The mountains just north of Lisbon abound with the fantastical architectural gems of Sintra. We took a day trip experience them. There were two main places I wanted to see, Pena Palace and La Quinta da Regaliera, but we got … Continued
Lisbon’s Sights This list of Lisbon must-sees, sights that you need to see and place you need to go to truly experience the city, is extensive. Here are some that I visited while there. I would love to return and … Continued
Lisbon, Portugal – the Edge to Europe Lisbon, Portugal sits on the edge of Europe. This coastline was the furthest west ancient European civilizations extended, and the staging ground for some of the world’s greatest explorers. My short experience in … Continued
As Mongolia’s capital for a few hundred years, you would expect there to be more Ulaanbaatar historic sites. However, not many places remain to reflect this history. The Soviets or Communists destroyed most of the city’s historic palaces, temples, and … Continued
One highlight of my year was a month spent in Mongolia, most of it in Ulaanbaatar. Since living in China, I have thought it would be nice to visit Mongolia, though it has never been at the top of my … Continued
China is full of iconic scenery that has been backdrop to many films such as the Three Natural Bridges, Hongcun Village, and the water town of Xitang. The area around Shijiazhuang, capital of Hebei Province, includes such scenery and outstanding … Continued
The Great Wall of China spanned more than 5,000 miles consisting of spurs and other features including gates, fortresses, and one bridge (more about that in the next post). During the Ming dynasty, people entered China from the northeast through … Continued
Beijing Sights Old Foreign Legation Quarter After I visited the Beijing Ancient Observatory, Southeast Corner Tower, and Ming Dynasty Wall Park, I walked through the old Foreign Legation Quarter. I particularly wanted to see a couple of historic churches in … Continued
The southeast corner of the ancient Ming Dynasty city wall is the only place where wall still remains other than the few gates lining the perimeter like Deshengmen. There is also a fantastic Southeast Corner Tower still intact. Southeast Corner … Continued
I walked a mere 20 minutes from my apartment to find these treasures in the neighborhood around Deshengmen. Beijing’s city walls once had a series of massive gates at various points for entry. In the early and mid-20th century, they … Continued