Hangzhou Global Tour - Mike's Road Trip

Hangzhou Global Tour: Day six

Mike Shubic July 29th, 2015 Comments Off

Silk has a deep history in China that dates back thousands of years. The alluring fabric is woven into the lives of the people of Hangzhou (both literally and figuratively). From the cultivation, processing to its use in so many applications, silk is highly coveted and valued. To illustrate this...

Hangzhou Global Tour: Day five

Mike Shubic July 27th, 2015 6 Comments

It dawned on me the other day that one of the reasons West Lake in Hangzhou is so special is that it is an urban lake…an oasis right in the middle of a major city. I can think of only a few places I’ve been to where I can recall...

Hangzhou Global Tour: Day three

Mike Shubic July 25th, 2015 Comments Off

My third day in Hangzhou started off with a tour of a popular market where many merchants sell handcrafted items. One highlight included two gentleman pounding sesame seeds with large wooden mallets while humming a rhythmic tune in order to stay in sync with one another. The malleable form was...

Hangzhou Global Tour: Day two

Mike Shubic July 24th, 2015 Comments Off

It was a whirlwind of a second day in Hangzhou that started with a steep and windy drive to the top of Yuhuang Mountain—there we visited a Taoist Temple and met with a very friendly monk who was eager to show us around and answer our deluge of questions. Our...

Hangzhou Global Tour: Day one

Mike Shubic July 23rd, 2015 5 Comments

For those of you who follow me regularly, you know that I was selected to participate in the 2015 Hangzhou, China Global Tour. Click here for earlier post. As I typically try and do during my trips, I will be posting to the "Road Diary" to keep my regular readers...

BIG NEWS! Hint: Marco. Polo.

Mike Shubic July 8th, 2015 20 Comments

Whoa, do I have some BIG NEWS to share! Those of you who know and follow me are aware of my thirst for adventure and exploration. A couple months ago I entered a storytelling/writing contest. Of course I had no expectations of winning. A week ago, I learned that I...