Western travelers will likely wonder why these gold platings were scraped off in water vessels throughout Forbidden City. This is the last visible hint in Forbidden City that still remains today of the European invaders. The Yuanmingyuan (another location) remains in complete ruins as a reminder to the Chinese people. Each time some auction house in the West sells some … [Read more...] about A hint of the European invaders and looters in Forbidden City
Visitors to Forbidden City
Obvioulsy, Forbidden City requires no introduction. My family spent the day there today. For now, I'd simply like to share photos I took of some visitors there. I have collected more QQ numbers, including from the parents of the two boys below. They are from Wenzhou, Zhejiang province. Couple of my college friends were from that area as well. I was glad to see many … [Read more...] about Visitors to Forbidden City
Gmail, respect jurisdiction or accept blockage
Over the past week and a half, I have been accessing my Gmail account from within China at various places. Since Google insinuated the service being interfered with by the Chinese government, I thought I report first hand what I experienced. While in Guilin, I only could connect couple of times in hotels without resorting to using VPN. The Gmail's login doesn't show up or … [Read more...] about Gmail, respect jurisdiction or accept blockage
Guilin culinary delights
If you visit China and end up eating at an average or below average restaurant, pretend the kitchen doesn't exist. Do not venture back there. However, I was really happy to see this during lunch today. The restaurant exposes the kitchen to the full view of their patrons. I was told this restaurant chain is so popular, it has eight locations in Guilin. … [Read more...] about Guilin culinary delights
A night cruise in Guilin
Yesterday we took a boat cruise from the Li River and meandered into a bunch of lakes in Guilin. The night scene is pretty amazing. This tour is primary geared towards Chinese travelers. Below are the riyue ta (sun-moon pagodas). Our hotel is just a block away. … [Read more...] about A night cruise in Guilin