japan/china 2019
On my second visit to Asia, I got to visit two countries: Japan and China. Ben’s Grandpa still lives in China – Shaoxing to be exact. So when his family decided to visit, I tagged along. Any trip to anywhere in Asia from NYC warrants at least two weeks, since it’s such a long flight.…
10 foods you should say, “ni hao” to in china
I wish I got the chance to try a lot more food but unfortunately, we were only in China for about five days. As with any country, China has its regional cuisines (I highly recommend watching, “Flavorful Origins” on Netflix to learn more about Chaoshan and Yunnan cuisines). Being that China is one of the…
6 things i learned in the 5 days i spent in china
Credit cards (and cash) are not widely accepted. Not even McDonald’s in the Shanghai train station accepted credit cards. The main form of payment is via AliPay or WeChat app where it’s either linked to a credit card, or you pre-load money onto it and it works like a debit card. Weather at the end…
7 things you should know if you’re applying for a china visa
If you’re planning to visit China, you’ll need a Visa. There are different forms you can select from, depending on the reason for your visit and the length of your stay. Here are some things to keep in mind before you apply: Download and complete the correct form (typed, in caps) prior to your visit…
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kissing the blarney stone (and a million other people)
The legend has it is that if you kiss the Blarney Stone, you will be blessed with the ‘gift of gab’, or eloquence. But it’s not just any kiss. In order to get that smooch, you will have to climb to the top of the Blarney Castle, lean backwards, and kiss it upside down. Apparently, Read more
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the old jameson distillery
When you think of Ireland, what is one of the words that automatically comes to mind? WHISKEY! And when you think of Irish whiskey, what’s the first one you might think of? JAMESON! You can purchase tickets online ahead of time for 14 Euros (or about $16.17 USD). I don’t remember seeing this option back Read more
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what it’s like to be in dublin on st. patrick’s day
It’s not as crazy as you would think it might be. You see, Americans manage to turn every holiday into a drinking event. St. Paddy’s Day? DRINK! Halloween? DRINK! Groundhog Day? DRINK! But over in Ireland, it’s less of a drunkfest and more of an actual religious holiday. You do see [drunk] people drinking openly Read more
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how to pour the perfect pint of guinness
Grab a Guinness glass Hold it at a 45 degree angle Pull the handle of the tap forward and fill it up to about 3/4 of the way Wait an agonizing 120 seconds until the bubbles settle Push the handle backwards and fill it to the brim (but make sure it doesn’t overflow – don’t Read more
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how i almost got pick-pocketed in dublin
If you’re thinking that this blog title sounds familiar, it’s because I also almost got pick pocketed in Rome. You would think that I had the word, ‘sucker’ tattooed on my forehead. And I get it. Wide-eyed Asian girl, camera in hand, taking in and fascinated by all her surroundings…shoot – if I was a Read more
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a day in dublin
The flight from NYC to DUB is about 7 hours. We landed around 8 a.m. local time. Since we knew we would be jetlagged, we didn’t plan anything too crazy for that day. We decided to just walk around and explore the city, and we also had a chocolate tour that we booked ahead of Read more
how to be a traveler 