Cantonese morning tea, or zao cha (zao meaning morning and cha meaning tea) is a beautiful tradition in the Southern lying areas of China, forming an essential part of local daily life. Whether it be drinking a cup of refreshing oolong tea with family or sitting down together with friends, the culture of drinking tea […]
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I was never a girl to try local street food but let the truth be told: and that is my perception of street food soon changed after living in China for two and half years. Street food is not just food in China, it’s a culture. It’s a way of life. Whether you’re on your […]
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Situated near the Confucius Temple in Dongcheng is a little Buddhist inspired coffee shop. Its mention in many China inspired guidebooks made me fairly curious as to how a little roadside café nestled in the heart of a hutong could be named after one of the most famous temples in all of Beijing which led […]
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Nestled in the heart of Beijing’s Sanlitun, Taikoo Li shopping district is a cute little Japanese café. So little that you most likely will walk past without even knowing it’s there. In fact, I spent almost a year in Beijing without even tasting those delectable French-style pancakes. Until one morning before work I randomly strolled […]
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You never know what adventures you’ll experience when travelling through south-east Asia. Maybe you’ll taste some exotic dishes that will have your friends squirming back home, maybe you’ll see a UNESCO world heritage site and uncover some historical secrets or maybe you’ll unexpectedly get stuck in the middle of a monsoon. Darkened skies, heavy rainfall, […]
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My first year in China was filled with all sorts of adventures. From unknowingly tasting shark fin soup at a teacher’s dinner to trekking to the 10th tower of the Great Wall – the adventures were endless. But I guess that is why we travel… to push ourselves to the limits and not just see […]
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China is famous for many kinds of exotic foods however depending on which city you visit; there will always be a specialty dish that is characteristic of that area. For Beijing, that dish is traditional Peking duck. The Chinese themselves have a famous saying that no visit to China is complete without climbing the great wall […]
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One of my favorite things to do when traveling is to visit the markets. It’s one of the quickest ways to learn about the culture of a city and get acquainted with locals while picking up some souvenirs of the place you’re visiting. Tucked just across from the Temple of Heaven, the Hongqiao Pearl Market […]
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Oh yes. You read right. There really is such a thing as the Great Chinese Firewall and while you may not be able to see it, or even climb to the tenth tower to prove your manhood (or womanhood, for that matter), it certainly is bigger than anything you’ve ever seen (or not seen, for […]
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One of the things I love about China is the endless opportunities to try new and exotic foods. The Chinese love their food and eating a meal is a tradition that should be done both on time and with large numbers of people. Chinese dining etiquette is very different to western eating habits. It is […]
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LIFE OF SHAL 