Walking around Istanbul, it feels easy to get lost in the splendor of a bygone era. Whether it be entering a historic structure, watching artisans create traditional arts and crafts, scenting the blends of spices wafting along the breeze, or even listening to the musical cadence of the Turkish language, around every corner is some delightful and intriguing remnant of the past three empires waiting to be explored.
Category: Travel
Where the East Meets the West: Istanbul, not Constantinople
About a year ago, my long-time friend Meagan suggested we meet in the one country that has a foot in both Europe and in Asia, reminiscent of our current standing of her teaching English in Europe and me likewise in Asia. While it had been a bit hard to plan on my end, what with…
Happy Year of the Pig!
新年快乐！ 恭喜发财！ Spring Festival is upon us! This February 5th, 2019 marks the beginning of the year of the Pig！ Why is this important? It’s is the final year in the 12th-year zodiac cycle! This means we can all indulge in a huge sigh of relief and reap the benefits of having worked hard the…
Harbin’s Horrible Siberian Tiger Park 黑龙江阿穆尔虎园
Having been to the Beijing zoo and seen the terrible housing conditions the animals suffered there, I was a bit worried coming here. In all honesty, we probably would not have if it wasn’t included in our Ice World tour. After visiting the facility, we can firmly recommend not going for reasons I detail below….
Harbin 哈尔滨: The Provincial Museum, Monuments, and Other Attractions
Hongbo Square 红博广场 and the WWII Russian Victory Monument Hongbo Square used to be the site of the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas which was destroyed by the Red Guards the Cultural Revolution. Today, there’s a large roundabout above ground with a pretty decorative sculpture in the middle. Some buildings in the area, like the KFC…
China’s Auschwitz: A look at the WWII Japanese Germ and Warfare Base 侵华日军第 731 部队遗址
Harbin housed some gruesome secrets during the Japanese Occupation (1931-1945), when the area was known as the Japanese puppet state of Manchukuo. Unit 731 of the Imperial Japanese Army covertly developed and tested lethal biological and chemical warfare at this site under the guise of epidemic prevention and water purification works. What took place on…
Harbin 哈尔滨: What to Expect at the Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival
Beautiful powdery snow cascaded down from a container attached to a crane high above the giant white structure. My husband, Mark, and I watched from inside a cafe, cozy and warm with cups of steaming hot cocoa, as workers set about firmly packing the snow down into artful shapes. We were on Sun Island, one…
Harbin 哈尔滨 Part 1: A Merry Christmas in the “Moscow of the Orient”
My husband’s visits are always a special time of year. Having done the whole long-distance thing on and off for almost a decade since we’ve known each other (that’s about a third of our lives!), this is when both of us really get to spend quality time together. We also love to travel, and this…
Holiday Season Recap and a Visit to Shanghai
It’s been a whirlwind past couple of weeks! Where did November and December go? Now that my classes are finished (as in my classes were co-opted for test review), I actually have free time to blog. Thanksgiving The AYC Thanksgiving this year was held by my friends, Dani and Rachael, as is the tradition for…
Hong Kong香港: Asia’s World City Part II Hong Kong Island and Lantau Island
Hong Kong Island Across Victoria Harbour, lies the urban jungle of Hong Kong Island. One can find many of Hong Kong’s big skyscrapers here, including the angular bamboo-esque Bank of China designed by I.M. Pei. Many of the buildings feature an architectural aspect special to Hong Kong: Dragon Gates. Dragon Gates One of the…
Stephwaxpoetic 