Author Archives: admin

Chongqing Province (pop 40 million) Nov 2014 Chongqing is a relatively new province close to the centre of Eastern China, having split from Sichuan in 1997. It is home to the mighty Yangzi River which has carved out one of … Continue reading →

CULTURAL BEHAVIOR IN CHINA By being aware of some of the differences, you lessen the impact of culture shock and you make your life considerably easier. You are in their culture. Part of the deal is tolerating, accepting and simply … Continue reading →

Sichuan (pop 84 million) November 2014 History. In the Warring States period (475-221 BC), the famed engineer Li Bing harnessed the flood-prone Min River with his revolutionary weir system, the Dujiangyan Irrigation Project, and still protects locals from floods, 2200 … Continue reading →

Shanxi Province (pop. 36.3 million) Oct 2014 Full of history, Shanxi is the province west of Beijing. I traveled to Shanxi to visit Datong (Yungang Caves with 5th century Buddhist art) and Pingyao (China’s best preserved ancient walled town), both … Continue reading →

Between Pingyao and Xi’an, in HENAN PROVINCE, are some Unesco listed sights that require a detour. Although the caves are not as good as Yungang, near Luoyang, the capital of 13 dynasties, are the Unesco listed Longmen Caves containing 100,000 … Continue reading →

Nearly three in 10 adults (28%) across 123 countries in 2013 say their city or area is a “good place” for gay or lesbian people to live, but hospitable attitudes range widely from as high as 83% in the Netherlands … Continue reading →

After another shooting in Darby, Pa where a psychiatrist with a concealed weapon permit shot and killed a patient who had already shot one colleague, Wayne Lapierre, the head of the NRA, said the incident served as a call for … Continue reading →

UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES Started in 1972, this is the foremost international treaty for the protection of major natural and cultural heritage around the world. Today, 936 sites are on the list. Located in 153 countries, they include 725 cultural, … Continue reading →

HISTORY. Although China’s size and shape has continuously changed over time, there has been an uninterrupted thread of history connecting those from 6000 years ago to the China of today, making it the longest-lasting complex civilization on earth. Shang dynasty. … Continue reading →

CHINA Oct 11-13, Oct 19-Dec 15 2014 Visa. This must be applied for outside the country and in Canada, a visa service had to be used as I was applying by mail. Itineraries must be given but these are easily … Continue reading →