“Our neighbors left, the house next to theirs burned down and it also ruined their roof.” Had he not told me this, I might have not noticed the charred beams. We’re in Pinghu (平湖市钟埭老街) and the man lives in a house alongside the Corridor Shed (廊棚), which was built about a century ago when China […]

A trip to a deserted old movie set today, in the far southeast of Shanghai. Dongxu Village (东旭村) will probably soon be wiped off the map, but movies like Green Snake (青蛇) were filmed here, over 30 years ago. I found it when looking for old towns on Xiaohongshu, including a tip to find the […]

Wanghong hell at floor 52 (out of 128). Taitai really wants to see this bookstore, but the reservation spots (all free) were already gone. So we pick a date next week, take a screenshot, and in Photoshop change the date to today, and mess a bit with the QR code so it’s unreadable. The guard […]

Two weeks in the Netherlands. We’re not that known for any 美食 (great food), and compared to Chinese food I’m sure it looks crude, but for me, it’s all real comfort food: 1. Real bread and real cheese 👌 2. Battered chunks of fish and tartar, and 3. My mom’s tomato soup 4. Fries with […]

All the Chinese I encountered in two weeks in the Netherlands. 1. This is a Chinese store near my former high school, named after the Chinese city Wenzhou (温州). When I entered, the owner was calling (via WeChat) with his family in China and later we spoke about living in China and the Netherlands (he’s […]

I’m cycling through my hometown and the places of my youth, and it’s impossible not to get romantic. The pond we used to feed the ducks with our mom and later fish on our own, the field where we played football but had to watch out for dog poo, and the outdoor swimming pool that […]

I’m in my hometown in the Netherlands, a small city of around ten thousand people. And yet these words are still very much about China. Normally in this space, you’ll find me looking at China through foreign eyes, but like many people who have lived abroad for a long time, I now also feel a […]

This series is called ‘Secret Listening’, from the Chinese word 偷听Tōutīng. I know this can be — and should probably be — translated as ‘eavesdropping’, but secret listening captures it better and adds a bit of jest. These little stories or remarks stood out to me, and show a more personal side of China away […]

Here we are, Pudong. I’m about to fly home to the Netherlands. First time seeing my parents, sister, and brother in almost four years. I couldn’t sleep last night, I’m so excited, but also sad it has taken this long. China has given me so much these four five years, but not long talks sitting […]

A 27-kilometer ride with Eva through Pudong. Shanghai has these places if you look for them, and if you choose to escape the massive city center. Finished with some sweet melons!