Commune with the fishes (and sharks) at the Blue Zoo

November 14, 2011

BEIJING, CHINA – Aquariums are one of those sights I love visiting over and over again. There’s a certain calmness that comes over me when I enter the dark halls illuminated by the blue shimmering light from the tanks, and I love losing myself for hours in these marine worlds.… (more)

Middle East meets Far East at Niu Jie Mosque

July 21, 2011

BEIJING, CHINA – In China, there are as many ways to practice spirituality as there are cycles of the moon. Over the centuries, Buddism, Daoism, and Confucianism have all made their mark here and Beijing is brimming with beautiful ancient temples that are shrines to these diverse devotions. Though less… (more)

Lakeside scenery and local color around Beijing’s Houhai

June 11, 2011

BEIJING, CHINA – Summer in Beijing can be a challenging season. Temperatures rocket up into the 90s and beyond, a hazy smog hangs in the sky, and bus loads of tourists crowd into the shady parks and tranquil teahouses that would normally offer some relief from the heat. It’s not… (more)

A park bordering paradise at the Temple of Heaven

June 2, 2011

BEIJING, CHINA – Ball parks, theme parks, water parks, amusement parks…America is full of parks dedicated to entertainment and leisure. Which makes sense, because as a culture, these are the twin altars at which Americans tend to worship (when we’re not putting our noses to the grindstone of our Puritan… (more)

Stunning scenery and imperial whimsy at the Summer Palace

May 27, 2011

BEIJING, CHINA – You need look no further than P. Diddy’s yacht to recognize that when someone wants to show off their heaps of wealth and power, they procure a party boat. Such was the case with the profligate Empress Dowager, who in 1902 pillaged the budget for modernizing the… (more)

Incense with a whiff of history at Lama Temple

May 26, 2011

BEIJING, CHINA – We all know China is long past imperial rule, but back in the day (“the day” being 1694), there was such a thing as an emperor-in-waiting. Before this young lad could ascend the throne, he had to kind of hang out in supreme idleness and luxury. Just… (more)

Romancing the stones along the Great Wall

May 25, 2011

BEIJING, CHINA – In general, the world’s most famous border walls aren’t particularly cozy things. The Berlin Wall was pretty much a loathsome symbol of “Iron Curtain” containment, and modern walls between Israel and the West Bank and the U.S. and Mexico are hotly contested international barriers. So the thought… (more)

Architecture goes for the gold at Olympic Park

May 19, 2011

BEIJING, CHINA – The 2008 Summer Olympics was sort of like a debutante ball for the city of Beijing. Nearly 5 billion people from all corners of the world trained their eyes and ears on the ancient-meets-modern city for the Olympic broadcast, and the riotous spectacle of Fou drummers, folk… (more)

Everything under that sun at Ritan Park

May 15, 2011

BEIJING, CHINA – Today when you hear the term “sun worshippers,” you probably think of diehard sunbathers who flagrantly flout warnings about wrinkles and skin cancer in the pursuit of catching some rays. But in ancient China, sun worship had nothing to do with bronzed bodies and everything to do… (more)

Shaking up the ‘burbs at 798 Dashanzi Gallery District

May 6, 2011

BEIJING, CHINA – It seems like no matter where you go in the world, there’s a history of artists fleeing. When they’re not running away from censorship or political persecution, they’re trying to escape high rents and gentrification. Like endangered birds, they continually get pushed out of their native habitats… (more)