China
China travel
Hiking in Xingping, Guangxi
I often think back to more “innocent” times, such as when I used to travel in China. Several years ago when I was working in Hong Kong, I decided to go to Guangxi for Christmas. Guangxi’s karst mountains and rivers are some of China’s […]
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Book reviews
Books
Book review- Germania
For a country that is both Europe’s most prosperous power and arguably the worst villain nation of the 20th century, Germany does not get much mention in the English-language world, especially when compared to France or Italy. Germania- A Personal History of Germans Ancient and Modern attempts to remedy this by showcasing the history and […]
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Book reviews
Books
Book review- Around the World in 80 Trains – A 45,000-Mile Adventure
Monisha Rajesh travels the world in 80 trains in an impressive, intrepid inter-continental journey, criss-crossing Europe and Asia twice, and going around North America solely by train. Having done the same in India a few years ago (and also written a book about that), Rajesh is an accomplished pro at train travel. With her fiance […]
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Cities
Taiwan
Taiwan travel
Travel
Visiting Taiwan’s southern port city of Kaohsiung
Taiwan’s largest port city, as the south’s largest city, has often played second fiddle to the capital Taipei. While not as bustling as Taipei, Kaohsiung is more laidback, less congested, has more temperate weather and is located by the sea. I first went there with family many years ago on a daytrip, then returned in […]
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Book reviews
Books
Book review- Why the Dutch are Different
I always enjoy reading books about entire countries and Why the Dutch are Different- A Journey into the Hidden Heart of the Netherlands was certainly very enjoyable. Usually, when most people think of the Netherlands, windmills, dikes, and the red light and marijuana delights of Amsterdam usually come to mind. In reality, the country is so […]
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Book reviews
Books
Book review- Arabia- A Journey through the Heart of the Middle East
The Middle East is one of the world’s most complex and troubled hot-spots, as well as the birthplace of three major religions and a cradle of civilization. Despite this, it seems we don’t often hear or read much about the region outside of news of protests and conflicts. But of course, perhaps that is the […]
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Books
Great books about regions
As a follow-up to my post a while ago on the best books about entire countries, here’s a list of great books about regions and continents that I’ve read. I really enjoy these kinds of books for their epic scale and the variety of countries and places they cover. If any of you have any […]
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