One of the most iconic sights of China’s southwestern Yunnan Province is the Three Pagodas of Dali, found 1.5 kilometers north of the ancient city. The striking towers were built in the 9th and 10th centuries at the base of the Cangshan Mountains, with Lake Erhai visible on the horizon. Miraculously, the brick structures have […]
Parks and Gardens
A Hike Through China’s Tiger Leaping Gorge
I have seen few landscapes in China as breathtaking as Tiger Leaping Gorge. Formed over millennia by the eroding power of gushing water, the canyon stretches 15 kilometers through China’s southwestern Yunnan Province. The name comes from a legendary tiger that is said to have jumped across the gorge long ago. On the day of […]
Shanghai Cherry Blossom Festival
Spring has arrived in Shanghai and the evidence is blooming in the city’s many parks and gardens. Despite Shanghai’s reputation as an overdeveloped megalopolis, there is an amazing abundance of well-tended green spaces. One of the newest is Gucun Park, and at 180 hectares, it’s the largest of the city’s so-called forest parks which give […]
Far Flung Temples and a Wild Ride Through the Cambodian Countryside
Some of Angkor Archaeological Park’s temples are more far flung and require extra effort to visit. It took us around 45 minutes from Siem Reap to reach by tuk-tuk Banteay Srei, situated 21 kilometers northeast of Bayon. Constructed in the 10th century of striking pink sandstone, this Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva is the only temple […]
The Splendor of Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm
After a busy day exploring some of the lesser but still fantastic temple ruins of the Angkor Archaeological Park, it was time to tour its highest profile sites: Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm. Originally we thought about renting bicycles for the day, but ultimately went by tuk-tuk to spare ourselves heat exhaustion. Getting […]