I just spent five opulent days -- all expenses paid -- in China, courtesy of the Ritz-Carlton, Cathay Pacific, and Dragon Air. Because I blog. With traditional media outlets disappearing, luxury brands are retooling their PR strategies to target online writers. While the timing was a coincidence, the connection is real: the Ritz-Carlton's first online-only press trip departed the day after Conde Nast announced it was folding Gourmet. And new media outlets, like, oh, say, Thrillist, are sponsoring junkets of their own, putting more media types in the air but drawing more attention to the practice: a mini-scandal broke last week when it was reported that two freelance writers who attended the e-mail newsletter's recent JetMystery trip were contractually barred by their clients from accepting such freebies. As always, a media scandal begets media introspection.

The China Import and Export Fair (also known as the Canton Fair) runs through Nov. 4 at the Pazhou Exhibition Center in Guangzhou, China.

Hogs foot, black fungus salad and sea slug soup might seem exotic to Americans, but in southwest China they are commonplace and--more importantly--delicious.

A conversation I had at lunch Saturday afternoon in Shenzhen, China, which, at 12 time zones away, is literally the other site of the world: "Why have I heard of Louisville?" "It hosts the Kentucky Derby." "Of course." If Louisville were not home to the world's most famous horse race, how would I have answered that question? Mostly likely the question wouldn't have been asked.

I'm traveling in Guangzhou and Shenzhen China this week. Here's a quick slideshow from day one. [View the 24 hours in Guangzhou China] Executive summary: I had a better day than you did.