My remaining hours in Old Lijiang were spent hopping from shop to shop, snacking and buying some last-minute gifts. I can see why, through all the Chinese people I have met over the years, why Lijiang Old Town is often mentioned as a favorite travel spot. Its endless maze of unique and character-rich shops, streetsRead more
Another full day in Lijiang broguht me the realization that I could spend weeks photographing here. Every twist and turn uncovered a mix of multiple cultures, their art, their lifestyles, languages, and their welcoming to this village. I could have snapped megapixels of everything I saw while I was there, everything that astounded me, butRead more
Along with fresh produce and homemade goods, the market also features meats: preserved, fresh, and living. Smoked and preserved meat like this were being sold outside of the shed along the alley. The butcher shed, a pavilion of about 60 vendors selling fresh meats. Not a freezer or pair of rubber gloves in sight, thisRead more
I don’t recall what this is… It’s the design above the doorway of a restaurant, I think. My first experience with the “Open Air Market” (Ancient City Zhongyi Market) in Lijiang was frustrating. I couldn’t find my hotel, and I wandered into the opening of an alley from which market vendors expanded out fromRead more
I had originally flew into Lijiang, but immediately took a bus to Shangri-La and I didn’t get much of a chance to see Lijiang until the evening I returned. Surrounded by granite mountains, deep gorges, and red clay hills, Lijiang lies within a 8,000 ft high level plain crossroads of established trade routes and minority cultures. The developedRead more
The next morning we wake up early to visit the temple and then eat before our flight back to Lijiang. It seems as though in the Tibetan plateau, things get off to a late start. 9 am and many things are closed. People are just starting their day. Before entering, we circle clockwise 3 times. TheyRead more
Shangrila breakfastat the hotel: pork noodles, pickles, milk, rice porridge, stuffed buns and an egg. The valley west of the city is sparsely populated and pretty flat. Primarily grassland, it is used primarily for agriculture. In spring crops of flowering plant light up the valley with color. At this time it was pretty barren.Read more
Chengdu I fly west to Chengdu, one of the hubs for heading up the Himalayas. I meet up with Jing and we grab some Chengdu food. One of my favorites: Corn-fried Corn. It’s sweet corn, coated in a mix of a salted duck egg and corn starch, and then fried in oil. Crunchy, salty,Read more
My third time visiting China. I know the ropes. Since I had a very long string of small flights in the mainland. I decided to stopover in Chicago overnight, staying at the ultra-convenient on-sight Hilton. Early the following morning, I was in the first class section, for hat is probably my first and last flightRead more
Somewhere in Shanghai We head out from my hotel to a supermarket, because I want to buy candy. My guess is that this is the Huangpujiang River. Here’s the CarreFour Supermarket. Jingan Temple We then go to Jingan Temple, which is in the heart of the city. it was originally built in 247 AD,Read more
I flew from Chengdu to Shanghai to take care of some business (meeting with localization companies). The plan: work in the day, head out and enjoy Shanghai at night. I didn’t eat on the plane to Shanghai. I thought I would land and be in a packed urban environment with as many awesome foods asRead more
Chunxi Shopping District For my last night in Chengdu, Jing and I head to Chunxi Street to take some photos. Like me, Jing shoots Olympus. I just noticed she was using the Panasonic 20mm Pancake. I bought this lens in 2016 and has been my favorite lens since. Olympus cameras haveRead more
Jing and I head out for an early lunch of beef noodles. My tomato soup with beef and corn. Some really hearty prime rib beef needles with some unknown things in it. Pandas Jing and I went to the Panda Park. We fist headed to see the babies, but I caught a glace of thisRead more
Here’s a candid shot of me stocking up on drinks. I also picked up some buckwheat tea that I liked. Beef Noodles Craving some beef noodles, we stopped into a chain devoted to it. Expensive by Chinese standards, the food was good, but still not as great as the beef noodles I had inRead more
Japanese Food in China We head to a Japanese chain restaurant. This is beef ramen. Beef teriyaki kabobs. I have had teriyaki meats many times in the USA… this one really rocked my world. Authentic teriyaki is less sweet, more salty, potent. It coated the beef and transformed its flavor into a whole new experienceRead more
Joni and I are companions on the “10” hour bus ride to Jiuzhaigou Valley in the Tibetan Plateau, just 424km north of Chengdu. The bus is far from comfortable. No AC, no heat. Windows don’t really open. No restroom. Barely any brakes. The driver is intent on never stopping… but since the bus would breakRead more
Joni arrives Half Japanese, half Chinese Joni is an interesting character. On one hand she is independent and tough (maybe a little mean), and on the other she embraces the Japanese Kawaii style, often dressing as if she were attending a tea party in the garden. In the evening we all go to Yummy TangoRead more
Over the next few days, I hang out in Chengdu, visiting Jing’s shop and wandering the streets by day. At night I meet Jing and we grab a bite to eat. There are a lot of pictures of food with few other scenes in between. I wasn’t eating one meal after another. This is overRead more
Jing takes me to a place for some Sichuan food and it was eye-opening. I guess I kind of was not getting the real Sichuan experience while there. This beef soup didn’t avoid the fat, it embraces it. Thin fatty strips of beef just dissolved as I slurped it down, and those chillies brought theRead more
I like to splurge and get a decent, relaxing hotel for the end of each stretch of travel. This hotel was booked based on US hotel pricing and I guess that goes a long way in China. Here’s an idea of what you get for $200/night (at least in Yangshuo in 2010). The place wasRead more
Sunshine in Longshen The next morning the clouds begin to lift and for the first time I’m experiencing direct sunlight and full blue skies in China. It’s getting hot, and I’m getting a bad cold. We head down the walkway that leads to the main road we entered theRead more
Traditional Brunch Met up with Jing for what I was told was a traditional Sichuan meal. It is obviously lacking in the spicy peppers. It was this day that I just figured I would lose a ton of weight in China – I just was not catching on to this type of food. Read more