December 22nd, 2011 | by admin | published in latest posts, places, remembering...
With a name that translates to literally mean “five plateau mountain” Wutaishan is one of the 4 sacred Buddhist peaks in China. Home to more than 50 temples and monasteries, Wutaishan was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009.
With some of the temples dating back to the Yuan dynasty and a few of the [...]
December 4th, 2011 | by admin | published in latest posts, places, remembering...
Yan’an in China’s northwest gains its fame for being near to the end point for Mao Zedong’s Long March, with the town serving as the Communist capital in the revolution.
For me it was definitely one of the more interesting stops on the tours I led in China, resulting in what was generally a very bizarre [...]
December 2nd, 2011 | by admin | published in featured, latest posts, places
Straddling the Sichuan / Gansu border is the simply wonderful little village of Langmusi.
The first time I visited this remote outpost was back in 1997. The location is simply stunning, located up on the sweeping grasslands of the Tibetan plateau.
There have been big changes since I first visited, apparently the roads in town have now [...]
December 1st, 2011 | by admin | published in featured, places, remembering...
The old city of Pingyao is simply enchanting – well it certainly was when I visited there during 2001 and 2002.
As with most towns and cities the best time to be out and about with a camera was from 6am onwards as this was the best time to catch a real glimpse of local life.
Bursting [...]
October 18th, 2011 | by admin | published in featured, places
Hailing from Southern Vietnam with saints that include Victor Hugo, the ‘father of modern China’, Sun Yat-sen and Vietnamese Poet, Nguyen Binh Khiem, the colourful Cao Dai have a set of beliefs and teachings that seem to be a bit of a mish-mash of all the major religions.
Founded less than 100 years ago on the [...]
August 25th, 2011 | by admin | published in places
Surrounded by river on 3 sides this seemingly lost ancient hamlet ensconced amongst lush fields of sugar cane and banana plantations just 30 kilometres from Nanning is packed with mementos of a colourful past.
Founded in the Song Dynasty (960 – 1279 AD) Yangmei slowly developed over hundreds of years finally transitioning into a prosperous river [...]
November 28th, 2010 | by admin | published in latest posts, places, things to do & see
Shamian Island is known in Guangzhou for its beautiful old architecture. This former UK & French concession area is a great place to enjoy an atmospheric stroll amongst colonial styled structures from a bygone era.
It also means this picturesque little spot is a draw-card for photographers adding a layer of vibrancy and interest that truly [...]
July 25th, 2010 | by admin | published in latest posts, places
This tiny town stranded deep in the Borneo interior near the Kalimantan border is surrounded by mountains and jungle. It is also the home of the Kelabit people, one of Sarawak’s smallest ethnic minority groups.
With no where near enough time to spare we booked our flights from Miri which usually has twice daily flights on [...]
July 24th, 2010 | by admin | published in latest posts, places
The last thing I expected when meeting an Iban headhunting chief was to sit down with a cup of tea and a biscuit for a chat but that is exactly what we did with the charismatic Chief Bansing of Murat Longhouse in Sarawak.
His house is filled with mementos from a long and interesting life, not [...]
July 15th, 2010 | by admin | published in latest posts, places
The sheer contrasts of Macau make it an intriguing and picturesque destination with a unique mish-mash of cultures. Not only does the city continue to grow economically due to its burgeoning gambling industry, but it has physically increased its size by around 170% from land reclamation.
A gambler’s mecca with glitzy, shiny, mega dollar structures that [...]
