In Chinese, “dao” can mean “to arrive.” Here in Qingdao, the arrival of spring (now warming into summer) accompanied a transition in our own China adventure, as life became more and more familiar and comfortable. The winter ocean, silhouetting the
This is the Most Comfortable Notebook You Have Ever Run Into
The day I sat down to begin this post I had just walked in from the newstand across the street, where I’d had a funny conversation. I wanted to buy a copy of the China Daily, China’s nationally-run English-language newspaper,
First Beijing Trip: The Old and the New
As the title suggests, Lacey and I plan to go back to Beijing multiple times, but here are some pictures from our first trip last month. We arrived right when spring did! A flag at the edge of Tiananmen Square,
Ordering Chinese: Our Top Five Meals (So Far)
With Ethan’s “ordering” Chinese steadily improving and a rash of new restaurant discoveries here in Qingdao, the outlook for eating out gets better by the day. But we’ve already had some absolutely unforgettable experiences with Chinese food. Although these have
Shadow and the Impressions
After returning from our travels, Lacey and I fixed our wandering attention to the business of teaching. Teaching at Ocean University of Qingdao’s “School of International Education” is, in many ways, a business: the small, rather expensive private school is
Victor’s Ideal Job
Being a rockstar is my ideal job. I want to be a great influence rockstar, like Bono of U2. I would find persons who play guitar, bass, drum very well and have the same value with me. After that, I
Opening Travels in China, Part III – Xishuangbanna
After Tiger Leaping Gorge we headed south to Xishuangbanna, just miles from Myanmar and Laos, and not far from Thailand. A friend we met along the way relaxes in front of our bamboo hut. Evening temperatures in the
Opening Travels in China, Part IV – Xi’an and the Terra Cotta Warriors
Chinese tourists in Xi’an. The little guy never did quite make it up the wall, but he did manage to distract us by waving while everyone else in the tour group got our picture. Xi’an’s city walls and
Opening Travels in China, Part I – Around Kunming, Lijiang and Dali
Doors at the Bamboo Temple (with monk’s veggies drying) outside Kunming. Serene Buddha. In Kunming, famous for an almost perpetual spring, the weather was warm and the willows were just showing green. View from “Dragon
Opening Travels in China, Part II – Tiger Leaping Gorge
From Lijiang we rode to the outskirts of the Himalayas and Tiger Leaping Gorge, one of the deepest gorges in the world, for a two-day trek. Our trek began at the downstream end of the gorge.