Some say everyday is a gift. If so, these 11 days in Xinjiang were gifts wrapped in quality colorful Hallmark paper with the extra curly bows on top. Yes, the weather was good. The tourism was low and sights were free from megaphone toting tour guides and multitudes of photo popping tourists. We experienced history, culture, scenic beauty, and pure and simple fun. In fact, we racked up 14 different modes of transportation on this trip, including: van, horse, boat, donkey cart, open bus/tram, train, ultralight plane, little ATV, bamboo sled, station wagon, airplane (of course), moving air [View Full Entry]

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Man this is fun. Living in Asia, traveling to places I never even knew existed, let alone visit, then, returning to Shanghai to compare notes with like-minded travelors and dream about the next trip. This trip was all about R&R. No culture needed - but then why leave the house if ALL we want is R&R. Turns out we're lucky, a bit of culture, adventures to whet our appetite, and a resort base that exudes a "no worries, do what sounds good" kind of atmosphere. Beautiful Borneo. The only problem is, not enough time to take it all in. Alas, in [View Full Entry]

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Vietnam. It conjures up images of war and poverty. But we discovered that beyond that, lies scenic beauty and a forgiving people who want to improve their lot in life through friendly tourism and aggresive business enticement. 2 nights in Hanoi and 3 days on a junk boat were the backbone of our post-Christmas get away this year. Almost as fun as the trip, was the secrecy surrounding it. Kirsten only knew we were heading off to a latitude of 20 degrees where she would be unable to connect with "couch surfers" or tango communities. "I know - you're making us [View Full Entry]

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Tyler is off to Guam for a cross country race. Jessica to Japan to compete in a tennis tournament. Hmmm, that leaves Matt and I with 3 days all by our lonesome. What better opportunity than this to travel to a region Jessie has already been and Tyler certainly doesn't want to venture into. Guilin and Yangshuo are famous in China for their unique limestone mountain formations and ethnic tribal presence. The beauty is so prized that they print it's scenery on the back of their RMB20 note. Despite rain and somewhat cool weather conditions, we enjoy cruising the scenic Li [View Full Entry]

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Autumn in Shanghai is warm, unusually clear, and beckons those of us with an adventuresome spirit to explore her back alleys and neighborhoods. Thus, armed with a guidebook and a camera, I and a couple like-minded compatriots set out to wander. We choose to roam the streets of "lilong" neighborhoods on the far west side of the city. This particular area was home of wealthy investors and business folk in the 20's and 30's. Once the Japanese invaded and the cultural revolution hit Shanghai, these lovely old villas and neighborhoods drastically changed their inhabitants and lost much of their [View Full Entry]

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What do you get when Shanghai and San Francisco collide along the shores of a beautiful, tropical looking sea? Well, it probably would be a lot like Hong Kong. Chinese yet heavily western influenced. Steep mountain roads combined with double-decker trams reminiscent of the San Fran cable cars. Glitzy modern business high rises just “down the road” from bustling Chinese markets displaying everything from dried seafood to fresh vegetables and fruits, and even the libido enhancing, brain sharpening shark fin. While it’s more likely that San Francisco and Shanghai both owe a [View Full Entry]

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25 years. My how the time passes. Seems only yesterday that I choked on stale wedding cake amongst the trees of northern Michigan where we camped for our 1 year anniversary celebration. Just Matt, my mom, my dad, and I enjoying the great outdoors. Now, many years, smiles, miles, and a few tears later, here we are staying in luxury at the Shangri La hotel in Hangzhou, China. A few million more people around us, but still so relaxing to step away from our daily life - if even for only a couple of days. The weather was perfect. The feel [View Full Entry]

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What we won't do for a cool t-shirt! My thanks go out to RJ and some greatwall friends from around the globe who provided all the photos presented in this blog. [View Full Entry]

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Spring has arrived in Shanghai and along with it the abundant peach blossoms of the Nanhui district. Recalling memories of Michigan celebrations such as Shepherd’s maple syrup festival, Houghton’s tip-up-town, and Frankenmuth’s Oktoberfest, we decide why not try the Peach Blossom Festival, Shanghai style! Let me tell you, the Chinese really know how to kick back and have a good time. We have often noticed that the Chinese seem to enjoy the simple things in life. Their sense of fun is a bit juvenile and conservative compared to the USA mindset, but entertaining and enjo [View Full Entry]

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8 days, 3 towns, a couple of domestic flights, a few boat excursions, and miles of dusty roads have given us insights into a Kingdom far removed from anything we've yet experienced in Asia. Here we see the extreme poverty of today's society contrasted with the remnants of the lavish outlay of resources from the beginings of this Khmer civilization. The ancient temples of Angkor are why we came - and they indeed are amazing. Ranking as one of the "seven forgotten wonders of the medieval mind" right along with the likes of the Taj Mahal and the Parthenon. These homes [View Full Entry]

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