Mr. Ma came to our office to teach us the traditional craft of Chinese egg carving.  This involved the laborious process of drawing, in pencil, the character “fu” (“prosperity) on a hallowed egg, then using a blade to slowly chisel away the peel of the egg.  While at first frustrating, each of us eventually became so involved in our eggs that it was almost meditative.  While carving our eggs,  » Read more »

In the face of modernization, China is struggling to preserve its cultural heritage, and nowhere is this more visible than in the ancient hutongs of Beijing. I have never been an admirer of the hutongs from an architectural or historical point of view, it was more about the buzz I felt as I meandered down these narrow alleys, seeing them bursting with activity.  Sadly, the city’s rapid growth will no longer allow these vibrant communities to remain in these areas.   » Read more »

My good friend Ling, a successful Chinese-American business woman, recently spent a whole night on the internet during her travels organizing her onward air tickets.  She wanted to get from Beijing to Lombok in Indonesia to join us for a vacation, and then fly on to Vienna.  I asked her the obvious question, “Have you thought of asking a travel agent to do that for you?” She hadn’t and many of her generation think similarly,  » Read more »

In an era of DIY vacations, travelers have more tools—online travel agencies, review sites, booking apps—at their fingertips than ever before. But when it comes to expert advice about a destination and customization, you can’t beat a good agent. “Today’s agents provide insider access, learn and understand your desires and personality, and are there for you 24/7, before, during, and after your trip,” says Kimberly Wilson Wetty, co-president and co-owner of Valerie Wilson Travel.  » Read more »

Joan Jonat, a China travel specialist at Protravel International based in Harrison, N.Y., loves working with clients who already know the country and are ready to visit areas they haven't seen previously.  If they are experienced, she said, there is more flexibility, and "we will do some tourist sites and we will include something that is just fun."  "Just fun" for one family this June will be participation in the annual Shangri-La Horse Racing Festival in Yunnan province near the Tibetan border.  » Read more »