China Travel

Everything to do with travelling in China

In Love & Hate of Chinese Supermarkets

Hey, so I’ve started a new Group Writing Project over at Lost Laowai called China: Love It Hate It. Essentially I’m asking China bloggers (not at all limited to English-speaking bloggers) to chime in and sound off on what they both love and hate about China. The post can be written in any form or …

September 26, 2007
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More seasons than a spice rack

One of the toughest things for Maggie and I to get used to about living in Suzhou over living up in her home town in the north-east or mine in Canada is the weather. We are both used to four distinct seasons running from a warming spring, a hot summer, a cooling fall and a …

August 8, 2007
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Will I Ever Leave China?

This is a question that is continually asked of me by friends, family and – perhaps most often – myself. Will I ever leave China? The short answer is: Yes, God yes! The long answer, however, is a little more complicated. The truth is, I’m starting to like it here. Now before the boys at …

July 5, 2007
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Pan Gate – 盘门 (panmen)

One of the best things about having a guest visiting is it kicks you in the ass and reminds you that those scenic spots aren’t going to see themselves. Recently, while putting together a list of tourist spots around Suzhou for my Your China Pal site, I discovered a place I had not heard of …

June 26, 2007
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Announcing: Your China Pal

Hey all, I’m way behind in this announcing stuff, but wanted to wait until we had really got things going before plugging my newest venture on here. A friend of mine here in Suzhou and I have created this business as a way for foreigners visiting China to have access to an English-speaking local Chinese …

June 19, 2007
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Vicarious Suzhou Pubcrawl

Newcomer Suzhou Native (yeah… it’s complicated) Jim Zhou has a pretty good rundown of some of Suzhou’s finer refreshment stands in his most recent post. In a form I’ve not followed in years now, Jim throws himself into the bar scene and we get to watch the results. I was talking to Maggie last night …

June 10, 2007
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Back From Dalian

Well, I’ve returned from the savage lands north east of the wall, and despite my inlaws doing their very best to stuff me to the point of explosion, I survived. I’m going to say this once, to be clear about things… NEVER TAKE THE FUCKING BUS IN CHINA. As I mentioned post-previously (c’mon, that’s kinda …

May 5, 2007
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Returning To Dalian

I’ll likely be offline for the next few days, as later this afternoon I’m packing myself into a sleeper bus for the 15-hour journey from Suzhou to Dalian. Though I’m always quite keen to go back up to my old stomping grounds in 东北, and Maggie’s thrilled to see her father for the first time …

April 28, 2007
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No Sham, All Rock: Shamrock Open Mic

Right, so as I mention last post, Suzhou finally has a venue for any wannabe musicians to come out and get heard. I “opened” the Shamrock Open Mic Night last night and it was a modest success. With no advertising, I fully expected to be the only one going up to play – something I …

April 24, 2007
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