Freedom unleashed

Inner Mongolia

For a less traveled route in China, Inner Mongolia is a great destination, especially during the summer months.  Both Mongolian and Chinese are used in everyday communication in Inner Mongolia, so you can see words are written in both languages on street signs, store signs, etc., especially in the capital Hohot and Mandarin works fine on the streets.  With the vast grasslands stretching across Mongolia, there’s no shortage of cows, horses and sheep.  Just as ubiquitous are hot pot restaurants, dairy producers and delicious lamb on the streets of Hohot.  To get a sense of living like a nomad, check out The Xilamuren Grasslands, only a few hours drive away from the city.  While I first envisioned these to be vast grasslands, many parts of it were parched, so they weren’t as rugged and green as I imagined them to be.  During our time on the grasslands, we stayed in modernized versions of traditional Mongolian huts, which basically means the exteriors look like huts but the interiors have everything from hot water to soft comfy beds and electricity.  Not as nomadic as I thought but can’t complain about these necessities of comfort.  We were warmly greeted by plenty of singing, dancing and there’s no shortage of alcohol.  There’s plenty of fun on the grasslands-from watching locals wrestling and horse racing to karoke-singing around bonfires after dinner.  But nothing beats galloping across the grasslands on a horse.  For a desert experience in Inner Monglia, Xiangshawan is the place to be, which translates to singing sand dunes bay.  This neat spot in the Gobi desert is apparently where the dry grains of sand sounds off rumbling murmurs of bells, but only those lucky enough will witness this.  Sand sledding, camel riding and live dance performances make this a popular spot for old and young alike.  

Sacred Mountain

Wuyi Mountain

A sacred mountain that was a major centre for Taoism and later Buddhism, the Wuyi Mountain in the southeastern part of Fujian and is well-known for its landscape, especially the Nine Bend River. With winding bends intertwined with valleys flanked by columnar cliffs, there’s no better way to take in the views of the natural surroundings than riding down the river on a bamboo raft.  Way back inthe Tang Dynasty in 748 AD, the emperor forbade fishing and deforestation and this rule still survives today.  Temples and monasteries have been established in the mountains over time, but only remnants remain to this day for the majority of them.  Surprisingly, in the lower stretches of the river are 18 boat coffins hanging off cliffs which date back to 200 BC.  It remains a mystery how they are still preserved to this day.  In the 11th to 16th centuries, there was even an imperial tea farm in the mountains.  Famous for four varieties of tea leaves, including the Big Red Robe, there’s no shortage of shops selling tea leaves in Fujian, but there’s nothing like sipping a cup of tea right in the teahouse in the mountains.  

Wen Hong Art Centre

Quanzhou, Fujian 

On a recent trip to Fujian, in the Tangquan village about an hour drive from Quanzhou, I had the privilege of meeting artist Sun Wen Hong-the artist behind the detailed wood carvings that have been meticulously carved to reflect the great characters of famed Chinese fables, the peaceful and serene GuanYin and the cheerful Buddha that has brought Mr. Sun much fame.  With his skillful hands and wild imagination, which he inherited from his father, lifeless logs have been turned into characters that are full of life.  I especially love the pieces that have been kept as natural as possible, making use of the shapes, creases and colours of the wood in its most original form.  To visit the Wen Hong Art Center and meet the artist himself, contact: +86-0595-87575518.

Amandari

Balinese Luxury

Time seemed to sit still as we neared the timeless Balinese luxurious resort Amandari, passing through lush vegetation before arriving at the welcoming open-air thatched roof pavilions of the resort’s lobby.  The authentic design of the resort using local materials like coconut and teak makes the Green Globe certified Amandari a perfect fit into the local Kedewatan Village.  We soon found out that Amandari is more than a neighbour in Kedewatan, as the majority of the staff at the resort come from the village.  The stone steps leading from the hotel to the Ayung River below are actually used by villagers to make offerings at the local temple, part of the Hindu tradition adopted by the majority of Balinese.  Coincidentally, we arrived to participate in Purnama, a special full moon ceremony during which which we were blessed by performing rituals using holy water, incense, fresh flowers and rice grains.  It was the most beautiful and unique welcoming experience.  We felt right at home when we sat down to enjoy some curry chicken puff pastry soup and iced roselle tea in the lounge overlooking the gorgeous infinity pool, which is an excellent spot for watching sunsets.  The terrace shaped pool is reminiscent of the communal pond found in Bali’s villages.

Passing through stone walkways and volcanic rock walls, we were guided to our Pool Villa.  When we opened the artistically carved wooden door to our villa, we were in awe.  The spacious villa opens to a reflective private pool through sliding glass doors where we spent most of our time relaxing either by the pool terrace or in the loungers when the sun was out.  Beautiful frangipani and heliconia add a colourful and magical touch to the pool surroundings.  The Balinese touch can be found in the bamboo-frame roof of the villa which is layered with alang alang thatching along with the rattan chairs for curling up in with a great book.  On the marble table is a refreshing fruit platter including some of our favorites like passionfruit and mangosteen along with a detailed calendar of events guests can participate in at Amanadri.  Looking out the set of sliding glass doors in the other direction from the comfy day beds, we saw local villagers working on their harvest, making feel as though we were part of the village.  Being a city dweller, we soon looked for a TV and found none!  Instead, we were treated to an iPod with traditional Balinese music.  We were delighted to see that the bathroom amenities are all in refillable jars to minimize waste.  Another set of sliding glass doors by the shower space lead to an outdoor sunken bath where you can listen to birds chirping and breathe in fresh air while enjoying a sea salt bath.  A set of stairs of this stunning duplex villa lead to a private sleeping area where a four poster bed with an artistic batik above can be found.  Looking out at the lush vegetation outside and the glistening pool outside, it felt as though we were living in a treehouse!

With a list of great activities, active guests certainly won’t get bored at Amandari.  The cooking class is not to be missed.  We set out bright and early at 7am with our informative guide to the local market and were equipped with a shopping list, basket and some change to look for our fresh ingredients.  Bringing the spices, herbs, and fresh produce back onto the van, we were whisked away to a traditional Balinese home where we were treated to some lemon ginger tea and delicious fried banana before we set out on our tasks of chopping, pounding and cooking with the help of one of Amandari’s very own friendly chefs.  After a few hours of hard work, we were treated to a delectable meal of green papaya soup, chicken curry, sautéed fiddle head fern tips, and black rice porridge with coconut cream in a bale overlooking the rice paddies.  Our favorite part was the coconut utensils, including the coconut shell spoons and coconut leaf spoon-what a resourceful and eco-friendly way to eat!

After a fun day in the kitchen, we had a relaxing start the next morning.  On the lovely walk from our villa to the restaurant, we came across a blooming lily pond and naturally aged stone statutes which can be found throughout the numerous temples in Bali.  We had a healthy breakfast at the restaurant with drinks such as beetroot and ginger which is great for detox, as well as muesli and yoghurt.  We were accompanied by a row of chirping birds perched on the edge of the infinity pool overlooking the Ayung river valley.  For some local Balinese treats, guests are invited to the daily afternoon tea with lemon ginger tea and coffee and sweets prepared by a lovely mother-daughter team from the Kedewatan village.

Amandari offers complimentary rides to Ubud town which is just a 10-minute away.  Here you can find all sorts of organic cafes, yogawear shops, Balinese trinkets and a monkey forest!  If you prefer to stay at the resort, there’s also a gym to keep you active during your holiday.  The health facility also includes steam and sauna and of course a spa for pampering treatments.

The Amandari experience is all about the people.  We felt at home the moment we arrived with the welcoming smiles.  The staff even packed delicious homemade brownies for us to enjoy at the airport when we left.  What a heart-warming experience!  We can’t wait to return to this home away from home when we come back to spiritual Ubud in Bali!

Harbin

World of ice and snow 

Knowing the weather in Harbin could go down to minus 40 in the dead of winter, we decided to visit the city in the summer time, even though we were tempted to see what it would be like to experience the ice sculpture festival during the winter months.  But the great thing is that there’s an indoor version, which of course, is miniature in size compared to the winter version; however, it is still impressive.  Housed inside a park on Sun Island, a recreational area on the other side of the downtown Harbin area, ice sculptures of major landmarks in China, such as the Forbidden City and the Great Wall can be seen.  There’s even an ice slide that you can try out if you like something slightly adventurous.  Once you come out of the freezer, there’s nothing better than a nice cup of hot ginger tea to warm your tummy!

Alila Ubud

Green Living

Perched on the traditional Balinese hill village of Payangan, Alila Ubud is a natural boutique resort that feels secluded, yet is only a 20-minute drive to Ubud’s town centre.  Artfully constructed with thatched roof villas, a breathtaking infinity pool overlooking the Ayung River valley and plenty of wildlife including chirping birds, roosters, frogs, and even the occasional monkey, this little piece of heaven is the perfect getaway for nature lovers.  We put our senses in tune with the beautiful surroundings at our recent stay at Alila Ubud.

As we drove through the peaceful lush green rice fields leading to the resort, we were pleasantly greeted by the adorable cow and her calf near the resort entrance before arriving at the main lobby.  Centred in the heart of the resort, the open-air lobby has a high thatched roof and beautiful coconut pillars, much like the villas on the property.  Arriving in the afternoon, we were welcomed with fresh papaya juice and cold towels before we were led to our spacious Terrace Tree Villa.

Walking past beautifully aged moss covered stone walls and rows of bamboo trees, we were delighted to see the green roof on the Terrace Tree Villa.  A comfy sofa and wooden table sit elegantly on the villa deck.  Opening the wooden doors to our villa, we were met with natural daylight pouring into our room from the row of wood framed windows that open to the lush trees below.

We relaxed for the rest of the afternoon by the gorgeously designed infinity pool which overlooks the Ayung river valley.  You may even see the occasional white water raft boat doing a dramatic drop to the Ayung River from the distance.  The Cabana Lounge right by the infinity pool offers complimentary afternoon tea with simple Balinese snacks like fried bananas.  We soaked up some sunshine as we sipped on a cup of black tea with ginger on the loungers by the pool.  On two days of the week, girls from the nearby village practice their traditional Balinese dancing by the pool which is always enjoyable to watch especially with their colourful traditional dresses and cheerful music.

Awaking to the sounds of roosters early next morning, we headed to Plantation Restaurant which overlooks the infinity pool and gorgeous white sky for an a la carte breakfast.  Dishes are made when ordered, minimizing as much food waste as possible. The menu is packed with healthy options like granola and muesli as well as an extensive beverage list from fresh juices and smoothies to Balinese coffee and hot chocolate.  One of our favorites is a refreshing ginger and tamarind herbal drink called Jamu.  After an energizing breakfast, we headed to the lobby to meet up with Puriana from Alila Ubud’s leisure concierge team to take a tour of the local crafts village.  It wasn’t hard to spot Puriana’s passion for Balinese’a artisan culture as he worked as a silversmith before joining Alila.  Through Alila Ubud’s support for local artisans by displaying their works at the resort gallery, Puriana decided to become a tour guide and continues his love for Balinese art by sharing about the tradition with visitors to Bali from around the world.  From the meticulous ink drawings of Hindu gods at Wayan Gama’s painting school where free classes are provided to local village children to pass on the Balinese tradition and to equip them with a life-long skill to the famous mask maker I Made Regug’s coconut shell masks that come alive after 200 layers of natural dyes made from plants are painted on, we fell in love with the Balinese artistic culture in no time.

Coming back from an eye-opening tour of Bali’s artisan village, it was time to relax with an afternoon massage at Alila Ubud Spa where we were treated to a healing Warm Stone massage.  In addition to the natural spa sanctuary, Alila Ubud guests are encouraged to stay healthy and active with yoga and tai chi classes by the poolside in the mornings and bikes conveniently located by the lobby for a cycling tour around the natural scenery in Ubud.

Panjin Beach

A Sea of Red 

One of the best kept secrets of Northeast China is the Panjin red beach in Liaoning Province.  The area is called the red beach because it is renowned for its fantastic shades of red from the blite plants that thrives in the area-especially when it goes from green to red in the summer time.  Thriving in salty waters, this plant turns from green to pink to a deep red the more sea water it sucks up.  Being one of the largest wetlands in the world, Panjin harbours 266 kinds of precious birds, including the red-crowned crane.  A broadwalk zigzags its way across the delta area where the Niao River flows into the sea.  This beautifully designed broadwalk offers a gorgeous view of the wetlands, especially when the sun is setting in the background.