Having left home at age 17 to live abroad, my time together with the ‘rents has been limited as rare annual event. Some days this really saddens me, but there are definitely days when it kinda feels like a blessing 😛 (Don’t tell them!)
Since it had been quite an intense period with our site launch, I really needed some family love and real Chinese food to power up. So I decided to ditch the beach – thankfully I’ve already got a good dose together with the team in Puglia – and go back to the city.
My family lives across 3 cities, so every time I go home there’s always a lot of city-hopping.
Nanjing, where I spent my childhood, is the ancient capital of China for 6 dynasties. In Chinese, it actually means “the southern capital”, which is why you should make sure to visit the museums if you have the time.The streets are filled with history and savoury snack spots. A must try is the Yanshuiya, which translates to Salty Duck.
Shanghai, where I spent my teenage years, is the center of fashion, finance and millions of dreams. Its nickname in Chinese is literally Magic City. Every year I go back, there is a new skyscraper I had never seen before – so imagine the skyline! Make sure to do a morning run along the Bund for the best view, stroll down the French concession area for the hippest bars, modern restaurants, typical family diners, and the best boutique shopping. For the foodies, you’ve got to taste the Xiaolongbao – a kind of soupy dumpling with super thin pastry skin.
Shenzhen, the silicon valley of China, is located just a bridge away from Hong Kong. Due to it’s tropical climate and only 40min drive to the seaside, it’s the best place for people who want to reside in the city while still being surrounded by nature. It is also a major hub for local chinese immigrants, which is why you will find diverse cuisines here from all over China: Sichuan, Hunan, Jiangnan…you name it! Of course, you can not miss the almighty Dim Sum/Yum Cha, which is a southern traditional where families and friends gather brunching amongst dishes after dishes of steamed goodness.
Good times are always short, 10 days go by like a blink of an eye. Now that our new shop is up and running, I hope to have more occasions to return home and explore my dear motherland, and you should do the same! 再见!
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- Reaaady
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- Breakfast in China sometimes goeslike this
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- Casual dinner scene in Nanjing
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- Cutest cupcake cafe in Shanghai
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- Dim Sum Action
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- Fire and Ice
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- Getting a taste of my hometown Nanjing
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- Social moment
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- Mocha and Wulong Tea with a creamy layer of cheese
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- Morning swim on top of Shanghai
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- Morning swim on top of Shanghai me actually swimming
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- Shanghai Huangpu River dividing the West and East, yet so perfectly blended
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- Shanghai XinTianDi – the perfect place for a lazy afternoon (when it’s not 40 degrees out)
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- Shanghai Puding-The view from The Bond
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- Shanghai upclose
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- Shenjianbao – Grilled Meat Dumplings
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- Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport
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- Some seaside time in Shenzhen
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- Starbucks in China talk about localization
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- There’s a view that I will never get sick of, it’s called-Shanghai
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- Tracing back the traditional part of Nanjing
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- Urban jungle in Shenzhen