Tonglu

It tempers the spirits and harmonizes the mind, dispels lassitude and relieves fatigue, awakens thought and prevents drowsiness, lightens and refreshes the body, and clears the perceptive faculties.
Watching tea leaves slowly sinking to the bottom of my glass while I take small sips of this mythical natural beverage on a terrace, with a stunning view over Hangzhou’s tea hills, on a late summer afternoon is the most vivid memory of my first China trip. Almost four years later, I was thrilled when I had the opportunity to journey to Gewu Village, Tonglu to witness the third Tian Zun Gong Ya tea festival and to enrich my knowledge about China’s famous tea culture.
When I arrived I was warmly welcomed by traditional local dancers and musicians and was offered a hot glass of Tian Zun Gong Ya tea, it’s the tea served at the imperial court during the Song Dynasty. I honestly must say it’s the best tea I ever tasted in my life. The program started with a mesmerizing lecture about the history of tea, its traditions and importance for the traditional Chinese medicine. After gaining a new insight into tea culture I had the proud honor to personally learn how to brew tea from a true master of this discipline and to perform this art in front of the audience. Glasses were used in this ceremony to prepare the tea, so the elegant shape and pleasing color of the tea leaves can be admired.
Filled with inner harmony and peace from the unforgettable taste of this tea, carrying the spirit of an ancient culture from the past until to the modern day, I felt true happiness while we journeyed to Tianzun Rock, the famous and mythical peak of Tianzun Mountain and source of Tian Zun Gong Ya tea. Following the narrow and steep winding path, I enjoyed the wonderful view over valleys and mountain slopes with old villages and vast tea fields. On the top of the mountain I enjoyed a deep breath of the fresh mountain air and vast view from the mountain top down to its far reaching foothills. There I met Mr. Zhang and his wife who owned the land where this part of our journey ended. He and his ancestors as long as anybody can remember were cultivating tea on this land. They live all the year on the mountain peak next to their tea field so they can foster their plants at any time to make sure to harvest the best tea leaves possible. While I joined him in picking tea leaves he told me more about planting tea and his love for this special kind and his appreciation of its bitter and natural taste. He picks the young tea leaves once a year in a 20 to 30 days period and sells it to the local factory. Curious about the final step of crafting this wonderful tea we spontaneously decided to visit the local tea factory Mr. Zhang mentioned. I was truly impressed about the perfect synthesis of traditional craftsmanship and modern technology used at this place to transform Mr. Zhangs harvest into this absolute stunning tea.
During the factory visit I met a tea scholar who shared her great wisdom of tea culture with me. Her passion ignited in me a profound deep understanding about this part of Chinese culture and its importance and complemented my tea journey. That day made me into a true tea loving person who requires from this moment on every day a glass of tea like the air to breath.

Kuala Lumpur

Instead of taking a direct flight from Australia back to China I decided to stay one night in KL – the national capital of Malaysia and its largest city.  It was a tough sightseeing night after driving 10 000 kilometers through Australia and already 30 hours  without sleeping. But absolutely worth it,  a long stay if you transferring flights is basically a free holiday. I arrived around 6pm in KL, explored all major sightseeing highlights and returned at 6am to the airport to return home to Hangzhou to have a long dream about this amazing summer.

Australia

I decided to spend this summer in Australia. First I flew from Hangzhou to Sydney and explored the city for a week. Except China I never found a country where I would rather travel. I undertook two road trips starting from Sydney. First I drove north over Newcastle, Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, Byron bay and Gold Coast along the ocean to Brisbane – a 2000 kilometer loop. Next I drove from Sydney over Canberra to Melbourne to join the Great Ocean drive until I reached the twelve apostles. Exploring the south east of Australia was the best journey I ever had. But the true highlight was the Great northern highway. I flew from Sydney to Darwin and drove the through one of the most remote places in the world down to Perth.  With some additional sightseeing stop it was an unforgettable 5000 kilometer road trip.

Taizhou

When I heard that the forth Photography competition will take place in Hengxi town I was very excited and looking forward to visit the famous oasis of Xianju. There wasn’t a minute or even a second I or any of my fellow sixteen foreign photography enthusiasts didn’t enjoy this unique and elevating excursion. Besides the fantastic landmarks and cultural heritage we visited, I especially enjoyed the fellowship of these remarkable photographers from an interesting and wide variety of backgrounds as well as the warm and versed guidance of our local guides.
The first remarkable sight for me was the view of the giant yellow dragon head that marked the entrance of a stunning mountain. After entering the mouth of the dragon a picturesque small lake welcomed me to cool my feet after the first slope. A tortuous path brought us deeper into the valley and after climbing ancient steps I faced the deeply spiritual sight of a meditating Buddhist monk. I immediately felt the silence and aura surrounding his preserved mortal body. After a period of contemplation we crossed a rope bridge to have a rest in an assembly of abandoned huts giving it the vibe of a forsaken place. A final effort brought us to the top of the mountain revealing a beautiful sight over the valley. Stroke by exhaustion the sight of a slide made craftsman like out of granite unlike any slide I saw before elevated me and appeared to me at this time as the highlight of the first day. Being of an adventurous and fearless nature I jumped at first with a keen momentum into the slide which unfortunately cost me the soundness of my cell phone in the first curve but also brought me much joy until I realized my loss. After a well-deserved rest in the hotel we first enjoyed the local cuisine in Taizhou and later burnt our gained calories while dancing with the locals at the river. The day finished with a local performance in Hengxi with an impressive presentation of local dances and chants.
The second day started with a visit of a lotus field which also served as the stage for the performance we were able to in the evening. Never before did I say such an abundance of lotus plants and the luckily chosen season of our visit surprised me with an ocean of flourishing plants. I found a shadowy place to escape the summer and heat, eating lotus’ seeds and admiring this marvelous gathering of its providers. For the next part of our tour we were depending on a small fleet of taxis to bring as to a mountainous region where our bus couldn’t pass the winding mountain roads with bridgeless river crossings leading us to a wonderful shrine where I burnt some incense stick and found pace to assimilate the silence and beauty of the scenery. The next stop on our journey was a small ancient village preserving its old houses and roads offering a peek into its past. Wonderful wooden carvings on the houses pleased my eyes and found a permanent place in my memory. The day ended with the foreshadowing its importance by attracting the whole village and creating the atmosphere of a folk festival. I felt humbled by the privilege to sit on the stage besides honored guests allowing me to have a perfect view on the presentation of an impressive choreography containing diverse and unique elements.
On the last day we went to the local scenic highlight of the trip. Our tour started by following a path which was surrounded on both sides with steep mountains forming different figures. I enjoyed it very much to discover the different forms and to admire their diversity and clearness of their shapes. The path ended at an impressive waterfall which was so beautiful it was hard for me to leave. Finally we used cable cars to get to the top of the mountain and to get down again. The clear air gave me a wonderful view over the whole park. The final stop of our journey was an invitation to a peach farm where we could gather peaches by ourselves. I have never seen a peach tree before and was therefore very eager to pick some and taste them. There is nothing comparable to the taste of a fruit picked by oneself and I enjoyed every bite while I was standing on the slope of a small hill looking upon the rural landscape and the mountains rising in the background.

Some days past since I came back to Hangzhou and my mind is still moved by the wonderful memories and friends I gained on this voyage. China is truly a place of wonders and wonderful people.

Malaysia

Adventure was calling and the cold Hangzhou winter couldn’t stop to enjoy two weeks in Kota Kinabalu – the capital of Sabah, Malaysia. Dense jungles, lonely islands and misty mountain peaks.

Hangzhou-Shanghai-Beijing

Starting in my new hometown Hangzhou I went over Shanghai to Beijing in one exciting week packed with highlights including the Mu Tian Yu Great Wall near Beijing. I walked along the perfectly restored section  and then continued on the wild wall.

Paris

A walk about Paris will provide lessons in history, beauty, and in the point of Life. It is a universe whole and entire unto herself, hollowed and fashioned by history with her towering buildings, her massive cathedrals, her grand boulevards and ancient winding medieval streets–as vast and indestructible as nature itself. All is embraced by her, by her volatile and enchanted populace thronging the galleries, the theaters, the cafes, giving birth over and over to genius and sanctity, philosophy and war, frivolity and the finest art. Even the majestic trees that grace and shelter her streets are attuned to her–and the waters of the Seine, contain and beautiful as they wind through her heart; so that the earth on that spot, so shaped by blood and consciousness, had ceased to be the earth and had become Paris.

Xi’an

Xi’an is the capital of Shaanxi Province and the oldest of the Four Great Ancient Capitals, having held the position under several of the most important dynasties in Chinese history. It is the starting point of the Silk Road and home to the Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. 120 kilometers east of Xi’an mount Hua rises,  one of the Five Great Mountains of China. Hiking the narrow pathways with precipitous drops is exhausting but the view is magnificent. I saw one of the most stunning views of my life. A frost covered forest on a sharp mountain peak. An unforgettable view.