This past Monday, National Geographic ADVENTURE posted an article discussing the excitement – and danger – of skiing the increasingly-popular Mt. Minya Gongga (or ‘Konka’) region in China’s western Sichuan province.

Cliff Ransom writes,

In recent years the [Minya Konka] region has seen a marked increase in climbing expeditions, driven in part by a looser permitting process within China and a growing trend among elite climbers to favor smaller, more technical and unclimbed peaks over 8,000 meter behemoths. It has also seen a concurrent rise in morbid headlines—the rough terrain and unpredictable weather conspire to make the mountains of western China particularly avalanche prone.

While the risk is high, it is certainly rewarding if one can successfully ski this incredible area of China. However, it is equally incredible to trek through this area – as Rigby, Backstrom, Monega, and Chin did in the article – sans skis. WildChina offers an adventurous expedition to Minya Gongga , summiting three high-altitude passes, trekking through alpine forests and grasslands, and hiking the pilgrimage trail to Gongga Temple. Accompanied by expert local guides, travelers experience trekking that challenges even the most avid of climbers.

The reward? An extraordinary adventure in one of the most remote and untouched corners of China. With or without skiing as a part of your trip in this area of Sichuan, Mt. Minya Gongga’s awe-inspiring peaks will provide an unforgettable experience for the adventurous traveler.

This post is the fourth in a series by guest blogger Abby Poats.

While a quick Google search reveals that Baoding—unlike Xi’an and nearby Beijing—does not make China’s top 10 must-see list, the city is not without its charms. In addition to its historic and scenic attractions, Baoding—located a one-hour train ride south of Beijing in neighboring Hebei Province—is both an increasingly common destination for renewable energy investors and perhaps a worthwhile stop for clean energy and green design enthusiasts.

While better known as the origin of Chinese meditation balls (“Baoding balls”), the home of the famous “Donkey Burger,” and the birthplace of 2004 and 2008 Olympic diver gold medalist Guo Jingjing, Baoding is a key leader in China’s renewable energy technology manufacturing industry.

Established in 1992, the Baoding High-Tech Industry Development Zone (BHTIDZ) today has become China’s “Power Valley,” a key renewable energy industrial base hosting manufacturing plants that have generated over 20,000 local jobs. Among these solar and wind technology manufacturers are Yingli Solar, one of the world’s leaders in vertically integrated solar photovoltaic manufacturing, and Tianwei Wind Power Technology, a leading Chinese wind turbine manufacturer.

While the factory compounds and assembly lines are no doubt impressive, tours are limited to professionals on official business. The nearby Power Valley Jinjiang International Hotel (PVJJ), however, is a welcome respite from the bustling plants and is open to the public. When guests first stroll through the lobby and gaze up at the chandelier, they may think the dark lattice pattern is more a modern aesthetic statement than anything else. A quick chat with the charge at the front desk, however, will brief guests on the hotel’s 0.3 megawatt (MW) installed capacity of building-integrated solar photovoltaic modules, which are capable of generating 260,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity.

Furthermore, PVJJ boasts a heat pump system that processes urban wastewater to provide for the hotel’s heating and cooling needs, making the and as such, making the hotel a stimulating stop for green building proponents.

As these are just a few highlights of Baoding’s impressive achievements in the fields of renewable energy technology manufacturing and implementation, all comments—from readers who have also visited the city to those who are curious for more specific details on Baoding’s renewable energy industrial development—are welcome!

Abby Poats is a Research Associate based in Beijing with the Washington DC-based American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) US-China Program (USCP). She also teaches English at China Foreign Affairs University in Beijing through the Princeton in Asia (PiA) fellowship program. Her blog entries contain her personal reflections and do not reflect the views of ACORE USCP.

Shanti Christensen, storyteller and food explorer, travels China meeting families who teach her their favorite home-style recipes. She writes and photographs for ShowShanti.com while collecting recipes for her future cookbook. Her Filipino mother and Danish-American father passed their wanderlust and passion for food through their own stories. Shanti and her husband are from San Francisco and have lived in Beijing since January 2007. Shanti enjoys making dinner for friends and family, bringing new flavors and tales to the table.

WildChina’s Alex Grieves recently sat down with Shanti to discuss food, travel, and how the two intersect in an interesting journey through culture, customs, unknown ingredients, and more.

Shanti Christensen combines a love of food, travel and blogging in her culinary adventures across China.

WildChina Travel: What inspired you to begin this project?
Shanti Christensen: I had already been in Beijing for two years, working previously as a hospitality coach for Chinese staff. When the economy soured, I reevaluated what I wanted to do with my life. I originally was going to get an MBA, but right before I had planned to leave Beijing I slipped off my bike and broke my arm – thus, traveling was out of the cards. I thought about my interests, and knew that I loved to travel, design, eat, cook, blog and tell stories. Then I had the idea: I love to cook but don’t really know how, so why not travel China and learn from local Chinese families? I want to teach my children to cook in the future, so this opens many opportunities.

WCT: Why China, and why Chinese food and culture?
SC: I really wanted to be part of this growing culture. I arrived here with my husband before the Olympics, which was an incredibly exciting time to be here. I loved being a part of that. Furthermore, I have always loved food – my own heritage [Filipino American] is all about eating, and my mother wanted her children to try everything. I believe that food is something that defines a culture and defines my trips, so I gravitate towards it, and I really enjoy hosting and story telling with recipes and meals.

WCT: When, and where, did your project start?
SC: This project came to me in late March, 2009, and I began traveling in April, 2009. I first visited three families in Shandong province, in Zhanqiu (an area known for its hot springs), a countryside village, and Qingdao. To date, I have visited families in Beijing, Guangdong, Shandong, Sichuan, and Yunnan provinces.
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Those who regularly ride the subway in China’s large cities will finally gain a little more breathing room in the coming weeks, as warmer weather means that bikes and bikers are making a seasonal comeback.

Your best friend, or your greatest foe? Learn to bike smart in a Chinese city.

Biking in China can be quite liberating: you aren’t a slave to the slow-moving pace of congested traffic; you have more room and comfort on the road; and you can wind your way through narrow alleyways if necessary.

That being said, biking here almost necessitates having eyes in the back of your head, given the chaotic crush of pedestrians intermingled with cars, buses, and motorbikes on the road.

So, getting new eyes aside, what can you do to keep yourself safe, sane, and savvy on China’s larger urban roads? WildChina has a few tips:

1. Believe in the power of the people: In the throngs of vehicles and people that intermingle in China’s busy city streets, groups of people have the ability to make traffic stop for them – or at the very least, influence it a little. If 20 people bike across the street at one time, chances are that you will be safe among them.

2. Look left, look right, and look left again: We don’t mean to suggest that you should crane your neck to check out your surroundings, but constantly check your area with a quick glance or two. By briefly surveying your neighborhood, road, fellow riders and drivers, you’ll get a better sense of possible hazards. In addition, you’ll start to get a feel for Chinese urban traffic patterns: morning versus night traffic, larger roads versus smaller streets (possibly without bike paths), etc.

3. Use your bell strategically: If you anticipate being in a transportation bind ahead, by all means ring your bike bell to signal to fellow bikers. However, know that you’ll lose influence if you’re ringing it your entire ride to work. In China, routes will always be fairly crowded – pick your battles.

As always, wear a helmet – even if the Chinese do not – and obey all traffic rules and regulations.

Have questions about urban biking in China? Email Alex at alex.grieves@wildchina.com.