Monthly Archives: November 2015

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new world record.  Debbie & I just blew through check-in and security check at Datong Airport in five minutes.  No lines, no waiting. I think I’m going to cry.

The Yungang Grottoes just northwest of Datong are a series of dozens of  caves carved into the rocky hillside, each with Buddha statues inside.  Some of the statues are a couple of stories tall. Others are only a couple of inches tall, like … Continue reading →

 Like novelty underwear, the floor rugs in the elevator at the hotel Debbie & I are staying at change every day.

 “The Tourist Halts,” indeed.

 “And, lo, the pidgin shall stand atop the phoenix and the Twizzler shall lie down with the Red Vine.  So ye shall know the end of days is nigh.”

In the mountains an hour’s drive east of Datong is a long tunnel through the rock, choked with the heat & exhaust fumes of dozens of  monstrous trucks hauling goods & materials toward Beijing.  Because all roads lead to Beijing. My few … Continue reading →

Why does this elephant look so annoyed?  Some possibilities… Because he was born with triple tusks. Because snow is melting on his head. Because a tiny person is tickling his belly. The artist’s intent, however, is lost to history.

My living room & bedroom air filters — front and back — after four months. Previous air filter check ins here, here, and here.

 A statue of a god at the Confucian Temple in Shanghai had me humming a song from this band.