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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siena in an hour
Siena was just a brief stop on a ‘Tuscany in a day’ tour for me. While I’m sure there’s plenty to see, such as the Palio (a horserace held twice a year in the Piazza), our time was limited. So since I didn’t really get to fully experience Siena, I figured I would just show Read more
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last and final stop – riomaggiore!
Riomaggiore was our fifth and final town! We took another choppy boat ride but this time, it was a bit longer. Riomaggiore and Monterosso are on opposite ends of Cinque Terre. This means we passed by all four of the other villages we visited earlier. It was nice to just be able to sit and Read more
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boat ride to monterosso al mare
From Vernazza, we took a quick boat ride to the fourth village of the day, Monterosso al Mare. It was extremely rocky getting on and off the boat, so just a warning for all of you folks who get sea sick. If you’re up for the task, there’s a monastery (Church of San Francesco – Read more
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a beach in vernazza
After lunch in Corniglia, another 4.5 km hike brought us to our third town, Vernazza. Find your way to the cave. Once you go under it, there’s a beach on the other side. It’s not the typical sandy beaches you’re probably used to. Instead, it’s a rocky beach. If you look closely at the rocks, Read more
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lunch in corniglia
Corniglia was our second town and it was also where we stopped for lunch. A lunch that consisted of fresh seafood – quite possibly the best meal I had in Italy. I’d say it was well deserved after hiking and sweating for 4.5km. We didn’t do much else because after lunch, it was time for Read more
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first stop, manarola!
This is where we started our hike. Our goal was Corniglia, which was 4.5 km (or 2.8 miles) away. The hike wasn’t too bad. But this also might have been because it was our first trail, so we still had the energy. There wasn’t too much to see, except a few tomatoes planted along the Read more
how to be a traveler 