Every time I go to China, I make more interesting observations about the culture there. I absolutely love some of the traditions and customs, and some completely baffle me. About 1.5 years ago, I wrote a heartfelt piece about Lessons From Time Spent in China. This time, I thought I would put together a fun little list of the weird and wonderful things I’ve discovered about China, accompanied with some of my favorite photos from the past 1+ year. If…
September 2017 travel re-cap: family time in China
It’s been a while since I’ve posted, but October has seriously been a whirlwind so far. And now I can’t believe it’s already the end of the month. So let’s hurry and re-cap September! August 25 – September 12: Shanghai, China September started on the happiest note with a trip to the new Shanghai Disneyland with my cousin!! September 1 is the first day of school in China. And so it’s also the first day of reduced Disneyland ticket prices….
July 2017 travel re-cap: pandas, new friends, and spicy food in Chengdu
I feel like this year has been getting better and better. Maybe I’m growing more as a solo traveler each month, or picking better places, but it seriously feels like that each month is topping the previous one. At the beginning of July, I said bye to Malaysia and flew to Chengdu! I came because Amanda was doing a study abroad program here, so I came to meet up with her. And this is an area of China I’ve been very…
A day in the life: Chengdu, China
I wake up in the morning hot and sweaty. It’s over 90 degrees (32C) in Chengdu and my AC is broken. It broke about the second week in and I’ve been melting in the heat since, even with a fan on at full speed. But despite this little mishap, I still LOVE my Airbnb rental. I never really show what my rentals look like, because they’re usually nothing to brag about, but my room is super cute here! But what really makes this…
Chinese New Year: 15 days of food traditions
This Chinese New Year has been pretty tame, compared to the constant festivities, outings, and reunions we had last year. This year, we remained in at home, barely even venturing outdoors. Instead, we stayed warm and cozy, spending a lot of quality time with our little diminishing family. This year’s celebrations could be summarized as a lot of good home cooked food, a lot of relaxation, and a lot of mahjong. One thing we did do though. We celebrated all…
Snapshots of life in Beijing (in 20 photos)
After a super wordy last post, we’ll keep it light today with pictures! I imagine that most tourists come to Beijing to see the few big sites – Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden Palace, the Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, and the Great Wall. And maybe in the evenings, they go grab some drinks in the Sanlitun party district. But beyond these must-see attractions lies a Beijing with peaceful, yet lively residential communities. It’s in these communities where all the “life” happens, with…
Beijing Botanical Garden: A Study of Chrysanthemums
The smog has rolled into Beijing. Day after day, the city is enshrouded in a depressing grey haze and an air of toxicity lingers about. Once in a while, we’d get lucky and there’ll be a hint of sun, a peek of blue skies. Only then do we feel safe to venture outdoors for a much needed stroll without the precautions of an unsightly M3 mask. On these days, I’d go to the community park to use the exercise equipment or…
[Beijing] Ju Qi: a taste of old Beijing
Whenever my Beijing aunties (aka. my mom’s best friends) invite us out to eat, we know it’s going to be to somewhere special. They’re always in the know as to what’s trending, have GREAT taste in food, and are super generous. ;) (See the very pricey and very fancy Da Dong Roast Duck last year.) This time, we went to a restaurant called Ju Qi (局气). But this isn’t just any Chinese restaurant, this is an old Beijing restaurant. As my auntie…
A country lunch (Beijing pear picking, part 2)
After a morning working up a sweat picking pears, we followed our hosts to a little country restaurant for a hearty meal. Nowadays, it’s pretty popular for Beijingers to make the trek out here to get a taste of true country cooking. Country restaurants are plain and humble. They’re often just one small room in a shabby building crammed with some tables. Nothing fancy. But they evoke the feeling of stepping into a farmer’s house and being treated to a home cooked…
Pear picking in the Beijing countryside
Autumn is the best time to visit Beijing. The sun is warm, the breeze is cool, and it’s prime fruit season! One of the best things to do in Beijing is to get out of it. Come the weekend, city dwellers like to leave the noise and dust of the city behind and instead, head for the countryside for some fresh air, scenery, and good ol’-fashioned country cooking. (I’m going to give a warning in advance for the extremely photo-heavy…
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