It’s the end of April. Rain is streaming down my windows. I’m thinking about summer holidays — the kind that require a passport or at least an airline ticket. Although I know I’ll enjoy my destination, there are two things I dread: making the travel arrangements and packing. Travel arrangements are fairly straightforward. Packing is
Articles Categorized Travel
Getaway to Volcano, Hawai`i
Sometimes you want to getaway without going anywhere. That’s a good time to explore areas close to home that people travel hundreds of miles to visit. Last week I decided to travel thirty miles to Volcano Village, and to look at it as if I’d never been there before. The weather was perfect and the
Hong Kong – Last Stop on My China Tour
Hong Kong could be said to be a spoil of war, the First Opium War to be specific. In the eighteenth century the British discovered Chinese trade goods, particularly silk, porcelain, and tea. So the Chinese looked over British items for sale and found little to their taste. Gold was always welcome, but the
ZHUJIAJIAO – THE VENICE OF SHANGHAI
Zhujiajiao is slightly less than thirty miles from Shanghai, but it feels worlds away. The village is a typical water town established under the Ming Dynasty. Once a mercantile center for textiles and rice, Zhujiajiao now welcomes tourists to its canals and traditional shopping area. Typical activities are strolling along the half mile Great
From Ancient Han to Bustling Shanghai
Before leaving Shaanxi Province for Shanghai, our tour group stopped at the Yangling Museum, also known as the Yang Mausoleum of Han. The occupants are Emperor Jing, the fourth emperor of the western Han, and his Empress Wang. The Han Dynasty followed Qin Shih Huang. This museum is unusual, because in order to protect the
Terra-Cotta Warriors at Xi’an
In March 1974 peasants from Xiyang Village were sinking a well in an area south of their village. At the depth of 4.5 meters they encountered shards of pottery, bronze triggers and arrowheads, and a brick-paved floor. They reported their discovery to the Cultural Centre of Lintong County. The archeological team identified the pottery as
XI’AN: Noodles & History
Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi Province, nestles between the Qinling Mountains to the south and the Wei River in the north. Even from the air, the area looks prosperous. Under the Tang Dynasty (618-907) Xi`an, then known as Chang-an, was one of the biggest international cities of its time, noted for its cosmopolitan population. The
TIĀN TÁN: THE TEMPLE OF HEAVEN
Once Chinese Emperors stood as the intermediaries between gods and humanity, the conduits of harmony and prosperity on earth. Twice a year the Emperor approached the gods for ritual prayer. In the spring, he prayed for a good harvest. In the fall, he expressed gratitude for the bounty received. In preparation for the rituals, the
It Really is a Great Wall
I’ve been on the road again, this time on an elegant nine-person tour of China with A&K. We stopped at the major tourist destinations: Beijing, Xian, Shanghai, Guilin/Yangshuo, and Hong Kong. I saw and learned a great deal, despite the reality that tourists are directed only to the most noteworthy locations. I expected to see
PARESWANATH TEMPLE – AN OASIS IN KOLKATA
There’s one more destination I want to tell you about from my recent trip to Kolkata. Pareswanath Temple is a jewel of serenity. My guide Anup Saha suggested we visit the temple and I’m so glad he did. As we walked up Badridas Temple Street in northeast Kolkata, I had no idea what to expect.
SIKKIM – LAND OF MONASTERIES
The name Himalayas brings up many images. Of course Mount Everest comes immediately to mind. But there’s more to this range of mountains that stretches from Pakistan in the west across India, Bhutan and Nepal before ending in China. Tibetan Buddhism also has an association with the region, although China swallowed Tibet itself in 1950. Within
CALCUTTA, MARY PIGOT & ME – Where She Was
As you may recall from a previous blog about Kolkata, I went to that historic city in search of clues about Mary Pigot, the protagonist in my current project. Calcutta was the capital of the British Raj until December 1911 when British administrators removed to New Delhi, and buildings in Calcutta’s historic district remain
DURGA PUJA – THE GODDESS RETURNS
Durga Puja occurs in every autumn, immediately before Diwali, and is the largest festival in Calcutta. This year’s festival dates were October 7 through 11. Happily I was in the city a week before the event, and so was able to see the final stages of preparation. Durga Puja is celebrated throughout India, but
York Minster
Though there are taller buildings now, York Minster continues to tower over the City of York and the entire Yorkshire region. I’m a huge fan of this stone monument and in awe of the lives it has touched – some for the better, others not so much. This last stop on my research trip
YORK SIGHTS
I’m a frequent visitor to York. I have friends and family there. But I never fail to wander around the walled city, stopping at familiar places and discovering new sights. Here in historical order are a few of the places I enjoyed on this visit. St Mary’s Abbey St Mary’s Abbey was a 10-acre
Mystery Plays at York Minster
After the adventures in Edinburgh, it was time to head south again. Next stop, the City of York, one of my favorite places in England. And my favorite spot in York is York Minster. The city is never the same as it was the last time, but this time I was in for a big