Beijing: First Impressions

Beijing: First Impressions

1. Holy shit, it’s fucking huge. The streets downtown are 6-8 lanes wide. The buildings look like they were constructed by some brobdingnagian race and span blocks by themselves. The communist-built structures are built to impress — just like the ancient structures —...
Shanghai: First Impressions

Shanghai: First Impressions

1. Traffic. The last decade has seen a massive surge in the number of automobiles owned in China, which in Shanghai has prompted the construction of lovely new roads and highways (nary a pothole in sight). This means that traffic is bananas, as are driving habits — as...
China, Fall 2014: Shanghai // Beijing // Guangzhou

China, Fall 2014: Shanghai // Beijing // Guangzhou

This Tuesday I’ll be off to Asia for the very first time, visiting three of China’s largest cities over two weeks with my father, Michael LeBlanc. My dad has been to China a dozen times over the past decade in his capacity as faculty member at NSCAD...
Die Woche der Überdeutschereise!

Die Woche der Überdeutschereise!

That is a phrase I just invented which means Awesome German Trip Week. As I write, I am in the Montreal airport waiting to board my flight to Frankfurt. My main reason for going is to attend the War Resisters International conference “Countering the...