Globe Trekker: Chinatown

In the 21st century China s population reached 1.3 billion making it the most populous country in the world. Presently, there are 34 million Chinese living overseas. The migration of Chinese communities across the world means that nearly every country has a Chinatown. In this special edition of Globetrekker Chinatown, Lavinia Tan, Justine Shapiro and Megan McCormick travel worldwide to explore the magic and mystery of Chinatowns across the globe. Lavinia Tan begins the journey in Malaysia and Singapore where overseas traders led the earliest migrations of Chinese people. Then it s off to Lima to trace the history and influence of the Coolie trade on Peruvian culture. The journey continues from there to the United States, where Justine Shapiro visits San Francisco and learns about the Chinese participation in the Gold Rush of 1849 and Megan McCormick explores New York s Lower East Side, home to the largest Chinatown in the Western Hemisphere. After a short trip to London s Soho district, Lavinia Tan ends this journey with a visit to Hong Kong exploring the world famous film industry and the 21st century migration of Chinese back to their homeland. Along the Way... · Visit one of Penang s five famous clan temples. · Try a Chinese spin on the traditional Peruvian dish, guinea pig. · Learn traditional kung fu from Hong Kong martial arts actors. · Customize your fortune cookies at San Francisco s Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory.