In February 2020, forever boyfriend and adventure buddy Jim Miller was deep into planning a two-week trek to China via Japan. Just as he was about to start booking flights and hotels, news of the mysterious virus emanating from Wuhan broke. We scrapped those plans as the world shut down and waited for our next opportunity. Four years later, we knew if we were going to travel to East Asia, now was the time.
With a beginning respite in Japan, we flew to Beijing for 10 days of breathtaking experiences last July. Not to brush over our time in Tokyo and Kyoto. But a combination of rainy weather and subpar guides did not make a good impression.
We enjoyed some interesting food in Tokyo. Kanagari featured a nine-course meal cooked on a robata grill and served directly to us on an extended wooden paddle from the chef sitting barefoot on a stool. After traveling on a bullet train to Kyoto, we learned how to make sushi, ventured to the incredible Sagano Bamboo Forest, hiked through the 10,000 vermilion torii gates at Fushimi Inari Shrine, and spent an intriguing afternoon chatting with a geisha in training.
The real adventure began in a country that spans five time zones and is home to the second-largest number of World Heritage Sites—56. We narrowed our focus and chose to experience the massive capital city of Beijing, the ancient city of Xi’an, the rice fields of Guilin, and the former British colony of Hong Kong.
A few striking things. In a country of 1.4 billion people, we passed acres upon acres of high-rise housing. It’s everywhere. It was the height of the tourist season, so all our stops were packed with Chinese tourists. We saw few Western visitors, and that made us stand out—a lot. In particular, my red hair garnered attention. Children wanted to practice English with us, and their parents asked for photos throughout our journey.
Considered one of the cradles of civilization, China is a stunning mix of ancient symbols and modern technology. We stay in the boutique Jingshan Garden Hotel in Beijing next to the Forbidden City. On the first full day, our guide, Vincent, takes us to the home of a traditional, well-to-do family near the old part of the city on Qianhai Lake. Mostly, it was a collection of rooms facing an open terrace. Then it was on to the Drum and Bell Tower and the Temple of Heaven. We sat at a round Lazy Susan tabletop for lunch with some ladies who shared part of their traditional fish dish.
From there, we go to Tiananmen Square, where the drizzly weather adds to the solemn energy of the giant space. It takes the rest of the day to traverse the seemingly endless terraces and 900 structures of the Forbidden City. The imperial palace complex is the largest preserved royal palace in the world and, at one time, was the center of political power in China, serving 24 Ming and Qing dynasty emperors.
We returned to Qianhai Lake for dinner and enjoyed a traditional hot pot. Noodles, raw vegetables, and mushrooms are boiled in a large pot of water on the communal-style table, with sauces added for flavor. It was definitely an experience.
The next day, we headed to the Mutianyu Great Wall. An hour's drive outside Beijing, this section of the Great Wall was constructed in the mid-6th century. It features 23 watchtowers and connects the Jiankou Great Wall to the west and the Gubeikou Great Wall to the east. It was an incredible day of climbing steps and enjoying panoramic views of the famous landmark.
We had a rooftop dinner of Italian food, which included a quiet stroll back to our hotel. All vehicles here are electric, and the traditional city noise is muted.
Thousands of Chinese tourists stroll with and stare at us while stopping at the Imperial Summer Palace, an ensemble of lakes, gardens, and palaces. After a lunch of dumplings in a weird, military-themed restaurant, we board a high-speed train to Xi'an.
As the third largest city in western China, Xi’an is located in Shaanxi Province and is home to the world-famous terracotta warriors. These massive columns of sculptures depict the armies of Qin Shi Huang. It’s why tourists come here. But for us, a breezy morning bike ride along the centuries-old expanse of Xi’an City Wall, the tastes and smells of the bustling street markets, and the Great Mosque stands out. Xi'an is where the chewy, delicious, and long biang biang noodles originate, and I could have eaten an entire bowl myself.
A two-hour flight on an old plane full of children on their way to camp took us to Guilin. We spent a memorable few days in this beautiful part of the country trekking through the rice terraces of Longsheng, cooking lunch over an open fire in hollow bamboo shoots, and taking a cruise down the Li River. This area is lined with rounded, lush green karst hills. Our destination was a resort on the river, where we watched bamboo rafts continually float by carrying people on a leisurely ride. We maneuver mopeds on winding paths through fields and farms as the sun begins to set. Being surrounded by massive green karst mounds is magical—such a breathtaking part of China.
A high-speed train takes us to Hong Kong, where the scenery, energy, and atmosphere change again. On a hot, steamy day, a tram takes us up to the Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastery. Then, a ride on the Victoria Peak cable car is followed by a visit to Repulse Bay, Victoria Harbor, and the beach at Stanley.
On our only free day, we poked around Landau and Hong Kong islands, rode the Star Ferry back and forth across Victoria Harbor, and took the Central-Mid-Levels escalator, the world's longest outdoor covered escalator designed to transport people up and down Hong Kong’s notoriously steep terrain.
After a delicious dim sum lunch, we explored the British area of SoHo, stopped in at the Man Mo Buddhist monastery, and lingered over coffee.
Sipping drinks and watching the sun set over the harbor was the perfect ending to our magical time in this diverse, mysterious land. It may have taken four years, but it was worth the wait.