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My first trip to Europe was for a month-long stay in Porto, Portugal.
We drank so much Port, as you should in Porto. Also try a port tonic, if you can.
The Stairs of Lies AKA The Stairs of Truth
A few members of the Unsettled crew
A most perfect day.
Where the river met the ocean
Amarante. A town just outside the city in the Douro Valley.
On my third visit to Seoul, I wasn't alone. Arno and I traveled from Beijing to spend five days and four nights in one of my favorite cities. Because I'd been there twice already alone, there were places I wanted to go with another person and so we did. We also ate too much and drank too much and I'd do it all again.
The view from Namsan Tower
We had perfect weather
Birthday girl unprepared for her own photoshoot.
Locks of love
Korean food is my jam, for real.
This is a staged photo. I made him walk across the bridge so many times.
Presentation *Kisses fingers*
About the extent of my ballroom dancing skills.
Do I look smug? I shouldn't! Burned my mouth two seconds later.
We found Chad. He was hanging out in an Indian restaurant in Insadong
Shanghai is a truly international city. I could see the outside influences everywhere, but especially in the architecture. It's beautiful, frenetic, and a little overwhelming. I went with my coworker, Abby, a quiet, young Chinese woman whose easy-going and see-the-good-in-everything nature made her the best travel companion.
I love the mash of time & culture in this picture.
Lovely. What you can't see is the crush of people behind me.
We took these organic coconuts on the train!
Abby & her best friend. They took me to Beer Lady, a famous beer spot.
The world famous Oriental Pearl Tower
Outside Moller Villa
The Bund at night
Soup dumplings. I never knew love like this.
Sending a postcard to the future. Set to go out January 5, 2018.
In Sanya, I found myself in one of the most beautiful places I'd ever been and the loneliest I'd ever felt. I often sat on the balcony in my underwear. If anyone spotted me thirteen stories up, they deserved the view.
on the last day, bought a coconut for 8 kuai
Came all the way to China to get a vanilla ice cream pop
I think this park was closed. Oops.
Anchovies, crab, & shrimp fried rice. Incredibly spicy.
Every night these buildings put on a light show. People sat on the beach and watched
I met a man in Dalian who thought it was strange that a single woman would travel to a city just because. I drank the drink he bought me and left him to his archaic ideas.
Peaceful
Two friends of one of my coworkers took me out to dinner and sightseeing.
They also bought me flowers that housekeeping put into a water bottle. I splurged on a nice hotel.
A fog rolling in.
My best friend flew to Beijing and together we traveled south to Qingdao, the city famous for China's well known Tsingtao Beer. We managed to eat more than we drank. We also met up with one of my fellow MFA alums, which was really awesome.
Our first meal was hotpot. Spice galore. We had to drink a lot of beer.
Final meal was the best!
We barely went to the ocean...hmm
Wearing my Qingdao pearls
Cowboy boots in China
Everything is wrong here. This is the shower and also the toilet, that you can see into. WHY!
This man-made structure is a perfect example of what humans can do with vision, determination, and teamwork. Climbing those stairs, knowing someone built them and someone else manned them, was very humbling. I felt like anyone who had contributed, even a cook who served a meal to a stone mason, had accomplished more than I had in their lifetime. It was inspiring, majestic, and a real feat of human ingenuity.
This is what you see from the parking lot. See those two fortresses? Two of twelve to the top.
For your edification.
I'm still smiling here. Not for much longer.
Up.
Inside one of the fortresses
Absolute perfection.
Canons to use against the Mongols
Small but steep stairway to the top of the 12th fortress. We had lunch up there.
The steepness cannot be understated. I'd stand at the top and scream, "Jesus, please."
Almost at the bottom.
Looking back up. (Or taking a break because everything hurt. Everything.)
Finally.
Whew.
Seoul is a perfect city. It has everything. It vibrates. And somehow, still feels like home.
