One or two photographs of the Terra Cotta Warriors simply can't capture the essence of this incredible location, so I'm planning to create a blog showcasing all the images of the warriors—whether they are preserved, undergoing preservation, or the throngs of visitors. Our guide, Summer, mentioned that as many as 100,000 people visit the Warriors each day! It was incredibly crowded, but thankfully, the entire site has been air-conditioned since two years ago! Those who visited before that, particularly in the summer, can only recall the crowds, heat, and humidity! Nevertheless, it’s absolutely worth it, as the warriors are truly an astonishing "eighth wonder of the world."
Today was my birthday, and our plans changed, likely due to the weather, so we decided to postpone our visit to the Terra Cotta Warriors until tomorrow. The weather was sunny and fairly warm, with temperatures in the 90s, but it was relatively dry. We began our day around 9 am and visited the Xi'an City Walls, which are known to be among the best-preserved city walls in China. They were enormous and quite impressive, with options to rent bikes for a seemingly endless ride! We managed to walk about 2 km of the total 15 or 16 km, leaving much more to explore.
Cones, cups, sticks, and tubs, oh my!
Kavin Jay is set to perform in the capital on June 27 and 28.
Festival handicrafts vividly reflect China's cultural heritage.
June 21, 2025.
On Sunday morning, we made our way to the airport for a one-hour flight from Chongqing to Xi’an, where we will celebrate my birthday and remain until June 24th, departing for Yinchuan early on the 25th.
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This upcoming week promises college bands, an original pub quiz, and a weekend filled with Thai culture...
This morning we woke up again at 6am, resulting in another brief night of sleep. Today is Xiandong's Psychiatry conference, where both Xiandong and Michael will be presenting. Michael graciously informed me that I didn't need to accompany them this morning, and he didn't have to repeat it. This was the first morning where I could enjoy a relaxed pace to shower, repack, and work on some blogging before we embark on another day.
Friday turned out to be an excellent day overall. We got up early in the morning and set off for the Chengdu Panda Breeding Park, which was approximately a 40-minute drive from our hotel. The pandas are housed in impressively natural settings, and we strolled about 5 miles in search of panda sightings, which were easy to spot wherever there was a gathering of people! Mostly, we encountered giant pandas, but we also managed to catch a glimpse of a few red pandas, which are more challenging to spot in the trees due to their coloring.
Observe the bridge that lent its name to the Tianqiao neighborhood.
Beijing is a vibrant city! Stay updated with our weekend summary of the most recent news.
Yesterday was a lengthy day for Michael as he "sang for his supper," and I accompanied him as his wife. We were grateful to be picked up around 10 am, especially since we didn't get home the night we arrived until after 1 am! Our first stop was a new research institute linked to the university and the hospital, designed to support both basic and clinical research with dedicated buildings for cancer, neurological/mental health, and cardiovascular studies, among others. The complex is stunning and situated on the outskirts of the city. We had lunch there with prominent professors and staff before proceeding to the hospital, where Michael engaged with a group of psychiatry graduate students working with our host, Xiandong Tang. Each student presented a brief PowerPoint on their current research, and Michael offered both encouragement and constructive feedback to help them enhance their projects. By 4:30 pm, it was time for his lecture in front of a packed audience mostly composed of psychiatrists and graduate students. Interestingly, the majority were female, with only a few men present. As always, Michael was brilliant and alert, while I, on the other hand, was clearly feeling the effects of jet lag but pushed through!
On Tuesday morning, June 17th, we got up at 5am to complete our packing and left for the airport by 9am. Our Delta flight #281 departed an hour behind schedule and landed in Shanghai around 4:30pm Wednesday, local time, which was approximately 1:30am PST on Wednesday.
Welcome to our blog dedicated to China—a captivating nation where centuries-old traditions coexist with cutting-edge innovation. Here, you’ll discover immersive articles on Chinese culture, cuisine, iconic landmarks, and everyday life in both sprawling metropolises and peaceful rural regions. Whether you’re a seasoned globetrotter or simply curious about this remarkable country, we aim to provide fresh insights and practical guidance.
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