The biggest misconception about China is that the food is all the same or is weird.
For some, Chop Suey, mysterious, gooey, MSG, salty and deep fried come to mind. However, the reality is that China is a humongous country whose culture is one of the oldest in the history or mankind. So, its foods are just as varied, flavorful, elaborate, and delightful as its geographic locations.
Every city we visit on Zoom China offers a different cuisine. For instance, Shanghainese cuisine is punctuated with hot spicy peppers, and because of its location on the water it highlights ample seafood. In Beijing, Pekinese food incorporates a lot of vegetables; and in Xian the food has a middle eastern flair because Xian was the end of the Silk Road, a vast trading network that lasted for a thousand years, which started in Eastern Europe, snaked its way through the Middle East, and ended in China.
Of course, because cities in China, like Shanghai and Beijing, are very international, the food scene has changed and some of the best French, continental and fusion restaurants can be found in these cities. So, whenever you have a taste for home, western style restaurants are never far away and in fact are very popular with the locals.
Read about our tour to China this May
Magical Myanmar
Myanmar is the newest Zoom Vacations destination (March 12-18, 2015). For sometime now I had been waiting for the right time to visit Myanmar, which many had told me is a very special country. Sandwiched between India, China and Thailand, Myanmar has been influenced to some degree by the best of these 3 iconic cultures.
Myanmar is called the Golden Land because there is always a 24 karat golden domed pagoda within eyesight. For 50 years after English colonialism ended, Myanmar was sheltered and isolated by various dictatorships and military governments. Until recently the country had seen very little tourism within its poor tourism infrastructure. Today, however, Myanmar is quickly developing a luxury tourism infrastructure that is putting it on the bucket list of every discerning traveler. Recently, Zoom Vacations was honored to be one of only 17 international travel professionals and media to be invited on the inaugural sailing of the 5 Star M/V Sanctuary Ananda from Mandalay to Bagan.
What I discovered along the way is a country of charming, hospitable, deeply spiritual and accepting people. Truth be told, what made the trip so enjoyable for me was the ability to travel on the Ananda along the Ayeryawaddy River, visit temples, markets and villages, then return to the comfort of the Ananda. The Ananda is the newest most stylish boat on the Ayeryawaddy. But in addition to the luxurious surroundings, another thing in which the Ananda excels is the food. The kitchen is personally overseen by the former executive chef at the Bangkok Mandarin Oriental. He was even kind enough to offer an onboard cooking demonstration and shared his love of cooking and simple, yet mouth watering Thai soup recipe. Every meal was something to look forward to and nothing (except for some breakfast dishes) was ever repeated. Lunch and dinner were perfectly paired with just the right wines every day.
But Myanmar is not just about the Ayeryawaddy River. There are also Inle Lake, a picturesque fishing community, and Yangon, with its bourgeoning art scene. Plus, of course the Chinatown night market, reclining Buddha, and Scotts Market, which are also to be seen and experienced.
Today, Myanmar is quickly developing a luxury tourism infrastructure that is putting it on the bucket list of every discerning traveler. For instance, three years ago Myanmar saw 300,000 visitors; this year there are 2 million visitors and counting.
Myanmar is also perfectly combined with Laos and or Thailand. Contact me for more information.
Finding the Next "It" Spot
People often ask us how we go about selecting new destinations for Zoom Vacations tours. We actually go about this in a number of ways. The main way is that while on our tours, our travelers often tell us the places they would like to visit. We really listen, and especially when we start hearing the same destinations mentioned over and over, it moves to the top of our radar. Also, destinations who often contact us to create tours to their locales. We have noticed that when destinations reach out on their own to attract LGBT travelers that these same destinations often have the background support and resources necessary to organize a truly memorable trip.
Once we have selected the destination, we bump up our research, verifying the best times to visit, and we make a plan to visit. We always scout out a destination before developing a tour. While there, we tour dozens of hotels, restaurants, and sites, finding the best of the best, and identifying opportunities for creativity.
For instance, I am heading to Myanmar this month. It is a destination about which many of our travelers have enquired, and coincidentally, it is presently "all the buzz" in the travel community. Its mystery and decades of isolation has peaked the interest of so many of us. While there, I will be finding the best hotel(s) and river cruise to host our future group, and I will personally interview tour guides and explore various excursions. I will also be looking for venues where we can add our own sense of magic to this magical country.
China, the Time is Now
Human beings are instinctively obsessed with the past and future, life and death, the yin and the yang. These reasons are why China is such a fascinating place to visit at the moment.
I just returned from China and was once again reminded why it is a country that shows you much about your past and gives us a glimpse of how the future will look. So much of what we eat, do, think, and how we live today took root in China many years ago. For instance, pasta has been incorporated into many of the world's delicious cuisines and without which many of the scrumptious Italian dishes would not be the same; paper which lead to books, printing and a vehicle by which to educate; silk which is omnipresent in fashion and house wears; iron and steel which is found in almost everything we use today and without which we could not build skyscrapers, large ships and bridges and other important structures; porcelain dishes on which we eat today; Buddhism's various philosophies such as Buddhism and feng shui.
China is one of the most ancient civilizations in the world. While the Chinese are proud of their legacy, they are busy creating a new future for themselves and the world. China is changing so quickly that the China we know today will probably be a different place in our lifetime. The Chinese thinking is also changing almost as quickly as the urban landscape. Every time I return to Beijing and Shanghai I am amazed by the newest skyscraper and the ever present cranes, which guides love to refer to as China's new national bird. China is also taking steps to decrease pollution in Beijing which is a source of a lot of discussion.
China is a fascinating country. The time to go is now. Zoom Vacations recently upgraded all hotel offerings in China with the best service and locations at each destination. Check out the detailed itinerary and you will see why.
