Photos of St. Petersburg & Moscow

It probably shouldn't come as a surprise to some that Russia was my dream destination for quite awhile. The trip report was long, but barely scratched the surface of my experiences. The people, food, stores, shopping, restaurants, and the little nuances of the city that weren't necessarily reportable are locked in my head, becoming morsels of intense flavor every time something triggers my memory.

St. Petersburg - There were times when I had to put my camera away because the architecture is drop dead gorgeous to the point where you give up; the brain has too much beauty to process. I would venture to guess that many tourists walk St. Petersburg in a dream state. I certainly did.

Tsarskoe Selo - If I had posted all the photos I took of the Alexander Palace, you would've stopped associating with me. Thankfully for you, I'll leave those snaps for the Romanov forum I visit.

Moscow - Moscow was short yet enjoyable. I missed out on the Kremlin, but still saw much in my only full day here. Walking around the empty streets the next morning was a soothing way to reflect on my hectic week and provided an opportunity to have the city to myself.

Lost Splendor - This album was a both a labor of love and an experiment in memory. I've always wanted to connect the Imperial past to the post-Tsarist present, and although it didn't turn out as expected, I was surprised there was enough to get this far.

Photos of Helsinki & Tallinn

Helsinki was such a short lived experience that it would be unfair to give any major opinions about it. Still, the city was such a great starting point to kick start my Russia trip. I always say "my Russia trip" but it's an unfair tag because Helsinki was planned intentionally as a stopping point on the journey. Although it's clearly Scandinavian, the Russian influences are apparent in the colorful architecture that dots the city.

Tallinn, on the other hand, wasn't on my radar until my friend D visited. I'm grateful he did because I probably wouldn't have considered a stay if he hadn't. It's a stunning city, and I managed to enjoy what I could, despite the freezing hypothermia induced blizzard. I would definitely go back to both cities.

Helsinki & Tallinn

Photos of Hong Kong

Hong Kong was the perfect mix of east meets west and I'm grateful to have given it a go on a side trip. There was never a dull moment here. This is a place I would love to come back to visit for a longer period of time. The city is so vibrant and full of life, but manages to keep it's culture alive despite it's status as a global financial center.

Hong Kong

Photos of Taiwan

Going through these photos after the fact made me realize how much I think of this trip more than I give credit for. How much the little details of my short time there have seeped into my brain, and weren't reported in the trip report. The memories are quite colorful. It's still a bit unreal to have been to Taiwan, especially considering the reasons for going. Even others, when the country is brought up in conversation, have been quizzical about why I have visited.

Still, I tried to capture the spirit of Taipei (and the other towns), and show all sides of the city, but there was so much that was intrinsically foreign to me and I feared appearing like a tacky, insensitive American tourist who is hell bent on only capturing the perceived "weirdness" of Eastern countries. That was a trap I didn't want to fall into.

Taipei

Jiufen

Yehliu

This is Me, Lately

I've been a very bad blogger lately. I've abandoned probably the two or three people who actually read this damn thing. So, it shouldn't come as a surprise to these relative few that I have been quite busy lately. I've just come down from a few big things, school and travel, and I'm a tired girl. I know the last one is a cop out, but since I've traveled to seven countries in three months, I have quite the excuse to wallow in a little bit of self pity. I finally released my posts about the Asia and Russia trips, over one and two months after I returned, along with a post including my thoughts about the election.

School finished up shortly before Christmas and I turned in a research paper I am very proud of. It's about the history and symbolism of the murals of Belfast, Northern Ireland. I was informed that I got A's in all my classes but that elation is momentary because starting Monday, I begin my algebra class. If there's one subject that boggles my mind, it's math. According to my transcripts, I need one more math class to satisfy my curriculum requirements. My grueling Statistics 101 class transferred over but according to the university, two algebra classes are needed in order to take a few of my statistical history courses.

Using the last of my time off, I scheduled a "staycation", and spent the past ten days at my mother's house lolling around doing nothing. The blizzard we had didn't help matters much and at times relaxation turned into cabin fever. Still, I got some retail therapy in, finally breaking down to buy some ice skates. I'm looking into taking classes soon.

Another thing. I'm toying with the idea of switching over to Wordpress. Who knows if/when that transition will occur, but it will have to be when I have enough down time.