Tag: #ChinaThroughMyEyes

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Atlas

China – Beijing, Forbidden City – Part 2

Post-Christmas, Beijing-Style (AKA: How I Froze, Found Mao, and Touched Heaven)

The day after Christmas—though truth be told, this year it was more of a non-Christmas—we kicked off part two of our China adventure: three days in the frosty heart of Beijing. Armed with neatly packed notes, camera in hand, and enough curiosity to power a bullet train, I was ready for a cultural marathon in sub-zero temperatures.

The flight from Shanghai was a breezy two hours, and when we landed in Beijing, our local guide Jack was already waiting for us at the airport. Jack wasn’t really “Jack,” of course. Like many Chinese guides, he picked an easier-to-pronounce name for European tourists—because let’s be honest, even after he repeated his real name three times, I still couldn’t get it right. Read more

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Atlas

China – Horns, History & a Hint of Chaos – Part 1

“Ni hao, Communist nostalgia!” – My First Days in Shanghai

The moment you land at Pudong International Airport in Shanghai, you feel it. That vague, stiff air of communism—like a flashback to a different era, especially if you’ve lived through one. The border agent looks at you like you’ve just been caught with a suitcase full of secrets, eyes sharp, posture military. Maybe it’s just the uniform. Maybe it’s my 17-hour flight-induced paranoia. Either way, I found myself wondering if I’d accidentally broken a law just by blinking too often.

One thing’s for sure: do not take photos in the airport. I made that mistake with the enthusiasm of a clueless tourist and was swiftly, politely-but-firmly shut down by the Chinese police.

Welcome to China, land of dragons, dynasties, dumplings… and very clear rules. Read more