I recently got a Garmin watch (Nevu 2 if you’re wondering). It’s just a piece of tech, but feels like a lot more, because my brother also uses it in the Netherlands. This way we can sort of sport together. (He mostly runs, I mostly cycle.) Actually, Garmin/Strava are one of the few apps both […]
This month I rewatched the original three Indiana Jones movies — which was a blast, as even today these movies are timeless thrills. I do vaguely remember seeing these movies as a kid, as the holy grail face-melting & eating from monkey skulls left deep imprints in my memory. Archeology was a fascination. Not just […]
The playing, the rider, and the painted (Songjiang today). I’ve sinned a bit. 4A and 5A tourist attractions in China are horrible, but we did go to Guangfulin Relics Park (广富林遗址) today, which classifies as 4A. It was good though. Lots of old buildings on the huge premise, most if not all reproductions & a […]
Wednesday 2nd of August Evening ride in Pudong (向阳村). There’s a nice breeze alongside the Yangtze, and people are watching fireworks, fishing, snacking, chatting — being together. Friday 4th of August Back today, really love this place. We all come to watch the river. No matter how much money you make, which car you drive, […]
Every hike is its own little story. Today, Luyu Ancient Road (陆羽古道) in Huzhou (湖州) with friends & ten thousand mosquitoes. A two-hour drive from Shanghai and you’re in a totally different scenery. (Two hours back and you’re surrounded by glass, concrete & coffee stores again.) We only took the 6KM trail but with a […]
We went to see 长安三万里 (Chang’An), a movie about Li Bai and other poets, as well as a part of Chinese history. The movie is a beautiful animation though I’m not sure who it’s made for. I guess the cartoonish looks made many parents believe this is for kids, but the dialogue, story & three-hour […]
Songxicun (嵩溪村) today, with buildings from different centuries. Lots of history here, but we didn’t really study all the plaques or Baidu, we just had a quiet day in between the rain showers. Amazing woodwork here in this temple. No visitors around, just corn left to dry. The village has two creeks coming together, one […]
Cooling down near Yiwu (义乌) today, at Songpushan (松瀑山). It’s a tiny mountain with a waterfall. It has only 58 reviews on Dianping so I didn’t expect lots of people, but actually it was crowded, in a good way. Everyone’s sweaty faces full of smiles. Also watermelons are hot. Yiwu in the distance.
This tiny museum has stones with markings on them that look like Chinese characters (or animals). Eighteenth National Congress (十八大): Shanghai (上海): Divide the world into three parts (三分天下): Also animals and the Chinese zodiac: Horse (马): I asked the baoan where these stones were found: “Just in the direct area here.” Either […]
We visited the Old Baoshan (老宝山) in the north of Pudong, after a tip of Historic Pudong. Baoshan is also a district on the other side of the river. It has the same Chinese characters, but there’s no proof that the names are related to each other. (It’s not too weird for an area to […]