Survival Language Cheat Sheet

A lot of people travel to places where they can’t speak the language. Given that Chinese is one of the most difficult languages to learn, even the locals don’t expect travelers to know any Chinese. But because a lot of the most “authentic” experiences will take you to places where people know no English, here’s […]

Snapshots from the Eastern Coast

If you want to travel down Taiwan quickly, take the high speed rail down the west of the island. But if you want to witness Taiwan’s real beauty, take the slow but scenic route along the eastern coast. While most of the cities and towns are clustered along the western part of Taiwan, the true […]

6 things to do in Jiufen

Located northeast of Taipei, Jiufen (九份) is a favorite weekend trip for locals and tourists alike. The historic mountain village grew into a busy town during Japanese colonization, largely due to gold mining. Today, it is a thriving cultural destination that captures the nostalgia of eras past. Built in the mountains, the winding streets are […]

3 days in Taipei

There are infinite numbers of ways to spend 3 days in Taipei. Sure, 3 days is hardly enough time to spend anywhere, but in a city that seems to have as many eateries as it does people, there are far too many options and all of them good. The best way to experience Taipei is […]

Goodbye, Split: Sad to leave, but grateful I came

Once we were back, we started to leave. It was a drawn out goodbye: to our new friends, to the city, to the routine. We wandered aimlessly through the now familiar passages of the palace. Stopped for coffee every couple hours out of habit. We made it a point to get ice cream at Luka […]