As exciting as I find the bustle of downtown Hong Kong, another highlight is the ease with which one can remove oneself to a more idyllic setting. On the recommendation of friends, one morning I caught a bus in Central and an hour later ended up in Stanley, a charming village along the sparkling waters […]
World Markets
Lijiang, China: Is Beauty Only Skin Deep?
We recently spent two days exploring the ancient city of Lijiang, China, a UNESCO World Heritage Site highly praised for its beauty and well-preserved architecture. Of the three cities we visited in Yunnan, we were expecting Lijiang to be our favorite. The whitewashed walls, sloping slate roofs and tinkling canals were certainly lovely, but once […]
Snapshot: A Shanghai Street Market
When our visiting friends wanted a taste of the “real” China, I took them to the Dajing Lu market in the old section of town. My mom and I stumbled upon this lively locale when we were hunting for the remnants of Shanghai’s old city wall and I knew it would deliver local flavor in spades. […]
Snapshot: Xi’an Street Food
Xi’an’s bustling Muslim Quarter is home to a community of Hui – one of China’s many ethnic minority groups – who have been living and working in the winding lanes for centuries. Food is an integral part of this neighborhood, and many pajama-clad residents can been found cooking all the local specialties, from hand-pulled noodles and fried […]
Hershberger Farm and Animal Adventures
During our outing in Amish Country, we stopped at a farm to buy some fresh produce. Imagine my surprised delight when this farm turned out to be the Disneyland of Amish Country. There were buggy rides! There was a petting zoo where you could feed baby animals! There were giant Belgian Draft horses that you […]