I was lucky enough to visit China in May of 2005. I spent a week scaling the Great Wall and wandering around the Imperial Palaces and hutongs (narrow, alley-like streets) of rapidly evolving Beijing. I then flew south to the small town of Yangshuo, near the city of Guilin. It calls itself "FantasyLand", and you can see why--check out the surreal landscapes. I ended my trip in Hong Kong, another city of wonderous contrasts--new and old, natural and man-made.