Weekends are for relaxing and “checking in” not only with yourself with with your loved ones. Here’s a nice tale my cousin emailed me: A Professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and …

It recently occurred to me that I’ve become a bit of a Doctor Doom and Gloom, so I’m going to lighten things up a little. On weekend posts I’ll focus on what everyone should be doing; relaxing, reconnecting with family, recentering themselves and having fun! So, today’s post is simply a nice photo from my …

Wulingshan (雾灵山) is another of the many mountain daytrip options, this one in the north eastern direction past Miyun reservoir, about 2 hours drive using the relaxing and wonderfully empty Jingcheng Gaosu (“highway”). Wulingshan is nice to drive to when Beijing is very hot; the mountain top is quite a few degrees cooler, and the …

Baicaopan is a spectacular mountaintop view, and definitely worth checking out – but only in the summer season, and when highway 108 is finished in late 2009. Otherwise, do not go now! It took us over 4 tortuous hours to get there; once the road is done, it should be about 3 hours. So, here’s …

http://www.cdc.gov/travel It’s the height of summer and everyone is in the middle of their traveling. I get many visits from patients asking about travel issues like, “do I need malaria pills for ___ place?” or “which vaccines do I need for ___?” Well, here’s a little secret that may save you some time: before you …

This was a pleasant surprise! Only 90 minutes by car from the Jingshi highway entrance at southeast 3rd ring, I was very impressed by the entire day. The drive itself was one of the loveliest in Beijing, comparable to the peacefulness around Mutianyu – and even better developed. Yunju Temple (云居寺 yunjusi) is one of …

This is a bit of a stretch for a weekend, but it’s definitely possible to fly there on Friday evening and have a nice 2 nights and return late Sunday, giving you two full beach days. (Qingdao is also drivable – we did it in 7 hours along perfectly fine highway, with rest areas every …

Are you aching for the beach? There are only a few close options; I heard Tianjin has a small private beach but got lost in the port area and gave up. So, Beidaihe is the best local option – and it’s not bad at all, very fun and yet still lovely. And it’s only 2 …

I love to hike; before Beijing, I had spent a decade in the paradise of Sonoma county, just above San Francisco. I vividly remember (and miss) those mountain walks. So, I am very pleased to finally find a Beijing mountain that offered the same solitude and beauty. It’s called JiuFeng National Forest (鹫峰国家森林公园), in the …

I grew up in Boston and have wonderful childhood memories of Cape Cod beaches and towns; and I spent years along the San Francisco and Sonoma coast line as well. So, beaches and the ocean are a major stress release for me. We all know that it’s easy to get a bit restless in dry, …