Withhold judgment as best as possible. Accept that some advertised tour packages have an ulterior motive (i.e. to sell you local products or optional add-ons). Memories are not the only thing you can take back home. If you find a souvenir that you like, can afford, and will fit in your suitcase, buy it with…
Category: CROUCHING GOVERNMENT, HIDDEN CHINA
F Your Diet (China)!
Say What (Chinese)?
Avoid the middleman, buy direct…
If you were to host someone from a different country, what would you highlight to show off America? Would you bring them to the Statue of Liberty and impress upon them that the US is a melting pot of many different cultures? Would you visit the Grand Canyon or the Great Lakes and regale them…
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Chinormous…
There are common everyday superlatives to describe something of considerable size. Mammoth. Gigantic. Colossal. There are even newer terms that better capture the immensity. Ginormous. Hugemongous (made this one up myself!). Some occasions, however, call for something even grander. I’ll admit that I was excited to see the Great Wall of China. We were going…
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Tasteful Chinese…
Rooms in the more modern Chinese hotels have a particular aesthetic. How does one tactfully describe them without invoking the ire of the powers that be? We are, after all, in a very, very globally-connected world. Hotel room designs paid a clear homage to the country’s long history. Guests were expected to be impressed (Bob…
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Chinese Chinese-American food…
Sometimes it is best to err on the side of familiarity. Especially if your clientele hails from different parts of North America. There were countless variations of a theme. One day the deep-fried (insert familiar protein) would be served in a sweet and sour sauce. Then caution would be thrown in the wind and the…
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Don’t ask, won’t tell…
You were forgiven for asking if you were fair-skinned, blond-haired, and blue-eyed but it was an altogether different story if you were somewhat indistinguishable from the native population. So is the government doing anything about the smog? The reticence of the tour guide was answer enough. FUN FACT. Gone are the images of the 1980s…
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Oh boy! Do I have a deal for you…
The 10-day tour of China in September of 2012 had a lot going for it. The travel agency that posted the deal on Groupon was based out of Vancouver Canada and focused exclusively on travel to Asia; they would know their stuff! The price sounded almost too good to be true; the cost alone would…
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Ni Hao are you…
2012 was a somewhat difficult year for us. In early 2012, a month into the new year and just a few days after we had paid off Bob’s Toyota Tacoma, we were rear-ended in a car accident on the way to the gym (as if I needed another disincentive to work out!). Bob’s baby, his…
