Fu Lu Shu, aka the Three Star Gods, are symbols of good fortune dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Here, they adorn neither church nor temple but the Tianzi Hotel in Yanjiao, China, a splash of color in the otherwise drab city east of Beijing. The entrance is in the foot of the white-bearded god on the left.
Culture clash
Suffering from writer’s block and need a change of scene? Here are three magnificent houses where bestsellers were written – and you can even rent some by the day:
Goldeneye, Jamaica
Ian Fleming, a British ex-spy, wrote all 14 of his James Bond novels here in the Caribbean – and even designed the villa himself. theflemingvilla.com
Naulakha, Vermont/USA
Rudyard Kipling didn’t actually write the legendary Jungle Book in India, but in the U.S. He nicked the name of his villa there from a marble pavilion in Lahore, the still part of India. The villa sleeps eight people. landmarktrustusa.org
Royal Albion Hotel, England
Charles Dickens adored Broadstairs, a seaside resort in Kent, and spent many summers at the Royal Albion Hotel. A Dickens Festival is being held here in his honor from 21 through 23 June. albionbroadstairs.co.uk
The Great Himalaya Trail, Silk Road, Way of St. Jacob: The guidebook 500 Walks covers the oldest long-distance trails and walks around the world. An ideal companion for all avid hikers, it provides detailed routes and plenty of entertaining facts.
Re- and Upcycling are in style. Catch these iconic sandals at Sustainable Thinking (until March 8, 2020) at the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum in Florence.