Turfan, Xinjiang, China
Being located out in the Taklamakan Desert below sea level it is hard to imagine anything growing in the barren, rocky landscape however Turfan is known for its grapes, melons and the nearby flaming mountains, as well as having the notoriety of being the hottest place in China. Built some 2,000 years ago the ancient [...]
Chengde, China
Although Chengde was always at the end of a long tour its gorgeous temples and wonderful Imperial Resort were a great reward for making the 3-4 hour journey north from Beijing. Back in the Qing dynasty Chengde was developed as a summer getaway for the emperors, with a key part of the landscape the temples [...]
Wonderful Wutaishan, China
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 [...]
Tibetan Nomad Festival, Langmusi
How awesome was this Tibetan nomad festival in Langmusi, China on International Children’s Day, 2002. I was incredibly fortunate to experience this event with one of my groups and it was definitely worth arriving after 2am in the morning for. We had broken down on the grasslands in the middle of Sichuan the previous day [...]
On the Streets of Yan’an, China
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 [...]
Jiuzhaigou National Park, China
Jiuzhaigou is scenically one of the most spectacular landscapes I have ever seen, however I have realised I need to qualify this a little. I grew up in an area that was very flat and dry, so in a way I find mountains, snow and the whole alpine scenery thing to be all quite exotic. [...]
Ancient Pingyao
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 [...]
Fengjie Before Destruction 2002
An ancient town with a history of some 2000 years sitting at the entrance of the stunning Qutang Gorge on the northern banks of the Yangzte River, China, Fengjie was one of the first to be destroyed to make way for the Three Gorges Dam project. This series of images was taken in July 2002 [...]
