December 3rd, 2010 | by admin | published in latest posts, things to do & see
I have literally passed through Guangzhou dozens of times but have been yet to discover any real charm amongst its mammoth sized urban sprawl.
This all changed when I stumbled upon a few classic streets in the city’s old quarter which have thoroughly revived my interest. The stunning qilou that line the peaceful En Ning Street [...]
December 3rd, 2010 | by admin | published in latest posts, things to do & see
Stretching some 450 metres into the sky on the banks of the Pearl River is Guangzhou’s newest icon. Nicknamed the “Supermodel”, the tower is said to mimic the body of a sexy woman.
The elevator to the top is a special ride that brings dizzying but intermittent views across the city as you whizz your way [...]
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 [...]
November 28th, 2010 | by admin | published in featured, latest posts, things to do & see
A Qing dynasty relic of Lingnan culture which seems to have survived the cultural revolution relatively unscathed now houses the Guangdong Museum of Folk Art in a few of its many halls.
Elaborately carved Chaozhou styled wooden doors depict classic Chinese scenes while mythological characters feature in the colourful, intricate lime sculptures that grace the eaves [...]
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 [...]
June 15th, 2010 | by admin | published in latest posts, on the road
My memories of Shanghai always involved traffic jams and general difficulties in getting around on the city’s only jam packed subway line.
How things have changed! The Shanghai metro system is now extensive and still expanding providing excellent coverage. This combined with perhaps a few newly constructed roads has resulted in Shanghai being much more manageable.
One [...]
January 18th, 2010 | by admin | published in latest posts, other stuff
Being Popular in the World’s Most Populous Nation Brings its Challenges.
An article in Wanderlust magazine discusses the “Threatened Wonders 2010”, which sees Yangshuo as number 2 on the list. Needless to say I found some of the comments quite interesting and thought I might toss my opinion out there.
Most of China’s naturally stunning and picturesque [...]
January 6th, 2010 | by admin | published in latest posts, places
Hoi An has not lost even one iota of its charm.
There have been many but few changes to this ancient World Heritage site over the past 10 years. I still found myself gasping at just how beautiful and appealing the architecture is in the old town. It also took me a day [...]
December 26th, 2009 | by admin | published in latest posts, things to do & see
After a tedious bus journey from Hanoi it was as if Mother Nature had snapped her fingers the moment we arrived in Bai Chay. Looming gray clouds parted giving way to dazzling rays of winter sunshine that started to slip through just as we stepped onto one of Bhaya’s traditional junk styled cruise boats.
We immediately [...]
December 22nd, 2009 | by admin | published in latest posts, on the road
The overnight train service running daily between Nanning and Hanoi is very comfortable in Chinese soft sleeper carriages however don’t look forward to getting too much sleep.
Departure from Nanning is currently at 6.45 pm, with arrival in Pingxiang a little after 10pm for Chinese border control formalities which took around 90 minutes. Once this is [...]
