In response to someone who told me I hadn’t been to the real China because I didn’t visit a hutong: People like to say that Hong Kong, Shanghai, and even Beijing these days don’t represent the real China, with their modern skyscrapers, ubiquitous Starbuckses, and global influence. The real China is rice paddies and opium […]
In Search of the Real Read More
The first thing I did upon arriving in Singapore was look for people jaywalking, littering, and chewing gum, the trifecta of must-not-do’s in many a guidebook to the city. And despite assurances that the local government frowns severely upon these trespasses, people were doing all three. In fact, the idea that Singapore is a soulless,
Sin City—Well, Not Quite Read More
Deciding to hang out in Singapore at the last minute can be costly, with accommodations being pretty expensive. Luxury hotels weren’t in the budget and the city seemed short on reasonably-priced mid-range options. Hostels normally aren’t my thing, but in a pinch, I’ll try anything once. Bunc, a sleek new 233-bed backpackers in Little India,
Singapore hostel: Bunc Read More
Dateline: Malaysia. I’m traveling with a good buddy from Germany, and we’re on the bus from the colonial port city of Malacca en route to a European-style chalet in the verdant Cameron Highlands to meet up with the birthday gang from Bali. Suddenly, I get the bright idea to backtrack south to Singapore and get
An Eid Story -or- Don’t Change Plans at the Last Minute, Then Be Cheap Read More
As evidenced by the Dutch-built Stadthuys, the over 230-year-old Hindu temple, and the Chinese-inflected Kampung Kling Mosque, Malaysia’s multicultural colonial port of Malacca has been fought over and ruled by a succession of Asian and European powers since it was first established over 600 years ago. Offering safe harbor during the ferocious monsoon season for
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Photo Essay: Bangkok’s Grand Palace Read More
Verdant hills, foggy dells, infinity pools, and some of the friendliest people I’ve met in life summed up my brief 2-day excursion to the tropical isle of Bali. The only majority-Hindu island in the mostly Muslim archipelago of Indonesia, Bali has been a major tourism destination–especially among Europeans and Australians–for decades. Pristine beaches, alluring culture,
This summer, I’ll be joining a group of friends in Southeast Asia to celebrate our buddy Mike‘s birthday. Mike is on a Fulbright teaching fellowship in rural Malaysia, but we all plan on bouncing through several countries in the region throughout the month of August, coming together at various points along the way. A few
Macau. Most people haven’t even heard of the place: a former Portuguese colony on the southern coast of China established as the first permanent European toehold in the Far East back in 1557 and the final foreign stop on my amended round-the-world trip (Seoul doesn’t count, as I was only transiting for eight hours; though
Photo Essay: The Magic of Macau Read More
Oh, Hong Kong! How the currents of history and culture have conspired to make you the entoxicating urban assemblage that you are. Poised at the foot of Victoria Peak and gracing both shores of a similarly-named harbor, Hong Kong has lost none of her shine after having changed hands from the British colonial power that
Hot and Kold, Hong Kong Read More
