East or West – Which is Best? You Decide.
So. I’m in Beijing on business. We’re in a training that includes: - 5 people from Japan - 14 from Singapore - 1 from India - and 14 Chinese. All the trainers are from Europe. The organizer of the...
View ArticleThe Mystery of the Ferris Wheel
As always, I did lots of research prior to my trip to Beijing, because this time I was combining business with pleasure. After my week-long training ended, my husband and daughter flew out and we...
View ArticleMutianyu or Badaling– Which Section should You Choose?
A trip to Beijing basically demands an excursion to the Great Wall. There are dozens of tour companies to choose from, and most focus on day visits to one of the two most popular sections: Mutianyu...
View ArticleDouble Chinese Happiness
Rarely has one meal made so many people happy. Last week, our tour guide pointed out a red-lanterned street known as “Ghost Street” and said that it was a famous area for spicy dishes, hot pot, and...
View ArticleWangfujing Snack Street
In my last post, we weren’t sure what we’d be eating. But at Wangfujing Snack Street, we knew exactly what we were eating — scorpions and tarantulas — and yet, that didn’t stop us. You have to come to...
View ArticleStaying in a Hutong Courtyard Hotel
On my last trip to Beijing, I took a tour through the traditional hutong alleys of Beijing, complete with a rickshaw ride and lunch in the house of a local family. Getting a glimpse into the everyday...
View ArticleWeekly Photo Challenge: Masterpiece
Every time I take a trip, I find I am drawn to photographing one particular thing over and over. In Beijing, it was the roofs of Forbidden City. I won’t bore you with all 30 photos I took. These three...
View ArticleThe Elevator Pitch
Shortly after I finished writing my middle-grade novel THE WITCH WORE PINK, someone asked me what it was about. I was stumped. How in the world was I supposed to describe the book when I’d spent months...
View ArticleParty by the Bird’s Nest!
Five years ago today, the Beijing Olympics kicked off with its opening ceremony at the Bird’s Nest. I watched, mesmerized, half a world away and was glued to my television set throughout those Summer...
View ArticleKnock Knock
Forget the Great Wall, Forbidden City, and the Temple of Heaven. According to my boss there is only one ‘must-do’ for anyone traveling to Beijing, and that one ‘absolute must’ activity is shopping. Not...
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