Travel
When M and I were in in Venice, Italy, we quickly learned a very important lesson. If we wanted to know where the good local restaurants were, we needed to ask the receptionist at our hotel. Her first recommendation to us was excellent and on our last night in the city, we knew she’d have an equally excellent suggestion for us. This lead us to...
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One of my favourite ways to get a bit of unexpected language practice in is by taking tours in one of my target languages. Or at the very least, picking up the guide in one or two languages. Since I love travel, and usually love the focus of the tours that I’m taking, there’s quite a lot of relevant vocabulary for me to collect from the...
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During our summer concert tour, M and I had a stop in San Antonio, Texas to perform at the Balcones Heights Jazz Festival. We were there with just enough time to perform and fly back, but before our return flight, we had a few hours free during the afternoon and we wanted to make the most of it. With the Riverwalk and the Alamo only...
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Beijing, the capital of China, is a pleasant mix of historic and modern sites and architecture. There are so many things to do in and around the city, so here are a few of my favorites from my recent (and first) trip to the country. 1. Visit the Summer Palace // A short metro ride away from Beijing, the Summer Palace is an expansive park...
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As some of you may know, I studied martial arts for some time. More specifically, kung fu. Upon visiting China, I knew that one of the things I wanted to do was explore China’s martial arts and I thought one of the ways I could do it would be to join up with those practicing Taichi in one of Beijing’s many parks. The first time...
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In my opinion, one of the best things about Beijing are its hutongs, or alleys. These narrow streets are lined with old homes and shops, particularly in the traditional courtyard style. Sadly, these areas are slowly disappearing. Many of the hutongs have been demolished to make way for more modern constructions, roads or buildings. Thankfully, however, many efforts have been made recently to designate the...
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Houhai Park, literally ‘rear lake’, is a neighborhood in the Xicheng District of Beijing. Houhai is the largest of three lakes that comprise Shichahai, the other two, Qianhai and Xihai. The area around the lakes has recently become known for its nightlife with bars that feature live music that are particularly popular amongst expats. Both the former residence of Soong Ching-ling and the mansion of...
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With an incredible view of the entrance to the Forbidden City and a moving political history, Tiananmen Square is one of the most visited, albeit controversial sites in Beijing, China. To enter the square, you need to pass through security and armed guards are posted around the area. But upon entering Tiananmen, you can see the Monument to the People’s Heroes, the Great Hall of...
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The holiday season is upon us! Have you finished your holiday shopping already? I sure haven’t, but I’m getting pretty close. Finding the perfect gift is (almost) never easy! Especially for someone with particular tastes or interests. If you have a few travel lovers or adventurers who you still need to shop for (and it’s totally cool if that includes gifts for yourself), here are...
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Travel
Sometimes some of the most interesting things you see when visiting a new place are those you find by chance. And the Military Museum of the Chinese People’s Revolution (中国人民革命军事博物馆) was definitely one of those things for me during my trip to Beijing, China. Located in the Haidian district of Beijing, the Military Museum showcases restored military equipment from the People’s Liberation Army. Originally built...
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