Posting photos from China when we happen to be in India probably seems odd. But we discovered an open wifi connection somewhere in the building here in Kolkata (Calcutta) and are taking the opportunity to catch up with photos and family calls on Skype before someone finds out that we’re taking advantage of their internet connection. Shhh, don’t tell. Continue Reading »

So there we were: Audrey was sketching an amorphous menagerie – a sheep, a cow, and a chicken – along with a simple carrot, all on small pad of paper, while Dan offered a few charades and barnyard audio cues - a chicken dance, a moo, and a hearty “baaah” – to help bring the animal farm to life. (Thankfully, charading a carrot was beyond Dan’s abilities.)

Had the Chinese wine we consumed turned on us? Continue Reading »

When we missed the last direct train of the season from Urumqi to Dunhuang, China, we didn’t realize that lady luck was actually smiling on us. We skipped the Buddhist cave paintings of Dunhuang, but landed smack in the middle of a crowd of Tibetan pilgrims visiting the Labrang Monastery for a cham (Tibetan monastic opera) in the town of Xiahe.

This was just the visual stimulation we were looking for! Continue Reading »

The new house, commanding magnificent views of open sea and bathing beaches, and mountains and forest gardens, and houses. North of the Iltis Huk church, at foot of the big hill, on south slope. Wish you could enjoy it soon with us. Big love, Daddy

- a note on the back of a photo of the house in Qingdao, China, written by my great-grandfather to one of his children on July 31, 1937.

Armed with the photo of the house and the description above, we hopped on a bus Continue Reading »

Having been on the go for one year, we required some stillness in order to evaluate how this journey of ours is going - not just from a travel perspective, but from a personal and business perspective. Beijing seemed as good a place as any to perform this exercise. Continue Reading »

If you click around our first installment of photos from China expecting images of kung pao and red lanterns, perhaps you’ll be surprised to find chick pea salads and women in head scarves instead. Continue Reading »

While we were relieved to see an English menu at a local dumpling joint in Qingdao, we were alarmed by some of its offerings. This time, we could really use your help. Continue Reading »

We’re here in Beijing, China and the only things going up more rapidly than new buildings are Christmas trees (mostly fake, of course). Last night, we became nostalgic while strolling past another giant shopping center Christmas tree, this one shielded by a roof that houses the world’s largest LED video screen (250 meters long by 30 meters wide).

Though the proliferation of Christmas decorations in Beijing is remarkable, their presence just doesn’t capture the holiday spirit like a European Christmas market would. So, we offer a walk down European Christmas Market memory lane and our “Best of” European Christmas Markets list. Continue Reading »

We’re headed next to Qingdao to look for my grandfather’s birthplace and the house my great-grandparents built.

–explaining our travel plans in China to a group of expats at a Thanksgiving
dinner in Beijing.

The group appeared utterly confused. I don’t look like I’m of Chinese heritage in the least. So how is it that my grandfather was born in China? Continue Reading »

Ladies, are you looking for a man? Having trouble finding that special someone?

Men, are you stymied by women’s steely Jedi Knight abilities to thwart your every move?

The Rosetta Stone of dating is revealed for all!

We discovered it outside a shiny, clubby looking place aptly named Friend-making clubhouse at half past eight, a Jiefang Lu outpost of a chain in Xi’an, China focused on…we’ll let you use your imagination on this one. Continue Reading »