Rainy Season in Viñales

September 30, 2017September 30, 2017Leave a comment

Current Location: Viñales Valley, Pinar Del Rio, Cuba

Cuba is gorgeous all the time, but it isn’t always easy to explore. Considering how much it rained while we were in Vinales (it starts at 4pm and continues for 2-3 hours), we were overjoyed to find beauty in the downpour. Even when it rains, there’s a particular elegance to the provincial life there, the way the palm fronds thrash about in the wind. Check out this short video vignette of Vinales rainstorms.

PSA: From September 7-10, Hurricane Irma swept over much of Cuba. Even in a place that is no stranger to severe weather, many homes and businesses were destroyed and lives were lost. Reports indicate that more than 100,000 homes were affected. Construction materials were out of date and sparse even before the hurricane, and prices are out of reach for so many Cubans living in poverty. This post is in solidarity and support for the rebuilding efforts.

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China 101- The Most Important Meal of the Day

April 13, 2015June 3, 2016Leave a comment

Location: Jian’ou, Fujian Province, China

I can say with much sincerity that one of the things we miss the most about China is the food and the food culture. Especially breakfast, which I think most Chinese people would agree is the most important meal of the day. One of the most common responses I get to photos from our journey is: “That’s what you guys ate for breakfast!?”

In Jian’ou, breakfast is the time the city hummed with life. Everyone would venture out to one of the hundreds of local breakfast shops to start their day off right (and maybe catch up on a little gossip and get a glimpse of the resident foreigners). More people would routinely eat out for breakfast than lunch or dinner combined. And seriously, what do Chinese people eat for breakfast? If you’re coming to China expecting a piece of toast, bacon, oatmeal, pancakes, or some cereal in the morning you’re going to be sorely disappointed.

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The Dancing Ladies

January 26, 2015June 6, 2016Leave a comment

Location: Jian’ou, Fujian Province, China

When we were living in China, one of the greatest things we noticed were the different forms of exercise. Not having widespread affordable healthcare available to the entire population makes keeping one’s body fit (even into old age!) a huge priority. It was so admirable to see how active elderly people in our community were. They would do play ping pong, pool, or badminton. They would also wake up early to perform Tai Chi sequences on their roofs and climb mountains (often times backwards, as is the tradition in China). They would take advantage of the local terrain whenever possible- living in a mountainous region made it easier- and it was oftentimes a community effort. The best part was, they would always find new ways to make it fun.

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April Showers

May 13, 2014May 11, 2016Leave a comment

Well, the showers haven’t ceased even though it is May. However, the fruits of all this rain- the flowers, vegetables, and other greenery- can be seen all around us.

Processed with VSCOcam with f2 preset

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China 101: Street Food

May 5, 2014May 11, 2016Leave a comment

In China, there are quite a few options if you like street food. Vendors will lineup anywhere and everywhere selling wares like fresh fruit, quail eggs, red bean cakes, roasted meat on skewers, seafood soup, corn on the cob, sticky pork buns, bamboo dumplings, and our local specialty in Jian’ou- Guǎng bīng (广兵)- little rounds of unleavened bread that taste a bit like Saltine crackers. Some street food is more intimidating like live eel or connective duck tissue for barbecuing, and seem a little barbaric to our Western sensibilities about hygiene. However, trying these delicacies is usually the best way to sample the authentic local flavor.

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China 101: Taking the Train

April 14, 2014May 11, 2016Leave a comment

Taking the train in China is serious business. Especially during the holidays, they are often jam packed with weary travelers. However, they can also be one of the most fascinating ways to transport you on your voyage. You can see a great deal of China’s incredibly vast landscape through the massive train windows. While on our latest adventure, we took many different types of trains (soft sleepers, hard sleepers, sitting, standing, etc.), as well as the high-speed train from Xi’an to Shanghai. We took these trains through many different types of climates, from frigid Harbin to sub-tropical Fuzhou. K made this video to give you a quick sneak peak into our experiences!

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