April 2015
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Shanghai Built Knockoff Ghost Towns Copied from Around the World
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China is certainly weird. On the outskirts of Shanghai, China they’ve built a number of knockoff towns, copying styles from around the world. I explored a few of them, and was thoroughly weirded out. More on my explorations of Shanghai – Modern Ghost Towns, Racecars, and Skyscrapers in Shanghai
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The Fastest Magnetic Train in the World: Riding the Shanghai Transrapid Maglev
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Shanghai has the fastest commercial maglev transportation system in the world – the Shanghai Transrapid. I explored the train, and took the ride. More on my explorations of Shanghai: Modern Ghost Towns, Racecars, and Skyscrapers in Shanghai
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Here’s Where China Makes Volkswagens – My Private Tour Of VW Car Plant #3
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Lots of cars are made in China, including Volkswagen and Skoda. Showing up in a suit unannounced, I managed to talk my way into an unscheduled private tour of Volkswagen Shanghai Car Plant #3. Here’s how it all works: More on my explorations of Shanghai: Modern Ghost Towns, Racecars, and Skyscrapers in Shanghai
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Getting Hitched at the Shanghai Marriage Market
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During my exploration of Shanghai, China, I stopped by the Shanghai Marriage Market – and almost got fixed up! Here’s my experience… See everything I did on this trip to Shanghai: Modern Ghost Towns, Racecars, and Skyscrapers in Shanghai
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Modern Ghost Towns, Racecars, and Skyscrapers in Shanghai
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After being the more traditional cities of Beijing and Xi’an for a bit, I was ready to step into the more modern world of Shanghai. In the last few decades, like much of China, Shanghai has been on a building spree, with new buildings popping up everywhere. I took about a week to walk the…
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Visiting the Terracotta Army in Xi’an, China
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After my week in North Korea, I returned to Beijing, China for a day, and then continued on to Xi’an on 2015-04-20. My friend Emily is currently living there, which made for a perfect opportunity to drop by to see a friend, and to check out the Terracotta Warriors. I only spent 3 days there,…
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Exploring North Korea and Running the Pyongyang Marathon
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The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), aka “The Hermit Kingdom”, has always seemed like a mysterious land. The timing on my lap through Asia worked out perfectly, and I decided to check it out for myself – and to run the 2015 Pyongyang Marathon in the process. In short: exploring North Korea was an…
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Exploration of North Korea – Successfull, Covered by NBC News
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After spending a week in the DPRK – North Korea, I’ve finally landed safely back in Beijing. I ran the Pyongyang Marathon (personal record – 3:36:55), visited the north side of the DMZ, and saw in person the bodies of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, among many other amazing and weird experiences. Full…
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Why Staying in Hostels While Traveling Solo Is Great
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Earlier this year, while I was traveling through Beijing, China, I stayed in Leo Hostel. During my short stay there, I was interviewed by a Chinese school group producing a short segment about travel in China. In the segment, I speak a little about my travel experiences, and why I think it’s a great idea…
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Finding Community in China’s Capital – Beijing
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My first stop in China was the capital city, Beijing. Visiting China was a big moment for me – it’s size, population, and ever increasing role in global affairs make it a force to reckon with. I felt like it was essential to give a good chunk of time to develop an understanding at a…