Wine Masters of Tianjin The guy is so earnest, so innocent, so charming. And really young. (Everyone in China is young.) Trying so hard. I ordered a mixed salad and steak sandwich, and a glass of Banfi, 2011 Cabernet-Sangiovese. Fifty-eight RMB. About nine-fifty, US. I figure I can eek three of these into my … [read more]
Travel
What is lost (and gained) when the traveler settles down
Friends, Please take note of my friend Nikki’s most recent post…this coming from a well-seasoned traveler, who has chosen safe harbor. For now, at least. Happily, that harbor is the same one I enjoy. I used to refer to Nikki as Michael’s daughter who happens to be a great writer. Now. I say Michael … [read more]
Marlboro Dharma
My Korean friend, Mr. Kim, who lives in HoChiMinh City, excused himself from the dozen-person dinner to sit on the bench outside the restaurant and smoke, following a fine meal. Kim had placed third as a body-builder in the Mr. Korea competition when he was 25, and significantly beefier. These days, Kim is built more … [read more]
The Ship Graveyards of Chittagong
The Ship Graveyards of Chittagong We flew from Shanghai to Bangkok then on to Dhaka, Bangladesh’s capital city. The airport was alarmingly small and shabby for a city of nearly seven million. I wondered if we were in the right place. Armed military were ever-present and customs barely moved, in step with the sweltering heat … [read more]
Refugee Traveler
Refugee Traveler I travel a lot. Maybe a third of each year I spend in China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Korea and around the US. I realized this morning I have a refugee’s relationship to travel, to my home and to the stuff I have collected that I carry around the world. I discovered … [read more]
Shanghai Notes
Shanghai Notes Late December, 2010 As we arrived in Shanghai today, a colleague from Hong Kong explained to me how Shanghai people and northern Mandarin speakers as a group have “low IQ” because they shout and are generally loud when they speak. Our host and the Buick mini-van driver, both Shanghai guys, were shouting as … [read more]