I recently had the pleasure of attending an introductory class in mahjong, the popular Chinese tile game. One lesson definitely doesn’t make me an expert – I still have a lot more to learn about the complex game some liken to rummy – but it was a fun experience I’d like to share. Although the […]
City Guide
Hong Kong Museum of History: Where the Past Comes to Life
The Hong Kong Museum of History is not your average museum. You won’t find rooms full of religious artifacts or ancient pottery shards. Instead, Hong Kong’s colorful past is brought to life with realistic models that you can look at from all sides and even walk through. The Hong Kong Story, the museum’s permanent exhibition, […]
Baisha Village and China’s Famous Medicine Man
The Yunnanese ethnic diversity and character that old town Lijiang lacked, we found a few kilometers away in ancient Baisha village. Still a part of the Lijiang UNESCO World Heritage Site, Baisha is far enough removed that only a few tourists on bikes wander down its sleepy, dusty lanes. The Naxi first settled in Baisha […]
Sumtseling Tibetan Monastery, Shangri-la
Yunnan province, which borders Tibet in southwestern China, is home to a sizable population of ethnic Tibetans. Its city of Shangri-la (known as Zhongdian until authorities decided their fair city was surely the paradise described in the book Lost Horizon) also contains one of the most important Tibetan monasteries. Sumtseling Monastery (also known as Ganden Sumtseling Gompa, Songzanlin Scenic […]
Shanghai’s Modern Art Scene on Moganshan Lu
One of the most exciting neighborhoods in Shanghai has sprung up along Moganshan Lu in a dilapidated industrial complex near Suzhou Creek. Drawn by low rent, artists have flocked to the area now known as M50, an abbreviation of the address 50 Moganshan Lu, where a former factory has been converted into a collection of […]