What We Ate in Baoji: After arriving by green train, Dad and Elaine stopped at a busy local noodle shop for our first meal in Baoji. This time Dad stepped aside: Elaine had to read the choices, speak to the staff and order lunch herself. We had made it. After Elaine’s first journey on a Chinese green train (绿皮车, lǜpíchē) from Xianyang (咸阳, Xiányáng) — including the little surprise that we didn’t...
Elaine’s First Green Train in China — Then We Discovered We Had No Seats! On the Move in Shaanxi: Elaine’s First Ride on a Chinese Green Train Elaine had already traveled on plenty of trains in China. Fast ones. Very fast ones. The sleek high-speed rail (高铁, gāotiě) that makes moving between Chinese cities remarkably easy. But Dad wanted her to experience another side of China’s railway system. Something older. Something slower....
Where Curiosity Took Us: Dad and Elaine were walking through Xi’an Xianyang International Airport when we spotted a row of strange white boxes marked “RELAXATION.” We didn’t sleep in one — but naturally, we had to find out what was inside. Airports are full of things designed to make you keep moving. Check-in. Security. Gate. Board. Go. But while Dad and Elaine were passing through Xi’an Xianyang International Airport (西安咸阳国际机场, Xī’ān Xiányáng...
What We Experienced in Xi’an: After spending most of the day at the Qin-Han Museum, Dad and Elaine walked to Qingong Metro Station and tried Xi’an’s metro instead — with Elaine using Alipay on her phone to scan straight through the gate. Dad likes taking the easy way when it makes sense. But Dad also likes trying another way. 😂 Earlier that day, we’d taken a DiDi (滴滴) to the Qin-Han Museum...
What We Experienced near Xi’an: Dad and Elaine spent so long exploring the Qin-Han Museum (陕西历史博物馆秦汉馆) that we completely lost track of time. There was no proper lunch restaurant — but Elaine found the solution in a vending machine. There is a small problem with taking Dad to a history museum. Dad forgets what time it is. 😂 And at the Qin-Han Museum of the Shaanxi History Museum (陕西历史博物馆秦汉馆, Shǎnxī Lìshǐ Bówùguǎn...
What We Experienced in Beijing: Dad and Elaine wandered Gui Street (簋街, Guǐjiē) after dark, under rows of red lanterns, past restaurants, old shopfronts and late-night food stops — with one very modern ending: Elaine ordering a drink by QR code. Some places in Beijing feel completely different after sunset. Gui Street (簋街, Guǐjiē) was one of them. By day, Dongzhimen Inner Street is still a busy Beijing road. But at night?...
Where We Stayed in Beijing: Furun · Jingyuan Hotel (富润·璟院) gave us a small boutique base near Wangfujing, at the edge of a hutong neighborhood — comfortable enough for a few nights of exploring central Beijing. When choosing a hotel in Beijing, Dad usually asks a very practical question: How much of our holiday do we want to spend traveling from our hotel to the places we actually came to see? Beijing...
What We Experienced in Beijing: At Tianleyuan Grand Theatre near Qianmen, Elaine went from seeing Beijing Opera in books and videos to wearing the headdress, learning the gestures and experiencing one of China’s great performing traditions for herself. Some travel stories actually begin years before the trip. This one began in Shenzhen in 2018. Dad and Elaine were at Shenzhen Book City (深圳书城, Shēnzhèn Shūchéng) — a place Elaine would grow particularly...
Daily Life in Old Beijing: Dad went for a morning walk and found cats on rooftops, a little dog, a caged songbird, potted plants — and a reminder that Beijing’s hutongs are still people’s homes. Not every travel story needs a famous attraction. Sometimes you just need a fat cat. 😂 Dad was walking through a Beijing hutong (胡同, hútòng) one morning when a fluffy white cat wandered past. Nothing unusual about...
Where We Stayed in Beijing: Dad chose a traditional Chinese-style lodging near Qianmen so Elaine could experience Old Beijing beyond the famous sights. There are plenty of modern hotels in Beijing. We could have stayed in one. Instead, Dad chose something rather different for Elaine. A traditional Chinese-themed lodging tucked into the hutong (胡同, hútòng) area near Qianmen (前门, Qiánmén), right in the historic center of Beijing. Why? Because this Beijing trip...
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