Seven Links is a concept that has been doing the rounds in blogging circles and I was just nominated by Nicole from Third Eye Mom.
The idea is that you choose the best post from seven different categories and then nominate other bloggers to do the same. It is a great way to highlight some older posts that readers may have missed as well as promote some of the blogs I like to follow. This is also particularly apt as I have completed my contracts in China and this blog will soon come to an end as I move on to my next experience. Until then here are my Seven of the Best:
NB: Clicking on the link or image will open the original post in a new window where you will be able to enlarge the images/watch the videos.
1. Most beautiful post: My 100th Post – Night lights of Shanghai
Whether it was the bright lights, tall buildings or the fact that there were more people who spoke and understood English in Shanghai I really loved Shanghai as a city. This post includes a panorama of The Bund at night viewed from the Pudong side of the Huangpu River and the image is over 5600 pixels wide.
2. Most popular post: You’re never too old to do Tai Chi
Based on statistics and number of views – receiving over 5000 views in 72 hours thanks to being Freshly Pressed. This post features some great candid shots from Fuxing Park with hundreds of people out enjoying the morning, each in their own way.
3. Most controversial post: Wedding Bells in China
Being more of a journal than an opinion piece I don’t think I have written anything too controversial but this title was misinterpreted by lots of people assuming I was making an announcement of my own. Perhaps I should have gone with the alternative title, “Wedding Bangs in China
4. Most helpful post: Teaching my first class…
This may not be all that helpful but it helped me cope with the stress of teaching my first English as a Foreign Language class and perhaps it will help other first time TEFL teachers out there.
5. Most surprisingly successful post: Suzhou, the “Venice of China” or is it?
This was not the most popular by views but it was quite high up the rankings of most visited posts. I was surprised as I thought it was quite controversial and rather scathing of Suzhou as a tourist destination however lots of people found it from searches while planning vacations and hopefully I merely tempered their expectations without putting them off completely.
6. Most under-rated post: Mounting Yellow Mountain
This was a trip our school took us on to Huangshan (Yellow Mountain) and I was busy at the time getting to and from Beijing to run the Great Wall Half Marathon that I used the write-up of Roux Van Zyl, a colleague of mine who used to be a journalist, which I thought was good and slightly different from my very factual style. The post also included lots of pictures but they were in a gallery format and perhaps that’s why it didn’t get the response I expected.
7. Post I am the most proud of: Revisiting the Great Wall Marathon 2010
I was asked by a friend to rewrite my experience of running the Great Wall Half Marathon for his new online Trail Running Magazine which was challenging but fun at the same time and it included some of the official photos and videos that had arrived in the post. It was also no mean feat to get the video uploaded from China where YouTube and a whole host of other social media websites are blocked.
And now here are my nominations:
Allan’s Journey: http://allansjourney.wordpress.com/ – Some amazing photography and stories from Asia.
Angela’s adventures in wonderland: http://thaimeofmylife.wordpress.com/ – Someone I met when I first started teaching who started in China and is now in Thailand. Great photos and a unique style of writing.
Little Miss Medic: http://little-miss-medic.blogspot.com/ – A South African doctor living in London. Trying her hand at travelling around Europe, whilst working part-time. Book lover, fashion follower and eternal pessimist. All the stories are true, but names have been kept anonymous.
Magic of Mine: http://magicofmine.wordpress.com/ – Some beautiful photography here above and below water.
ShortFinal.tv: http://www.shortfinal.tv/ – A friend of mine, Hilton, is the brainchild behind ShortFinal.tv and claims the title of a self-appointed unofficial video reporter for aviation in South Africa. A fantastic vlog for any aviation enthusiast like myself.
Why Rory Alexander is in China 