by Fiona Reilly February 2012 It’s a long way from Shanghai to Harbin by train – two nights and a day, in fact. That’s two nights and half a day longer than flying there. Why on earth then would you do it? Well, because it’s a train, and train travel, even in China, is capable of being a [...]

by Fiona Reilly January 2012 Well, if there are rows of flayed ducks lining the streets, then it must be Chinese New Year. The whole city has been transformed into an enormous outdoor charcuterie – every footpath is lined with makeshift wooden frames covered with the oddly attractive looking bodies of drying ducks, head and feet intact, tiny [...]

by Fiona Reilly December 2011 They say that expats are masters at reinvention. And it’s true. But they’re also pretty good at importing the very best and most significant parts of their cultures to their new homes. Some of Shanghai’s German community have done just that, bringing the magic of a traditional Bavarian Christmas market to [...]

by Fiona Reilly August 2011 Traveling off the beaten track in rural China with children brings its own challenges  – there are good days and bad days, but every day is an adventure seen through younger eyes, no matter what happens. For our family, travel is as much for the food as for the scenery, and [...]