Archive by Author
Fujian Tulou Video Tour – Part Three Posted by sasha on Feb 2, 2015
On the last day of our tulou adventure, we visit the amazing Chuxi group. Hike to a scenic lookout and ponder how the CIA once confused these clan dwellings for missile silos. Then visit three stunning tulou structures, one of which has been converted to a museum. 最后一天 – zuì hòu yì tiān last day…
Taking a Chinese Taxi Posted by sasha on Jan 29, 2015
In the last post, I introduced some useful vocabulary for taking a taxi in China. As I mentioned, cab drivers are one of your best resources for practicing Chinese, and they can also give you great insights into Chinese culture and daily life. I’ve had many a conversation with Chinese cabbies over the year, and…
Chinese Taxi Cab Confessionals Posted by sasha on Jan 26, 2015
When people ask me where and how I learned to speak Chinese, I often reply by saying, “In Beijing taxis” (在北京出租车里面 – zài běi jīng chū zū chē lǐ miàn). Although I say it jokingly and it’s usually followed by laughter from the Chinese person, I’m actually quite serious. When I first started taking Chinese…
Fujian Tulou Video Tour – Part Two Posted by sasha on Jan 26, 2015
In Part Two of our tulou adventure, visit the Gaobei cluster – home to the most famous earthen building of them all. The “King of Tulou” is a massive structure with nearly 400 rooms that once housed up to 800 people. While this is by far the most touristy section of the tulou, it’s worth…
You Speak Chinese Very Well! Posted by sasha on Jan 22, 2015
Chinese is a difficult language to master, and nobody knows this more than the Chinese themselves. As such, people in China are often quite impressed to hear foreigners speaking their language, even at the most basic level. If I had a dollar for every time a Chinese person told me how great my Mandarin is…
Fujian Tulou Video Tour – Part One Posted by sasha on Jan 19, 2015
Join us on a video tour of the incredible tulou buildings of southeast China’s Fujian province. In part one, check out a cool hostel where you can base yourself, cycle through a village, explore a deserted tulou, and wind down with a night at a hot springs park. 土楼 – tǔ lóu tulou (earthen building)…
Exploring the Fujian Tulou Posted by sasha on Jan 16, 2015
On our recent trip to Fujian province, we started off with a short beach vacation in Xiamen. While we had a good time exploring Gulangyu island and wandering through the night market, the main reason for coming to southeast China was to get out and see the famed tulou (土楼 – tǔ lóu) villages. These…