Riding in the bus from the Li River dock to Xingping, and then from Xingping to Yangshuo, I couldn't help but think "this is it." The sites of "wild" China are the most beautiful in the world. I actually considered asking the bus driver to stop the bus, so I could get off at one of the villages to explore. I really wish I had. That may be one regret I'll have for a long time. Of course, I still have three months to visit remote villages in Sichuan. But seeing the villages in Guangxi brought me back...to my childhood's imagination of China. But, at the same time, I didn't want to be stranded, either. It actually would be nice, but I had a plane ride to catch on Tuesday, so...I was on a time schedule. ... read more

Guilin. Wow. I can now say that even the shortest time at one small destination can change a life. Because, Guilin changed mine. I experienced so much in that town, perhaps more so than I have in the entire month I've been in Chengdu. And I think it's because of the locals. The locals there are so friendly...so accommodating. More so than Chengdu's. They all just grabbed me by the arm and showed me around the city, as they shared many legends and customs of Guilin culture (which is, by the way, very different from Chengdu culture). I had so many wonderful conversations with complete strangers on every corner I went to, and even though my Chinese is quite limited, I felt as though I could understand them completely. And on that note, the boys are ... read more

Did I really just book five nights at Guilin Wada International Youth Hostel because of the Bruce Lee kicking logo? Not because five nights was only $25? Or because they offer bike/boat rentals and a karaoke room? Because I'm pretty sure this place has the most awesome mission statement ever: "Why Bruce Lee? Bruce Lee is cool. We all know that. He breaks wood, walls and he breaks barriers, human ones. Everyone is met with challenges. It’s life. When one is met with challenges too tough, one must face them, stand above them and conquer them, otherwise he has failed by not trying. Bruce Lee exemplifies this virtue. He never gives up, NEVER! Bruce Lee was one who wanted to share the world a beautiful art. The art of kicking ass! It wasn’t easy, but he ... read more

That's exactly what I'm thinking right now as I write this. The oh so "knowledgable" local who told me Du Fu, the most famous poet in Chinese history, lived in that little kabozo was wrong. I doubted her at first, but went along with what she said, making sure I displayed an engaging disposition to be polite. But deep down, I knew that wasn't the famous thatched cottage of Du Fu. The problem was, the entire outdoor museum was so large, and every map was in Chinese...so it was really hard to find. Okay, so I didn't see the place where he actually lived, but I did get to see the places where he wrote many of his poems. The place was gorgeous; there was green bamboo stalks everywhere--they were the tallest stalks of bamboo I ... read more

I'm so mad right now! I just wrote about eight hundred words, and my internet failed...so I have to start over!!! A couple of days ago, I visited the most famous Daoist temple in Chengdu (and, perhaps, in all of China): Qingyanggong. Qingyanggong, which literally translates to "Green Goat Temple," is named after Laozi's (the founder of Daoism) last words, "green goat." And, I was the only one that went. Because apparently, I'm the only nerd in the apartments. Everyone else was being lame that day! Going to temples, to experience the culture...the sounds...the sights...the atmosphere...I love it and can't get enough. So, I took a rickshaw there! Interestingly, the temple was adorned with the twelve zodiac animals. I wonder, have the zodiac signs always been linked to Daoism? What are the animals' role in its ... read more