I recently wrote a review of the world’s first bar dedicated to baijiu, a traditional Chinese rice liquor. Capital Spirits opened in August in Beijing, and offers more than 40 different varieties of baijiu.
Baijiu, which literally translates into “white liquor,” has been made in China for more than 5,000 years. The drink is generally 40 to 60 percent alcohol by volume, and its taste has been compared to bathroom cleaner and cheap perfume. Continue reading
Air pollution reached “hazardous” levels in Beijing on Saturday. Some scientists have labeled the city as “unlivable” because of the poor air quality.
Pollution masks have become a part of everyday life in the capital. I started wearing them a couple of years ago, after I bought a bike and began using it to commute around the city.
View of suburban Beijing from a subway car. An Australian soccer player who spent a year in China told the magazine FourFourTwo that playing in the smog “was like closing your garage door, turning your car exhaust on and running around in the enclosed space.”
Coconut trees along a highway outside Manila.
A group of police officers on an early morning run in a small town near Manila.
A brand-new Catholic church. Around 80 percent of Filipinos are Catholic.
The inside of a church under construction near Tagaytay.
Tagaytay is located about 65 km south of Manila. Because of its high altitude, temperatures are mild, and many people from Manila come to Tagaytay to escape the heat and humidity.
The scenery around Taal Volcano in Tagaytay is stunning, and is regarded as one of the most attractive locations in the Philippines.
The village of Mutianyu (慕田峪) is located about 80 kilometers northeast of Beijing. It sits at the foot of a restored section of the Great Wall and is a popular destination for international tourists and Beijingers seeking some fresh air.
Mutianyu is no longer just a sleepy village of farmers. The boom in tourism has brought lots of new development to the area. These buildings, located in a welcome area for visitors to the Great Wall, didn’t even exist when I visited a couple of years ago.
An old basketball goal outside a home in Mutianyu. Basketball is one of the most popular sports in China, and NBA stars like LeBron James and Kobe Bryant visit the country every year.
Xihu (West Lake) is the most popular tourist destination in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.
A child poses with a Buddha statue on a busy commercial street in Hangzhou.
Xihu is a manmade lake that didn’t come into existence until the 8th century.
View of Xihu and downtown Hangzhou from Leifeng Pagoda.
A bridge in Guilin, capital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
A woman I passed on the way to my hostel in Guilin. The sign on the left says, “Don’t eat cats and dogs. Don’t eat friends.” The other one says, “With global warming comes smog/haze. The country (government) should ban firecrackers.” Fireworks are commonly used to celebrate Chinese New Year, but some people have called for a ban on them to curb air pollution.
In a cab, somewhere between Guilin and Yangshuo county.
Yangshuo county, one of the most popular tourist destinations in China.
Biking through an old town outside Yangshuo county.
To get a birds-eye view of Yangshuo’s picturesque scenery, I hiked up a hill a few miles south of the county’s bustling center.
Moon Hill.
The hill is known for its natural arch, and the Chinese call it Yueliang shan (月亮山), which literally translates into moon mountain. Sections of the 1,250-foot hike to the arch are steep, but the trail is paved with concrete steps. Continue reading
I’ve traveled enough that preparing for a trip has become routine. The night before I leave, I make sure essential items have already been packed. Plenty of clean underwear. Passport. Cellphone charger. ATM card. Digital SLR camera.
I sleep easier knowing that when I wake up the following morning, all I have to worry about is brushing my teeth (never optional) and showering (sometimes optional).
For Chinese New Year, I traveled to Yangshuo (阳朔), a county in southern China’s Guangxi (广西）Zhuang Autonomous Region. Because of its unique landscape, Guangxi is a place I’d been wanting to visit ever since I moved to China. The province’s karst peaks give it an otherworldly feel. Continue reading
A man prepares to kick a jianzi, or Chinese hacky sack, in front of the Drum Tower.
Nanluoguxiang, which was built during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), is one of Beijing’s most popular hutong, or alleyways.
A couple chats at the edge of a lake in Houhai, a popular nightlife destination where many residences have been converted into restaurants and bars.
Jin Ding Xuan, a well known dim sum restaurant chain.
Air pollution and dust are huge problems in Beijing. The Chinese government has vowed to reduce pollution by closing factories and restricting the number of vehicles on the road.
A car after a dust storm last summer.
The Lama Temple, a monastery of the Geluk School of Tibetan Buddhism, after a snow last winter.
A waitress at a punk bar on Wudaoying Hutong. With more than 350 million smokers, China is the largest consumer and producer of tobacco.
I took these photos during a flight from Santa Fe, New Mexico, to Denver, Colorado. The pilot said we’d experience a few bumps while traveling over the Rocky Mountains. “We’re going to have a near-death experience every five minutes” would have been more accurate. What a jerk. Continue reading
Slightly Reworded 