Written by Robert Wu for his family and friends Hong Kong became a British colony as the result of a infamous event. To reduce a trade deficit, British merchants sold opium into China in the 1800s. When the Chinese government cracked down on this illicit trade, the Royal Navy defeated the Chinese in the Opium […]
Written by Robert Wu for his family and friends Tang Dynasty 唐朝 (618-907AD) was one of the most brilliant and dynamic dynasties of China. Tang might reached a height, Chinese power was projected into Central Asia, and cultural influence was spread throughout East Asia. Japan, in particular, adopted most of the Tang culture and kept it with […]
Written by Robert for his family and friends There is a saying in Chinese: 桂林山水甲天下，陽朔山水甲桂林 (Guilin’s sceneries is the best in China, and YangShuo’s sceneries is the best in Guilin). Sally and I found this to be true, and we found the most tranquil inn in YangShuo. In fact, this inn is the best hotel I have […]
Written by Robert Wu for his family and friends I read about these enigmatic caves in Anhui Province and wanted to see for myself. What I saw puzzled me more than answered my questions. These caves are located on the Flower Hill 花山 by the XinAn River 新安河. Thirthy-six caves have been uncovered so far, and only […]
Written by Robert Wu for his family and friends Chinese old towns were fortified towns within strong walls and gates. They had to be protected from invasions and banditry. Some old towns from the Ming Dynasty of the 1400s still exist intact today, while others changed with the times. Some others just fade into history […]
Written by Robert Wu for his family and friends Traveling in Asia requires flexibility and accommodation for unusual situations. As different countries develop, the people developed different methods to cope with the need to travel. The following are some of my observations. The bicycle is the first land conveyance adopted by a developing country. It […]
Written by Robert Wu for his family and friends ———————————————————————— I continue with my quest of exploring different parts of the Great Walls. This is the second installment of the sights I saw. The first one was about the Ming Wall near Beijing. The Great Wall was built throughout the last 2,500 years to keep […]
Written by Robert Wu for his family and friends The tragic cyclone that swept through Myanmar (Burma) last week caused 25,000 deaths. That disaster brought back my fond memories of our visit to that country a few years ago. We hope the gentle people of Myanmar will endure and rise from the devastations soon. ———————————————————————— […]
Written by Robert Wu for his family and friends The sidewalks of Hong Kong are narrow compared to those of US cities, and they are much more crowded due to the millions of Hong Kongers living on this little territory. Walking on Hong Kong streets for the last twenty years taught me the survival skills […]