Pro tip: Visit Beijing when there is a major holiday as the air quality is likely to be decent with factories closed and many people out of town.
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In search of quiet in Suzhou
Suzhou is renowned for its historic classical Chinese gardens, of which less than 60 remain today. We sought out two of the city’s most famous gardens and a couple lesser known ones to see if Suzhou’s reputation as a paradise on earth holds true.
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Songbei, Harbin after dark // 松北区, 哈尔滨
Sometimes the most memorable experiences are those that you didn’t go looking for. Like the after-dark activities that we stumbled upon in Songbei, Harbin’s central business district.
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Shenyang 沈阳: Little Korea town at Xita
Shenyang’s Xita Street (a.k.a. Little Korea Town) features a North Korean-owned restaurant staffed by women from the DPRK. Expect an entertaining albeit kitsch dining experience complete with lively song and dance in Korean and Mandarin!
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Shenyang 沈阳: Imperial capital turned industrial pioneer
Located in northeast China, Shenyang has a rich cultural history. It was the former imperial capital of the Qing Dynasty as well as one of the cities that led China’s industrial revolution.
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Just a few temples in Kyoto
Kyoto is home to more than 1,600 temples and some 500 Shinto shrines. Many of the city’s best and notable gardens can be found within the temple grounds.
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Riding the slow train around Yangon
The Yangon Circle Line is a slow ride, taking three hours to complete the loop as it passes through the city’s outlying areas. It is, however, a good way to see the rest of Myanmar’s former capital.
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Vignettes of Japan #15: At one with nature
During our brief sojourn in Higashi-Yoshino, we took leisurely walks by the river, passed a waterfall and ancient shrines, climbed over many moss-covered stones, weaved amongst skinny tall trees, and listened to riotous symphonies by unknown insects.
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Vignettes of Japan #14: Countryside living
Once in a blue moon, I would select my next travel destination because of an unusual or exceptional lodging in the area. This has brought me to places that I had not heard of before; the mountainous village of Higashi-Yoshino 東吉野村 in Japan’s Nara Prefecture is one example. I was looking for a place to stay…
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