China

A breeze gathered strength, pushing fog tendrils up and over the cliff ridge. We had waited all day for Old Man Mountain’s big reveal. He did not disappoint. This is Huangshan, China.

Xidi and Hongcun are excellent examples of Chinese villages that are beautiful (great for photography) but also adhere to Fengshui and functional design principles. The architecture of Hui villages evolved to protect women, children and goods in the absence of men…

The food in Wuhan stole our hearts! Hubu Alley is a famous food street with cuisine unique to Wuhan. Two foods in particular will haunt our dreams and have us drooling in our sleep for years to come..

Zhangjiajie National Park is one of China’s most popular tourist areas. There are some terrific hiking trails in the park, if you know how to get there and where to find them. In this post, we provide a three day hiking itinerary, maps, and some tips to avoid the crowds.

When clouds gather along the river valley in China’s Zhangjiajie National Park, the free standing karst peaks can look as if they are floating. We spent three days hiking in the area that inspired Pandora in the movie Avatar...

Guangxi Province is considered the "wild west" in China, an open expanse of mountainous karst-jungle terrain that remains largely untamed to this day. Tourists flock here for all kinds of outdoor activities…

Featured on the back of the Chinese 20 yuan banknote is Yellow Cloth Shoal, a karst landscape scene along the riverbank in Xingping. By the time you read this, Xingping will have already grown exponentially…

The jungle trail was a complete surprise: dark and mysterious, secluded. Above the crowds, behind the cable car station and costumed tourists, we walked among thick-stalked bamboo and tall pines…

Guilin was our home base in Guangxi Province. Our apartment had a wok and a lively farmers’ market was just steps away. I had time to perfect my own healthy version of Eggplant with Garlic Sauce…

Yunnan in Chinese means "southern clouds". The clouds in Yunnan Province certainly make an impression! The cities in Yunnan Province -- like Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, and Shangri La -- sit at an elevation higher than Boulder, Colorado…

There is a lot of outdated information on the 'Net about hiking Tiger Leaping Gorge in China's southwestern Yunnan Province. From prices and homestay accommodations, to trail conditions and route, this area is changing fast…

Tiger Leaping Gorge is reported to be China’s best trekking trail. We spent three days hiking 21 miles on the high and low trails in late May 2018. It was relaxed and scenic, though not exactly secluded!

The Shilin Scenic Area in Yunnan Province, China, has forests of stone and caverns pulsing with garish neon lights. The Stone Forest and Jiuxiang Caves are just a two hour bus ride from Kunming.

"Civilized Kunming" is the city's motto. Kunming has clean air and blue skies; is powered by renewable energy sources; offers plenty of green space where people actually gather in the evenings for singing, dancing, exercise, and camaraderie. Yes, it is indeed civilized! A joy to experience!