Dunhuang in the northwest region of China, flourished as a major stop along the Silk Road for more than 2,000 years. It served as a place of communication between ancient China and the rest of the world. In this episode, we stroll around the city in an oasis in the desert.

When seen from afar, Dalian appears to be a city floating on the ocean. With a population of about 6 million, it is known as the City of Plazas as there are more than 80 plazas located in the city. Established as a city of commerce by the Russians in the 19th century, it was originally called Dalnyi which means remote in Russian. During the Russo-Japanese War from 1904-1905 the Japanese occupied the city changing the name to Dalian. Many of the buildings in use today were constructed under Japanese rule. In this episode we explore the city, meeting residents who love their traditions and culture.

Surrounded by the ocean on 3 sides, Helsinki, Finland's capital, is a hub port for marine routes in the Baltic Sea. For over 750 years from the 12th century to the 20th century, Finland was controlled by Sweden and then Russia. Finland gained its independence in 1917. During World War II, Finland allied with Germany to stand against the Soviet Union and suffered defeat, incurring a huge settlement cost. Though a dark period of poverty followed, the country was able to overcome all difficulties. Now seen as the perfect sized city, Helsinki is loved for being convenient and easy to live in.