Located about a three hour drive west of Shanghai, Changzhou is a very modern, well developed business city and the location of the new production line I was there to support. Though dominated by modern business buildings and production facilities, remnants of its ancient past can still be found scattered throughout the city. Sections of the ancient guard wall line the downtown area and preserved temples and pagodas are nestled amongst the high rise office buildings.

A short distance away from the Traders hotel where I was staying, the Xinbei Central Park was a peaceful place to wander around in the evenings. After dark, buildings all around the park lit up from top to bottom with neon lights, creating a tranquil scene from the walkways around the lake.

Wandering through the Luwan District in Shanghai with some of my coworkers, we came across Fuxing Park. On this beautiful Monday morning, the park was alive with activity. Children played in and around the large fountains, men flew Chinese yoyos in the open lawn, and women danced in the squares.

Shanghai’s World Financial Center is currently the tallest building in Shanghai and boasts the world’s highest observation deck (at this time in 2011). Actually containing three observation decks, the highest is located on the 100th story, and has a glass floor, making it feel like you are suspended in space above the large open section at the top of the building. From this vantage point the reality of Shanghai’s sheer size and magnitude begins to set in as the mass of buildings and skyscrapers extends to the horizon in all directions … seemingly endless.

As I stood, photographing the sunlight streaming through the skyscrapers, people began to arrive on the Bund with kites. As the number of people flying kites continued to grow, I became intrigued by the display and began to photograph some of the ornate kites flying high over the Bund. Unsure as to the reason for this activity, I went back to the hotel and did some research to find that it was the Chinese Qingming Festival, or Tomb Sweeping Day, and that flying kites is a common part of the celebration. Drawn by the view of the sunrise, I had unknowingly put myself in the perfect position to observe a Chinese cultural event.

Halfway between Changzhou and Shanghai, the city of Suzhou is known for its network of canals, tranquil gardens, numerous temples, and silk production. The canal system helped set Suzhou apart from other Chinese cities and it gradually became a popular tourist destination. Several of the canals are quite scenic, however the smell can be overwhelming in some areas.

Located several hours to the west of Changzhou, Nanjing is a city of great historical importance. In previous time periods, Nanjing was the capital of China, and the name itself means "Southern Capital". Today it's no longer the capital of China, but it's still the capital of the Jiangsu province and one of China's greatest commercial centers. On this Saturday in Nanjing, I went to Purple Mountain where famous attractions such as Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum, Linggu Temple, Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum, and Purple Mountain Observatory are located. I spent most of the afternoon wondering around the Sun Yat-sen and Ming Xiaoling Mausoleums observing the ornately decorated buildings, stone statues and classic Chinese architecture.

On Friday, May 27th, I began my two week trip on the overnight slow train from Changzhou, a little apprehensive about traveling through China alone. My first destination was the mountain region of Huangshan, one of China's most unique and iconic landscapes. When I arrived on Saturday morning and took the cable car to the top of the mountain, I wasn't disappointed by the beautiful scenery. The many vertical faces and jagged granite peaks covered in sparse vegetation create an artistic landscape in all directions. I spent the afternoon and evening walking along the stone paths and steep stairways to see the scenery from each vantage point, then stayed the night at one of the beautiful hotels on the mountain.

From Huangshan I took another overnight train to Zhangjiajie, where I was able to catch a bus into the nearby mountains of Wulingyuan. Though less popular than Huangshan, Wulingyuan is a region characterized by vertical columns of rock with dense vegetation clinging to their tops. Often times clouds fill the valleys below these spires, obscuring their base and making them appear to float in the sky. This region was used to film the floating island scenes in the movie Avatar, although this was not widely advertised since the Chinese government banned the movie in China. I took the cable car up to the top of the park, which is on a large plateau, and followed the cliff-side paths that wrap around its edge, providing views out across the landscape of towers and valleys. Though the valleys weren't filled with clouds, the views were unique and interesting and the pathways that hung out over hundreds of feet of empty space were thrilling.

Isolated in the rolling hills and green rice fields of the western Hunan Province, the ancient town of Fenghuang is a beautiful representation of what peaceful mountain villages were like before the fast paced modern world developed. Old buildings line the edges of the Tuo Jiang River, wooden canoes and boats glide smoothly through the water, and women in traditional clothing walk through the streets. The surrounding guard wall, elegant pagodas, and narrow stone-paved streets remain from centuries past, but the hotels, restaurants, bars, and shops have been renovated to provide modern amenities and utilities. After being very active at Huangshan and Wulingyuan, it was nice to relax and enjoy the quiet town for a couple of days.

Sitting on the banks of the Li River, Guilin is one of China's most popular tourist cities due to the beautiful landscape of numerous pointed hills and karsts. The city itself is nothing spectacular, but it's the starting point for most tours along the Li River or up to the nearby mountain villages known for their rice terraces. I spent a night here, exploring the historical sights spread throughout the city, getting my first views of the Li River, and scheduling tours to explore the surrounding region.

The Li River is one of China's most famous tourist attractions. Snaking through the karst topography, the river has been the subject of many famous Chinese artists over the centuries. I joined a group for the popular Li River cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo and captured some of the peaceful landscape as we drifted silently down the river.

Wanting to get a more personal experience of the landscape of the region, I rented a moped and rode out into the countryside. The repetitive karsts were a beautiful backdrop to the bright green rice fields and small farm villages. I rode through the countryside for several hours, soaking in the peaceful scenery of rural China before returning to Yangshuo on a nearly dead moped battery.

For my second day in Hong Kong, I explored the island side of the city and in the evening, I took the Peak Tram up to The Peak, the highest point on Hong Kong Island. From here I could see the surrounding islands siting in the Pacific to the south and west, and most impressively, the entire city of Hong Kong and Victoria Harbor to the northeast. As the sun went down, the city lit up, creating a glow that reflected off the clouds. It was a great view to close out my two week journey through some of China's most renowned landscapes and features.

On Sunday, my coworkers and I went to the center of Beijing and walked through the famous Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. Constructed about 600 years ago, the Forbidden City is a complex of buildings that were the political center of the Chinese government through the Qing dynasty. It was named "The Forbidden City" because it was forbidden to enter without the permission of the emperor, but today, hundreds of tourists crowd the courtyards and museum. After exploring the main buildings, we walked south to the expansive Tiananmen Square, which was constructed around the same time as the Forbidden City as a location for large public ceremonies. Standing in the square we could see the beautiful Tiananmen Tower to the North, the Great Hall of the People to the west, the National Museum of China to the east, and the Monument to People's Heroes in the center. It was awe-inspiring to think of the historical significance of this remarkable area.

In September I was sent back for one final trip to conclude the project. By this point I had already seen most of the cities within a weekend trip of Changzhou and just wanted to relax for the weekend. My coworker and I went to Nanjing to stay in the beautiful InterContinental hotel, which is one of the most impressive towers in China. On Saturday afternoon, we walked along the ancient Ming City Wall that runs along the edge of Xuanwu Lake and wraps around the original city of Nanjing. This wall is one of the largest city walls ever built in China and its structure has been well preserved over the centuries. The imagery of this ancient stone wall with the backdrop of modern skyscrapers was the perfect representation of how China has grown to be a modern society, built upon an ancient past.