DEGE, CHINA — “Shimmering like crystal in a mid-day sun; blinding snows melt and rivers run.”
These could be the words used on a glossy brochure to promote any number of European or North American ski destinations.

HANGZHOU, CHINA -   The neatly attired young man welcomed us to his tiny tea village that rests just outside this mega-city of six million people by saying: “I will be your guide because I am the only one here who speaks English.”

XI’AN, CHINA-We were warned not to take out our cameras and try to photograph the old man hiding behind the hand-held fan.

SHANGHAI - When the sun sets and most cities in the region are drawing shades to end the day, China’s largest city is just beginning to stretch its arms and come to life.

XIAN, CHINA - Jiang Li (a.k.a. Ella) asked what other city walls I had walked on?  “A few,” I responded but before getting a chance to name them, the local girl I met while walking Xi’an’s ancient stone fortress interrupted me and asked: “Okay, how many have you ridden a bicycle on?”

XIAN, CHINA - They call this ancient capital the “Jewel of China.” And for good reason. It sparkles at night.  In fact, Xian is a city bathed in light.
In fact, Xian is a city bathed in light.

BEIJING -  This is a city that changes in the blink of an eye, literally. As an old building disappears in a cloud of demolition dust, a new one appears  when the dust clears.

SUZHOU, CHINA -  If you believe the Chinese, this grimy, polluted industrial city of 6 million about an hour’s drive from Shanghai is “Heaven on Earth."

MUTIANYU, CHINA -  They say it’s one of the few man-made objects you can see from space. But on this hazy morning, we can barely see the section of China’s Great Wall that sits a few minutes outside this remote outpost.