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B'nai B'rith Messenger
April 1959
About this newspaper
The B'nai B'rith Messenger [BBM], named after Los Angeles's foremost nineteenth-century congregation of the same name, chronicled Jewish life in the city for almost one hundred years (1897-1995).
The paper was first published as the Emanu-El on March 10, 1897. It carried the same moniker as San Francisco's then almost-two-year-old and widely-read Jewish newspaper, which was named for that city's Gold Rush-era synagogue. Rabbi Jacob Voorsanger, the rabbi of Congregation Emanu-El in San Francisco, criticized the new paper's lack of originality, and in April, 1898, the Los Angeles paper changed its name to the B'nai B'rith Messenger. Replicating the San Francisco example, the paper called itself after its city's prominent Reform temple, B'nai B'rith, now known as Wilshire Boulevard Temple.
Lionel L. Edwards, a native of San Francisco and relatively new to the newspaper business, founded and published the B'nai B'rith Messenger when he was just twenty-four years old. His editor for more than nineteen years was Victor Harris, a traditional Jew, who lived with the Edwards family, and was a Zionist and active figure in Jewish organizational life. The hope was that the B'nai B'rith Messenger would come to educate and inform Jewish Los Angeles, a growing community which by the beginning of the 20th century numbered over 2,000. With the name change, Edwards introduced a larger-sized paper and distributed issues to Jewish publications around the country, and to secular newspapers in the city. The paper reflected his belief in a "dignified" press. In addition to embracing Zionism, the Messenger editorially supported the settling Eastern European Jews in Mexico, rather than California, and prior to 1917, it advocated American neutrality in World War I, arguing that European countries on both sides of the conflict espoused anti-Semitism.
With the expansion of the Los Angeles Jewish community in the 1920s, the Messenger, initially a bi-monthly, became a weekly. It encouraged community cohesion and chronicled the Los Angeles community's steady growth. Reporting on local, national, and international news with different degrees of emphasis, depending on the sensibilities of its current publisher and editor, the Messenger is particularly important, historically, for its reports on local meetings, lectures, the comings and goings of rabbis and community leaders, the visits of international figures, and the rise of the city's Jewish communal institutions. At different times, the paper also included a Zionist bulletin, Jewish sports reports, news of Hollywood, and editorials. Frequent editorial topics included: Jewish education, pleas for Jewish unity, and the need for new arrivals to join synagogues. One strong editorial condemned Jews who violated provisions of the Volstead Act that enforced the Constitutional prohibition of alcohol. Congregation B'nai B'rith's flamboyant rabbi, Edgar Magnin, also became a frequent contributor to the paper. Authoring his own column for many years, under several editors, he commented on community activities, promoted relations between Christians and Jews, and reviewed Hollywood movies.
Attorney Joseph Cummins, who lived in Los Angeles and at different times owned Jewish newspapers in Chicago, Detroit, Toledo, St. Louis, and Kansas City, purchased the B'nai B'rith Messenger from Edwards in 1929, merging it with his own Los Angeles paper, the California Jewish Review. The masthead now read: the B'nai B'rith Messenger, with the California Jewish Review. Cummins and his editors put their mark on the paper, reducing its number of pages, featuring more world news, providing a detailed financial page, and shortening Rabbi Magnin's column, restricting it to religious topics, and moving it from the front of the paper to the back near the editorial section. Informational pages that listed synagogues, their locations, officers, and events were eliminated. More columnists were hired and the paper became more diverse.
Cummins continued to publish the Messenger for the next fifty years. A local mover and shaker, he and his paper became prominent community fixtures – not least because he ran the paper out of his law office and his clients included the likes of Hollywood's Errol Flynn and Betty Davis. In 1933, Cummins organized a boycott of Nazi Germany's exports. Later, as Los Angeles grew from its core to its valleys and suburbs, he expanded his readership by purchasing smaller papers, gaining a larger territory and a larger customer base. Jewish families took the Messenger with them as they moved to newly developed neighborhoods in Los Angeles's urban sprawl. As a result, the B'nai B'rith Messenger claimed at one time to be the largest independently owned Anglo-Jewish weekly in the United States. Times changed in the 1970s and 1980s, as the Messenger fought challenges from independent Jewish and federation-owned newspapers. After Cummins' death in 1980, his paper was sold and renamed the L.A. Jewish Times.
Although it eventually failed, the Messenger left a treasure-trove for those interested in 20th century western Jewish history. The rise of Los Angeles Jewry, the emergence of Jews in Hollywood, the creation of West Coast Jewish educational and cultural institutions, and the development of distinct forms of Judaism and Jewishness on the Pacific Coast all are chronicled in the Messenger's pages.
Dr. Ava F. Kahn
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The London Zoo has three new, adorable residents.
Sumatran tiger Melati gave birth to three healthy cubs on Feb. 3
, but the Zoological Society of London just shared its footage of their first moments. Pro tip: The cutest moment comes at 1:08, when one of the cub takes a tumble while trying to walk. Jump ahead to 1:50 to watch a cub try to cuddle with mom's face while she sleeps. The Sumatran tiger is a rare breed – there are as few as 300 in the world. Or, maybe that's 303, now. The zoo's been monitoring the baby tigers with its cub camera and it plans on sharing more exclusive clips of the cubs on
throughout March.

subset: commoncrawl


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'Lincoln' leads Oscars with 12 nominations
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — The Civil War saga "Lincoln" leads the Academy Awards with 12 nominations, including best picture, director for Steven Spielberg and acting honors for Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones.
Also among the nine nominees for best picture Thursday: the old-age love story "Amour"; the Iran hostage thriller "Argo"; the independent hit "Beasts of the Southern Wild"; the slave-revenge narrative "Django Unchained"; the musical "Les Miserables"; the shipwreck story "Life of Pi"; the lost-souls romance "Silver Linings Playbook"; and the Osama bin Laden manhunt chronicle "Zero Dark Thirty."
Harvey Weinstein produced two of the nine best picture nominees — "Django Unchained" and "Silver Linings Playbook" — and was naturally pleased.
"I am blown away! I can't say thank you enough to the Academy for their support of our films," he said in a statement. "We have a tremendous group of actors and filmmakers who we had the pleasure of working with this year and I am so happy that their achievements are being recognized."
"Life of Pi" surprisingly ran second with 11 nominations, ahead of "Zero Dark Thirty" and "Les Miserables," which had been considered potential front-runners.
"It's a great surprise. I'm deeply honored. Eleven really surprised me. But it's a good surprise. I'm very happily surprised." Ang Lee, director of "Life of Pi," said by telephone from Los Angeles.
More surprising were snubs in the directing category, where three favorites missed out: Ben Affleck for "Argo" and past Oscar winners Kathryn Bigelow for "Zero Dark Thirty" and Tom Hooper for "Les Miserables." Bigelow was the first woman ever the win the directing Oscar for 2009's "The Hurt Locker," while Hooper won a year later for "The King's Speech."
The best-picture category also had surprising omissions. The acclaimed first-love tale "Moonrise Kingdom" was left out and only got one nomination, for original screenplay. Also snubbed for best-picture was "The Master," a critical favorite that did manage three acting nominations for Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams and Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Two-time winner Spielberg earned his seventh directing nomination, and also in the mix are past winner Lee for "Life of Pi" and past nominee David O. Russell for "Silver Linings Playbook." The other slots went to surprise picks who are first-time nominees: Michael Haneke for his French-language "Amour" and Benh Zeitlin for "Beasts of the Southern Wild."
"It's great company, and there's some surprises. But it's great company and it's an honor to line up with them," said Lee.
"Amour" also was a best-picture surprise. The film, which won the top prize at last May's Cannes Film Festival, mainly had been considered a favorite in the foreign-language category, where it also was nominated. "Amour" had five nominations, including original screenplay and best-actress for Emmanuelle Riva.
The year's second-biggest box-office hit, "The Dark Knight Rises," was shut out entirely, even for visual effects. The omission of its predecessor, "The Dark Knight," from best-picture consideration for 2008, was largely responsible for the expansion of the Oscar category from five nominees to 10 the following year. "The Dark Knight" had earned eight nominations and won two Oscars.
Chronicling Abraham Lincoln's final months as he engineers passage of the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery, "Lincoln" stars best-actor contender Day-Lewis in a monumental performance as the 16th president, supporting-actress nominee Field as the notoriously headstrong Mary Todd Lincoln and supporting-actor prospect Jones as abolitionist firebrand Thaddeus Stevens.
Joining Day-Lewis in the best-actor field are Bradley Cooper as a psychiatric patient trying to get his life back together in "Silver Linings Playbook"; Hugh Jackman as Victor Hugo's tragic hero Jean Valjean in "Les Miserables"; Phoenix as a Navy vet who falls in with a cult in "The Master"; and Denzel Washington as a boozy airline pilot in "Flight."
Cooper had been a bit of a longshot. John Hawkes, a potential best-actor favorite, missed out for his role as a man in an iron lung aiming to lose his virginity in "The Sessions."
Nominated for best actress are Jessica Chastain as a CIA operative hunting bin Laden in "Zero Dark Thirty"; Jennifer Lawrence as a troubled young widow struggling to heal in "Silver Linings Playbook"; Riva as an ailing woman tended by her husband in "Amour"; Quvenzhane Wallis as a spirited girl on the Louisiana delta in "Beasts of the Southern Wild"; and Naomi Watts as a mother caught up in a devastating tsunami in "The Impossible."
Best actress had a wild age range: Riva is the oldest nominee ever in the category at 85, while Wallis is the youngest ever at 9.
Along with Field, supporting-actress nominees are Adams as a cult leader's devoted wife in "The Master"; Anne Hathaway as an outcast mother reduced to prostitution in "Les Miserables"; Helen Hunt as a sex surrogate in "The Sessions"; and Jacki Weaver as an unstable man's doting mom in "Silver Linings Playbook."
Besides Jones, the supporting-actor contenders are Alan Arkin as a wily Hollywood producer in "Argo"; Robert De Niro as a football-obsessed patriarch in "Silver Linings Playbook"; Hoffman as a dynamic cult leader in "The Master"; and Christoph Waltz as a genteel bounty hunter in "Django Unchained."
"Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane, who will host the Feb. 24 Oscars, joined Emma Stone to announce the Oscar lineup, and he scored a nomination himself, original song for "Everybody Needs a Best Friend," the tune he co-wrote for his big-screen directing debut "Ted."
"That's kind of cool I got nominated," MacFarlane deadpanned at the announcement. "I get to go to the Oscars."
Walt Disney predictably dominated the animated-feature category with three of the five nominees: "Brave," ''Frankenweenie" and "Wreck-It Ralph." Also nominated were "ParaNorman" and "The Pirates! Band of Misfits."
"I'm absolutely blown away," Rich Moore, director of "Wreck-It Ralph" said by phone. "It is weird at 5:30 in the morning to hear Emma Stone say your name. It's surreal."
"Lincoln" is Spielberg's best awards prospect since his critical peak in the 1990s, when he won best-picture and directing Oscars for "Schindler's List" and a second directing Oscar for "Saving Private Ryan." The 12 nominations for "Lincoln" matched Spielberg's personal best on "Schindler's List," which won seven Oscars.
Spielberg's latest film could vault him, Day-Lewis and Field to new heights among Hollywood's super-elite of multiple Oscar winners.
A best-picture win for "Lincoln" would be Spielberg's second, while another directing win would be his third, a feat achieved only by Frank Capra and William Wyler, who each earned three directing Oscars, and John Ford, who received four.
"Lincoln" also was the ninth best-picture nominee Spielberg has directed, moving him into a tie for second-place with Ford. Only Wyler directed more best-picture nominees, with 13.
Day-Lewis and Field both have two lead-acting Oscars already, he for "My Left Foot" and "There Will Be Blood" and she for "Norma Rae" and "Places in the Heart." A third Oscar for either would put them in rare company with previous triple winners Ingrid Bergman, Walter Brennan, Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep. Katharine Hepburn is the record-holder with four acting Oscars.
An Oscar for Jones would be his second supporting-actor prize; he previously won for "The Fugitive."
"Lincoln" composer John Williams — whose five Oscars include three for the music of three earlier Spielberg films, "Jaws," ''E.T. the Extra-terrestrial" and "Schindler's List" — earned his 43rd nomination for best score, extending his all-time record in the category.
The Oscars feature a best-picture field that ranges from five to 10 films depending on a complex formula of ballots from the 5,856 voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Winners for the 85th Oscars will be announced Feb. 24 at a ceremony aired live on ABC from Hollywood's Dolby Theatre.


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A Lesson on the Great Wall, Jinshanling
Headlights on and engine roaring, the bus devours the morning silence. "Is this going to Jinshanling?" Nodding, the driver waves me aboard and I take my place, sleepy-eyed, in the second row. Our tour guide looks like he could use a strong cup of coffee.
Not many things merit a 5:00 a.m. start and an uncomfortable four-hour bus ride with terrible leg room. But it is my last day in Beijing and I have booked myself a trip to see the final item on my checklist: the Great Wall of China.
Backpack tucked between my feet, I am trying to decipher the language that is being spoken by my seatmate. Is it Portuguese? I wonder. There are words that seem almost Spanish, but it lacks the familiar lilt of my Brazilian friends. I keep my eyes glued to the window, watching the scenery as it turns from drab apartment blocks to tan-coloured fields and mountains. There are 33 of us on this bus; a group of Frenchmen, a myriad of other nationalities and a visiting professor from New Jersey. He seems to be the only other person who is going solo.
When the bus finally pulls into the car park, we are given an enthusiastic welcome by a meet and greet team, or more accurately a handful of local vendors. Across the aisle, the American professor shakes his head. "It wasn't like this the last time I came here."
We walk the wide pathway leading to the start of the trail, where we are herded between the rest of the villagers. I hear the numbers being recited in Mandarin and sigh, wondering if I had made the right decision. "What are they saying?" A blonde twenty-something ahead of me turns around, creases of bewilderment forming above her sunglasses.
"They're counting us." I shrug and stifle an uneasy laugh. "Welcome to China."
I had hoped that the vendors would leave us the moment we began our ascent, but this being China it was wishful thinking. Backpacks stuffed with merchandise, it wasn't long before they followed, spreading out strategically among the group.
In a bid to be friendly, I call out to the ruddy-faced villager who is just passing me by. "Aren't you cold? You don't seem to be wearing very much!" Her shoes are flat-soled and seem impractical for the hike.
She turns around and laughs, clearly surprised. "Oh no, I'm wearing a lot of layers."
Her name – I later find out – is Zhou Qin, and when I get to the top of the trail she is standing off to the side, waiting for me. At first I don't even notice the wall's gentle tilt, but Zhou is quick to point out the square openings and rounded thresholds spaced at regular intervals. "You see, it was built so that rain would drain away onto the Chinese side."
Zhou is more than happy to share her knowledge of the wall; she reveals details that our guide would mention only in passing or neglect altogether. The posts where pillars once held up the mighty watchtowers; scorch marks and bomb damage left by invading Japanese troops; and hidden portals where horses would bring in supplies from the valleys below.
I ask her if it's true that the mortar is made of rice. "Yes," Zhou says, "it's a mixture of glutinous rice and white lime. Very strong." She bends down, picking up a small stone, and throws it over the edge. It lands beside a perfectly round hole carved into the rock. "That's where they used to pound the rice. You'll find a hole like this beside every tower."
Zhou is walking ahead, warning me where it's dangerous or slippery. Eventually I stumble, sending a few pieces of rubble tumbling down the slope. "Man man zou," she chimes. Walk slowly. I had bought a pair of brand-new hiking boots for the trip, but failed to break them in before climbing the wall.
It is at this point that Zhou begins describing her life in the shadow of China's pride.
"Before the road was built, we had no electricity. Not even bikes could get through. We used to draw water the old-fashioned way, from a hand-dug well. Now, we can just pump it from the ground."
She continues, right palm pressed against the cool brick, taking it one step at a time.
"We've lived here all our lives. Been here for generations. Our ancestors and their ancestors too." Perhaps, I muse, they were the ones who built and maintained this wall.
"Do you do this climb every day?"
"Yes, when there are visitors. In peak season there are days I do it twice."
Zhou is candid about the nature of her work. "I sell souvenirs here because there's no employment in the village. With this money, I can send my children to school."
She speaks of her two daughters with the pride of any mother. They are seven and eleven years old, and spend their weekdays living at a boarding school some eight kilometres away.
Zhou points over to the faint outline of Simatai, the adjoining section and the part I had always wanted to see. But it's been closed since 2010 for renovations. "I've climbed up to the highest tower. We've all done it here. Before the pollution you could see the distant lights of Beijing."
She leans back against the doorway. "Go on to the end and have a look… I'll be waiting for you here."
At the final tower, nicknamed "the one with five eyes", the other hikers are preparing for their descent. An Australian gazes out over the scene and puts her arm around her partner. In the distance the wall at Simatai stretches out into the midday haze. I sit in the doorway, marveling at the view and for once, the unadulterated silence.
On the way down Zhou takes me via a winding route on the mountainside, bypassing the steeper parts of the wall. "Beware the loose stones," she says. I stumble again, and wonder how she can jump from place to place with such graceful ease. In the shade patches of January snow line the worn dirt path, melting slowly into gentle dunes of shaved ice. I dip my finger into the snow and relish the cold.
Just before we part ways, I buy a picture book and a black T-shirt, printed with the words, "I climbed the Great Wall". Zhou Qin is undeniably grateful. She clasps my hand, eyes brimming with joy as though I have given her an expensive gift. "Thank you so much, you've really helped me."
I think of my small donation, her two daughters, and the sacrificial act of a mother yearning to give them a better future.
"No," I tell her, "Thank you."
I really enjoy reading your post but can you please add share button? Its a shame not to be able to post something so good on faceboook, twitter, stumbleupon….March 21, 2012
It's incredible to see the expanse of the Great Wall. Truly a wonder indeed. The view is breathtaking as well. By the way, did you just pick your guide randomly? if so, you were very lucky to have a nice person like Zhou Qin who told you some interesting facts about the wall.March 21, 2012
What a great experience! I would love to visit the wall. I hope I find a guide like yours.March 21, 2012
You do write well, and the personal titbits (here Zhou's stories) give charm and originality to your narrations.
Thank you,
LouMarch 21, 2012
You're welcome Lou! I really appreciate your kind words – this post in particular was quite the labour of love.March 22, 2012
You are so considerate to reply to everyone comments 🙂
I did find you on FP, congrats, and then looked at all of the feedback and found some others to follow based off of their comments to you.
Thank you for the well written memory and pictured adventure, along with the new blogs I am now part of.April 10, 2012
I echo the comment above, thank you for sharing. Also very good photo documentations, not only of the views but also of how steep the steps can be and other specific findings. Also , it reads well! Titbits of the locals and connecting with them are to me much more valuable, than those travelbbloggers, who in every other blogpost make it a point to tell, hat they don't travel like tourists bla, bla (only to come-out as arrogant travellers, knowing it of course much better.)July 6, 2013
Thanks in turn for the kind words, Hanel. As you said, it's far more interesting to get a feel for a place through its people. I too am irked by that tendency to write about one's travels in a self-absorbed manner… frankly the locals aren't going to make a distinction between whether we are "tourists" or "travellers" – at the end of the day we are all just strangers passing through a foreign land.July 7, 2013
very well said!!July 7, 2013
Beautifully written James! Loved every word! Jinshaling looks so desolate and wonderful at the same time! We decided we were not fit enough (or not young enough!) for this section and opted for Mutiyanyu. Your post makes me wish we hadn't!March 22, 2012
Wow James! Your photos are unbelievable! Looks like you had an amazingly clear day. I am so jealous as our day was so smoggy. Did you enjoy this section of the wall?March 22, 2012
My last visit to Great Wall was 10 years ago! Thanks for bringing up the memories when I was in Beijing.March 23, 2012
Wow! I almost felt like I was there. My legs even started to hurt when I saw the photo of the stairs 😉
Great post!March 23, 2012
Gorgeous photos! Beautifully written!March 28, 2012
Thanks James! Looks like I'll have to keep an eye on your blog! I'm headed back to SE Asia this year.March 28, 2012
I'm going back to Thailand. I used to live there and I want to see if I want to live there again. I've lived in Guatemala long enough and am craving Thailand again! I miss SE Asia and traveled quite a lot there when I was living over in that part of the world. I loved Laos although I was there quite a few years ago so I'm sure it's changed quite a bit! Happy travels! I look forward to seeing more of your photos!March 28, 2012
Thanks Lucy! Thailand must have been an incredible country to call home, I'm not surprised you're longing to go back! After spending 9 months in Spain I would love to try out Central and South America. I hear Luang Prabang is becoming increasingly touristy – so I'm hoping to get there before it becomes SE Asia's version of Prague!March 29, 2012
Thailand has been calling my name for years but I've never quite made it back. This is the year! Both Central and South America are incredible places to travel. Each country has something different to offer in landscape, food and culture. I loved Luang Prabang when I was there but it was well over 10 years ago and although there were backpackers there it wasn't overrun and still had plenty of charm. I hope it still does! I hope to travel in Laos again when I'm back over that way.March 29, 2012
I liked your Lesson on the Wall. Understated but brimming with your personality. Congratulations on getting the tone just right. Between you and Madhu we've had a comprehensive visit:). MeredithMarch 31, 2012
Fantastic photos! I went to the wall last summer, but my photos certainly don't do it justice like yours do. Great work 🙂April 7, 2012
redeyefamily #
Great photos! I, too, visited the Great Wall in the winter. I'm glad I did. There were very few tourists. Although the landscape was pretty brown, the experience of being there without having to fight the crowds was worth every frozen moment of it.April 7, 2012
Truly a wonder, i love this post, you have truly inspired me to visit China and achieve my aim : to walk ALL the wall of china! That would be just a dream come true! 😀April 7, 2012
I dream of doing exactly the same thing! It could take years to follow it from end to end but the journey must be amazing. 😀April 7, 2012
hahahaha yesss totally!!April 8, 2012
Isobel #
Your entry just reminded of a National Geographic Great Expeditions documentary entitled Walking The Great Wall. I love the personal tone you use when you tell the story. It was almost heartwarming, esp the part about asking the vendor if she goes up there and answering that she sells souvenirs to earn money so she can send her kids to school.April 7, 2012
I was really touched by the vendor's story – it made me realise just how privileged I was to live the life that I have.April 7, 2012
Isobel #
I know what you mean. There are times, too, that I encounter such incidents – more like a reality check about life…April 7, 2012
Amazing pictures, I cant wait to travel the world. 1coffeehouse.wordpress.comApril 7, 2012
Nice photo. Your post make me miss my home in China so much. I will reblog your post to my Chinese teaching blog. I will teach "长城" (the Chinese for "the Great Wall")!April 7, 2012
What an honour to be able to teach Chinese – it is such a beautiful, poetic language. Thanks for the reblog Xuan, 谢谢!April 7, 2012
What a fantastic experience this must've been. It's now on my bucket list of things to see. Thanks for sharing!
JanetApril 7, 2012
Great post! reminds me of my own trip to the Great Wall, we even camped out on it, thank you for the great pics also.April 7, 2012
A TASTE OF BRUNY postcards from an island #
What a great wall. I love these photographs! Great blogApril 7, 2012
I used to live in China. The great wall is amazingApril 7, 2012
That is quite an experience. Its special that you made such a beautiful connection with a lady of the area, and in turn, that you were able to financially assist her (through your purchase). I can not imagine what it is like to be so poor, as I am sure that most of us in the west can not. Thank you for sharing. Beautiful story with gorgeous photos.April 7, 2012
I was on the Great Wall in January 2009. This was nothing like my experience. You really had a "treat". Having a native person spend the time with you and show you the details is really the experience of a lifetime. Your trail was so much more rugged than mine, also. The section of the wall I walked had been rebuilt for the protection of tourists so it was in much better shape. I was happy to see your photos to get a sense of the steepness and the deterioration of the wall left in its natural state. Thanks for this trip down memory lane for me even though it was a bit different. I am heading over to your Hong Kong post now.April 7, 2012
I could not have asked for a better guide; meeting her made the experience that much more rewarding. I may have been on that same section of wall quite a number of years ago – was it called Badaling? All I remember are the crowds and the souvenir stalls, not much else!April 7, 2012
Yes, it was the tourist "trap" place where you entered via cable car. I am really not sure why my hosts took me to that particular starting point. Stephen was a native from Hong Kong so I really got to see a lot of true Chinese neighborhoods, see their customs and eat the traditional dishes throughout the mainland. My best experience was in a tea shop with a young woman who shared her dreams of studying abroad while she demonstrated the way to brew tea to maximize its flavor. As she brewed she talked about how she could not see a way to break away from the family's street business of selling loose teas to tourists. That was in Xien.April 7, 2012
Warriors and Goddesses #
such a spectacular place, I hope to get there one day too. What a journey, thanks for sharing.April 7, 2012
Really great story-telling through both your pictures and words. If you're not a writer by trade, you definitely could be one. This is the kind of quality travel-writing one would expect to see in a magazine or newspaper. Like the esthetic of your blogsite, too. Cheers.April 7, 2012
Great stuff. Thanks for sharing. It was great to relive my brief time at Simatai through your words.April 7, 2012
I wonder if the wall will be somewhat restored…or if that would damage it's appeal.April 7, 2012
How many people and how many years did it take to build this wall? I could not sleep if those questions were not answered for me. Your photos are great, and your narrative is very good. Thank you for sharing. I am adding a visit to the great wall to my bucket list.
We need a wall such as this between our southern border to impede the flow of people streaming into the USA.April 7, 2012
Thx for showing still the amazing serpentine structure of the Great Wall. 70 % grade walk? I can't imagine going down the rubbly stones.
I haven't been to China ..yet.April 7, 2012
Great wall and of course great post !April 7, 2012
I really enjoyed reading about your experience at the Great Wall. I'd like to take my kids there (5-9yo). Did you see many kids visiting? My kids are hardy, but not sure I'd take them to the slippery slopes.April 7, 2012
Badaling is too crowded compared to Jinshanling. That is one of the main reasons why some travelers prefer Jinshanling over the other. Besides that, Jinshangling is well kept in its original shape while Badaling has been rebuilt many times.April 7, 2012
Absolutely love the pictures, my favorite of the Wall, and the personality of your writing.April 7, 2012
Hi there! Was on the Great Wall with my students about four years back. I only made it up two towers before my legs refused to go any further, so kudos to you for having made it all the way to the end!
By the way, is your stretch of the Wall the one which ends in a tourist store? I can't remember which section we went to, but it was definitely crowded with tourists and hawkers alike. If that wasn't Jinshanling, how would one get there from Beijing?April 7, 2012
Hi Cecille! I think you may have visited either Badaling or Mutianyu – judging from your descriptions, it sounds like you did the latter! We had vendors in Jinshanling, but it was relatively undeveloped so there was no tourist store at the bottom. I got there by booking myself onto a group tour via an independent hiking company; it was called "Great Wall Adventure Tours".April 7, 2012
Professor Luke #
Just went here back in late February, snowed the day we went and was absolutely gorgeous. Great pictures.April 7, 2012
Donna #
James loved your blog on the Great Wall. My husband and I lived in Beijing a little over a year in 2008 – 2009. We were very fortunate to have the opportunity to hike the Simatai portion of the Great Wall. We had pictures very similar to what you have, but unfortunately they were lost when our computer crashed, so it's nice to see your pictures. We actually stayed overnight at one of the farmers houses there below the end of the route. We did not speak Mandarin and he spoke very little English. He started by walking with us through town. We could tell he was excited to have visitors and was bragging to the other locals that he had visitors. We had both a traditional dinner and breakfast, which was excellent. The house consisted of a living room with their bedroom, three guest rooms, one bathroom with running water, and a kitchen surrounded by a small court yard, where we ate our meals. The bed consisted of a thin foam pad on two by six boards and was covered by a handmade quilt. It was an assume experience, one of greatest places we have ever visited. April and October are the best months to visit China. I recommend the Harbin Ice Festival if you are ever back in China, but be prepared to wear a lot of warm clothing.April 7, 2012
Wow, what an experience that must have been! I considered staying overnight below the wall but only a day trip was possible with the time that I had. Thank you for recommending Harbin and sharing such a wonderful account of your stay – I will have to check out the ice festival in the next couple of winters!April 7, 2012
Well written post. I've been to a few different sections of the Wall and wrote a post about it a couple months ago. Here's a link in case you're interested in checking it out.
JimmyApril 7, 2012
Thanks Jimmy, I had a look at your post and I recognise Jinshanling from the last picture. Were you there in the summer? I'm amazed by the clarity of the scene – I don't remember seeing those distant mountains from the wall. The section at Huanghua looks absolutely gorgeous!April 7, 2012
I was there last May. It was a super clear day, and the lighting was great for pictures. I definitely recommend Huanghua if you make another trip to the Great Wall. There was almost no one there the day I went. It was really serene, and quite a different experience from the more touristy sections of the wall.April 7, 2012
This is one of the best set of photographs and one of the best written narratives I've come across about the Great Wall. Hope to see you put together a book someday about all your travels and all the lessons learned on the road, James.April 7, 2012
I agree! Have taken notes so I know where to go (before I am 85…).
Love the personal info shared by the guide; rice potholes, etc.! Probably no-one knows!
Thank youfor sharing, James.April 7, 2012
This is truly magnificent! The best I've seen about The Great Wall.April 7, 2012
Very well written and interesting to read. Traveling has been a great part of my life as well – although I don´t travel that much anymore. To China and the Great Wall I have been a couple of times, and to my great joy we brought our young over there as well. The last time when we went further on to Tibet. Keep going while you are still young! I know the feeling you have and the ache in your body for more.
Wonderful photos as well! I will have a thorough look around your blog, and I agree with someone LL above – why not making a book or two about your travels?April 7, 2012
Ah, I've always wanted to go to Tibet. How did you cope with the altitude sickness? Was it much of a problem while you were there? It can be hard to take time off to go travelling, but thankfully I have a trip to Laos and another one to Southern China (Guilin and Yangshuo) planned next month.
Thank you for leaving such a thoughtful comment – I have never been to Scandinavia but I hope to visit sometime soon!April 7, 2012
Well, you are very welcome to visit Scandinavia! Norway is the most beautiful country here, with its mountains and fiords. I live in Sweden, but that´s less than 100 kilometres from Norway…
I went to New Zealand during christmas and stayed for a month – I wish I could have stayed longer, because this is the most beautiful country I have ever visited. Nature there is simply astonishing. Their work to keep it clean and nonpolluted is admirable. Mountains, glaciers, hot springs, volcanoes, green hills, fiords and rainforests together in beautiful harmony! And the wildlife!
Tibet, yes. This journey was extraordinary – it has been in my dreams ever since I read about Shang-ri-La as a child. I´m so glad I made it before getting too old…No, but I think altitude sickness does not depend on how fit you are. You cannot tell in advance how you will react. Of course, if you have some kind of lung deficiency or if you are a smoker – its not optimal. We all (4 persons) handled it very well. My experience from Peru is that you should have a slow ride up there – if you can you should rest often. We went by the rather new train from Beijing to Lhasa and flew back again. We had a van taking us higher up inside the country and there were never any problems. The first week I woke up with headaches every day, and during night we all had some short breathing stops. We had read about it thoroughly in advance, so we were not afraid. Of course you might refrain from climbing the Potala steps the first days of your stay. We saw several people throwing up when they reached the top level..
Tibet is wonderful, you would love it. One of my dreams is also to go to Guilin – but I fear it will not come true. I´ve heard they are going to flow it in order to build a great dam or something. Hope you will get there in time! I think I will look out for your pictures and story! Good Luck!
If you need a place to stay in Sweden during your trip you could always contactApril 7, 2012
New Zealand is just remarkable – I went there as a 12 or 13 year old one Easter, and although it rained almost every day the scenery was second to none. On the way to Milford Sound I saw snow and ice for the very first time… I will always remember how it felt on my hands.
The mountains of Guilin are safe for now; they had the dam built across the Yangtze River Valley some way to the north. Like Lake Nasser in Egypt, some of the historical monuments in the Three Gorges were dismantled and reassembled higher up the slopes. But it's still a big loss to China, the reservoir is apparently the size of Switzerland!
And thank you for the generous offer of a place to stay in Sweden, I am really touched by your kindness. Maybe someday we will swap travel stories face-to-face!April 7, 2012
As I said, you are welcome to contact me if…And, did you know that it was a Swedish company that dismantled and rebuilt the Abu Simbel? We flew in over the great dam and the magnificent temple an early morning in 1981…Once again – Good Luck with your future travels!April 7, 2012
what a sweet story… I am sure it enriched your view of a famous land mark that much more.April 7, 2012
It certainly did – my guide was unbelievably open about sharing her story.April 7, 2012
Did she speak English or are you able to speak Chinese? I live in China and find it so hard to learn the language… and all the stories I must miss 😦April 8, 2012
Your pictures of the Great Wall are beautiful! I really enjoyed reading your narrative as well. My husband and I went to the Great Wall last October, but we went to the Mutiyanyu portion and we had no travel guide, so we had quite a different experience than you. Our trip was a little marred by the dense crowds and the seemingly endless vendors…it would have been cool to visit the unrestored, crumbling part of the wall like you did. I saw in one of your other comments that you plan to visit Guilin and Yangshou soon! My husband and I also went there this past January, and we really enjoyed it! I'll definitely have to come back to your blog to take a look at the pictures you take. You may already know all about it, but our advice would be to spend more time in Yangshou than Guilin–it's much more scenic and underdeveloped.April 7, 2012
The vendors at Jinshanling were persistent but not nearly as bad as the more popular sections – I found that as long as you remained friendly they were generally okay.
Thanks for the advice! I'll be spending about 3 days in and around Yangshuo, and 2 in Guilin. Joining me will be a fellow travel blogger – it's his first time in China outside Hong Kong and Macau, so I'm hoping that it won't be too much of a culture shock! The plan is to land in Guangzhou, stay the night and get to Yangshuo by bus.
Did you manage to take in the Longsheng Rice Terraces while in Guilin? I love the title of your blog, it speaks volumes about the full-on Chinese experience!April 7, 2012
Haha, there might be some culture shock! Guilin was the only place I've seen in my China travels that openly advertised dog on the menu (but at least that makes it easier to avoid)! We were able to see Longsheng Rice Terraces, but it was in the middle of winter and everything was looking kind of dead. Also, when we got to the top of the mountain, there was such dense fog that we really didn't have a view. If you're heading there soon, then I think you'll be visiting at the best time of year when the paddies are full of water. My recommendation would be to go with a tour group! My husband and I tried to go it alone just purchasing our own bus ticket to get there, and the bus driver just dropped us off in the middle of the highway, pointed to the top of the mountain to our right, and said something like, "It's up there!" and then peeled out. Luckily there were some Shanghai girls also stranded on that part of the road who knew some English and came to our rescue…April 7, 2012
That was a wonderfully written photo essay. Thank you for posting this.April 7, 2012
Thank you for sharing this simple yet enriching story. It is amazing what our simple acts of giving can do for others. These are the kind of moments that stay in our memories.
Also, the photography was a beauty to look at.April 7, 2012
James, what a great post. Loved your pix (the ones my computer could actually load) and your write-up too. My husband I lived in China and Hong Kong for many years and were able to visit the Great Wall several times. I really enjoyed "going back" there with you in this post. It is an incredible feat of engineering, effort, blood, sweat, rice and tears. So glad you could share it with us.April 8, 2012
What a great story! Nice pictures, too!April 8, 2012
Beautiful pictures!
I went there with a rough start haha, as I couldn't get myself on a tour.
Wish I could have spent more time up there at JinShanLing
http://trippykath.wordpress.com/2012/01/15/the-great-wall-and-me-journey-of-a-potential-nightmare/April 8, 2012
You are a very good writer! This was a real catchy one, I cannot stop reading til the end, it's like a short story, this should be printed out! 🙂 cheers!April 8, 2012
Salamat Joycelyn! One day I will make it to the Philippines and blog about it – the islands are right there at the top of my wishlist!April 8, 2012
Wow! That is great to hear! If you don't have any friends here, I can come with you! There's so many things worth sharing about our country. 🙂 Keep it up! God bless!April 9, 2012
Great story, and masterfully told. Your pictures really do the wall justice.April 8, 2012
I enjoyed your tour. I particularly liked it because you brought a sense of intimacy to it, and the fact that you included a narrative with the photos. So many authors don't, and so all that results is a photo gallery of pretty pictures.
Very well done.
Gerry B.April 8, 2012
Thank you for sharing. Loved the pictures. I enjoyed reading your experience. I am so glad(I know its weird)that you met someone like Zhou Qin, cause somehow, though the place is lovely, the trip becomes memorable because of the people we connect with.April 8, 2012
kashintransit #
Amazing stories and stunning pictures! Thank you for sharing! I've heard that because of all the foot traffic on the Great Wall, it has become very uneven. Is that true?April 8, 2012
You're welcome! Regarding the foot traffic, the more popular parts of the Wall are often heavily restored so it's not much of a problem. In contrast the section I went to was relatively undeveloped – I would say that the uneven surfaces were due to years of general wear and tear.April 8, 2012
very nice photos!!!!April 8, 2012
Thanks for the memories! I hiked the Great Wall last summer. It's amazing the lengths Great Wall vendors will go for a sale, isn't it?April 8, 2012
Hi James! Congrats on the FP! I read this post awhile ago and then saw it on the front page! Way to go! I love the way your new theme looks on the blog. How on earth did you get the background? It is so cool! I am working hard at revising mine. I've tested a few themes and its been a nightmare as I don't know how to program it. Delicious Magazine is one I looked at. I also like the new one On Demand but could not get it to work for the life of me.
You are so lucky your day was clear at the wall. When I look back at my pictures from my Climb on the Wall series I noticed that it is so incredibly smoggy! Oh well. Guess I'll have to do it again someday!April 8, 2012
Thank you Nicole! I found the background image off google – it was originally white but I combined it with a faded texture in photoshop. Delicious Magazine took a while to get used to, I wasn't too keen on the original fonts so I had them changed with Custom Design.
I was expecting some really smoggy days in Beijing but most of them turned out with beautiful blue skies. If you do go back you should definitely try out this part of the wall!April 8, 2012
You must be really good at figuring out how to put all this together in WP! I would have no clue on how to do that. Hopefully someday! It looks great! Did you have to use a lot of CCS in order to customize your site? Or was it pretty straight forward using Delicious Magazine.April 9, 2012
Very nice !!!April 8, 2012
Hi James
Your site is really outstanding. The pictures are truly wonderful. Beautiful background. I have enjoyed looking around your great posts. Congratulations on being FP.April 8, 2012
Ken Judd #
Reblogged this on KAJ's Blog.April 8, 2012
Hayley #
This is brilliant! The Great Wall is high on my to-do list and your pics/writing makes me want to go even more!April 8, 2012
Lovely photos. I camped and hiked Jinshanling last summer and it was incredible. Remote, rugged, and, amazingly enough, smog free on the days I was there. Such a gorgeous area, love the pics too. Any chance you got to hear the nearby military base testing ordinance?April 8, 2012
I very much enjoyed this post – you really brought being on the 'Wall' alive, and the photos are brilliant! My husband is currently on an 8-day motorcycling tour around southern China – I hope he has some good shots that I can share with you.April 8, 2012
This is one of the best writing pieces I've ever come across. amazing pics! seems like you travel SE Asia a lot, esp. China.April 8, 2012
how inspiring! I especially enjoyed reading about your guide's life, and how you made her day by spending a few dollars. How lucky are you to have had this experience. I can't wait to one day visit the wall and have an inspiring encounter for myself!April 8, 2012
I always dream to visit this great wall.April 8, 2012
Great post, really, really enjoyed reading this.
p.s. awesome pictures also. Looks incredible.April 8, 2012
What an incredible story! I was planning a year in China when a job opportunity came up and I ended up in Egypt instead! Reading this entry has made me definetly want to go. Not for a year but I must see the Great Wall one day.April 9, 2012
Egypt must have been an incredible place to live! When you do go to the Great Wall, make sure you visit a section farther away from Beijing – generally there will be far less crowds and souvenir vendors.April 9, 2012
Noted! The vendors can not be worse than the ones at the Pyramids in Cairo. The day I went they outnumbered the tourists 50 to 1!April 9, 2012
Sarah Doyle #
This is a place I've always wanted to go. Don't know if I'll make it, so it's especially nice to see such a thoughtful piece. Photos are great, and I love the illustrations in the background of your blog. Where are they from?April 9, 2012
Congratulations on being freshly pressed. What wonderful pictures. Thank you for sharing them with us. One day I hope to go to China and the Great Wall is on my list of things that I must see.April 9, 2012
Yes – it is lovely here. Not as exotic as some of the places you have visited but well worth a visit if you come back to Europe one day.April 9, 2012
Sadly I've only seen Paris, Nice and Strasbourg. A close friend of mine lives in Lyon so I've promised to visit her at some point. And I've always wanted to tour the Loire Valley for its chateaux and wine. It's funny how the term "exotic" is so relative – to those of us living in Asia, Europe is just that!April 9, 2012
The Loire is lovely as is the Bordeaux region – full of lovely châteaux and cars abandoned from people who have 'tasted' a little too much.
You are right James – exotic is very relative!!April 9, 2012
China is in one of my most wanted places to visit on my wish list. Very nice pics…:)April 9, 2012
Thank you, James, for the pictures and the tale. I had a Great Wall misty experience, twice. Not so lucky with the shots, although the mist gives it all an eerie and ghostly look…I'm very happy to see yours. Makes me want to go back, for sure. Enjoy the rest!April 9, 2012
De rien, Julie. What a shame about the mist! Not many people have a trilingual blog like yours, that is really incredible. Yo escribiría en español, si no me costara tanto!April 9, 2012
Thanks. Still learning. how to write and how to blog. ha! Love to share. Let's keep on traveling!April 9, 2012
Thank you for sharing your adventure and pictures. I enjoyed them.April 9, 2012
Mormon Soprano #
This is a wonderful post!
I have always dreamed of being able to go to China and to walk on the Great Wall. When I was 9 years old my Grandfather was invited to come and live in China for one year and teach English. It was decided that I, as his oldest grandchild, would accompany him. I remember searching the library for every book I could find about China (long before the days of internet) and devouring every fact I could about the mysterious land of the Golden Dragon. Sadly, Grandfather became ill and our China adventure was postponed, and then eventually was cancelled and never materialized. Nearly 40 years later, I am still waiting for my chance to experience China. I loved reading all of your descriptions and seeing your beautiful photos. You have captured very well just how steep and treacherous the wall can be, and how infinite it seems to stretch. Do they let people hike along the wall unaccompanied for an extended period? Like trekking? Or, is it very controlled how far you can go? I especially loved reading about your unique personal experience of meeting Zhou Qin. I'm very glad that you purchased some of her souvenirs and supported her family.
Congratulations on being Freshly Pressed – well deserved! – MoSopApril 9, 2012
Thank you, MoSop – what a story! It is never too late to make the trip, it would be such a moving experience to visit China in your Grandfather's place. There are a few parts of the wall that are closed to visitors but otherwise you are free to go trekking on your own – it's even possible to camp overnight on the less popular sections. I hope that you too will get there sometime soon!April 9, 2012
coribaum #
Great piece! I was in China about a year ago and climbed the wall in a different place. Loved seeing the section you were on. Thanks for sharing! And congrats on getting "Freshly Pressed."April 9, 2012
My little brother is currently on a two month break from teaching English in Thailand and he is dying to travel to the Great Wall. With your pictures and expert storytelling, I feel like I have made it there first.April 9, 2012
A great post! Reminds me of my time in the Great Wall too last year. We only went to Mutianyu, and it was already a tough climb for me. I was really tired after a few days in Beijing so I couldn't go very far and ended up acting as an impromptu photographer for some Spanish tourists while my friends continued further, haha. And we went on our own, without guide, so it's nice reading the information you got from your guide.April 9, 2012
I've never been to Mutianyu, but it looks so steep from the pictures – perhaps even more so than the section I visited!April 9, 2012
It looks so? …Well, now I don't really blame myself for not finishing the route! I wrote about my time in Beijing here: http://lompatlompat.wordpress.com/2011/04/24/beijing-tanpa-paket-tur/, but it's in Indonesian. There are two pictures that I took in Mutianyu there.April 10, 2012
Joshua S. #
Thank you for writing, James. Having scaled the Great Wall myself, I enjoyed your article on a more personal level.April 9, 2012
Nice post! It reminds me of my favorite part of my Beijing trip last summer. A guide followed me, and I ended up with one of those T-shirts as well! Those ladies have incredible endurance, as I was dying on the way back down.April 9, 2012
James, ¡me encanta tu estilo, gracias por compartir con el mundo! Your writing makes me feel almost as if I'd been present next to you! I suppose that's the next best thing to being there, but either way, I am inspired!April 9, 2012
Reblogged this on finnegan2749.April 9, 2012
Hai james, good picture and experience !. I hope someday i can see great wall panorama too..April 9, 2012
Reblogged this on Chemical Fawn and commented:
I may never get to visit myself, but this is a beautiful blog post. Please visit the site for more of their amazing destinations.April 9, 2012
thanks for this post james.. my friends and i plan to visit the great wall this may..April 9, 2012
I was lucky enough to walk the Simatai section twice – had no idea it's been closed since 2010! Thanks for bringing back some good memories. The people there are desperately poor, there were nearly some fistfights between them to decide who would get to carry some of my group's bags to earn a little money.April 9, 2012
it was great! i mean great for the experience, the pictures, and great for you.
u've been doing so well.
i wish i could go to China someday
🙂April 9, 2012
Gee #
Wow, we had very similar experiences, but you express them much better than I could! I went a few weeks ago. In fact, the 'banner' picture from my blog is from this section of the wall! 😀April 9, 2012
I think I enjoy reading about your experience with Zhou Qin more than the description of The Great Wall itself, that's what travelling is all about for me. Awesome post, congratulation on the FP.April 9, 2012
Great pics. China looks amazing. I really want to go to China. I was wondering if you could check out my blog. Come and see an 11 year old's view on all things baseball.
http://bleacherboy.wordpress.com/April 9, 2012
I'm impressed – I don't think I was doing anything of the sort when I was 11! You could easily become a journalist / sports commentator / media personality later on in life. Keep it up!April 10, 2012
Not really, aside from the obvious adage that "practice makes perfect". You just have to keep writing, and read articles to find out how other people are presenting their material.
I could definitely visualise your articles being read out on the news, perhaps broadcasting could be an option when you eventually apply for college. But don't worry about that yet – you're only 11 once, so make the most of it!April 10, 2012
Fantastic, detailed blog! I will never travel to the wall and appreciate your images. As close as I will ever get to being there. Thanks.April 9, 2012
Amazing place and experience. One of those place I would love to go but probably will never get to. Thanks for the mini staycation to the great wall.April 9, 2012
dan_h #
I went there 2009, the same route. Your post reminded me of the great experience there! Really, I am so proud I did that :D.April 9, 2012
Rose #
It is a miracle of mankind. Impressive, strong and delicate at the same time. love how you told it's story with a local guide and managed to get her story too. This is just beautiful! Well done! 🙂April 10, 2012
Mad Queen Linda #
Wistfully, awesomely lovely photos, but the story. . .just what I needed, one more thing to bring tears to my already overworked eyes. The items you purchased from Zhou Qin were more than a bargain compared to the advice she gave you — "Man man zou." Walk slowly. Congrats on fresh press, and to WordPress for finding your writing.April 10, 2012
What could have been another boring story about a trip to the Great Wall turned into a beautiful and heartfelt story about a sweet tour guide named Zhou Qin and wonderful truths and information about the Great Wall not known until now. Thank you so much for sharing this story and introducing us to Ms. Zhou Qin.April 10, 2012
Before I got to the Great Wall I wondered if I was actually going to have a worthy story to share – but meeting Mrs. Zhou was the best thing that could have happened on the trip.April 10, 2012
She was so amazing; I would have to agree that she made the entire story worthwhile!April 10, 2012
Excellent pictures! Good writing with keen observation. I love the way you portray and quote the guide.April 10, 2012
Beautifully written. The photots are amazing!April 10, 2012
Wonderful photos and wonderful written story … amazing to look at that wall. Imaging how many people it took to build it – did you walk the whole wall?? From your pictures to judge it look like it … or you walked a fair walk. This something big that we should real stop and take in.April 10, 2012
Oh no, it would take years to walk the entire length of the Wall! I only visited a very small section – the hike itself was not very long, maybe about 2 hours or so. It was supposed to be twice that but half the section was closed for renovations.April 10, 2012
Hi James
What a GREAT post! Congratulations on being freshly-pressed and on making it all the way to the Great Wall of China! I like your writing style! And thanks for posting those spectacular shots!
I read your profile and saw that you're living in Hong Kong of all places! I'm actually planning on moving to HK next year. What's your experience there been like and how'd you manage to end up there?April 10, 2012
Thanks Albert!
I grew up in Hong Kong so I guess you could say it's where I started out! After living overseas for nearly six years I felt that it was the right time to come back, reconnect and begin a career. I'm not sure exactly what that might be, as I have several options to choose from, but with any luck it should all be sorted out in the coming month! Nevertheless I will be sure to drop you a longer note or an email about living in Hong Kong. 🙂April 10, 2012
You got such an eye and word for details. I enjoyed much the reading. Thanks!April 10, 2012
Wow, James! I'm so happy to see you featured here. Well deserved!
CONGRATULATIONS!April 10, 2012
Beautiful photos, the different angles of the wall and various perspectives are breathtaking.April 10, 2012
Thanks for sharing your story. Every time I travel, it is so much more interesting to meet the locals than to do all the touristy things.April 10, 2012
arieandika #
Great post! I hope that one day I could also go to China and visit many of the beautiful places there. There's this one place my wife and I has been thinking of going (I forgot the name) and by looking at the photos I could tell that it's very beautiful (and most likely very cold). It's basically a small town that sits on top of a mountain above cloud level. If you've been there, post your story as well 🙂
Anyways, it's been a joy reading your blog. Hope that you could return the favor and visit mine as well at http://dgeekdcook.wordpress.com/
I have written some travel stories and I hope you'll enjoy them as much as I enjoy yours.
Thanks!April 10, 2012
The description does ring a bell – there are several famous mountains in China, all known for having a sea of clouds, but I haven't yet made it to any of them!April 10, 2012
arieandika #
If you happen to have the chance to go to any of those places, write about it. At least that way I'd have a preview from you! Hehe. Anyways, I love your blog. It encourages me to travel more 🙂 And thanks for replying.April 10, 2012
Beautiful photos! My husband and I were in Beijing for the Olympics and were lucky enough to get to part of the wall. Fascinating construction and amazing history. We loved each turn and new view- but coming down became painfuly aware that each step was a slightly different height – Walk slow is great advice! Thanks for this beautiful post, and congratulations on beng Freshly Pressed!April 10, 2012
Hey James, congratulations on being Freshly Pressed!!!!! It is a great post.April 10, 2012
loved the way you write, it was like reading a book! congrats on FP!April 12, 2012
I hope you do, its a great place!April 15, 2012
I've just made a pic from this post on my blog. http://2bitsworthofthoughts.wordpress.com/2012/04/16/angeline-series-5/ Thanks for the permission.April 17, 2012
Wow, this absolutely makes me want to pack my suitcase and catch the next plane 🙂March 12, 2013
Draw up a wishlist, make a plan and then go after it. Thanks for the comment! 🙂March 12, 2013
andy #
Hi, James, These are great pictures! Which reminds me… I should go through my Inida pictures and post some. I log on to your blog on a regular basis. Having read this I thought it was rather informative. I appreciate you finding the time and energy to put this article together. I once again find myself personally spendinga significant amount of time both reading and leaving comments. But so what, it was still worth it!
I also found a great blog of Jinshanling travel tips, I'd love to share it here for future travelers. http://www.wildgreatwall.com/how-difficult-is-it-to-do-great-wall-one-day-hike-from-jinshanling-to-simatai-west/June 13, 2013
whatwewear2 #
such beautiful photos! can't wait to visit China!
http://wattwewear.com/September 2, 2013
Your pictures are amazing. Just looking at those pictures make me want to climb the Great Wall of China now. In return, I also found a great blog of Jinshanling travel tips, I'd love to share it here with you and for future travelers.
http://www.wildgreatwall.com/how-difficult-is-it-to-do-great-wall-one-day-hike-from-jinshanling-to-simatai-west/October 18, 2013
It is on my todolist as well !
Great pictures, thk youJanuary 17, 2014
Such wonderful, insightful writing James, with beautiful photography to complement it!March 5, 2014
I did the same Great Wall hike by bus. http://www.beijingwalking.com/blog/Jinshanling-bus.htmlJanuary 31, 2018
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text: This report focuses on how economic and political developments will shape the business environment in Chile over the next five years. It provides a comprehensive set of political, economic, and business environment forecasts that are updated monthly for 82 countries, written from the point of view of foreign investors. Country Forecast also includes forecasts up to 2050 for a range of key indicators, as well as analysis of the long-term trends that influence economic outcomes and business decision making.


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Over the years, Premdor has embraced new design innovations, which have allowed our products to develop and evolve enabling us to offer the highest quality timber doors on the market. As a division of Masonite, our doors benefit from the quality and manufacturing expertise that is synonymous with the Masonite name. We are also committed to delivering the highest quality doorsets and bespoke doors, manufactured to specification.
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Cars We Remember: In memory of Vic Edelbrock Jr.
The collector car hobby and hot rodding in general lost one of the true legends of the sport/hobby when Vic Edelbrock Jr. passed away peacefully June 9, from complications of a cold. He was 80-years-old.
Edelbrock Jr. took over as president and CEO of Edelbrock at the age of just 26 following the sudden passing of his father in 1962. He took the Edelbrock company from 10 employees in 1962 to hundreds of staff and team members today. Edelbrock Jr. and family went from a cash flow of $200,000 when his father passed to today's hundreds of millions in revenue.
He also ushered in what is perhaps the most important decade of high performance part manufacturing in the 1960s where he co-opted with other companies, like Holley Carburetors and Chrysler Corporation as excellent examples of his "business-to-business" acumen.
To explain, Vic Edelbrock Jr., along with George Hurst and his Hurst 4-speed shifters, are still the only two aftermarket high performance brands to ever have their corporate names on Chrysler muscle cars that customers could order direct from their Dodge and Plymouth dealership.
Specifically, in 1969 the Plymouth Roadrunner and Dodge Super Bee tri-power "Six Packs" came out at mid-year with 440-inch engines with three two-barrel carburetors rated at a conservative 390 horsepower.
However, there were two distinct intake manifolds Chrysler used on those initial Six Pack Plymouths and Dodges; one the original Edelbrock aluminum intake and the second; a cast iron Chrysler produced model based on the Edelbrock design.
When asked about this during a not too long ago interview, Edelbrock Jr. said, "Bob Cahill from Chrysler product planning came to me with a print layout of the manifold (for the 440 Six Pack) they wanted and he asked me to make 1,500 aluminum intakes for the first Six Pack cars (that were built and sent to dealerships)."
Edelbrock Jr. even ordered an early run 69 1/2 Dodge Super Bee Six Pack, which he owned for 7 years until he sold it. But good fortune was on his side.
"The owner of my original Super Bee called me from Washington State and told me he had my car and that maybe I wanted to buy it back," said Edelbrock Jr. "I didn't believe him, and I told him so. So, I sent my rep up to look at it and sure enough, it was my car. So I bought it back and had it restored. Today, it is an absolutely knock down gorgeous, beautiful car with the original Edelbrock aluminum Six Pack intake, of course."
Edelbrock Jr. then explained that in late 1969, Chrysler felt it was costing too much for his aluminum Edelbrock intake (MOPAR #P04529056), so they decided to build their own cast iron model, which Edelbrock felt was a big mistake.
Thus, those owners that have the original MOPAR 69½ Six Packs with the Edelbrock aluminum manifolds and the Chrysler part number from the factory are indeed the first of the 1,500 original Six Pack cars. Today, Edelbrock still offers the 440 Aluminum Six Pack intake part 2475.
As for the Holley Carb business co-op, Edelbrock built a special intake manifold to adapt to Holley's new 950 CFM 3-Barrel, back in 1966-1967. The 950 carb was a huge vacuum secondary design with a large single rear butterfly (barrel) instead of a four barrel's two rear butterfly openings. His manifold for Chrysler 440 big blocks was part number CH4B and I am proud to still have my 950 Holley 3-Barrel and the original Edelbrock intake manifold.
In summary, Edelbrock's vast product line gave hot rodders just about every conceivable performance part they could ever hope for, starting with his Ford Flathead V8 "Slingshot Intake Manifold" he developed in 1938 for competitors at the dry lake salt flat speed runs. Today, Edelbrock offers carbs, injection units, superchargers, state of the art internals to complete engines and everything in between. It's a good bet that if you have a performance car or hot rod, of any make or model, you have an Edelbrock part on it.
As for moving forward without a Vic Edelbrock Jr. around it will surely be tough. However, Edelbrock is in good hands today with excellent management and dedicated family (his daughters Christi and Camee have everything in order). But for those who looked forward to seeing Vic at shows or the historic sports car races, it will still be a difficult task. RIP Vic Edelbrock Jr. and thanks for all of your speed industry/hot rod/muscle car innovation.
— Greg Zyla writes weekly for More Content Now and other GateHouse Media publications. He welcomes reader questions at email@example.com.


text:
Front Runners List: Click to see list completion progress by climbers that log their climbs using Peakbagger.com.
Compare Climbers: Click to compare ascents of up to 5 climbers working on this list.
Few people realize this, but Quebec is the largest state or province in North America--bigger than Alaska. Only the Canadian territory of Nunavut is larger among all first-order country divisions on the continent.
This list is now in reasonably good shape, but it is still possible that some peaks have been left off. Also, prominence information is incomplete for a handful of remote peaks in the far north. But it does highlight the variety of the peaks in Quebec, including the rugged and remote Torngats in the north, the vast Laurentian area in the heart of the province, and the Appalachians south of the Saint Lawrence.
Note that even though Mont D'Iberville has almost no prominence, it is still ranked on this list, since it is the high point of the province.
Thanks must be offered to Gabriel Couët and Ben Lostracco, who contributed lots of data about Quebec mountains to this site.
Primary sources for this list were the CanVec web mapping service data, the NTS 1:50,000 maps from MyTopo.com, and old SoftMap CD-ROM set for the southeastern areas of the province, and the generous help of the individuals noted above.
= Peak with Rank #1 on List;   = Other Peaks
This page has been served 1733424 times since 2004-11-01.


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I've never done a gift guide before, but this year it just seems like there are so many great doula-related books and causes to support. So in case you're building your own holiday gift list, or looking for a fun gift for the doula in your life, here are a few suggestions! I purposely picked gifts that can be purchased directly from individual artists and business owners, rather than all the many doula-related gifts one could find at corporate retailers. Have other suggestions? Leave them in comments!
1. The Radical Doula Guide: A Political Primer for Full Spectrum Pregnancy and Childbirth Support ($12)
You probably saw this one coming! But seriously, the incredible support I've received since publishing this guide in August has been humbling. I'm so honored that so many of you have purchased a copy. This is the first time my work at Radical Doula has generated any income, and it makes a huge difference in my ability to keep it running and invest more time in it.
There are currently 0 copies left of the initial 500 I printed this summer. New shipment in! Plenty of copies available. So order yours (or one for a doula friend/family member) today!
If you don't know, the guide is a great resource for anyone interested in doula work, doing doula work, or just curious about the politics surrounding the experience of pregnancy and birth in the US. It is US centric, but I think the ideas may apply to folks living in other countries (I've sent quite a few copies abroad).
2. Hot Pants: Do It Yourself Gynecology, Herbal Remedies ($5)
Pati Garcia (aka Chula Doula) gets the credit for gifting me a copy of this awesome zine. It was created by two herbalist/activists in Montreal in 1999, and Pati has taken on the task of printing and distributing it. It's a great beginners guide into using herbs to treat gynecological issues–a great resource for anyone, but especially doulas interested in learning about herbs.
The first sentences of Hot Pants says it all I think: "Patriarchy sucks. It's robbed us of our autonomy and much of our history. We believe it's integral for women to be aware and in control of our own bodies."
Go here to purchase a copy from the Shodhini Institute (bonus: supporting another activist/small business operation).
3. A New View of a Woman's Body: A Fully Illustrated Guide by the Federation of Feminist Women's Health Centers ($30)
Another book that I learned about because of Pati, it covers a incredible amount of medical knowledge, centered around feminist practices of self-exam and self-help. This book gives you the tools you need to take control of your own health care, and provides many illustrations and photos of real women's bodies. A great resource for your own health needs, as well as when working with doula clients. You can also purchase a copy of this book from the Shodhini Institute.
While you are at it, check out all the other items for sale at the Shodhini Institute online store.
4. Donation to The Doula Project
If you'd prefer a less consumer-based gift, then may I suggest a donation to the Doula Project? There are of course many fabulous non-profit organizations you could donate to in someone's honor (including many other full-spectrum doula groups!) but let me provide one reason why supporting the Doula Project could make an impact.
In addition to serving thousands of people in NYC over the last few years, providing free doula support during abortions, miscarriages, birth and adoptions, the Doula Project also supports new full spectrum doula programs that are cropping up around the country. They share their curriculum, travel to facilitate trainings and give lots of advice and support. So by donating to The Doula Project, you not only support their vital NYC-based work, but you help ensure that this movement grows nationally. So consider a donation in someone's name.
5. Doula Sterling Silver Necklace ($52)
And because I could not resist going to Etsy and searching for "doula," here is a beautiful necklace for the jewelry loving doula in your life. If you are interested in stones & crystal healing, here is what the artist says about the stones included on the necklace: "Turquoise: Spiritual attunement, cleansing, healing, protection, valor, soothing, peace of mind, guidance through the unknown. Amethyst: Contentment, spirituality, dreams, healing, peace, happiness, love, intuition. Amber: Soothing, calming, cleansing."


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Saints GM Mickey Loomis returns from bounty suspension with club facing ongoing distractions
METAIRIE, La. – Now that New Orleans general manager Mickey Loomis has returned to work, the Saints need his crisis-management skills to be sharp.
The organization continues to be rife with unsettled issues, some of which have made its fan base uneasy.
So there was no time for Loomis to ease back into a routine Tuesday after serving his eight-game suspension in connection with the NFL's bounty probe of the Saints.
His immediate tasks include clearing up the status of Sean Payton's contract extension through 2015, which NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has so far refused to approve since the coach signed it in 2011.
Recent revelations that Payton is still not officially under contract beyond this season have only pushed anxiety-ridden Saints fans closer to panic. New Orleans has struggled while Payton has served his season-long bounty suspension, which, in the minds of many, has only strengthened the fiery and innovative coach's value.
Loomis also will have to oversee contingency plans in the event that defensive end Will Smith and linebacker Jonathan Vilma have to serve their own bounty suspensions, which so far have been delayed by legal moves.
The GM kept a low profile on his first day back.
The Saints did not make him available to reporters and he did not immediately respond to requests for comments about his return to his Saints duties.
Assistant head coach Joe Vitt said even he did not have much time to chat with Loomis when they met Tuesday morning, but Vitt stressed that people throughout the organization were comforted by knowledge that the GM was back for the last half of what has already been an extraordinarily eventful season.
"Listen, Mickey and Sean are the leaders of this building. It's not only great for Mickey to be back for our players and our coaching staff, but every person in our building," Vitt said. "Slowly but surely we're starting to get people back. Everybody knows here what Mickey means to me, but he also means just as much to everybody else in our building and our football team."
Vitt also sounded skeptical of the idea that Payton would leave.
"Our football team loves Sean Payton. Sean Payton loves this football team," Vitt said. "Sean Payton loves this city. And this city loves Sean Payton. That goes a long way. That's what I know."
At 3-5, the Saints are playoff longshots as they head into next Sunday's showdown in the Superdome with undefeated NFC South Division leaders Atlanta (8-0). Yet a sense of hope permeated team headquarters after a 28-13 victory over Philadelphia on Monday night that marked New Orleans' third victory in four games.
"I love this football team. I love the resolve. I love the togetherness. I love their work habits," Vitt said. "All that being said, we've got to get better this week."
If the Saints are to get better, such strides will have to be made in an environment of uncertainty.
Two people familiar with Payton's contract situation told The Associated Press that the Saints and Payton still see nothing wrong with a provision in the coach's extension that would allow Payton to opt out of his contract if Loomis — who hired Payton in 2006 — were to leave the club. The people, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the NFL and Saints have declined public comment on the matter, say the Saints and Payton believe the provision is similar to one that allowed Bill Parcells to leave his post as executive vice president with Miami if ownership changed.
Goodell has not publicly specified his problem with Payton's extension, which pays more than $6 million a year. The NFL has said the commissioner has not made a final determination about Payton's contract status for next season. Goodell has said, however, that he has discussed his concerns with the Saints and asked the club to rework part of the deal.
Although Payton is suspended, he and the Saints currently may address Goodell's concerns with the extension, providing some hope of resolving the matter before the coach effectively becomes a free agent.
Another major area of uncertainty involves ongoing challenges to players' bounty suspensions.
Although Goodell has recused himself as arbitrator for four current or former Saints players' appeals of their bounty suspensions, the players — Smith, Vilma, Cleveland linebacker Scott Fujita and free agent defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove — objected to Goodell's decision to appoint former commissioner Paul Tagliabue to handle the matter. The players say Tagliabue has a conflict because he works for the law firm that has represented the NFL in bounty-related matters. Tagliabue has given no indication he intends to step down, leaving the matter for a federal judge in New Orleans to decide.
In the meantime, Smith and Vilma keep playing, and Saints coaches make weekly game plans on the assumption they'll have the two defenders in the lineup.
"You have to have a little bit of foresight should something happen. We've kind of just been under that thing all year long," defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said. "Once we know the week is set the way the week is, we just move on and worry about the opponent we're playing."
The Saints won't want to lose Smith and Vilma, given their leadership roles on a unit that needs help. The Saints are last in the NFL in yards allowed (471.3 per game) but did come through with clutch plays against the Eagles, including Patrick Robinson's interception return for a touchdown, a fumble recovery and seven sacks. Smith had two sacks and Vilma had two tackles for losses.
If the suspensions are upheld, Smith will have to serve four games and Vilma the rest of the season.
Saints linebacker Scott Shanle said he hopes that won't happen, but added that the Saints know worrying about it won't do any good.
"We're at the point now where it seems like every week there's something new to distract us, so people are like, 'The hell with it. We'll wait to figure it out when the time comes,'" Shanle said. "We're trying to fight our way back into something and with all the distractions we've had week in and week out, I think guys just kind of put blinders on."


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Even sticking those book covers on my own blog makes me feel weird. Buy my book? (my neuroses are screaming!)
I'm not anti-self-promotion. In fact, in the last six months or so I'd say that just about every one of the books I've purchased has been a result of the self-promotional efforts of others. And if I read a book I really like, I will tweet it, talk about it, shove it into peoples' hands. But talk about my own writing? Ah geez, let's not go there…
Here is what I am good at. Somebody sez, "Hey, Jaye, do you think you can…?" If the idea intrigues me, I will figure out how to do it. (Then I won't shut up about it. Heh.)
I just finished building an ARC for Lawrence Block's soon-to-be released Hit Me, a Keller novel. I'd never made an ARC before, but I'm quite familiar with them. Back in the Dark Ages (the 1990s) I called them "green books." Publishers would wrap galley proofs in plain covers (often institutional green and stamped NOT FOR RESALE) and send them out to reviewers and anyone else who might help promote the book. I have no idea how many publishers provide actual bound, printed ARCs these days. It's very expensive. Even if an indie publisher is using print-on-demand, the cost of mailing out printed copies could eat up all the profits. The thing is, ARCs work. The big publishers knew it back in the old days and indie publishers know it now. So I'm not telling anybody anything new when I claim ARCs are a valuable tool.
What may be new is that some of you might not realize that you can make your own professional-looking, easily accessible ARCs. It doesn't have to cost you anything except time and paying attention to details.
Professional looking is important. Very important. The reviewers on your list get a lot of submissions and have to pick and choose which books to read and review. That decision might come down to picking a book based on presentation. Yours might be the next Great American Novel, but if it looks amateurish or painful-on-the-eyes to read it might be passed over.
Also important is accessibility. The biggest trouble with any kind of electronic submission is you're never quite sure what kind of device your writing will be read on. A Kindle, Nook, iPad, smart phone, tablet, computer–what? I suppose you could send an email to your list and ask people what their preferred reading format/platform is and then customize your submissions. Or send a .doc or .docx file and hope for the best.
Or make it very easy on yourself and your intended readers by creating a pdf file. For those who don't know, the acronym stands for "Portable Document Format." The keyword here is "Portable." Even if you've never made a pdf file, I know you've read them. You've probably read them on not just your computer, but on your ereader, smart phone, iPad, tablet or magic toaster oven. What you may not know is that many word processing/desktop publishing programs can generate a pdf file. If your particular word processor doesn't have that capability, you can use Adobe Acrobat Reader (free download) to generate a pdf. The true beauty of the pdf is that every reviewer on your emailing list will be able to access and read your file.
Here's how the ARC looks when I ran it through MobiPocket and downloaded it onto my Kindle:
I used Scrivener to build and generate the pdf file for this ARC. Scrivener is NOT a desktop publishing program, so it's not the first choice if one were laying out a for-print book. It does, however, make excellent pdf files and is user-friendly.
Some tips for making your ARC:
- Clean Source File. I keep hammering home the necessity of creating clean source files. If you have a clean source file, all you need to do is copy it and paste it into the program of choice and you are ready to format.
- Turn on the "show hidden characters" feature. You want to track what you are doing so as to maintain consistency throughout. (In many programs the "Show" feature is usually in the main menu bar and is indicated by an icon with a pilcrow–paragraph mark. If you are using Scrivener, go to FORMAT >OPTIONS >SHOW INVISIBLES)
- Wide margins, large font. Your goal is not to be all fancy-pants, it's to make your ARC attractive and easy to read. Since paper-printing costs aren't part of the equation, take advantage of it. Don't annoy reviewers with a teeny-tiny font and pinstripe margins.
- Use "printer's" punctuation. Make sure you use proper em and en dashes, joined ellipses, right and left single and double quote marks (as opposed to straight quotes), and special characters with grave and acute marks or umlauts as necessary. This detail alone will elevate your ARC above the crowd.
That's pretty much it. Pay attention to details and put in the time, and you've just made one of the best promotional tools any writer can ask for.