A Tale of Two Cities: Chengdu vs. Shanghai

I love Chengdu, but I gotta go. I took a job as copy editor in the antithesis of the ‘Du: glitzy, glamorous Shanghai. Here’s what I think about these two cities after spending 10 years in Sichuan.

Forever Bikes for Rent in Chengdu Suburbs

Bikes are all the rage in green suburbs like San Sheng Xiang and Dujiangyan. And now you can rent one for 10RMB. The rent-a-bike system comes from cities like Paris and Lyons and Forever Corp. has done a good job of implementing the scheme here in Chengdu.

Visit Kunming for a Sunny Weekend

Being another provincial capital along with Chengdu, Kunming is for most people the gateway to sunny and beautiful Yunnan province. Here’s how and why you should check out Kunming for a weekend getaway.

Hanyuan Defiant

Ever since the government began construction on the massive Pubu Dam project, Hanyuan county in Sichuan has been rocked by protests and bloody pitched battles between dis-possessed, incensed locals and the government over the corrupt and broken relocation process.

Taking the 2 Hour Train to Chongqing

Traveling between Chengdu and Chongqing is easier than ever before, with the “He Xie” bullet train delivering passengers in style. The trip costs just 97 yuan one way and I took it recently for the second time.