Sunday Reads: China Rich Girlfriend

China Rich Girlfriend

By: Kevin Kwan

If you're looking for a fun story, check out China Rich Girlfriend! I read Crazy Rich Asians last summer and I was excited to find the sequel while browsing at a bookstore in Hong Kong in August. Kevin Kwan is an excellent storyteller and portrays life in China in a way I've never seen before. While most Asians do not live such lavish lifestyles as those depicted in the book, there are many cultural aspects he shares that are very real. I particularly enjoyed reading this during my stay in China as I could relate to much of it. 

The story picks up about two years after Crazy Rich Asians leaves off. Rachel and Nick are about to get married and Rachel is in search of her birth father. Nick's family is less than thrilled about the union and scandal ensues. Rachel and Nick travel through mainland China, Hong Kong and Singapore as Kwan draws the reader into the lifestyles of the obscenely rich in a hilarious way.

If you're looking for a relaxing read to unwind from the holiday craziness, be sure to check this out. And don't miss Crazy Rich Asians as well!

     

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Photo Friday: Pingyao

Pingyao, China

October 24, 2015

Sunday Reads: Fashion House

Fashion House: Illustrated Interiors From The Icons of Style

By: Megan Hess

I discovered this book while I was on vacation in Hong Kong. I thought it was the cutest book and I was compelled to purchase it because of the playful style. It's a combination fashion and interior design book featuring styles from a handful of fashion icons. The book is primarily categorized by color. It's more of a mini coffee table book than anything else, but I enjoy flipping through the pages and planning how to incorporate concepts in my own home.  

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Photo Friday: Mississippi River

Mississippi River

Marquette, Iowa

July 14, 2015

The Great Wall

The last week of May I finally made it to the Great Wall! I've tried to get there all year, but any chance I had to travel, I traveled in other cities around China rather than visiting sites near my home. We had a culture week at the university and took the students on a field trip to climb the wall. Although it was only May, we've had summer weather for quite some time now. The day of our visit was nearly 100 degrees. It was really hot, especially climbing all of those steps, but worth it!

There are many sections of the Great Wall around northern China that are restored for tourists. We visited the Mutianyu section. It is a little further away from Beijing, so it doesn't get as much traffic as the Badaling gate. Without a crowd of tourists, this section was more enjoyable to walk. Once I got away from the main entry points to the wall, I had a lot of it to myself. 

There are two entry points to the wall. One of them is by cable car (highly recommended) or you can climb the 1,000+ steps to the top. I walked up the stairs and it was really hot considering the temperature that day. Next time I visit this section I'll definitely pay extra for the sky lift.  

The wall was built over the mountains so it isn't flat. It curves up and down across the landscape and can be quite a workout to cross. I was so excited to finally experience it that I practically ran from one end to the other.

After crossing the wall, I didn't feel like walking all the way back down again. There are two other options to get down, the sky-lift and the toboggan run. I elected the toboggan. It took less than 5 minutes to make it down to the bottom and was a lot more fun than climbing down 1,000+ steps!

Have you visited the Great Wall? Which section did you see?