For a short time before the Beijing Olympics in 2008, I taught at a language center in Shenzhen. It wasn’t entirely legal as the company couldn’t get me a residence permit and had me apply for business visas for which I was labelled a consultant. Fortunately, while stories circulated about visa crackdowns across China, I […]
I’ve seen plenty of animal crossing signs in my travels. Some are obvious and others are not. When I was 16 and traveling with my parents through New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado, we came across a Bigfoot Crossing sign at Pike’s Peak (I’ll have to scan my old photos for that one). I’m not sure
What’s Crossing the Road? Read More »
After searching for reasonably-priced accommodations in Halifax and coming up empty, I decided to give Airbnb a try. For my readers who don’t know, Airbnb is a service that connects travelers with locals who rent out rooms or enter apartments and houses around the world. There are some interesting listings on the website, including three
It was a pleasant coincidence that I booked my trip to Halifax during Canada Day celebrations. I also visited Montreal last year during a fireworks festival that I discovered while searching for things to add to my itinerary. Sometimes celebrations are more of a surprise on trips. In 2008, I went with my parents for
Crashing the Thai Queen’s Birthday Party Read More »
A trip to Halifax to enjoy Canada Day on July 1 before returning to the US to enjoy American Independence Day on July 4.
Double the Independence Read More »
July 1 marks 15 years since Hong Kong was returned to mainland China. I wasn’t around long enough to notice the significant changes.
Later today I will take a short flight to Nova Scotia to visit Halifax for a few days. I’m sure to do plenty of walking and eating. It was about a year ago that I took a very slow train ride to Montreal (is this the beginning of an annual trip to Canada?). I arrived
Sometimes we get lucky finding a great host when traveling, whether it’s through a hotel site or Airbnb. I was fortunate to find Casa Sucre in Panama City.
Finding Great Hosts at Casa Sucre Panama Read More »
On Saturday, I headed out with my brother and others to the Coney Island Mermaid Parade. This marked the 30th anniversary of the event. Coincidentally, this year the Mermaid Parade was the same day as Dragon Boat Festival, but I didn’t see any mermaids in dragon boats. There were plenty of people dressed as who-knows-what;
Mermaids on Parade Read More »
Listening to NPR’s This American Life featuring Americans in China reminded me that my China experience was different in some ways.
Americans in China Read More »
The best vacation day trip I’ve ever taken was to Ayutthaya, the ancient capital of Thailand that was destroyed by the Burmese in 1767. Today, most of the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with tourists heading to the ruins of the temples and the Khmer-style architecture that remains. It was a short train
In Ancient Capitals Read More »
Some important notes and experiences on grocery shopping and going to supermarkets in China.
Chinese Supermarket Madness Read More »
After almost four years of living in China, I learned a lot about myself and life in general. Life in China was an important learning experience.
Lessons from Living in China Read More »
Wat Arun, the Khmer-style temple across the Chao Praya River from the Grand Palace, is my favorite tourist destination in Bangkok.
On the way to a friend’s wedding in Pennsylvania, I took a side trip to the iconic American private residence known as Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater.
Walk Through Fallingwater Read More »
