China

Tang Paradise Park

The past evolves into the present. China has done an amazing job resurrecting long lost historically significant sites, such as the Tang Dynasty Da Tang Furong Yuan or Tang paradise.  This park, once the pleasure grounds of Tang royalty, is stands as a testament, and statement to present and future generations, to honouring the past and its role in shaping our future. 

Er Lang Shan Temple

Northern beauties off the tourist trail. Much of medieval China is preserved outside the big cities in provincial towns and villages. This temple sits atop a steep peak in what was once a border town in the past. Coal and gas discoveries in recent years have made the people of Yulin exceedingly rich, many of whom have moved to the major metropolises of China.

Wuxing Jie Catholic Church

Christianity is big in China. There are thriving Christian churches everywhere. Some even get demolished because they built without permission or their construction is not up to code. Perhaps it is one of the few places on earth where the Churches stays out of politics. 

The Thousand Faces of Buddha

Buddhism took root in China during the Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 AD) . Xuanzang, Tang Dynasty Buddhist monk, in the 7th century A.D. journeyed to India to obtain original Buddhist scriptures, which, on his return, sparked a Buddhist religious renaissance in China. Purpose of journey

"The purpose of my journey is not to obtain personal offerings. It is because I regretted, in my country, the Buddhist doctrine was imperfect and the scriptures were incomplete. Having many doubts, I wish to go and find out the truth, and so I decided to travel to the West at the risk of my life in order to seek for the teachings of which I have not yet heard, so that the Dew of the Mahayana sutras would have not only been sprinkled at Kapilavastu, but the sublime truth may also be known in the eastern country."

—Xuanzang (Translator: Li Yung-hsi)

The Forbidden City

There is nowhere past imperial grandeur as apparent as in Beijing's Palace Museum. The massive red walls, the delicately ornate architraves and eaves, the glittering orange roofs just seem to command submission in us humble earthly folks. 

Xiyue Temple

The well-preserved ancient Taoist shrine, Xiyue Miao,  at the foot of Mt Hua is perhaps the largest and most magnificent of all Taoist holy places in the Middle Kingdom. On clear days the much-revered Mt Hua, one of the Five Great Mountains mountains of China, simply overwhelms the onlooker with its rugged and steep white stone peaks. 

Shanghai

A monument to 40 years of progress. The financial heart of the country, and the most expensive place to live in China. It charms you with its quaint neighbourhoods, turn of the century architecture and delicious cuisine. Shanghai has much to offer to its visitors.

Fujian Province

The rainy season envelopes the rugged peaks in balls of steam. I would admire the constantly changing view for hours at a time as I sat on my balcony with my home brewed espresso, my camera next to me to grab whenever the sky put on a new act.

Hot Pot

Eating out is a significant social event in China and hot pot dinners are one of the most popular forms. Hot Pot dining is less about presentation and status and more about sharing a meal with close friends and family. Most things are served raw, which are then placed in a pot of spicy or mild broth in the middle of the table heated from below. The cooked vegetables and meat are then placed inside a small bowl containing spicy condiments and sauces to turbocharge the taste buds. Chengdu and Chonging, two south-western Chinese megapolises, style hot pot dinners are famous for the incredible fiery flavours and it is customary to ask the question to first-timers at ordinary hot pot dinners: "Have you eaten Chengdu hot pot? How did you like it?"