Destination: Beijing
Hillary Clinton’s Peace Corps Bid
by Julia Ross | 02.09.09 | 1:57 PM ET
Hillary Clinton embarks on her first foreign trip as Secretary of State next Sunday, breaking with tradition by visiting Asia rather than Europe or the Middle East. The Japanese are thrilled that they’re first on the itinerary, and the Chinese are eager to talk climate change, but it’s her stop in Jakarta that’s got me interested. The State Department confirms Clinton wants to discuss reestablishing the Peace Corps program in Indonesia, which shut down in the 1960s after only two years in operation. If Indonesia supports the idea, the move would certainly bolster President Obama’s strategy to improve U.S. relations with the Muslim world and would open another valuable avenue for person-to-person exchange.
Clinton’s stop in Beijing will likely get the lion’s share of media attention next week, but I’ll be watching the Jakarta coverage to see if she scores a small victory for public diplomacy.
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Yahoo! BuzzBeijing, China
by World Hum | 02.03.09 | 10:40 AM ET
REUTERS/David Gray A farmer and his wife collect firewood along a road on the outskirts of Beijing.
Hoscar the Grouch
by Alexander Basek | 01.27.09 | 5:10 PM ET
It’s the Hoscars! No, it’s not an Oscar party with your friend from Rome, but rather Hostel World’s ranking of the top 10 hostels in the world, based on the opinions of some 800,000 hostel bookings in 20,000 different properties. We heard that backpackers the world over were scratching themselves with anticipation and/or scabies while waiting for the 2009 winners to be announced. The top dog: Travellers House in Lisbon, part of a clean sweep of the top three by Lisbon hostels.
Meanwhile, hostel fans on the other side of the Atlantic are out of luck, as no American—neither North nor South—properties made it on the list. It’s proof positive of something, probably the lure of Spectravision at a Motel 6. Even so, do take the list with a grain of salt, as even old travel writing greybeards like Leif Pettersen have yet to grace the sheets at any of the top 10.
Check out the top ten below.
Beijing, China
by World Hum | 01.27.09 | 12:40 PM ET
REUTERS/Reinhard Krause A performer wears traditional clothes during a temple fair today celebrating Chinese New Year in Beijing. Hundreds of millions of Chinese welcomed the Year of the Ox, packing temple fairs, setting off fireworks and firecrackers for the traditional holiday. REUTERS/Reinhard Krause
Camels and Marines in Old China
by Julia Ross | 01.23.09 | 12:30 PM ET
Maybe because I was a history major in college, old newsreels fascinate me. I’ve just discovered a treasure trove of early 20th-century travel films at the Travel Film Archive and spent some time scrolling through several China entries. One 1931 film in particular—Ghosts of Empire-Peking—caught my attention for its unusual variety of street scenes. The film opens with a line of camels trooping through the city gates, then continues with clips of a boy barber at work, a close-up of a Chinese woman’s bound feet and a U.S. marine parade. Not your standard travel promo, but sure makes Beijing look like an interesting place to visit. (via quirkyBeijing)
Bird’s Nest or White Elephant?
by Julia Ross | 01.13.09 | 5:09 PM ET
Say it ain’t so. A mere five months after the Beijing Olympic Games, has the Bird’s Nest stadium become a tourist trap? With no permanent tenant signed, that’s how it’s looking. I’m a big fan of the building and would happily pay the $7 fee to walk around inside, but at the same time hope the Chinese find a dedicated revenue stream to maintain it.
For a behind-the-scenes look at how the stadium was built, check out the documentary, Bird’s Nest: Herzog and de Meuron in China. The best parts are the unintentionally hilarious culture clashes between the building’s two “make-the-trains-run-on-time” Swiss architects and their Chinese partners. You can imagine.
Headline of the Day: ‘GuGu the Panda Strikes Again’
by Michael Yessis | 01.09.09 | 10:34 AM ET
The New York Daily News is one of many writing about the latest attack on a tourist by GuGu, a panda at Beijing Zoo. Can’t really blame GuGu, though. The victim climbed into the panda’s lair. The man was apparently trying to rescue his kid’s toy, but, really, what did he expect from GuGu?
How to Eat Peking Duck in Beijing
by Diana Kuan | 11.29.07 | 11:29 AM ET
It's a feast fit for emperors. But as Diana Kuan explains, there's more to devouring the iconic dish than you might think.
Seven Wonders of the Shrinking Planet
by Jim Benning, Michael Yessis | 07.06.07 | 12:04 PM ET
Jim Benning and Michael Yessis unveil World Hum's seven wonders: places, things and people that embody ways the planet is shrinking and cultures are colliding
Have You Taken the Trans-Siberian Express from Moscow to Beijing? If So, Any Advice?
by Rolf Potts | 11.27.05 | 9:15 PM ET
Vagabonding traveler Rolf Potts answers your questions about travel
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