Brighton | Where the Wild Things Are
It was only last summer, why do I feel like it's almost forever ago? I had this feeling so strongly that I decided to edit this post's photos in a nostalgia faded away feeling. I always liked something "long ago" and "far away". I must say I quite like how they turned out and I hope you can enjoy them too.
- I got a sunburn in England! -
Just a quick 45 mins train ride away, we are out from exciting London to England's most loved seaside city Brighton.
I never thought that I would get a sunburn in England, unheard of right? Or is it just me? Anyway, while we were waiting for a nice table at the famous seafood restaurant Riddle and Finns, we went to sunbathing on the cobblestone beach. It's a different kind of feeling over here than on a tropical island. The temperature is a lot lower but the sun is direct and hot just as much. We had a lovely nap with seabirds singing. Ah those long and easy summer afternoons.
After a nice little lunch, we went back to the beach to chill just a little longer and headed down to the seven sisters country park. While we were waiting for the bus to take us there, we went on a little tour to see the Royal Pavilion that is located in the heart of the city. The Roya pavilion is an exotic palace in the center of Brighton with a colorful history. Built as a seaside pleasure palace for King George IV, this historic house mixes Regency grandeur with the visual style of India and China. I will say it is very oriental and exotic decor for a British palace. I loved the sun and garden in the place, you gotta love an English garden.
- Where the wild things are -
Of course you need a seat on the second floor of the bus because the ride is just too damn beautiful. I couldn't stop thinking about how everyone's life is over here. Living in a little white two-story house with a rose garden and you can look out to see the cliff and the sea over your kitchen windows. Sunrise and sunset. I love people watching, so when the bus came to a stop, I would like to see who get off the bus, what did they do today? Are they happy? Most of them are young people who work in the city and going back to the small town or village, I can't really tell the expressions of their faces. Perhaps the same old everyday routine makes it less exciting.
An hour later, we came to our stop but the bus continued, and I kept wondering where is it heading to...
I've read and heard so much about the English Countryside, from Jane Austin to the Bronte sisters. From the movies to the magazines. And fellas, what you read and heard are all true. Normally, the places I visited are always come out from a different perspective in real life than I imagined in my head. But this is something exactly I imagined. The shade of the lights falls on the meadows, the pond, the ducks, even the sheep, and cows. Situated in the South Downs National Park, the Seven Sisters Country Park is made up of 280 hectares of chalk cliffs, meandering river valley and open chalk grassland. The Country Park is named after the famous Seven Sisters chalk cliffs on one of Britain’s finest unspoiled coastlines.
We chose to go up for a hike. Ah hikes, in all my travels I've been challenged to take up a hike multiple times, but still, my weak city legs, might be weak, always get the job done and I'm quite impressed by myself, with all the wrong shoes I wore, I still conquered the journey:) And the view, after all, is so so rewarding. The sea is so quiet that you hear the wind went through the flowers and weeds, the seagulls and other seabirds, and other bugs in the woods, It's almost 8 pm but the English summer had the sun still up and high, and it shone over the sea, like diamonds. We said nothing at all, didn't want to disturb the scenery, we just sat on the edge of the cliff, meditate, and take it all in.
It's almost 9 o'clock in the evening and we need to catch our train back to London. The old gentleman who we saw when we get here was making up space in the wood. He's gonna spend the night here. How romantic. The sun turned from golden to orange, and the full moon rose above the sea. I thought of Jane Eyer, the day when she ran out from Thornfield and spent the night in the wild, how sad, the poor little thing. I thought of Sade too, the half British singer, her low, smoky sentimental voice, singing "the Moon and the sky."
On our long long way home, the moonlight shone over the English Channel, I fall asleep on a shoulder next to me. Along with the hills up and down, I slowly closed my eyes, and in my dream, we went back to the little white two-story house with a rose garden, looking out from the kitchen window, It was spectacular blue after luxuriantly green.
All photos my own shot in Brighton, United Kingdom.
Ottawa | National Gallery of Canada
You can't pick a better day to visit a museum or gallery when it's -28 outside.
National Gallery of Canada is on my "must visit" list. Not only for its art inside but the building itself, in my opinion, is a piece of Architecture art too.
I love the glass ceiling and the granite body of the building overall, but what caught my eyes was the entrance. It's a long slope that took quite a bit of energy for me to walk up (weak city legs), and as we walk, the lights came in through the glass windows between the pillars and shone over our faces. It was the last day of the year and even though it's incredibly cold outside, I felt the eternal warmth within.
Let's talking about Art
When I was entering the country in Montreal, the officer asked me why I would go to Ottawa, I told him I was going to see the big spider. Judging on the look in his face, I'm pretty sure he thought I have some mental issues.
But come on, how could you not know the big spider titled "Maman" by Louise Bourgeois?
I was just reading about her the other day and knew that she was also commissioned to do one big "Maman" in Bronze for the National Gallery of Canada. It was only when I stand in front of it that I felt the power of the artwork.
I don't particularly like the animal, let alone name it after someone so dear and so close, like my mom. But Louise said that she felt her mother like a spider, smart, strong and protective. She grew up in the house with her parents and her governess. It was later that she learned her dad's affair with her governess, and what broke her heart was that her mom knew all about it and tolerated the behavior. Louise was hurt by the betrayal and she couldn't understand her mother just then. But eventually, she tried and did understand her and started the creation of her series of the Spiders.
I wish it were something lighter, but art, be it higher than life, is always from life. And life is not always a bed of roses. But we deal with it, learn from it, and carry on. And sometimes, hopefully in the best scenario, create something meaningful and memorable out of it, just like what Louise did.
Let's talking about Culture
The National Gallery of Canada carries extraordinary collections of classical as well as contemporary art across Canada and around the world. But what made the most impression on me and still make me think till this day was the first pavilion we entered.
Even though #Canada150, we all know this rich land had hosts way before that. The Canadian and Indigenous art is something I like to know more about and the first thing I saw was a black and white documentary film on that subject.
One little detail, apart from English and French introduction texts on the wall, the first text was written in Indigenous language, I can't pronounce a word of it, but I like this kind of respect. For someone who's always curious and asking questions like "how did ancient people brush their teeth", I googled the whole story later that night and translated them into Chinese and wrote a post about it (Nerd).
Canadian address their indigenous "Aboriginal people", and their aboriginal people mainly are "First nations/ premieres nations", "Inuit" and "Metis".
What has been showing in a loop is a selection of documentaries about "Canadian Indian residential school system" created by four different film directors. The black and white images, mixed with yellowish faded spots caused by time, accused a cruel history.
The "Canadian Indian residential school system" was a boarding system established by the Canadian government in the purpose of "assimilation". According to the documentary, this type of boarding school has a very harsh, critical living conditions. Indigenous children were forced to stay away from their families and cut off the influence of their own culture. If they were found to speak their native language, they would be subjected to corporal punishment. Data shows that from the first indigenous boarding school built in 1879, until the closure of the last school in 1996, more than 6,000 "indigenous children" died.
We left speechless when the documentary ended. I always liked a movie based on true events, but definitely not this type of documentaries. It's heartbreaking.
As we walked out of the video room, I couldn't stop thinking about how close it is to us. The last school shut down in 1996, there must be survivors from the school, so I went deep to check all the documents and videos there are about the children who survived. It was really something heavy and I could not stop crying while watching. There are so many of them interviewed with their back to the camera. They were ashamed, they were hurt. I know life is not all about rainbows and unicorns, but I always have a problem accepting the dark side of the world. I only just watched it, they lived in it, and now they have to live with it.
When we were back on our way home, the sun sets in between the traffic lights, the moon rise, above the sun, and I'm happy, as heavy as it is, that history now is history, we remember and carry on with life, and hope for a better tomorrow. Or, in this case, a better brand new year.
All photos my own shot in Ottawa, Canada.
Ottawa | Let It Snow
I only have the sweetest memories of Ottawa, the small green town that is the capital of a grand nation called Canada, aka "The Sorry Land".
On my flight from Shanghai to Montreal, I saw the most beautiful northern light! It was my first time ever and it's completely surreal. It was when we were flying over Alaska, everybody was sleeping, I was too, until the light shine on my face that woke me up and I couldn't take my eyes away from what I was seeing. The moon was up there, so bright, and the sea of cloud under. I couldn't quite figure where I was, and everything was just too magical. I wanted to stand up and grab my camera to capture the moment, but I couldn't move, I wasn't really even breathing. I was afraid that It was a bubble dream and if I move a little, I would break the bubble and wake up.
On a completely unromantic note, the opposite of what I have experienced on the plane. It was a hell of a story in Montreal (one thing for sure, I will never enter the country through that airport again...) But once I got on the flight to Ottawa, I was able to see the city fully covered by the snow like a soft blanket and the yellow street lights were like fireflies looking from above. It was most probably the shortest flight I ever had. You know the wheels that the plane has to taxi? They didn't even pack them up after taking off, because shortly after, We are landing again.
Hi Ottawa, I see you.
I grew up in a grand house my father built for us. While my town is widely famous for its lacquer art and most families would have a big piece hanging in their house, my dad created a 3mx3m lightbox with a photo of Niagara Falls in our first-floor living room and he would tell us stories about the two countries that connected by the Fall. I was always fascinated by the beautiful nature of Canada and remembered the small capital city called Ottawa. It might sound a bit strange to you English speakers, but because of the translation, the Chinese name of Ottawa and Vancouver is similar and people often confused the two cities, and think that Vancouver is the capital.
I had the privilege to experience the true rural Canadian living in Winter. If you know me in real life, you would know that I'm a country girl in heart, (Go away Papi Diego with your " You are the most uptown girl I've ever seen" comment.) I always wanted a farm, in Canada or Switzerland, with good wifi signal of course. It was such a dream come true when I spent the first night on the second floor of a two-story house, with an actual fireplace. The curtains in this house are just purely for decoration, the nearest neighbor is 2km away (Maybe even further, I have no idea regarding distance or weight or pricing. But it's far for sure.) The moonlight spilled into the room through the maple trees and on the ground, the snow reflected the light, glittering and translucent, like a million crushed diamond. I closed my eyes and dreamed of something even brighter.
The next morning I wake up super early thanks to the jetlag. ( Really this time I mean it, I like this kind of quiet mornings. It's so rare in my life that I would be up this early, I'm more of a night owl:) I went downstairs, had the best homemade coffee, you know the kind that made with maple syrup and chocolate power on top. A morning walks sounded perfect after the hot beverage in my tummy.
One thing I don't do like a normal human being is that I don't really blow dry my hair, even in Winter. I would dry my fringe and ready to go. Maybe I can survive a Shanghai winter, but Canadian winter is a real deal and under the protection of two hats, my hair frosted and it looked really funny.
It was so peaceful around here, my crunchy sound of stepping on the snow only made it even quieter. Sweet boy Baloo has the same frosting hair situation, such an adorable picture!
Many summers back, I read the book <Walden> by Henry David Thoreau, and longing for a life he pictured ever since. Standing In a winter wonderland, breathing the fresh -22-degree celsius air, I traveled back to the 19th century and heard Mr. Thoreau saying:
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and to see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."
Aye Aye Captain!
All photos my own shot in Ottawa, Canada.
Phuket | Island Weekend
It was one of those grey rainy winter days in Shanghai, I kept drinking coffee but my body just could not get warm. 100% humidity is a joke to no one. So when my then boyfriend texted me with a ticket to Phuket over the weekend, you could imagine how happy I was.
It's amazing how one flight can change your surrounding like that. From cold humid Shanghai night to sunny hot Phuket morning, it takes 5 and a half hours.
It's always easier for me to get up in the morning when it's summertime. You don't have to fight with your duvet for 5 more mins and I usually wake up feeling fresh and full of joy. Maybe I should move to somewhere warmer again.
It was the first time ever for me to visit Thailand. Like I said before, because certain places are just right there, I would overlook them and choose a rather further destination for my trips, I like contrast and I like what is exotic for me.
We rented a scooter to drive around the island. The Australian shop owner gave me the pink helmet, he told me it's new arrival and it suits me, I would take his words and you would be the judge.:) I loved the hot wind blowing my face, I just returned from a trip to Canada, and oh boy was it cold there, I almost forgot what does warmth feels like. The sky is so blue and the sun so bright. I can smell the salty ocean as the hot air whip through my hair and the palm trees allow me to daydream. When we were driving down to the beach, It almost felt like we were in one of Lana Del Rey's albums.
I have a confession to make, I actually don't know how to swim. I mean I know how to float and I won't drown. But I can't put my head down the water. I would feel suffocated and that I'm dying. As a true Canadian or you know, a living human being, Mr. K decided it's time I let go of all the fears and learn how to swim. But I was so scared that I would run away from him. Eventually, he got me and he promised he wouldn't let go of my hand that I went deep in the ocean. Maybe because I trust the person who's holding my hand, or maybe I just get carried away of this little adventurous trip, I went down the water and I was not scared at all, He even convinced me that I should move my feet as if I'm actually swimming by myself. Haha so silly. He kept his promise and never let go of my hand and I felt safe, even just then.
Mr. K went up to the street and brought back a bowl of something. It was no joke, hands down to the best papaya salad I had in my life. It's cheap, healthy, and right by the side of the street. Just like the colors of its food, this island has so many beautiful vivid colors. I even found myself a yellow house!
Walk down the island, I forgot about the cold back in Shanghai or anything that's not on this island honestly. Mr. K invited me out for a date, and we sat next to the ocean, the moon and the tide, the dinner and the eyes, it was all very romantic. I didn't drink any alcohol but clearly my face was blushing.
Just when I thought the island couldn't get any more romantic, it started to rain, in the dry season. It was pouring and we had to hide in a 7/11, He looked at me and snapped my "makeup ruined" face, commented "cute".
We waited for a while but the rain did not want to take a break, we decided to walk home in the rain. Jumped into the shower in case of getting the flu, and when we were out, the rain stopped and we could hear the bugs singing in the garden again.
It only has been 24 hours, but I felt I've known every tree and flower on this island. Our host, Suzanne, who was just wanting to help a friend out, gave herself three months and booked the ticket to come down here.
That was 16 years ago.
That night in my dream, I thought I too, have already lived here for many, many years.
All photos my own shot in Phuket, Thailand.
Dubai | Happy New Year!
Yep, this post is 20 days too late to the party, I know, you would think I'm talking about my New Year that will happen in less than 15 days already. But hey, better later than never right? Plus, a little party never killed nobody!
I welcomed 2018 in the extreme cold ( at least to me ) and now I'm here in a hot night, impatiently waiting for 2019 to come. Talking about what can happen in a year? I really thought 2018 wanted to kill me. It's the year I shattered into million pieces and it's the year that I look back and my heart aches. I'm so ready to save the file 2018 in a folder that I won't open for a long long time and ready to put some of the shattered pieces back together in the coming year, with hope.
My friends booked a table and that brought me to DIFC and the universe brought me fate. Julia, a dear friend of mine is all about astrology and stuff like that, I often roll my eyes when she does that. But the last day of 2018 converted me into her too, I am utterly thankful for what the universe brought to me and I can't think of a better way to start a new year!
Champagne and fireworks, hugs and laughter, music and dance, glitters and chocolate cake. I like to celebrate things in a big way and I need all these essentials. At one point of the night, I thought I was somewhere over the rainbow. Okay maybe I was dancing on the table, but it got me there.
DIFC is such a wonderful place, I spent a large amount of time reading under the trees or in a cafe when I lived here. The galleries and auction house, different restaurants. I might have a few glasses of drinks, but I was so surprised to see Chinese artist Zhuang Hongyi's works showing in Opera gallery. Art really has no borders and it can bring us together.
I left Dubai in early 2014, shortly after the new year. I danced in LPM with all my girlfriends to celebrate that new year. Maybe because I know I was leaving, I hugged everyone a bit harder and laughed a bit louder. It was an epic night, so is this one. I have to catch the flight back home in 4 hours. I have my luggage packed in Marina's car, and we headed to the beach after picking up some shawarmas from Zaroob of course.
There's something about a big body of water that calms your soul. It was so quiet and peaceful. And the new moon is up there, with us. It's always this kind of spontaneous trips that stay in your mind and excites your nerves right? The short 16 hours I spent in Zurich, the weekend at the Nai Harn Beach. And now another epic new year memory.
I wish when I'm old and grey, I can still remember those days and remind of myself what a wonderful journey life has been, and because I don't want to disappoint my future, I will keep wandering, keep moving, keep believing, keep loving.
Where to next, my heart?
Photos by Marina Qureshi and me shot in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Dubai | Half Desert, Half Sea, Half of My Heart
My feelings towards the desert are something extra.
I read about Echo and her Sahara life at a very very young age and always dreamed about going. So when school was finally finished I found myself a job in the desert and didn't hesitate a second and jumped on the plane.
And my oh my, was it a wild ride.
I left the desert for about 5 years now, but the life I had there, forever has a soft spot in my heart. The sunset is different from any other places, the water is different from any other beaches.
I don't know about other countries, but in China, you get three days off over The New Years, and it might sound crazy to a lot of people, but I booked a flight and decided to go to the desert for a quick weekend getaway. I'm newly single, and I need my supporting system. Plus I really miss my girlfriends over there. Adding all that up, I booked the ticket and went straight to the airport after work.
Well, it is kind of crazy, even the guy at the check-in counter said it's crazy. It's not from Germany to Spain, it's not from Shanghai to Phuket. It's a solid 10 and a half hour flight, it's like going to Paris for a weekend and come back. But I went for it. I followed my heart and I knew it's worth it, and it was way beyond my imagination of how wonderful the trip was.
Half Desert, Half My Heart
I didn't even go to Downtown the first day, I stayed with my friend Marina, the brain behind the Fashion label Marina Qureshi London at The Villa, outside of the city and I can't wait to go into the deep desert with her.
Other than the Christmas Eve we spent in the desert for Moroccan tea and talk 7 years ago, Marina hasn't done any desert safari before and I decided that it's time for her to experience. For people who don't know desert safari, a desert safari involves a jeep drive through enormous mounds of sand (called "dune-bashing"), you have to flat your tire first before you hit up the hills. We were only paying for it for the sake of Marina's safari experience. The rest of the packaged deal of camel riding and belly dancing etc are just too touristic for us, and we decided to escape. Also, I think the camels there were crying and it's too sad for me to watch, let alone ride.
As we sat back in the car and headed back home, we saw the sunset and decided to against the GPS's will and to do a little detour, and we found the perfect desert that just there for us, no one else. I always loved a good desert sunset, You hear the wind, the prayers far from the mosque, it's something that I call "beautifully sad". It's so grand that you, and everybody else, seem so small within.
I came down here for some consolation, not necessary from people. I know if there's any place in the world can keep me grounded, it's here, with my barefoot in the sand. I always consider here as the starting point of my adult life, This land kept a lot of my "First". It might seem strange to someone that home is not the place where I feel most comfortable at. But at home, I can't be completely who I am, I'm my parents' daughter, my little siblings' big sister, my grandparents' sweetheart and all the other hats that are me, a real me too. But at some level, subconsciously I behave the way that they want me to, not exactly what I wanted to.
But here, I can be truly who I am. I can walk down the beach at 4 am, I can drive to the desert for the sunrise. I can eat as many shawarmas as I want, at any time, any place. (Well, actually the best two places to get shawarmas are Zaroob in Sheikh Zayed Raod and Al Malah in Al Satawa. ) I am a little bit out of control, and I feel free anytime after midnight. I would not consider moving back here because life is all about moving on right? But what this land gave me is something I will cherish forever, whenever and wherever. And that, my friend, in a city where money can literally buy everything, is precious and certainly priceless.
Photo by Marina Qureshi and me, shot in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
It's Christmas and on Christmas You Tell the Truth
I know honey, at this point, Shanghai has made it quite difficult for everyone to love her. We are looking at 5 weeks without a peek of sun. I mean come on, how many tears can you cry?
However I have a theory, Shanghai is moody and cries a lot but she never messes up with important dates. A lot of us complains about the summer in the city too, it rains, a lot. But I've noticed that when it's weekend, mostly the sky is high and the air is hot, the sun's out, fun is found. And starting from Monday, it would rain cats and dogs and the waterworks make everybody blue and wet. Same goes to the holidays and festivals. She knows how to handle herself let's say?
Just so it proves my theory, two weeks back on Christmas Eve, we had a little sun break from the winter rains and made "back to the street" shoot, and, of course, the Christmas celebrations possible.
I love Christmas, even though it's not my holiday by origin but I love the holiday spirit and my experience with Christmas Eve made me like it even more. One Christmas Eve back when I was still in university (gosh sounds like forever ago.) I was invited to a Christmas dinner, and I left in such a hurry that I forgot my wallet, of course, I didn't notice until the taxi driver drop me off, let me remind you that was pre-online payment, pre-uber/didi time, and I think I then own a Motorola Flip phone? Anyway I was super embarrassed and told the driver I forgot my wallet and I have no money on me. If he can go with me to my friends' house so that I can pay him. Suprisely he said to me: "it's okay, Miss, consider a gift to you! Enjoy your dinner! " I was so touched and I believe it was the holiday spirit. I remembered the night with warm lights and Christmas tree and great food with friends, most importantly that complete stranger's kindness. I carry that story with me and keep trying to return the good to other people.
I was kind of avoiding this year's holidays, for an obvious reason. Truth to be told, if it wasn't my Seoulmate Tara texted me and asked when should she come over for dinner, I would completely forget about tonight's tradition. But thank god we don't live in 2009 anymore, half an hour before said dinner time, I finish the table setting with flowers and Italian food both were delivered to my door. Dinner was lovely with my closest ones and we decided to go out to share the joy with others.
You know you make decisions every day, and they all have an impact on your life. But at some point, there will be this one decision, that you make, most probably you didn't even notice, you just did, spontaneously, would have the strongest impact on you.
I fell asleep at 4 am on this Christmas Eve. I have trouble falling asleep for a while now, but for the first time in forever, I fell asleep feeling happy. After a long long time, something sweet was gifted to me, so sweet it reminded me of the Danish Cookie Kjeldsens(?) that my father's friends would bring to us every Chinese new year.
There are things happen on certain days that just make you wonder if it's all written in the stars. I don't know that for sure, But I know for a fact that, this is another yet best Christmas.
Photos: Xiaoyu.
Talk to Your Neighbors
I’m always a big fan of dressing up for occasions. New Year’s Eve is obviously no exception.
I wanted to put out some outfit options for New Year's Eve and photograph them too. But by the time Xiaoyu arrives, there comes my Ayi (cleaning lady) and I know my apartment would not be the ideal location anymore.
“Why don’t we shoot outside? ” I suggested, Xiaoyu and Tina agreed too, but my Ayi is like: “ Miss are you crazy? It’s so cold outside! ” True, and I just recovered from a nasty flu.
“Oh, I have an idea! ”
The Fruit Shop Owner
5 mins later, we found ourselves in the corner fruit shop, owned by a family and they are such sweet people, I asked them if we can shoot in front of their shop, and the guy is like it’s too cold outside, come inside and shoot! It’s all yours!
I know you would think that because I buy fruits from them all the time and they know me. Truth is I usually just order from certain apps. Very few times I physically shopped in their store and they remembered!
I grew up in a house of a street where everyone knows everyone. People don't just close their doors all the time, especially in summer, the gate of each house is wild open, even when they are napping or out for grocery, and as a kid, when you pass by, the neighbors are always asking if you would like some chocolate or a slice of watermelon.
Back to the city, everybody lives in their own squares and even in the elevator we just stare at our phone and avoid eye contacts (guilty).
The fruit shop owner's sweet smile just melts my heart and I decided to do a few more experiments.
The Florist
The same story goes to the florist. I have the habit of having flowers in the house always, and I shopped in their store several times, but every time it was a girl and today it was a guy, I guess it's the husband. I felt terrible to ask him the question since he has customers in the shop and I would just be in the middle of the thing. Out of complete surprise, he said do what you must do, any flower you like can be used in your photos! In fact, he actually gave me a pink rose. I felt utterly grateful and head to toe overwhelmed by the kindness of strangers.
The Teashop
I knew it wouldn't be a problem to shoot in this tea shop, cuz judging on the color and the decor, this place is made for Instagram. After receiving the confirmation from the shop staff, we jumped into the pool and had a great deal of fun.
At this point, I already forgot about the purpose of what we were supposed to do today, who cares what you are wearing, today I learned that our fruit shop owner is an ex-military, our florist used to live in Indonesia, and the girls in the tea shop are studying computer science.
Talk to your neighbors, and love them too.
If you don't know it yet, they love you.
Wearing: Black evening dress Marina Qureshi London. Flower print jumpsuit Topshop.
Makeup by Tina Cai, shot by Xiaoyu in Shanghai, China.
London | 28 Degree and Sunny
There's something special about the European Summer. Those sandy beaches and seafood pasta, pink sky and longer days are making it much harder for anyone to be anywhere else. I love Shanghai as much as the next person, but god, summer in the city is just a cross to bear. 100% humidity, rains almost every day, sometimes 48 hours non-stop. Like what?
So this summer I planned a two weeks getaway to England and spent a wonderful time with my nearest and dearest.
I know, I know, England for summer? Really? Why?
Honestly, I wasn't sure in the beginning either. But I figured as long as I'm in Europe, I can just hop on a train or plane if England's summer fails me. So with some extra scarf and jacket packed in my summer luggage, I took the flight to a little town called London.
Wow, was I surprised that the whole time when I was there, United Kingdom was sunny and hot like a proper summer every day! They even had their heatwave (29 degrees! LOL) ！Summer '18 might just be Europe's best summer yet.
First and foremost, we obviously took our first day in London as proper tourists and went to all the sites that you've probably seen a million times. But like "There are a thousand Hamlets in a thousand people's eyes", my experience is unique to myself. Walking on Piccadilly street like what I have read from "Mrs. Dalloway" is something personal and emotional, and when we walked down the Fleet street, I thought of Yeats and his "The Lake Isle of Innisfree " immediately.
We went to the London Eye and my fear of height decided to kick in at that very moment. It's not even that high but because it's not very still as the cabin is shaking by the wind, I couldn't move at all only to hold on to the bench. Money well spent.
If the London Eye made me almost cry, then the London Dungeon just made the 27-year-old me burst into tears! Even though I know everyone is just acting and everything is fake, it's just way too much for me to handle. I only signed up for it because I saw a 9-year-old boy was in the group too, and I figured it can't be that scary, turned out, I can't even beat a 9-year-old. Shame.
I couldn't be happier when the tour in the dungeon was finally over, and I was able to breathe under the sun again. Walking around with ice cream in my hand, I felt grounded and safe. Tate Modern in front, St. Paul's Cathedral in the back, Jasmine blooms on the sidewalk and the wall, red phone booth kept reminding me where I was.
The sundown came as late as 10 pm as we were crossing from the south bank of the Thames. The Knight bridge was on our right side. That was a beautiful summer sunset, the whole sky was rendered by the color of orange, like a piece of work from Claude Monet, my favorite artist de le Impressionnisme.
Do you believe the charm of "love at first sight"? Do you believe it's all written in the stars? The first time I came to visit, you abandoned your usual " 15 degrees and gloomy ", and welcomed me with sunshine and flowers. It's my first time landed on the island physically, but I felt I've known you from long ago already.
"与君初相识， 犹如故人归。"
( I can't and don't want this poem to be translated. If you know, you know.)
All photos my own shot in London, United Kingdom.
Balibaba | In the Jungle, the Mighty Jungle
I tend to write about every trip in just three posts and trust me, it's not an easy job! I have to skip a lot of things that I wanted to talk about. But if you do understand a simple language that is called Mandarin, then, by all means, go to the Chinese version of it, you will know that I like to yada yada a lot.
It was one typical hot Bali afternoon, we were hiking to a spa that we reserved a month ago. The whole hike is about 30 minutes, but my weak city legs stretched it into one hour. And every single time when this happens, I would immediately sign up a gym class back home and end up not going. (can't deal with gym, really. )
Apart from my weak city legs that caused the delay, I was also just taking a moment and soaking in the beautiful scenery along the way. It's simply breathtaking.
Ah Jungle!
In the house where I spent most of my summers as a little girl, we had this small forest in the backyard. According to my grandpa (may he rest in peace), years ago, it was a grand river, and it went dry up and trees and other things started to grow in it. And half a century later, it became what it is today. A lot of the nap time, or so my grandparents believed that I did nap, I would escape the house with bare feet and go down to the little "jungle" with my other fellow "nap-skippers". We'd climb up to the mulberry trees, or lie down on the grass, it's so quite, and only the cicadas sang along, strangely I found it's very soothing.
So walking around besides the real jungle just bring back those sweet memories! I also saw houses among those trees and could not help but wonder what their lives look like? How does it feel to live in such a luxury oxygen factory? Would they want to trade life with me? Even just for a short brief moment?
The Massage in Karsa Spa is so good that I slept the entire time! Honest writing about it just put me into that mood again and I almost fall asleep! The room is quite private but not completely closed, they have the sarong instead of the door so that the hot breeze went through the entire room and it just felt so relaxed. They also have an outdoor shower in the garden which is just incredible. The last time I had an outdoor shower was in a Tibetan tribe family house facing Qinghai lake. There is something about outdoor showers. They are of course private and honestly, no one else will see you, but you still kind of feel bold and fun and has the thrill that someone might just pass through. Does that sound pervy? No?
I mean the massage was that good that we decided to stay a little longer and have a drink, and a drink led to a long lunch. We talked about everything and nothing, and time just went by like that. I stared at these rice fields and thought about one article of Shanghainese writer Chen Danyan. It was published in Traveller Magazine I believe. I read about it when I was in high school. (wondering if that magazine still exits?) She and her daughter were traveling in Bali. And One afternoon in a ventilated gazebo, everything seemed so quiet and peaceful. She felt a little tipsy, not sure if it's the gin tonic or the gorgeous view. She fell asleep, without the help of the Balinese massage. And that was her best memory of that trip.
I didn't know if I was just mumbling or actually telling the story out loud. But that day, I got to experience what Chen Danyan has experienced and I know the young girl in the school library would be happy to know that too.
Isn't life just beautiful?
All photos my own shot in Bali, Indonesia.