Bringing Stories to *Life*, One Journey at a *Time*

In this episode, I travel to Keqiao, an ancient water town in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, where history stretches back more than 1,700 years. But beneath the canals, stone bridges, and historic buildings lies a much deeper story—one written millions of years ago. I sit down with Fang Lei (Florence), the co-founder of the Pangu Fossil Museum, to talk about how a personal passion for fossils unexpectedly turned into a museum with more than 3,000 ancient specimens.

Florence and her husband never

In this episode, I take you to Shaoxing, a historic city in China’s Zhejiang Province where an ancient tradition continues to shape daily life. Known for producing Shaoxing yellow rice wine, this region has been crafting its signature brew for thousands of years using the same natural elements—local water, climate, and air—that make its flavor impossible to replicate anywhere else. But this story isn’t just about wine; it’s about culture, heritage, and the people working to keep traditions alive

Shen’ao Village sits just outside Hangzhou in China’s Zhejiang province, where stone paths wind between centuries-old courtyard homes and daily life unfolds much as it has for generations. Walking through the village, I noticed neighbors greeting one another, doors open along the narrow streets, and conversations drifting between homes and courtyards. It’s here that I met Joanne, who left city life behind to restore a 240-year-old courtyard house and open Eight Blessings Inn, a nine-room bed and

Anthony Bourdain once said you learn a lot about someone when you share a meal together. Sitting at a dinner table at Qianhuang Bay Homestay in Zhejiang Province, that idea couldn’t have felt more true. Even though we didn’t share the same language, the evening was filled with laughter, toasts, and small gestures that made it clear I was welcome. It was one of those rare moments where connection happened naturally—through smiles, shared food, and simply choosing to be present with one another.

This week, I found myself reflecting on two moments that happened thousands of miles apart but carried the same quiet message about intention, connection, and peace. It began as I stood in the middle of a crowd in Great Falls, South Carolina, watching Buddhist monks walk through town on a journey for peace that stretches from Texas to Washington, D.C. In that moment, I passed along a scarf I had carried since my trek to Everest Base Camp years ago—a small gesture that connected past and present

I walked into a small building outside my homestay in Changxing County without really knowing what I was about to experience. What started as a simple spa treatment turned into something much deeper—a quiet lesson in slowing down. Sitting in a traditional herbal bath, with nothing to distract me but my own thoughts, I realized how uncomfortable it can be to simply be still. That moment became the beginning of a conversation about presence, hospitality, and the ways different cultures approach re