Silk, Gardens, Canals, and Bridges in Suzhou

Known as the "Venice of the East," Suzhou is an ancient city where you can glide through a canal by boat, walk on a thousand-year-old market street, and linger in a peaceful garden. And if you want to visit a museum or go shopping, you can do both at the same time by exploring Suzhou's greatest export: silk.

Join me on an exploration of Suzhou in this travel story published by HackWriters.

https://www.hackwriters.com/SuzhouEDG.htm

Shanghai's Life in the Fast Lane

Beijing has it's Imperial history, Hangzhou has it's West Lake and Dragon Well Tea, Xi'an has the Terracotta Army, but for modern day life in the fast lane, there's no better place to visit than Shanghai.

The twisted side streets still wind within pockets of the city, as does the colonial buildings of the Bundt, but for the most part you'll notice the museum of skyscrapers and modern buildings.

Join me for a tour of Shanghai in this travel story published by HackWriters.

https://www.hackwriters.com/ShanghaiEDG.htm

Take Time for Tea (Fit for an Emperor)

In our new work-at-home quarantine reality, there's more time than ever to take time for a regular afternoon tea. How about sampling tea fit for an emperor?

We did just that when we visited Hangzhou's Longjing Village and sampled Dragon Well Tea for ourselves. Set within the rolling green tea hills, taking part in the roasting process ourselves, we enjoyed the tea that was once exclusively for the emperor of China and his guests alone. 

Find out more. Steep yourself a cup of tea and read my travel story in Go World Travel.

https://www.goworldtravel.com/hangzhou-dragon-well-tea-china/

Go Nomad Goes to Xi'an

Another travel story I wrote shortly after returning from my tour of China was published by Go Nomad. "Xi'an: The Cradle of Unified China" explores the ancient city of Xi'an and its most notable citizens: the terracotta warriors. This army of life-sized soldiers, the most important archaeological discover of the 20th century, is a marvel. We get into the pit, and meet one of the farmers who found them.

Also in Xi'an, we visit another great wall, the bell and drum towers, and experience some close calls in a rickshaw. 

Join the adventure at Go Nomad.

https://www.gonomad.com/69389-xian-cradle-unified-china

Something So Right about Armchair Travel

Feeling walled in by the lack of travel opportunities? 

In 1972, nearly 50 years ago, Paul Simon recorded "Something So Right." The song came to mind this morning as I share a travel story.

       They've got a wall in China

       It's a thousand miles long

       To keep out the foreigners

       They made it strong
       I've got a wall around me
       You can't even see
       It took a little time
       To get to me

Of course, Simon is writing about something more personal than the Great Wall of China. But with Trump's talk of building walls, our situation of being walled into isolation by the pandemic, my former travel to the Great Wall of China, and my travel story about that visit, along with the forthcoming release of my thriller with a scene set there, The Color of Jadeite, something sounds right about "Something So Right" being in my head.

Take a walk on the wall with me. Read my story, "World's Greatest Wall," in Go World Travel.

https://www.goworldtravel.com/great-wall-china/