A friend is visiting from the States and I wanted to show her there was more to China than the towering skyscrapers and luxury hotels of Shanghai. She was open to seeing more of the country so I decided to take her to Yangshuo in Guangxi province, home of the famous karst formations. We set off on our […]
Asia
Tea Tasting in Shanghai’s Yu Gardens Bazaar
There is an infamous scam in Shanghai where seemingly nice Chinese “college students” invite hapless tourists to practice English with them at a tea house. There are variations to the set up, but the result is always the same: the tourists are forced to pay outrageous sums of money. But not all tea tastings are […]
Shanghai’s Jade Buddha Temple
Founded in 1882 and rebuilt in 1912, Shanghai’s Jade Buddha Temple is an active place of worship for Shanghai’s practicing Buddhists and one of the city’s premier historical attractions. The temple was built to house two Buddhist relics that were bestowed on a Chinese abbot when he visited Burma centuries ago. The centerpiece of the temple is […]
Red Velvet Afternoon Tea at the Waldorf Astoria, Shanghai
The mere mention of the Waldorf Astoria evokes a sense of exclusivity, elegance and grandeur. With only 20 hotels worldwide, this legendary brand is able to maintain an impeccable degree of service. Their aim is to be the standard by which all other hotels are measured. So it should be no surprise that the Waldorf Astoria […]
Visiting the Yokohama Ramen Museum
Japan has invented many cool and life-changing products over the years, from the electric rice cooker and Sony Walkman to car navigation systems and high-speed trains. And the most beloved Japanese invention of all – instant ramen noodles. At the Yokohama Ramen Museum, you can learn all about this revolutionary idea. Momofuku Ando created the […]