representatives are fox spirits (“kitsune”). When first ...
Stalk the Cheetahs at San Diego Zoo Safari Park
Created on April 29, 2010 by Camilla Cheung, WriterThe San Diego Zoo Safari Park, previously known as the San Diego Wild Animal Park, is a zoo experience unlike most others. The animals at the San Diego Safari Park roam in large enclosures that approximate their homes in the wild. Visitors to the Park can explore the animals’ habitats on a safari ride, which allows them to glimpse endangered African animals up close and personal in a free-range enclosure, without the typical zoo barriers. Imagine being within a few feet of a majestic giraffe, close enough to see its long tongue curling around tree branches and stripping them of its leaves. Children will love the sight of little gazelles fleeting nimbly over the hills, or locking horns in playful battle, while a huge rhino ...
Ride the Star Ferry for Night View of Hong Kong Skyline
Created on April 29, 2010 by Camilla Cheung, WriterHong Kong is one of the world’s most vibrant cities, and for the uninitiated can seem overwhelming. The crush of crowds in Causeway Bay, the polished skyscrapers in Central, the local eateries where servers rush to and fro shouting in Cantonese, the never-ending rush to shop, shop, shop – it all begins to blur a little after a day or two of sightseeing. One excellent way to enjoy local culture and experience a moment of serenity in the middle of the city is to take the Star Ferry across Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour in the evening. One of the city's icons, the Star Ferry ride is cheap, has local flair, and offers a great view of the Hong Kong skyline and harbur front illuminated at ...
Explore a Five-Hundred-Year-Old Feudal Castle in Japan: Himeji Castle
Created on March 06, 2010 by Camilla Cheung, WriterHimeji Castle is the quintessential castle to see in Japan, and the most visited castle in all of Japan. This towering white feudal castle of incredible beauty is authentic 17th century splendour. Poised like a white heron in flight at the top of a hill, Himeji Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is sometimes called the "White Heron Castle". The delicate old-ivory coloured edifice dates back to the 1300s, and was the dwelling place of some of the most prominent feudal lords, or "daimyos," in Japan. Extensively remodelled during its history, one of Himeji Castle's unique features is a tower built for Honda Tadamasa's daughter-in-law, Princess Sen. The temple complex is a warren of narrow stone streets, white-washed walls, whimsical gates and wells, and enchanting views ...
Encounter Elephant Seals Breeding at Piedras Blancas Beach
Created on February 12, 2010 by Camilla Cheung, WriterThe cries of the elephant seals reached our ears as we walked along the boardwalk towards Piedras Blancas Beach along the Central Coast of California. Strange popping sounds heralded the huge males as they threatened each other for beach territory, while the females wailed as they nursed their young. The vast expanse of beach was completely covered by a mass of milling, blubbery bodies, reminiscent of overstuffed sausages, yet surprisingly agile. A huge male, his large snout hanging like an elephant's trunk (from whence the elephant seals get their name), rose onto his front flippers and chased another male down the beach, his multiple-ton body moving with astonishing rapidity. December through March is breeding season for the elephant seals at Piedras Blancas beach, and visitors ...
Follow the Path to Crucifixion at the Via Dolorosa
Created on November 18, 2009 by Camilla Cheung, WriterFollowing in the footsteps of Jesus along the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem is one of the most meaningful and significant ways to experience the Old City. Jerusalem, one of the most vibrant and most fought-over cities in the world, is a holy site for three of the world’s major religions: Islam, Judaism and Christianity. Pilgrims from all over the world flock to this beautiful ancient city in search of inspiration and fulfillment. From the arresting sight of the faithful in earnest prayer at the Western Wall, to glimpses of the beautiful Dome of the Rock, Old Jerusalem overflows with incredible sights. The Via Dolorosa, latin for “Way of Suffering”, is regarded as the path that Jesus trod as he was tried, convicted, beaten, and then ...
Glimpse Ho Chi Minh's Embalmed Body in Hanoi
Created on November 18, 2009 by Camilla Cheung, WriterA trip to Vietnam is always a thought-provoking experience, and the country has a friendly relationship with most Western nations, but certainly a complex past history. An often surreal experience to be had in Vietnam is visiting the embalmed corpse of Ho Chi Minh, founding president of the People's Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh was once an enemy of much of the developed world and a hero to the Communists as he led the Viet Cong to victory in the “Vietnam War” (called the “American War” within Vietnam). Despite the bloodshed associated with his name, Ho Chi Minh is nothing short of a national hero in Vietnam today. The city of Ho Chi Minh (formerly known as Saigon) bears his name, and he ...
Cruise the River Art Gallery that is the Li River
Created on October 23, 2009 by Camilla Cheung, WriterCruising down the Li River in the Guilin area of China is one of the most memorable ways to experience the natural Chinese landscape. Imagine floating down a peaceful river, ice-cold drink in your hand; while around you, rising up on the banks of the jade-green river, countless karst peaks tower into the sky—majestic renderings of a classical Chinese landscape. Bamboo rafts fitted with chairs and steered by oarsman cruise down the many tributaries of the Li River. Skillfully plying a long bamboo pole through both deep and shallow waters, you are able to relax, forget your worries, and enjoy the misty jade and emerald-hued Guilin landscape. The surrounding karst mountains are curiously eroded and worn into fantastic shapes; their ancient limestone peaks carved with ...
Ascend Mount Sinai by Cover of Night
Created on October 21, 2009 by Camilla Cheung, WriterIt was midnight, and our Egyptian driver was impatient as 10 tourists tried to stuff themselves into a rather undersized van. Making sure we had our passports to show for the midnight checkpoints, we were soon en route, sleepy but excited, towards our destination: climbing Mount Sinai by night. The night route for climbing Mount Sinai is a popular one, undertaken by many in order to bask in the beautiful Sinai sunrise. We were dropped off at the front gate along with hundreds of other travellers making the night trek. Waving flashlights, the Bedouin guides called for their assigned tour groups to make their way through the metal detectors to begin climbing Mount Sinai. Our guide was a friendly, quiet fellow who had an odd ...
Hiking the Cinque Terre Trail, Italy
Created on September 16, 2009 by Camilla Cheung, WriterIn the rugged mountainous coastline of Cinque Terre National Park, we gazed down at the impossibly vibrant colours of a gem-like town perched on a cliff. Our Cinque Terre hike had brought us through five of these jewel-tinted towns, countless delightful swimming spots, hillsides planted with olive groves, and walkways overlooking the ocean. Cinque Terre National Park is located on a rugged area of coastline on the Italian Riviera. The five villages in the Park: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore—are charming historic towns where time seems to have stood still. Vendors hawk fresh produce in the narrow winding streets, and tourists can wander at will through the village shops, pausing to sample the delicious local fare, or cooling off in the sunlit ...
Trace the Fall of the Berlin Wall
Created on September 16, 2009 by Camilla Cheung, WriterOnce an ominous dividing barricade at the heart of Berlin, the Berlin Wall has today been absorbed into thriving city life; yet it remains a monument to the past. In certain parts of the city the Berlin Wall has disappeared entirely; while in others visitors can still see the brick outline set into the pavement which traces the historic separation between the former East and West Berlin. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, certain parts of the concrete barricade were left standing. Today, they are painted over with various artists’ creations, embodying the German sentiment about both the Wall and the country. A visit to the “East Side Gallery" at Warschauer Strasse allows visitors to trace the fall of the Berlin Wall through artists' ...
Release a Chinese Lantern at the Mid-Autumn Festival in China
Created on July 28, 2009 by Camilla Cheung, WriterThe Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival in China is a fascinating cultural experience. Strolling along the waterfront in Xiamen, a small coastal city in southern China, it's exciting to witness celebrants lighting sky lanterns and watching them float up into the dark sky like red and orange stars. These Mid-Autumn festival paper lanterns are roughly balloon shaped, with a bundle of rags tied underneath them. When the rags are set aflame, the balloons begin to fill up with hot air until they float up into the night sky. While these sky lanterns can’t be very safe (we once witnessed a burning pile of rags dropping down from the sky and just missing a couple of girls on a motor scooter), they are certainly a fun and beautiful ...
Bathe in a Natural Hot Spring at Kerosene Creek
Created on July 20, 2009 by Camilla Cheung, WriterThe best things in life are free, and that is certainly the case for the hidden beauty of Kerosene Creek in New Zealand. A thermal river runs over an old lava flow, and here visitors can relax under warm waterfalls in two naturally-heated pools. The surprising thing is that this natural wonder, though popular with locals, is hardly mentioned in the tourist guidebooks distributed in the region; and scarcely honoured with a few lines in the Lonely Planet. Maybe that's because Kerosene Creek, truly is off the beaten track, requiring a drive down a dirt road to a barely visible wooden marker; and then a short hike through a pine forest. Nevertheless, a hot soak in Kerosene Creek's beautiful and secluded pools on a slightly ...
Yellowstone National Park
Created on June 29, 2009 by Camilla Cheung, WriterAs traffic slowed to a halt we stuck our heads out of the windows to see what could have caused a traffic jam on the East Entrance Road at Yellowstone Park. Eventually, we glimpsed a dark brown mass milling about on the road. It was a herd of bison. Their gigantic 2,000 lb bodies grouped together blocked both directions of traffic as they plodded along. Unable to drive forward or backward, we pulled out our cameras, and from the relative safety of the car we nervously shot a few photos of these majestic but fearsome animals as they passed us by. If I had either the courage or the stupidity (and had not been prohibited) I could have reached through the window and touched one ...
Roam the Tea Fields of West Lake Hangzhou
Created on June 15, 2009 by Camilla Cheung, WriterThe classical Chinese landscape of the West Lake has drawn visitors to Hangzhou for the past thousand years, and we were no exception. Strolling along the Su Causeway and its six bridges, built by the famous Song Dynasty poet-governor, Su Dongpo, we drank in the sight of restored classical pagodas, lakeside pavilions, and newly opened lotuses swaying in the breeze. Willow trees gracefully draped their branches towards the water, and wooden pleasure boats floated peacefully on the lake. Although we had been to Hangzhou before, this visit was a new revelation in enjoyment as we walked through gardens we had not seen before, filled with lush greenery, and wandered through stands of towering bamboo. The highlight of our visit, however, was our afternoon hike among ...
Delight in a Fujianese Tea Ceremony on Gulangyu Island
Created on June 02, 2009 by Camilla Cheung, WriterA hiss of steam from the kettle accompanies the fragrance of Oolong tea leaves, as our host scoops a small green mound of tea into a bowl. After a quick rinse and refill, the young woman pours the tea into a small jug with a flourish, and portions out the tea into our tiny, delicately painted teacups. The first whiff is delicious, but the first sip, even more so. This is not your average Lipton brew, but whole Oolong tea leaves of the finest local quality. A perfect blend of full tea flavour with a hint of sweetness, infused with natural spring water. If China is a tea-obsessed country, Gulangyu Island, a short ferry ride from the city of Xiamen in Southern Fujian province, is ...
Experience 'Nam at the Cu Chi Tunnels
Created on May 29, 2009 by Camilla Cheung, WriterA trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels is a strange, and in some ways, deeply emotional experience. Here the curious may crawl down the tiny tunnels that comb the jungle floor, watch animated mannequins reenact daily life during the Vietnam War, and examine some pretty brutal booby traps, oddly enough, all presented by cheerful and enthusiastic guides. Now a war memorial park, the 120 km long Cu Chi Tunnel network was once used by Vietcong fighters during the Vietnam War and functioned as the base of operations for the Tet Offensive in 1968. Today, the museum recreates the living quarters, battle techniques, and hiding places that enabled the Vietcong forces to withstand years of battle with a technologically superior enemy. For Westerners, seeing the war ...
Drive Off-Road in Anza Borrego Desert State Park
Created on February 28, 2009 by Camilla Cheung, WriterThe majestic Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is the largest state park in California, and one of the most spectacular. Chiselled mountains and canyons, cacti and succulents, acres of sand and rock formations, all combine to form one of the most impressive natural destinations in the state. With 500 miles of dirt roads, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is a favourite with those who enjoy exploring the desert via an off-road vehicle. As the desert landscape unfolds around you, it’s hard to believe you are just a few hours’ drive from Los Angeles. Your Landcruiser will bounce over sand dunes and large rocks, navigating the rough terrain. Make sure to peer up the rocky hills for a chance glimpse of the bighorn sheep. If your eyes are ...
Completed
Float along the Waters of the Lowest Point on Earth at the Dead Sea
Yellowstone National Park
Bathe in a Natural Hot Spring at Kerosene Creek
Behold the Beautiful Bacteria of The Morning Glory Pool in Yellowstone National Park
Get a Gush of a Rush at Old Faithful Geyser in Yellowstone National Park
Trace the Fall of the Berlin Wall
Ascend Mount Sinai by Cover of Night
Cruise the River Art Gallery that is the Li River
Explore a Five-Hundred-Year-Old Feudal Castle in Japan: Himeji Castle
Feed the Sika Deer at Nara Park
Location
Irvine, United States Experience Map
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