Lóngshèng Tītián, Dazhai, Guangxi Province

The second part of our trip this past winter was to Guangxi Province in the South of China. We flew to Guilin and from there took a bus to the Lóngshèng Tītián. These terraced rice paddies are often referred to as the Dragon's Backbone Rice Terraces and they are absolutely unbelievable.

We were traveling off season and were pleased to meet two very nice Chileans on the bus from Longsheng to Dazhai. We arrived in Dazhai and hiked around a little visiting a few different family hotels before choosing the Da Yao Zhai Tavern. The owners of this hotel are Yao Chinese and this village is famous for it's long haired women.

We were there in the winter. All alone we wandered through the terraces. It was quiet, misty and magical...

The pictures below are from the 7 hour hike we took the day after we arrived. Looking back I still struggle to find the words to describe how breathtakingly beautiful it was.





















































































Here is a photo of the Lóngshèng Tītián during the summer. Can't wait to go back!

Towa from Tokyo

This is Towa. The unbelievably adorable son of Yusaku and Kanami. I am completely and totally in love with him...



I spent my birthday in Tokyo this year and it was SUBARASHII!!! Gracias a mon amour for such an amazing gift and a Yusaku and his family for their hospitality and kindness. I still have a million pictures to put up from our trip to Southwest China this past January before I can even begin to organize my pictures from Tokyo.

In the meantime check out what Xavier and I did for Children's Day in Yoyogi Park!

Art Re-Public, Tokyo

More Tokyo and more Towa coming soon!!!

Hainan, the Chinese Hawaii/Las Vegas/Jersey Shore

Back in December, as the cold Siberian wind blew in from the North, Xavier and I snuggled up in our warm cozy apartment in a permanent pajamafied state: reading, studying Chinese and watching Seinfeld. Since Xavier is a better student than I am, I did what I do best and used my skills as a talented procrastinator to begin searching online for cool places for us to go during our winter holiday.

I quickly discovered that down beyond Hong Kong at the southernmost tip of China lies the "Hawaii of China", Hainan. An island, now that's what we need! I sat in my long underwear and cashmere socks imagining sandy beaches tinted pink with magnificent sunsets, clear cool water with bright shiny fish dancing around my toes and warm breezes cooling my tanned skin. I even got off the couch and did a few sit-ups and leg lifts thinking about my neon green bikini.

My eyes soon grew weary, midterm exams had to be graded and we put our vacation planning aside.

Still, when I could, I asked around a little bit and got conflicting responses. Every single Chinese person that I spoke to said Hainan was amazing. The freshest fish, the most beautiful beaches, the warmest sun... a paradiso. Most Westerners I asked, had another opinion. One told me, "It's awesome, we stayed in a really fancy resort and everything was included, we never even saw any Chinese people!" 

Others were more emphatic, "Are you kidding? Hainan is terrible, don't waste your time or your money."

My boss, Professor White, warned me about the shock I would incur when I arrived at the beach and found fully clothed Chinese bathing in the sea along side Russians drinking vodka in skimpy bikinis. He told me, "Well, it would certainly be an interesting sociological study I guess."



But here we are, living in China, learning about China and we wanted an authentic Chinese experience. So we listened to the locals. We bought our tickets in December and a few days later I found this article about Hainan in the New York Times.

On China’s Hainan Island, the Boom Is Deafening

Here is the link to a series of photos published with the New York Times article. Amazing!

In many ways, Hainan is a tropical paradise, but the most beautiful places are not listed in the guide book. You have to be willing to search the island, speak to people (or try your best) and seek the path less traveled.

There are a lot of pictures so I have broken the trip down into the following parts:

Click away and enjoy!!!

Sunny Sanya

Li Village

Wuzhishan

Shuiman & Old Haikou



We did have fresh coconut milk every day ;-)

In and Around Wuzhishan

The Law Of The Jungle by Rudyard Kipling, 1880

Now this is the Law of the Jungle — as old and as true as the sky;
And the Wolf that shall keep it may prosper, but the Wolf that shall break it must die.
As the creeper that girdles the tree-trunk the Law runneth forward and back —
For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack.

Wash daily from nose-tip to tail-tip; drink deeply, but never too deep;
And remember the night is for hunting, and forget not the day is for sleep.
The Jackal may follow the Tiger, but, Cub, when thy whiskers are grown,
Remember the Wolf is a Hunter — go forth and get food of thine own.
Keep peace with the Lords of the Jungle — the Tiger, the Panther, and Bear.
And trouble not Hathi the Silent, and mock not the Boar in his lair.
When Pack meets with Pack in the Jungle, and neither will go from the trail,
Lie down till the leaders have spoken — it may be fair words shall prevail.
When ye fight with a Wolf of the Pack, ye must fight him alone and afar,
Lest others take part in the quarrel, and the Pack be diminished by war.
The Lair of the Wolf is his refuge, and where he has made him his home,
Not even the Head Wolf may enter, not even the Council may come.
The Lair of the Wolf is his refuge, but where he has digged it too plain,
The Council shall send him a message, and so he shall change it again.
If ye kill before midnight, be silent, and wake not the woods with your bay,
Lest ye frighten the deer from the crop, and your brothers go empty away.
Ye may kill for yourselves, and your mates, and your cubs as they need, and ye can;
But kill not for pleasure of killing, and seven times never kill Man!
If ye plunder his Kill from a weaker, devour not all in thy pride;
Pack-Right is the right of the meanest; so leave him the head and the hide.
The Kill of the Pack is the meat of the Pack. Ye must eat where it lies;
And no one may carry away of that meat to his lair, or he dies.
The Kill of the Wolf is the meat of the Wolf. He may do what he will;
But, till he has given permission, the Pack may not eat of that Kill.
Cub-Right is the right of the Yearling. From all of his Pack he may claim
Full-gorge when the killer has eaten; and none may refuse him the same.
Lair-Right is the right of the Mother. From all of her year she may claim
One haunch of each kill for her litter, and none may deny her the same.
Cave-Right is the right of the Father — to hunt by himself for his own:
He is freed of all calls to the Pack; he is judged by the Council alone.
Because of his age and his cunning, because of his gripe and his paw,
In all that the Law leaveth open, the word of your Head Wolf is Law.

Now these are the Laws of the Jungle, and many and mighty are they;
But the head and the hoof of the Law and the haunch and the hump is — Obey!




























Chinese Bam Bam.





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