Spirited Away on a Hike in Jiufen
A day trip to the far reaches of New Taipei, to the old mining town of Jiufen (九份), which was the inspiration for the town in the movie Spirited Away.
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destinations
Lost at a Taiwanese Temple
The other day I headed out for an afternoon of art at the Kuandu Museum of Fine Art in northern Taipei’s Beitou District. I had some rough directions thanks to Google Maps, which still hasn’t fixed its maps here (MRT line 3 was on the map when I arrived back in late November, but it
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Short Stay in Phnom Penh
“Behind them were the lights of the market, the lanterns and candles and witch-lights and fairy glitter, like a dream of the night sky brought down to earth.” ― Neil Gaiman, Stardust The New York Times reminded me of what to see and do with their “36 Hours in Phnom Penh” feature. The video online
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Witnessing Changes in Shanghai
After 9 years I returned to Shanghai to witness the changes in the city first-hand. Shanghai is no longer the city of my memory, nor should it be.
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Experiencing the 72-Hour Visa-Free Stay in Shanghai
“Look on every exit as being an entrance somewhere else.” ― Tom Stoppard, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead I had planned to take a weekend in Hong Kong — the flight was cheap and I didn’t want to wait until my visa-free stay in Taiwan expires just before Chinese New Year when the ticket prices
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A Crowded View in Taipei
“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity.” ― John Muir, Our National Parks On New Year’s Day, I headed to Xiangshan — Elephant Mountain — in southeastern Taipei. I’ve hiked this “mountain” before in much warmer weather. This
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Comparing Prices: Venice and Tokyo
Comparing the prices of traveling and living in two of the world’s most expensive cities, Venice and Tokyo.
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Holiday Lights of Tokyo
In the run up to Christmas, I noticed the prevalence of Christmas lights all over Tokyo. Every shopping area was decorated to attract more customers and all the people were busy taking photos in front of the displays. Last year my landlord took me on an after-work excursion to see the light display at Yomiuri
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Cao Dai: A Different Kind of Temple in Vietnam
Visiting the colorful Cao Đài Temple outside Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, on a day tour that included the Cu Chi Tunnels.
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Overlooking San Marco Square
“There is something so different in Venice from any other place in the world, that you leave at once all accustomed habits and everyday sights to enter an enchanted garden.” – Mary Shelley I wasn’t certain I wanted to pay to get in. Sure, the view should be pleasant, but is it really worth 8 euros? Everything else in Venice
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Admiring the Duomo in Florence
Relieving the effects of church fatigue in Florence while admiring the ornate Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, also known as Il Duomo di Firenze.
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Streets of Perugia, Italy
Wandering through the winding streets of Perugia, Italy, in search of nothing in particular other than a sense of the historic city.
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MiniMetro Musing
“The coach I got in was about as dignified as a match-box. The train rambled on for about five minutes, and then I had to get off. No wonder the fare was cheap.” – Natsume Sōseki, Botchan Before I arrived in Perugia, I researched public transportation in the town of fewer than 200,000 people. I
Wanderings in Assisi
Wandering around Assisi, Italy, in search of medieval architecture and views of the Umbrian countryside and Rocco Maggiore and Basilica of St. Francis.
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Sunny Sensoji & Sumida River Walk
A sunny day in Tokyo to visit Sensoji Temple and walk along the Sumida River to Akihabara and take in city views.
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