A Chinese proverb says, “Heaven is up in the sky, but on earth, we have Hangzhou and Suzhou.” Hangzhou is only about an hour away by high-speed train from Shanghai. Our English-speaking tour guide, Pete, and the driver were waiting for us at the train station with a van. We headed to the famous West …
My daughter Mei-Ling (or LL), son-in-law Srin, and grandchildren Kaanan (15) and Kavi (13) flew from Vancouver, Canada, to join us in Shanghai. This was KnK’s first time visiting China, so everyone was excited. I rented a 3-bedroom apartment 5 minutes’ walk from the popular People’s Square. The compound consisted of several high-rise apartments and …
Family Reunion in Shanghai (8/22-9/2/26), China Trip Part 3 Read More »
From HK, we took an overnight 12.5-hour high-speed train to Beijing. It was so smooth and quiet. China has more than 31,000 miles of rail network, and standard bullet trains run between 200 and 400 km/hour. Railroad is the best way to travel around China. China uses a “true-ID” system, so foreigners must have a …
Beijing and Datong – Northern China (8/18-22/2026) Read More »
Nowadays, traveling is much more troublesome than it used to be. We started our 2026 China trip stranded at the STL airport for over 12 hours. Our flight to Chicago was canceled because of stormy weather there, which meant we missed our 4 pm connection to HK. I asked AA to book us on a …
Hong Kong (8/14-8/18/26), Southern China 2026 Part I Read More »
We embarked on our journey to Northern England for two compelling reasons: the Beatles and James Herriot. Liverpool, an industrial maritime city, proudly claims to be the Beatles’ hometown. Our one-night stay in Liverpool included the unforgettable Magical Mystery Tour, highly recommended by British couples we met in Cornwall. On this tour, we explored the …
Northern England – Liverpool and Yorkshire (May 23-June 1, 2026) Read More »
Cornwall is a rugged rural coastal region in South West England. We took a 5-hour train ride from London to the town of St. Austell, where I had booked our stay at The Chapel Guest House, a charming converted 1862 Methodist chapel located 3.5 km from the train station. The town bus comes only every …
Cornwall – The SW Coastal Region of England with Unique Gardens (May 22-27, 2026) Read More »
I started planning a trip to London for the Chelsea Flower Show last year. The show is world-renowned and very popular. I even joined the Royal Horticultural Society so we could avoid the large crowds by attending the two members-only days. The membership fee was well worth it. I also booked a flight with British …
Our final destination on this European journey was Hamburg, Germany. Contrary to its reputation as a major port city, Hamburg actually is located 68 miles from the mouth of the North Sea. The Elbe River, with its branching nature, provides an ideal setting for a port complex equipped with warehousing and transshipment facilities. During our …
We arrived in Vienna by train from Venice, greeted by a thick blanket of five inches of winter snow. Our first day was spent exploring the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Art History), one of the world’s most prestigious art museums. It houses the Imperial Collections, featuring art from ancient Egypt, classical antiquity, and the Renaissance. …
Carnival is a festival celebrated by most Catholics before Lent in February. The one in Venice, Italy, is world-renowned because of its elaborate masks and 17th-century costumes. Our friends the Quinns and us rent an apartment together in a quiet neighborhood. Venice is a “floating city” built on 118 small islands in a marshy lagoon, …