Jennie's Nonlinear Life

What's the Color of Your Dream?

2011-09-22T15:20:00.004-04:00

Is there a color in your dream? Do you remember it's black and white or you simply don't be aware of any color? I never think about such questions until S asked me. From then on I started to observe my dreams and found all kinds of interesting experience.

(This is the color of my dream. -- Joan Miro)

Photographed by Jennie Bai.

Surrealism

2011-09-22T15:19:00.003-04:00

I think I am now living in a surreal world. Having a fever, getting inflammation and losing voice, yet I've still been working hard in the office. It's amazing to realize that my mind runs faster and faster; work gets more and more efficiently yet I start to have illusion...

(Vancouver Art Gallery, Canada)

Photographed by Jennie Bai.

Epilogue - Aug 2011

2011-09-11T22:26:00.008-04:00

.

Life is unpredictable.

(A corner in the old town of Riga, Latvia)

7:55pm on August 31, I was in an airplane overlooking the coast of New York with great gusto. It was a genuine feeling of coming back home, with joy in my finger, my hair and every DNA. Before the journey I couldn't foresee the happening of so many things within ten days, earthquake, hurricane, resign of Japan's Prime Minister, stock market slump, etc. Whatever news, they are merely words saw or heard on bus, in newspaper on my journey, seemingly orthogonal to my life. Only when they start to exert influence on me, I realize that anything could happen.

It was a journey of facing the music. For four days I got stranded at the Stockholm airport due to Hurricane Irene in New York and corresponding airport closure and delay. I ever lost my luggage from Riga to Stockholm. Let alone endless waiting in the line to reschedule flight with the airline company and travel agency. Whatever pains, it's these pains which shape my stamina, patience and gratitude. They like mirrors reflecting my weakness, temper, and impetuousness. I truly appreciate all the hardship.

(Self-portrait at the Modern Museum in Stockholm)

It was also a journey of self-exploration and a journey of understanding. The experience in Abisko changes from the initial disappointment (Abisko - 'Arctic' Adventure) to a second thought and a third memory. It's alpine flower and the solitude in hiking that enlighten me to connect pains in order to find happiness, the 'durch Leiden Freude.'

(at the Kumu Museum, Tallinn, Estonia)

I appreciate every unpredictable moment in life.

一世荣辱, 一树花开，盛衰随喜.

Photographed by Jennie Bai.

Baltic Seashore - Jurmala

2011-09-10T04:47:00.003-04:00

.

I got to know the name 'Jurmala' on the flight from Stockholm to Tallinn. I didn't expect that I were there only in two days. The abstract name was then visualized as white sand, forest, Latvian wood houses, and many happy angels on the beach.

It was a sunny Saturday morning. I got up without knowing where to go, -- the joy of traveling, aimless but always encountering surprises. I have walked most of the old town yesterday. What else can I do? I took out the brochure from tourist information center and found an event: a live exhibition of old fashion cars on Jurmala beach. I have seen the old car parade on the fifth avenue in New York, but one by one on beach? Interesting!!

Let's go.

I rushed into the train station, only to find that there are two stops in Jurmala. Which one? All schedules are in Latvian or Russian, not clear which train I should take. After a fuzzy dialogue with several staffs via their broken English, I jumped into a carriage, skeptical of where I am going but relaxed and ready to accept whatever the destination is. The carriage is old, spacious, colored military green, immediately reminiscent of the old-styled trains ever popular in the communist countries like the Soviet Union and China twenty years ago.

Uncertainty is going on... you cannot tell which station it is unless you luckily sit in the center of the train, since the name of station is not shown anywhere in the platform except in the center. Also, the broadcast is in Russian and Latvian and the announcer's voice is quick and blurry... Gosh! The last hope comes from blackberry phone embedded with Google map. Thanks for Google! I roughly figured it out and got off train at Majori, the center of Jurmala!

Beautiful! Relaxing! Rewarding for all effort!

Please follow the girl in white linen long skirt to enjoy an innocent Baltic morning. (Click the link at the bottom for a set of pictures.)

Baltic Seashore - Jurmara, a set on Flickr.

Photographed by Jennie Bai.

Abisko - A Third Memory

2011-08-30T07:55:00.002-04:00

人生天地间，忽如远行客

The lodge I lived in was next to a train station. Every day I walked along the railroad in order to leave the village and go hiking or do groceries.

(engineering truck at railway)

One afternoon, I merely escaped torrent rain at the national park information center and walked back in the sun-rain. Houses, rails, flowers, grass... everything is glazed in the sun and rain.

I passed a small station, Abisto Ostra. An old yellow bench somehow raked over old ashes. I cannot recall the memory clearly, yet it's reminiscent of my childhood. I used to live close to railroads on and off till I was about 7 years old. I remember walking on the rail, sleeping in the click-click sound, climbing carriage to avoid jammed train in order to go to school on time, etc. Those images seem so far away from my life now. Yet at this way station I felt the connection to the past.

When and when again
this heart will comprehend the
distance of time
years of land
-- Huiyin Lin (林徽因）

A Chinese writer ever said (in translation), "homeland is not limited to a particular land, but rather is an extensive mood unbound by space or time. Once the mood is awaken, you are already back to homeland."

Anywhere could be my home...

“人的故乡，并不止于一块特定的土地，而是一种辽阔无比的心情，不受空间和时间的限制；这心情一经唤起，就是你已经回到了故乡。”
--- 史铁生

Next Stop: Tallinn, Estonia

Photographed by Jennie Bai.

Abisko - On Second Thought

2011-08-29T00:56:00.003-04:00

安土敦乎仁，故能爱－－《易经》

（ -- I Ching)

The second day in Abisko started with cloudy weather. I was contented as long as it did not rain! Though the hiking rule always goes "light is right," I decided to bring Canon semiprofessional camera, hoping to catch unexpected scenes at the mountain peak.

It was totally a wrong idea! The mountain was abrupt and the trail was muddy. What's worse, the dense fog filmed over the mountain when I finally approached the top. Any camera turned useless. Even worse, the rain lashed down when I went downhill. I held the camera bag tightly, like a maid-in-waiting holding the empress' jewel box!

(a mist filmed over the mountain)

Being all wet, I should by no means be happy! Yet I was! It was not the scenery that brought me with satisfaction, rather the process of hiking, and all hearty effort made toward achieving the top. The only Zen you can find on the top of mountains is the Zen you bring up there...

The rain stopped without an omen as it started. Sitting on the rock, I heard the wind and smelt familiar floral breath. I suddenly cheered up. Maybe it was the luster and aroma in the memory that lightened me. It felt like a part of me reviving in the fragrance., or like a snail crawling out of her heavy shell.

每当这时，我都有一种冲动，想扔掉自己，像丢掉一件又脏又旧没了筋骨的衣服一样，重头开始过我的生命。一些重要的东西变得毫无意义，一道坚硬的石墙在我面前纷纷崩落，瞬间回到了从前，我不断地在追寻，这种生命中的安宁喜悦，我想要回到它之中，无时无刻。

The sun surprisingly emerged from thick clouds. At the transient moment I saw the snow-peaked mountain and the sun beamed down. How long have I been waiting for such a moment? Isn't waiting a kind of fine pain? Nope. Connecting each such pain, and you will find happiness. It's ‘durch Leiden Freude'.

(snow peak)

(the sun beamed down)

等待是一种细碎的痛苦　　
连缀起来就成了幸福　　
人生来就是为了等待死亡　　
就是为了死前爬上一次高岗　　
等云升
等云到　　
等云去　　
等云老

Photographed by Jennie Bai.

Abisko -- Alpine Flower

2011-08-28T15:48:00.006-04:00

PRELUDE
It's not easy being a mountain flower. She only has time to flower during the short summer, then she has to survive a harsh winter. That's why mountain plants have developed different strategies for survival. One strategy is interdependence or symbiosis, such as the relation between the globalflower and the fly. If you open up a globeflower you might find a small fly inside. On sunny days, the flower fly might even be sitting on top of the flower. They are completely dependent on each other.

(Source: Google image)

The story of flower and fly reminds me of a poem by a Japanese poet.

生命は　

吉野弘

　　自分自身で完結できないように　
　　つくられているらしい
　　花も
　　めしべとおしべが揃っているだけでは
　　不充分で　
　　虫や風が訪れて　
　　めしべとおしべを仲立ちする
　　
　　生命はすべて
　　そのなかに欠如を抱きけ
　　それを他者から満たしてもらうのだ
　　
　　世界は多分
　　他者の総和　
　　しかし
　　互いに　
　　欠如を満たすなどとは
　　知りもせず
　　知らされもせず
　　ばらまかれている者同士
　　無関心でいられる間柄
　　
　　ときに
　　うとましく思えることさも許されている間柄
　　そのように
　　世界がゆるやかに構成されているのは
　　なぜ？
　　
　　花が咲いている
　　すぐ近くまで
　　虻の姿をした他者が
　　光りをまとって飛んできている
　　
　　私も　あるとき
　　誰かのための虻だったろう
　　
　　あなたも　あるとき
　　私のための風だったかもしれない

Life (in translation)

It seems life is constructed in a way
that no one can fulfill it alone

Just as it's not enough for flower to have pistils and stamens

An insect or breeze must introduce a pistil to a stamen

Life contains its own absence,
which only
an Other can fulfill

It seems the world is
the summation of Others

And yet,
We neither know
nor are told that
we will fulfill each other

We lead our scattered lives,
perfectly unaware of each other...

Or at times,
allowed to find the Others's presence
disagreeable

Why is it,
that the world is constructed
so loosely?

A horse fly,
bathed in light,
flies in close to a blooming flower

I, too,
might have been someone's horse fly

Perhabs you, too,
had once been my breeze

生命可能是
　　無法以自身之力成功的完滿
　　而被創造出來的
　　好比花
　　就算將雌蕊與雄蕊聚集
　　也不足夠
　　仍需昆蟲與微風的造訪
　　連繫起雌蕊與雄蕊的關係
　　
　　生命本質上
　　便懷有重要的匱缺
　　並從他者的存在而完滿
　　
　　世界　或許是
　　所有他者的總合
　　然而
　　我們彼此
　　對於自身這份重要的匱缺
　　毫無自覺
　　也未曾被告知
　　原來　我們是這樣被播散的種子
　　總是冷淡的距離
　　然而有時
　　再難忍卻也能維持住的關係
　　就這樣
　　世界被巧妙的構築了
　　何故?
　　
　　花盛開著
　　近身一看
　　便發現像馬蠅這樣他者的存在
　　在光線的纏繞中飛舞著
　　
　　曾幾何時我也
　　成為誰的馬蠅吧？
　　
　　曾幾何時你也是
　　得以完滿我的那微風吧？

Abisko - Arctic 'Adventure'

2011-08-27T13:55:00.000-04:00

The Road Not Taken
by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Illured by Abisko's fame, -- situated about 200 km north of the arctic circle, and having the longest hiking trail along the Scandinavian mountain range, -- I flew from Stockholm, transferred a bus, dragged luggage for one mile, and finally arrived in Abisko Mountain lodge, starting my two-day hiking trip in this arctic national park.

I have no expectation of travel stops, which usually brings me joyful surprise later. However, I cannot hide my disappointment when I started walking around Abisko, -- what's the difference from a hike in the upper New York state? Is it worth all the trouble? Maybe I should have come here in the most exciting season, winter, when skiing, snowshoeing, and aurora (polar light, Dance of the Spirit) all become available. At least I should have come here NOT on raining and windy days... To be honest, the scenery is good but ordinary, seemingly not worthy of additional cost and strenuous transportation.

However, I am here. That is the only fact, as cruel as chilly rain and muddy trail. Without any other choice in such an outlandish area, I keep walking and walking till forgetting time and walking out of my grumble. Only then do I start to be aware of view, sound, and feeling between me and nature. I am so glad that I eventually did so!

(Abisko Canyon)

Wind sends me Robert Frost's poem, the Road not Taken. I suddenly perceive another feeling. I used to think that the poem is about regret and personal myth-taking. But, ...

Everyone is a traveler choosing the roads to follow on the map of one's continuous journey, life. There is never a straight path that leaves one with but a sole direction in which to head, rather it is filled with twists and turns. "And sorry I could not travel both..." It is always difficult to make a decision because it is impossible not to wonder about the opportunity cost. In an attempt to make a decision, the traveler "looks down as far as I could". But eventually the road surpasses one's vision and one cannot see where it is going to lead.

Yet it's the road one choose that makes her whoever she is. In the beginning I thought to myself why I choose hiking on such a rainy chilly messy day for the so-so scenery. Then I cognise that the situation is irreversible and complaint helps nothing. It's my attitude toward such situation that can change my sense of happiness. I stop thinking of my own feeling, rather to apperceive grass, mushroom, unknown flower, and to touch the raindrop, to listen to the wind's whisper... The world becomes peaceful!

To my surprise, there then comes the sun penetrating thick clouds and smiling to the botany. Let there be light, light was there. Let there be color, color was there. Though the precious sunshine only shows up for a very short moment, it do sheds light and color into my heart.

Another interlude of the trip is that I got lost. The heavy rain changes the road so that I cannot recognize my return way. For a half hour I haven't met any other person, which adds my uneasiness. Once again I start to say to myself, "Accept the situation. Be aware of your sensation and trust your judgement." It turns out that I have chosen the right way and I finally find the trail sign leading to my lodge.

The Abisko trip is neither exotic nor adventurous. However it comes at such a difficult moment in my life. I have been contemplating various choices in the future and been juggling potential solutions for a few weeks. I couldn't find a clear answer, sad and worried. Yet I know clearly now that I will take whatever life gives me and accept it wholeheartedly. Whichever road it is, chosen by me or not, for or against my willingness, I live on that particular road. Devoting myself in every moment on the road will eventfully make me who I am, whether or not "I took the one less traveled by".

Being present is the real and only moment.

Photographed by Jennie Bai.

Stockholm

2011-08-23T01:05:00.002-04:00

For more pictures, please see the album "Stockholm," a set on Flickr.

Milles Garden

2011-08-22T13:00:00.009-04:00

Beyond the EFA conference, I only have one free afternoon and one night in Stockholm. Among so many interesting places, I chose to visit Milles Garden. It's home and art studio for an artist couple Carl and Olga Milles, located on the cliff of Herserud high above lake Värtan.

It was a beautiful drizzling afternoon. Each sculpture, made by wood, bronze, stone, was bathed in fine rain.

Art is nature speed up and God Slow down... . --
--- Malcolm De Chazal

Carl Milles loves sky and sea. A series of his sculptures are sit on top poles at a terrace that overlooks Lake Värtan. It's like numina dancing within the embrace of sky and sea.

(God's Hand)

(Man and Pegasus)

(Musician)

I was filled with creative freshness and fantasy. Here rides a winged Pegasus through the air; there sea-nymphs splash water over mossy stones.

And there are little visitors such as a snail and various fruits, apple, pear, tomato, in the garden.

Walking into the world of Carl Milles, I wander: What is the ideal life for an artist? From an apprentice to a famous sculptor, what leads to his success beyond his talent? Surely he is lucky to have his own large studio to implement his imagination and inspiration. However there must be something more contributing to his success. I guess he must be a person with passion and sensitivity for life and love, -- even a kitchen corner is well designed with every , even the pattern of tiles. He must be a person with utter innocence. He loves music, having one piano in studio and even having a music room holding organ, a second piano, and other instruments.

But again, what is the most important thing for an artist? Creativity? I guess that's only a small part of his life. More is about implementation of any creative ideas, which requires discipline and hardworking.

My dear reader, what do you think? I am open for a discussion; please let me know your thoughts.

Photographed by Jennie Bai.

Morocco

2011-04-29T00:18:00.001-04:00

Morocco, a set on Flickr.

Note: Photos only in this entry, traveling stories in Sahara, Fez, and other fantastic Moroccan cities will be added later.

The Mile-High City - Denver

2011-01-15T14:40:00.001-05:00

The 2011 AEA/AFA was held in Denver at the first weekend of January. I always try to create fun in my business trip and explore the local culture, food, natural and social adventure. So thinking of Colorado, the very idea hit my mind is to go skiing! Wonderful Rocky Mountain skiing resort, why not?

Yet upon arriving there, an intensive schedule including interviews, presentation, seminars and social events eroded my plan. Facing the music, I barely had time for a one-hour river walk, a two-hour museum tour, and attended a show on Sunday afternoon. However few, these moments highlight the whole trip! And life is measured by such moments. For those of you seeing merely people in the conference, let me show you some other colors that you may not have seen in Denver.

My first impression when getting out of the Denver airport is vast openness. With sparsely-dotted buildings, the city at the foot of Rocky Mountains looks attractive, especially for people like me from Manhattan. The sky is bluer and the air is thinner!

Why such a blue sky? As its nickname suggests, Denver is a city 5,280 feet (one mile) above the sea level. In such rarified air, it's said that golf balls go ten percent farther… and so do cocktails. The sun feels warmer, because you're closer to it, but your coffee is cooler, because water boils at 202 degrees.

(a step on the State Capitol Building that is exactly 5,280 feet above sea level. Source: web photo)

With 10-year work experience at various museums, especially the Metropolitan Museum, I really do not have any expectation for the Denver Art Museum. Still I went there --- 'DAM', 5-minute walk from the hotel, why not?

What a good decision! The modern-designed building immediately recalled of the peaks of Rocky Mountains. I later on searched the internet and found what the architect said, "I was inspired by the light and the geology of the Rockies, but most of all by the wide-open faces of the people of Denver."

My favorite work is Fox Games by Sandy Skoglund. It's a fantastic world, depicting an invasion of gray foxes sculpted in clay and cast in polyester resin, within a restaurant. The foxes prowl on and around red tables in an entirely red room. Every element of the installation—forks, knives, plates, dinner rolls, and even a squirrel in the mouth of one of the foxes—is painted red.

Other interesting works include:

My first three days in Denver is full of beautiful sunshine! Just when I was praising the gorgeous weather sitting at a window table in a fine restaurant, the waiter joked on me, "Nice? You will soon tell its temper!" He was right. It started to snow on Sunday. The temperature dropped dramatically from 50F to -9F. Super luck for those economists who are going skiing, yet it is far less fun for me to walk in the snow with high-heel shoes.

White high-heel shoes,
Arctic fox headband,
Dark blue cashmere coat,
......

Elegant walking set opposite to my eager feeling!

Two more blocks from Marriot to Sheraton,
Three more interviews,
then
I am DONE!

Immediately after all interviews at 2pm on Sunday, I got off business suite, put on jeans and boots, jumped into taxi, for National Western Stock Show! Come on, Rodeo time!

On the road from Denver airport to hotels, the taxi driver told us that the traffic may be bad in downtown since there was a stock parade show. What? The word 'stock' sounds so familiar yet I cannot shortly figure out its meaning at such context! We asked at least twice and finally realized that 'yes, it's a stock show.' Livestock!~

I have to confess that I am a city girl. Even though I internally feel closer to nature, I indeed spent most of my life in big cities such as Shanghai, Chicago, New York, etc. For me, 'Angus' is nothing but a word printed on the grocery store's meat counter, 'Alpaca' looks even strange and some mark on the clothes. I cannot imagine that I have a chance to look directly into their eyes and touch them!

How innocent the little alpaca looks~!

Another one!

A candidate was showing her Llama at the National Western Stock Show.

A boy with his alpaca was waiting for their turn to the junior livestock show competition. He seemed a little shy and nervous.

Not just these meek beings above, there are hundreds of angus, bulls, limousin, gelbvieh, and horses in big big stadium halls. Such a REAL world! There you constantly see newly-generated 'bullshits'! While they are accumulated and soon to be converted to energy in an adjacent plant!

I enjoyed my trip! Hope you are feeling the same. Every journey is a good process of self-exploration. I get to know myself better partly through observing and understanding other people's life. It's not always smooth and pleasant, but it's still treasure of the life.

May you have a peaceful and prosperous 2011!

(Denver at Sunset)

Photographed by Jennie Bai.

Maine - Columbus Day Excursion

2010-10-22T01:22:00.000-04:00

Maine, a set on Flickr.

One Night in a Border Town

2010-07-17T21:47:00.010-04:00

我喜欢旅行。在陌生的地方，以简单纯粹的面目去面对陌生的人，不提过往, 不提职业。无人过问我是谁。我就是我自己。（I enjoy traveling. In an unknown place I could face unfamiliar persons in a simple and pure way, without referring to my past or career. No one asks who I am. I am only myself.) -- Jennie

Zhenyuan, an ancient border town of the Miao (ethnic minority) people, has a long history dated back to 202 B.C. when Emperor Liu Bang instituted the town as a county. Its long history endows the town with rich cultural relics including more than 160 scenic spots within 1.2 square miles. Sheltered in mountains and cut through by the Wuyang River, the town is divided into two parts: south 'Wei' and north 'Fu', which forms a water town.

(View of Zhenyuan from the Black Dragon Cave
青龙洞眺望镇远城)

With their brown mud walls, black tiles and perfect setting, all houses harmonize so completely with the surroundings that your heart leaps up in delight. Any traveller with the least feeling for poetry or painting could drift here without tiring for weeks in a small boat, for there are fresh marvels at every turn produced by man's labour and the bold skill of Nature which hold you utterly spellbound.

(The town is cut through by Wuyang River)

The Dragon Boat Festival, held on May 25th, is the most ceremonious celebration in Zhenyuan. Though we missed the festival, a boat race is re-enacted by two groups of lads on such a quiet Saturday afternoon.

(Boys playing on a boat)

After a few days driving in the remote mountains, I could hardly imagine to see such a familiar scenery in Zhenyuan. All in my eyes conjures up a feeling as if I were in the south of Yangtze River which is about one thousand miles east of Zhenyuan. I cannot help recalling another water town, Xitang which I visited in 2006. For many years I have been intensely attached to various water towns so that I ever thought of myself as a fish in previous incarnation.

The town in the dusk, tender, lovely and tranquil.

For all its quiet tranquility, this little town in history is a center of trade and communications for Guizhou and a millitarily important gate to enter Yunnan as well as Laos, Burma, and so on. Therefore the small waterfronts have a character all their own. There are inns where merchants put up, barbers' establishments, not to mention restaurants and general stores.

We lodged in a two-floor inn called 'Scenes of the past Zhenyuan'(see below). It's a building with antique facade yet completely modern facilities inside. I chose a room on the second floor with a stone-paved balcony in face of the river. The next morning I ran across an elder couple from Switzerland in the lodging, who by chance saw my room and immediately loved it yet couldn't communicate with the owner. I was glad to do the translation; indeed westerns are almost unknown in this little town and they are the first ones I saw in my one-week journey in Guizhou. Allowing me to do a little advertising here, Zhenyuan is such an excellent place to experience the day-to-day life of southwestern China at close quarters with its friendly people.

(The inn of "Scenes of the Past Zhenyuan")

Along the business street, I saw many lovely stuff such as handmade straw sandals, wood-carved buddha statues.

A wine shop. Names of the wine were written on red paper: corn wine, ginseng wine, pure rice wine, kiwi wine, etc.

All kinds of wine was further contained in bamboo sections.

The scene of the long tables in front of the modest eating houses and wines on the top recalled me the novel 'A Border Town' written in 1930's (《边城》, 沈从文）. Shen Congwen, the novelist, wrote,
"不拘谁个愿意花点钱，这人就可以傍了门前长案坐下来，抽出一双筷子捏到手上，那边一个眉毛扯得极细脸上擦了白粉的女人就走过来问：“大哥，副爷，要甜酒？要烧酒？”男子火焰高一点的，谐趣的，对内掌柜有点意思的，必故意装成生气似的说：“吃甜酒？又不是小孩子，还问人吃甜酒！”那么，酽烈的烧酒，从大瓮里用木滤子舀出，倒进土碗里，即刻就来到餐桌上了。

"For a few cents anyone can sit down at the long table and pull out a pair of chopsticks. Then a woman with plucked eyebrows and a powdered face will come to ask, "Would you care for sweet wine or rice wine, master?" A spirited man who likes to tease will retort, "Sweet wine? What do you take me for -- a child?" Then rich yellow wine is ladled out of the vat into an earthen bowl and brought promptlyu to the table. This potent, fragrant brew can knock a strong man out if he drinks too much."

（Women dancing in a plaza)

(The night view, taken from a touring boat)

I enjoyed getting up early and strolling on the quiet bluestone alley, when most tourists were still in the dream. It's so tranquil that I could hear the sound of time. Yet I am not as early as those diligent farmers.

(Fresh grapes)

(Green soy beans directly from the field)

(A housewife is preparing vegetable)

The trip of Zhenyuan is not complete without cruising in the Wuyang River. We left the town in the morning and drove to the Wuyang scenic area, switching to a boat. It's a 20-mile waterway with secluded caves, gurgling springs, rugged rocks, and spectacular waterfalls interspersed on the mountains.

Writing this travelogue, I seem to relive the journey, refreshing and cool. I wish my words and photos could also bring you freshness in this hot summer.

一笑一尘缘

Photographed by Jennie Bai.

LANG-DE Miao Village

2010-07-17T09:35:00.003-04:00

生命中有许多吉光片羽，无从名之，难以归类，也不能构成什么重要意义，但它们就是在我心中萦绕不去。这些东西在那里太久了，变成像是我欠的，必须偿还，于是我只有把它们拍出来。我称它们是“最好的时光”。 ——侯孝贤

When I first saw the Miao festive clothes in the Shanghai Museum twelve years ago, I was stunned by its beauty and vowed to have my own collection one day. The dream came into being in Guizhou, the land of the Miao people.

Miao is one of 56 ethnic minorities in China, with its own language and unique culture and is best known for their exquisite clothes worn in festivals and wedding. Miao festive clothes are appealing not only because of their unique styles and craftsmanship, also because they reveal the rich Miao culture and its long history. A complete set of the Miao dress includes embroidered clothes which takes a Miao woman 1-2 year to complete and silver ornaments which weights more than 20 pounds. Silver is believed by Miao people to be the symbol of light which can dispel evil spirits.

Mountains and rivers make Miao areas difficult to access, which has lessened the impact of modern civilization and helped them to maintain old traditions. The above bridge is often seen at the entrance of any Miao village, called "the wind and rain bridge."

Walking through the bridge, let's visit the miao village LANG-DE where lives almost 500 Miao people.

A winding path leads to the serene village.

In the village we ran across a grandmother cutting hair for a little girl.

Animals in the village.

Almost every house hangs dried corns under the roof.

A venerable elder man who is a little more than 90 years old.

The climax of this trip is that we bumped into a newly-married couple returning to the home of the bride's parents. This is a folk custom in most area of China. The bridegroom is from Zhejiang Province, one thousand miles northeast of Guizhou whereas the bride is originally from the LANG-DE village. It's a marriage of a Miao girl and a Han boy.

Since it's the first time for the couple to return to the village after marriage, the bridegroom, the bride, her sister and parents are all dressed in the Miao festive clothes. Blazing with colors and silver ornaments, they are taking photos to record the happy moments. How lucky we are to share their happiness!

(With the bride (right) and her sister)

(With the bride's parents)

(With the Miao kids in the village)

Peace reigns supreme and the village folks spend all their days in an unspoiled solitude hard to imagine. Tranquility makes them reflect more deeply on life, makes them dream more. Naturally every soul in this little village in his allotted span of days has his private hopes and is torn by love and hate. Exactly what fills their minds? It is hard to say.

Photographed by Jennie Bai.

On the road

2010-07-16T22:10:00.006-04:00

(Stoneplate print by Jiri Bouda)

Saying goodbye to my dear parents, I flew to Beijing in the morning of July 9th, planning to pick up my passport/visa from the U.S. ambassador and to take an afternoon flight back to New York. With a great surprise, I didn't get my visa on time, which happened for the first time in the past eight years. The reason they offered was simply that the handling process is delayed due to large applications in summer, though they said I should get it the next Monday or Tuesday.

Stranded! Yet I have no time to complain. What to do next? Is there still a seat available to NYC next Tuesday in such a busy traveling season? Should I stay in a hotel in Beijing for another four days, or fly back to my hometown? Who should I notify immediately for my delayed returning? How about those meetings scheduled the next Monday and Tuesday? Too many questions crowded my mind in seconds!

All problems are gone when I'm now typing these words in Mac. Not to mention those inconvenience and additional cost in money and time, I booked the last available seat for Tuesday's flight, I detoured my way home by visiting Yungang Buddhist grottoes which were built in the 5th centrury, I even watched the semi-final and the final of World Cup at home. ... My mother was extremely happy seeing my extended stay, even happier than the first day I went back. Unexpected pleasant surprise, isn't it?

Look, this is the magic of a journey. No matter how you plan it, there always exists unexpected meetup, unpredictable risk as well as disappointment and joy it brings. It could be a romance in 'Before Sunrise', an awkwardness in 'Midnight Run,' could even be a fatal death in 'Into the Wild.' Whatever it is, the journey remained in the memory may not be those planned beauty, but rather questions, worries, conflicts, and the courage and resolve to face all the uncertainty.

Turn round, and go home.

The meaning of a journey might never be traveling itself. All the effort to pulling through mountains and rivers could be enriched to a receding figure: going home from anywhere in the world.

转身，回家。　　

原来，旅行的意义从不在旅途本身。
千山万水，
都只为了转身回程的那一个背影，
只为了让我们从他乡终于奔赴故乡。
-- 艾小柯

Impressions on Korea

2009-11-30T15:50:00.000-05:00

Annyeong - haseyo (Hello) ! On the way back to China's New Year, I spent 64 hours in Korea. This short trip realized my girlish dream of wearing hanbok (Korean traditional dress). Korea has much in common with China and Japan due to frequent historical exchanges; but its culture still has a peculiar fascination on me since my girlhood. I love hanbok! I enjoy Korean traditional dancing! I even acquire one hanbok but never get chance to try. The dress came with me to America and quietly stay in the suitcase. Now I brought it from Chicago to Korea and for the first time I dressed up in Korean way.

Having a tight schedule, my trip focused on traditional architecture, food and clothing, plus snapshots of everyday life. Enjoy this photographic trip!

Traditional Architecture

Royal Guard Changing Ceremony at Gyeongbokgung Palace.

Traditional Clothing

Dress for King and Queen (from National Folklore Museum of Korea).

Folk Art

Children flying a Kite.

Wood Carving

Jeju Island Stones.

Bus. I was immediately caught by the little girls's eyes. What is she thinking?

Korean Food

Sinseollo (casserole dish). Beef and radish, as well as sea cucumber, abalone, mushrooms, red peppers, walnuts, and ginkgo nuts are all boiled together creating a delightful casserole dish. This casserole is prepared in a chafing dish that has a hollow center with a charcoal fire that continually boils the food while you eat.

In Korea, there is a saying "gimjang (kimchi for winter use) is half of one's winter provisions." No matter how sumptuous a banquet may be, a banquet spread without kimchi is unimaginable.

Jennie's Breakfast in Seoul: rice, jeon and soup.

Boiled rice is the staple of Korean cuisine. Most people use sticky rice, which sometimes has beans, chestnuts, sorghum, red beans, barley or other cereals added for flavor and nutrition. Jeon is a kind of pancake made from mushrooms, pumpkin, slices of dried fish, oysters, unripe red peppers, meat or other ingredients which are mixed with salt and black pepper, dipped in flour and egg and fried in oil.

Jennie's Breakfast in Pusan

Jagalchi Market. Pusan is a port city. These boxes of fishes are right from ships.

The Jagalchi Market is Korea's largest seafood market. Most of the people who sell fish are women, so the women who sell here are called 'Jagalchi Ajumma', 'ajumma' meaning middle-aged or married women. The Jagalchi Market is where you can see the lifestyle of the indigenous Pusan natives.

All types of shells.

Gamsahamnida (Thank You)!

Photographed by Jennie Bai.

(This article was originally written in the winter of 2007.)

Central Park's Winter

2009-11-29T20:45:00.004-05:00

“大雪”将至。
纽约的冬天却有着初春的气息
中央公园里
依然可以看到明黄、翠绿的树叶

来到这个城市
已经一年又三个月了
......

秋啖石榴

2009-11-29T19:58:00.002-05:00

''微雨过，小荷翻，榴花开欲燃。''

我未曾见过夏日的榴花, 火光霞焰递相燃, google上说是这样的。
但有福吃到秋夜的榴籽，轻咬一口，那甜蜜的浆汁呦～

（夏日石榴花）

(挑一个又大又红的）

（金刀劈破紫穰瓢，撒下丹砂数百粒）

Montreal - Kaleidoscope From La Belle France to North American Metropolis

2009-08-29T16:12:00.000-04:00

Montreal is just like this picture! -- A harmonious orchestra with the old key but the fassionable tone. This photo was taken on McGill Avenue, the right is from the archives of McCord Museum while the left is advertisement for Mexx, a fashion brand. Indeed, you can always find steepletops constrasting to modern glassic skyscrapers, wherever in the downtown and old town area.

Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal. This is a Roman Catholic basilica. No doubt this Oratory is famous for its architechture and religious status. But here what I really want to mention is a man, who ever said: "I am a man just like you". His name is Brother Andre. I was so impressed by his stories. One comment he ever made concerning the numberous requests for healings is,

"It is surprising that I am frequently asked for cures, but rarely for humility and the spirit of faith. Yet they are so important..."

Love, Faith, Confidence and Humility. -- This is my feeling after the visit to St. Joseph's Oratory.

Inner views of the Oratory. The door has quite fashions with those colorful glasses. The window actually depicts bible stories in a cartoon style. Very funny!

Another famous chapel! Basilique Notre-Dame de Montreal. This building's history dates back to the origins of Montreal, which was founded in 1643. If you ever get chance there, pay attention to those gorgeous stained-glass windows, which depit scenes from Montreal's social and religious history.

A quiet morning. I starts off my wandering from this trail.

Old railway station. Montreal has many stone houses like this one, because of the famous fire in the history, just like Chicago. Also, Mark Twain ever said,

"This is the first time I was ever in a city where you couldn't throw a brick without breaking a church window."

Now let's see some modern world. Love it or hate it, Raymond Masson's 1986 statement on the human condition is one of Montreal's most talked-about sculptures. The inscription reads in part:

`A crowd has gathered... the strong light casts shadows, and as light moves toward the back and diminishes, the mood degenerates; rowdiness, disorder and violence occur, showing the fragile nature of man'.

This sculpture work is called La Joute (The Joust), designed by Jean Paul Riopelle. It is by far his most important and prodigious work, noted for the diversity of its thematic elements.

The same building, two views. We often judge people and things with colorful glasses. Here is a vivid example. Be Careful!

Inner side of the colorful building, (sorry, I forgot its name!).

A flower store at the corner of one subway station. Halloween is coming!

Views from the Old Port. Montreal is still in the peak of color, while Chicago is already winter.

Montreal's Subway Stations are really worth going, not only for its convenient transportation, but also for creative station art! Have you ever heard the title "Underground City"? That is the name for Montreal's subway network. -- You can walk through the whole downtown area without coming out of the ground!

My last meal was enjoyed in this restaurant. Its name is Usine De Spaghetti Parisienne. Why I have to tell your the name? Surely, I had a luxious lunch and were very happy. More coincidently, this is the place where Charles Dickens wrote the novel, A Tale of Two Cities .

When you're travelling, the culinary experience in each country helps set the mood of your stay. You almost eat every meal out. Much of the enjoyment of a vacation is finding a cute little place to sit in and watch the world go by while eating a whole new array of foods. :)

Waiting in the airport. The night I were supposed to fly back home witnessed the heaviest thunderstorm of this year in Chicago. The flight was almost cancelled in Montreal. But the airline service said there was little chance that we might still take this flight in the late evening. Many passengers chose to leave on the early morning of the next day, but I stayed, with uncertain hope. Only 7 persons including me were waiting at the gate C75.

A young couple, looked like just married, sweetly whispered to each other. A businessman, anxiously talked on the phone. A middle-aged woman, was watching cartoon. An old couple, seriously sat there without a word. And me, a student, reading papers. I still found something interesting, -- the toy you saw in the following. Montreal airport was somewhat unexpected!

This trip unavoidably reminded me of another three-year-ago trip to Canada. That time, I was also hampered in the airport and had to stay one night on the chair. That time, I just struggled through a relationship, with an empty wounded heart. During these days in Montreal, I made a hard decision to close the current relationship. We are still very good friends, but my heart is already on her new journey. Without knowing the path, I do know my goal. In these hard moments, all I can do is to bravely face the truth and trust in what I believe, for better and for worst.

Photographed by Jennie Bai.

(Note: this article was originally written in the fall of 2005.)

平遥古城

2009-08-01T18:50:00.001-04:00

回到我自小熟悉的平遥古城，不是旅游，没有猎奇，高高兴兴地跟爸爸妈妈一起走在敦厚质朴的城墙上，穿梭于熙熙攘攘的集市中，城隍庙前烧一柱香：康宁安乐⋯⋯

无名之城

2009-08-01T16:26:00.004-04:00

北上雁门关，路途中无意发现了一座古城。它有着平遥城的制式和完整的城墙，却没有平遥城的气魄和喧嚣。普通的百姓依然生活在这古旧残破的城中，守着城东的庄稼，城西的高速路，也守着远山北方的汉长城和城南的大汉冢。古城和城中的百姓在这片晋中的土地上默默无闻，只有那连绵的长城和起伏的冢堆昭示着这里曾经有过的金戈铁马。

车子即将驶入宁武高速的时候，张大叔说这附近有汉代古冢。我一下子起了好奇心。下了高速又转过几条小路，便看见了一排排的大土堆，同时也看见了一段不起眼的城墙，－－这就是古城，无名之城。

绕着城墙碾着黄土地，我们找到了城的入口。弃了车子，我迫不及待地走向古城，仿佛前面就是尘封的藏宝洞。

城门并不宽阔，刚刚容得下一部汽车。显然，这里的百姓并不富裕，交通工具是自行车，马车以及不多见的摩托车。没有水泥路面，只有黄土路。路边的电线杆在这只有平房的小城显得几分突兀。但是，不远处山上的皑皑白雪为这城池平添了几分神秘气息。

进了城门，右手边是一坑坑洼洼的土坡。沿坡而上，我居然就上了城楼。这真让人惊喜。

我在城中兜兜转转，发现这里的房屋远远没有平遥城保持的完好，但是格局、制式却是相差不多。可以想像这座城也曾经像平遥一样有着重要的军事功能。特别是它的地理位置，比平遥距离长城更近，又遥相呼应宁武关，我想它一定也曾经是个要塞。

如今，一切已是过眼云烟。不知道这位晒太阳的老大爷，是不是还守着先人们流传下来的故事。

凋敝废弃的古式房子，在城中很多见。不知道那雕花的门窗后面是昔日怎样的繁华。

一户农家

堆积的玉米

“绿树村边合，青山郭外斜。” 出了小城，眼前的景象不由得让我想起了孟浩然的《过故人庄》。我们来的时候正是冬末春初，虽没有看见绿树青山，但到了夏天，想必这一带就会成为诗中的画了。

站在城外的山坡上，眺望远处的汉代大冢包和一望无际的黄土高原。

正是黄土高原风沙肆虐的季节，出太原的时候还是阴天，但都了这里居然看到了纯净的蓝天。十二万分的难得！

这里距离“天下九塞之首”的雁门关不到一百公里。虽说没有"三关冲要无双地，九塞尊崇第一关"那么重要，但古往今来，这里也是兵家重地战火频繁。看那一排排两米多高的大冢，该是埋了多少精忠铁骨！

黑云压城城欲摧，甲光向日金鳞开。
角声满天秋色里，塞上胭脂凝夜紫。
半卷红旗临易水，霜重鼓寒声不起。
报君黄金台上意，提携玉龙为君死。
唐－李贺《雁门太守行》

汉代无名冢（上面立着石碑）

生于斯，长于斯，但这是我第一次近距离地接触黄土高原。心中唯有自豪！
－－尾声

Photographed by Jennie Bai.

（This article was initially written in March 2008, revised in July 2009.)

闲居的日子－－生活在别处

2009-08-01T12:51:00.003-04:00

Life is elsewhere.

The only path to get complete rest, I always think is to escape from routine. Say leave the city where I work and live. Chicago was, and New York now is such a city. Shopping, eating, and other activities all can temporarily rejuvenate me from working. Yet coming back to my place immediately reminds me of the next day's responsibility.

Escaping from New York, the idea has centered in my mind after a long time continuous intensive working. And I finally made it! This summer's journey is not engaged in traveling from place to place, but rather settling down at home without doing anything.

旅行的概念于我似乎总是和行走联系在一起。不停地走，不停地看，不停地行动。但这一次，我只是度假，呆在家里无为的静止的简单的过日子。这么多年好像都没有和爸妈连续地在一起这么长时间，说这么多话。也很久没有机会坐下来整理以前的文字。如今，每一天的日子简单到吃饭、睡觉、读书、散步、游泳⋯⋯

Mt. Huang Shan

2009-07-22T16:33:00.000-04:00

Thousands of feet high towers the Yellow Mountains
With its thirty-two magnificent peaks,
Blooming like golden lotus flowers
Amidst red crags and rock columns.
Once I was on its lofty summit,
Admiring Tianmu Pine below.
The place is still traceable where the immortal
Before ascending to heaven made elixir out of jade.
Now you embark on your journey there alone---
Another Wen Boxue I happened to meet---
Who've been to Five Mountains for beauty of nature,
Leaving behind countless ranges of hills.
Homeward you go back to White Goose Ridge,
Back to drink from your Elixir Well.
If by chance I pay you a visit,
I expect to be met by your light carriage.
Eastwards from Lingyang you bend your steps,
And pick your way through fragrant bushes,
Many a stream and many a ford,
Peaks upon peaks shutting out the sky
That's where I'll call on you some other day
Across a bridge that spans cliffs like a rainbow.
--Li Bai

The above poem was made by an outstanding Chinese poet, Li Bai, titled with "Seeing off Hermit Wen Back to Former Residence White Goose Peak in the Yellow Mountains" . Truly, Mt.Huangshan is a magical mountain it's like a perfect unfolded Chinese landscape painting. Wherever you are at this charming mountain, you always have something to enjoy and take photos. A Chinese saying goes: Having seen the five holy mountains, no need to visit any other mountain. However, No need to see the five holy mountains if you have seen Mt. Huang Shan.

Taking cable-car to YunGu Temple, from where we started climbing.

Most stone stairs built along the cliff

Amist the Fog

Huangshan Pine. Those pines typically grow at high altitudes on steep, rocky crags, and are an integraltion component of the exceptional landscape. The fantastic pines, the grotesque rocks, the sea of clouds, and the hot springs are the four major attractions of HuangShan.

Calligraphy on the rock. Literally, "Created by the Heaven"

Wild flower on the mountain, showing her beauty silently.

Lock of Love. People,especially lovers, incribed their names on locks, with the hope that the magic mountain can witness and strengthen their love.

The cliff

With mom and dad

For years, mom and dad went through wind and rain in their life. No matter what happens, they are always together. This picture reminded me of the old Chinese saying from the Book of Odes (论语, written as early as 1000BC) 执子之手，与子偕老

"I hold your hands;
We are to grow old together."

Photographed by Jennie Bai.

(This article was initially written in the summer of 2006.)

Hui Zhou - the Cradle of Hui Culture

2009-07-22T16:27:00.000-04:00

The Hui Culture began to thrive in the later part of the Northern Song Dynasty (960 to 1120 A.D.), and was at the height of splendor in the Ming and Qing dynasties.It has outshone other local cultures in the country over 800 years because of its rich and special features. The Hui Culture is rich in meaning and exhibits unique styles and genres. It covers almost all the learning, ranging from philosophy, culture, medicine, architecture and so on.

The Mother-river of HuiZhou

Yu Liang Old Dam. The boat in the picture is now converted to a floating restaurant.

Famous Huizhou Four Carvings: brick carvings, stone carvings, wood carvings and bamboo carvings,all using Hui style folk carving techniques.They came into being in the Song Dynasty (960 to 1120 A.D.), and flowered in the Mingand Qing dynasties and are mainly used in the decoration of buildings,archways, and also in making furniture, brush pots, and new-year couplets enchased on screens.

Brick Carving

Wood Carving

Skylight. Hui style houses are typically ones with skylights. With a quadrate skylight surrounded by houses from four sides or from left,right and backside, these Hui style houses can reduce the beat of sunshine and enjoy ventilation. All the houses drain off water to the skylight which means fortune will not run off outside, which is called "four sides water returning to the main hall of the houses" by local natives.

Pen Jing, Chinese landscape bonsai. Penjing is the Chinese art of creating a miniature landscape in a container. The word consists of the two characters shown on the left: "pen" - "pot" or "container", and "jing" - "scenery". An artist may use plant material and natural stone to portray an idylllic mountain retreat with a murmuring brook or a waterscape with a lush tropical island. Or he or she may design a much simpler scene where one single tree makes up the entire composition.

Lantern from the ceiling of a typical Hui-style dwelling, which is shown in the background.

Hui-style building

Xiao Zheng (Z) and I. Z was my guide in Huizhou, a plain and sincere woman. She guided us through ancient Hui Zhou town, and even invited us to her home. Her mother with her niece live in a promote village. There most old buildings are reserved and people are so hospital. There is no paved way to that village. It took us quite a while arriving there. But it was worthwhile for all the experience

Z's niece, Yan zi (swallow).

At Z's mother's house.

Taking pictures from the second floor, at Z's mother's old house.

Fresh Peanut, just off the vine. Z's mother offered us boiled salty peanut with warmth and generosity. Once we entered her door, she then went to the kitchen. You cannot imagine the troubleness. She need to make fire with branches, chopped from trees and carried down from the hill. I am so touched by her kindness.

Garlic reserved for the winnter.

The ancient wall of HuiZhou

Photographed by Jennie Bai.

(This article was initially written in the summer of 2006.)

Florida Palette

2009-07-20T16:18:00.001-04:00

Key West, the most benautiful pearl in the Florida Keys. Here, I fell in love with BLUE at the first sight. From then on, BLUE becomes my life's color. The sea and the sky generously show me the diversified layers of what blue could be. At that time, I thought the blue series is enough to express my sensation. -- Till another trip two years later in Algonquin Park, Canada, I found life's color could be more than blue...

Romantic Green.

Windows, Inside and Outside.

Rent Me! -- These cute cars are for tourists.

Big and Small. Taken in the South Steet, Miami.

Sunset on the Hotel

Dry Tortugas National Park. The name "Tortugas" was given by explorer Ponce de Leon in 1513 for the abundance of sea turtles, while "Dry" refers to the absence of available freshwater. A long-time pirate hide-out, the place was chosen by the US Navy as the "Gibraltar of the Gulf", a strategic location to control shipping from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean. Despite formidable logistical challenges, Fort Jefferson, the largest brick structure in the Western Hemisphere, was built on Garden Key using 6 million hand-made bricks. However, by the time the fort was nearly finished, advances in artillery had rendered it obsolete, so its use was mostly as a civil war prison, holding 2500 prisoners and four men convicted of complicity in the assassination of President Lincoln.

Big Bird.

Photographed by Jennie Bai.

(This article was initially written in March 2004.)

Long Island Excursion

2009-07-20T16:14:00.000-04:00

A tranquil afternoon, Live painting of the green garden, Shakuhachi, and An inner ME...

Life in the broad New York area is filled with surprise and joy. Many excursions, like pearls, string up my fabulous New York necklace. Thereinto, long island is the most unforgettable. I'd like to share my pearl with you.

It was a hidden Japanese garden. Getting off the train at Locust Valley after one hour and half from Penn Station, I was almost lost in the neat tiny town. Very few people knew the place. Among those who seemed to get some ideas, each one gave me the different guide. I just couldn't find the garden. She would rather like to play the game of hide-and-seek. Finally, it took me fifty minutes to arrive in the entrance.

Once you arrived there, all worries and impatience were gone! It immediately evokes the sensation of harmony, the transcendent feeling of a deep, remote mountain hamlet. The garden was very much a spiritual journey and was created in accordance with Zen precepts and aesthetics. In Japanese, the characteristics would be those of yugen (subtle, yet profound), yohaku-no-bi(paucity, a 'less is more' notion where the omitted elements are as important as those included), mitate (seeing anew or given new life or meaning), wabi (subdued), sabi (taste), suki (connoisseur ship). Sorry for so many jargons. But it's all the truth.

There I heard the shakuhachi (bamboo flute), while strolling along paths in the forest and sitting in the traditional Japanese Teahouse. The picture you saw was taken at the doorsill of Tea House, there I am reading the book of Japanese Garden while enjoying the Shakuhachi. What unique sound! It promotes spiritual growth through meditative breathing. The artist who played Shakuhachi told me:

"... In the asian culture, being strong doesn't mean muscle, but breath. If you feel nervous, you lose already; because you cannot put yourself into the music. Playing Shakuhachi helps your find inner balance and improves your breath..."

For other pictures of New York City, Click this link for a slideshow: New York City.

Photographed by Jennie Bai.

(This article was initially written in the summer of 2005.)

Xi Tang - A Story of Time

2009-07-18T16:31:00.000-04:00

Open a long sealed memory
Exhibit the life space of ancestors
Here you find the alley
Ever romped in childhood
......

After only one-hour driving, we came to this little water town: Xi Tang. With fashionable images of ShangHai still in mind, we immediately were attracted by this tranquil village. Nine water channels divide the town into eight sections of land, composing a labrinth. Most houses along the river have already been there for several hundred years.

The labyrinth has 140 bridges, a few of the more ornate ones with ramps as well as steps, from centuries when some of the women could only shuffle on feet misshapen from the practice of binding.

This is the major water channel in Xi Tang.

Xi tang smiles in the dawn. A quiet, shaded world seemingly left behind the history and time, behind all mundane worries.

A boat on the water

Old grandmas chatting along the river

Alley with historical footprints

A little girl, her grandmother and a dog

Shi Pi Alley, leading to an oldtime inn

Tranditional mask on a shop's door

The hallway and sitting-room of Li Yuan Inn, where we spent a beautiful night.

Photographed by Jennie Bai.
Copyright ©Jennie Bai. All Rights Reserved.

(This article was initially written in the summer of 2006.)

Tai Wan - The Treasure Island

2009-07-18T16:24:00.000-04:00

We drove along the Pacific Ocean from Taipei to HuaLian. During the 3-day trip, we visited Taroko Gorge National Park.

The pacific ocean.

The freeway was build along the Pacific Ocean. Hundreds of persons lost their lives in the construction. Most often, the freeway is at least hundreds of feet higher above the sea. Some places are too narrow to allow two small cars together. The driving process reminded me of the No.1 Highway in San Francisco.

Hundred-Lion Bridge, the entrance to Taroko Gorge.

Buroko Bay,the place where TaiWan originals live

Taroko's Butterfly

Creek with crystal blue color

JumpPark. We live here for our second night. From the house to the pond, the whole JumpPark was completely handmade by the owners themselves, a couple of artists.

5am in the morning. JumpPark

Ah Wai (the dog's name) accompanied me to watch sunrise.

Breakfast. Homemade by the hostress. Fresh grined soy milk, fried white raddish patty, organic salad, plum rice cake, self-designed-and-baked bread, papaya, Kiwi, and a sweet feeling.

Our Bedroom (Inside) in JumpPark, designed and built by the owner.

Our Bedroom (outside)

Animals in JumpPark

Photographed by Jennie Bai.

(This article was initially written in the summer of 2006.)

Spring is here!

2009-04-12T19:04:00.002-04:00

(The photo was taken along the river bank close to Georgetown University at Washington D.C. in March 2008.)

Washington D.C., in the Spirit of Spring

2009-04-12T18:24:00.003-04:00

竹外桃花三两枝
春江水暖鸭先知
萎蒿满地芦芽短
正是河豚欲上时
--- 苏轼 . 惠崇春江晚景

上小学时就记住了这首诗，却一直不解：为什么是春江水暖“鸭”先知？一年前在DC，诗里行文无意成了眼中生生如栩的画。一整个下午，我坐在草地上看书，看往来的游人，看夕阳里的方尖碑，看塘中悠悠然戏水的鸭子。

我的目光追随着它黄的喙、绿的颈、红的蹼，心里便也多姿多彩起来，和着暖暖的春光，做着彩虹一样的梦，－－那时，我有我的心事。

方尖碑，是座骄傲的建筑。宽阔的中央草地上，只有他突兀地立着，睥睨一切。周遭Baroque古典风格的一座又一座博物馆、美术馆、政府机构，簇拥着他，谦卑而谨然。正是如此，无论在哪个方向你所看到的方尖碑都是肃穆而有力量的。特别是在晴空万里的日子，整个天幕都在衬托他的庄严。

只有在夕阳里，或是樱花下，严肃高傲的方尖碑才添了一丝柔美。

DC于我，最爱是 Smithsonian 旗下大大小小的博物馆，尤其是 National Gallery and Freer Gallery. 前者是欧洲古典与当代艺术的殿堂，藏品浩浩汤汤；后者小巧玲珑，专注于东亚艺术，其日本、中国的收藏尤为珍贵。每次到DC, Freer Gallery 是我必去的地方；我会写专文介绍。

这是Smithsonian管理部所在的建筑，一座古意盎然的城堡。

DC 的游人很多，相当一部分是青少年。这里可以说是名副其实的爱国教育基地，林林总总的有方尖碑、林肯纪念堂、二战、越南战争纪念碑，等等。看着那些由老师带队的小学生欢呼雀跃，我不禁想起了小学时以纪念先烈爱国教育为名的种种活动，实为春游罢了。

DC 的游人很多，也很有趣。看看这个在垃圾筒上读书的男子。他不是在等红绿灯，也不是随意的翻报纸；而是真的在读书！

还有这个，抱着小男孩躺在地上拍照片的父亲。

春天来临了！我又一次来到DC, 樱花赏。这是一次偶然的旅行，拜在Wharton读书的大学同学所提议。我恰巧因公在费城，什么都不用准备，只随他们同车出游即可。说实话，自搬到纽约以来就懒得出门，自打欧洲旅行归来就再也没拿起照相机。大约是这样的，我的旅行观念变了，拍照片的理念也变了。这一次短途，随便只拍了几张，惦念着给妈妈看樱花。

花开纷繁，风起舞之，斜倚树下，欣喜酣畅。

Photographed by Jennie Bai.

(This article was initially written in March 2008, revised in April 2009.)

My European Trip 20 -- Aveyron

2009-01-25T12:45:00.005-05:00

一座中世纪的老房子，老妈妈站在阳台朝我招手， “漂亮的姑娘，我要为你带上我最美的微笑。” 那微笑，纯净，宁和，充满着爱与善意。那一刻，我突然觉得很幸福。
－－题记

(When strolling in the old town of Villefranche, I was attracted by a medieval house and stopped to take pictures. Then an elder lady cheerily greeted me from the balcony, "little belle, I wear my best smile for you." Immediately I felt touched for the purity and affection behind her sincere smile, -- a smile brimming with love.)

When every village in Provence was filled with tourists in the summer, I chose Aveyron instead to breathe France. Note that it is NOT the famous Avignon at Provence, but Aveyron, -- though similar pronunciation. Tested many times, whenever I accurately spoke of "Aveyron", people -- both French and Non-French -- replied, "you say Avignon?" For non-French tourists, they probably only know Provence's Avignon, well-known for art and lavender. But for French locals, I guess, they might not believe a Chinese girl speaking no French could go to such a genuine rural area.

Aveyron, with Rodez at its center, is perhaps the least-known state (département) in France, one the biggest and most sparsely populated. "Even in the summer," local people say, "there was still more cows here than tourists."

(Goats, cows, and sheep are everywhere in Aveyron. At the end of the trip, many flavors of country life like freeze shots were embedded in my mind, becoming the memory of France.)

However it was such a rewarding and unforgettable trip, full of pleasant surprises.

This is La France profonde, the heartland, which Parisians seldom visit and cannot fathom, where there is some of the world's most stunning, geologically diverse countryside -- much of it unspoiled. This sparsely populated, often-overlooked area in southern France embraces a gorgeous, varied landscape, medieval villages and incomparable food and lodging.

(A local-style dwelling at Sauveterre, Aveyron.)

(A guest house at Sauveterre. The bedroom gives you an illusion as if you were living in Van Gogh's BEDROOM.)

Averyron is a département with the highest concentration of beautiful villages. Can you imagine there are ten villages in Aveyron which meet the 30-odd criteria required to be officially included among "Les Plus Beaux Villages de France" (Most Beautiful Villages of France)?

I sincerely invite you to travel with me to Aveyron, a place with a rare relationship to time -- an intimate, uninterrupted connection to the past, a place created by people who didn't even have a word for the future. The only existing and important moment is NOW. Let's go to three "Les Plus Beaux Villages de France": Najac, Sauveterre, and Belcastel.

Next Stop: Najac

Photographed by Jennie Bai.

Utah! -- Hoodoos

2009-01-25T12:17:00.004-05:00

Where one goes in the southwest
One encounters magic, strength, and beauty.
Myriad miracles in time and place occur;
There is no end to the grandeurs and intimacies,
No end to the revival of the spirit
which they offer to all
--Ansel Adams

With an open heart, I am always willing to enter into an intimate relationship with the wild. The love for Nature, has been inspiring me to explore many national parks. Bryce canyon, among them, is the most impressive! If you want to be awestruck by rock and space, I recommend Grand Canyon; if you want to be embraced by water, vegetation, you might go to Zion. But it is Bryce Canyon, especially Bryce in winter, that touches my heart most deeply. A place of quiet sanctuary -- where sounds, colors and textures seep into the soul.

"The desert, the real desert, is a land whose character is hidden except to those who come with friendliness and understanding." -- Randall Henderson, an early explorer of Canyonlands.

Welcome, friends! Are you ready to follow Jennie's footprints? I will show you my friendliness and understanding of Southwest's most intriguing landscapes: a series of natural amphitheaters scooped out of the east face of the Plateau, then carved into fairytale tableaux of sunset-hued fins, spires, arches, windows, turrets, and weathered pinnacles known as hoodoos.

In the early morning, we started off to welcome Bryce's first sun rays. These two pictures were shot on the road. The chaste silver moon on our left, while light of early dawn emerged from behind.

Released from their nightly enchantment by the early morning shadows ofthe dawn, they seem, as geologist Clarence Dutton put it in 1880,

"the work of giant hands, a race of genii, once rearing temples of rock, but now chained up in a spell of enchantment. "

Bryce Amphitheater, seen from Sunset Point, at the beginning of winter sunrise.

There are 15 spectacular viewpoints jut out along Bryce Canyon's 18-mile scenic drive. Each view is like a framed Technicolor diorama with fantasy scenes. Regrettably, we get access to only one-third of the drive since heavy snow blanked off the road in March.

The Silent City. It looks like a dead ancient kingdom ever prospered here. Now only silence remains.

A close-up

We took Navajo Trail to explore the secrets in the valleys. The temperature is 0 Fahrenheit. Almost no travellers. Sounds are magnified in the clear air. Such a virgin and pure world. I've never felt so close to nature, to self.

Douglas fir, yearning skyward toward the sun.

Hot surfaces blaze, an artist's palette of crimson, ocher, burnt sienna, and magenta against the fierce blue above and the sharp white on earth. As clouds race by, patches of landscape soften -- vibrant colors fade to pastels. At sunset, rock colors bleed into the sky, then quickly fade to silhouettes against the Milky Way.

Castellated walls and Cerulean sky

Snowflakes, dancing in the gentle breeze.

Trees in Bryce have strong characteristics.

Famous landmark: Thors Hammer

We step from a modern life of busy clutter to a primeval state of simple sensation. I felt something deeper in Bryce Canyon, beyond thoughts and words. Each step in hiking is solid and real; life and self has never been so clear, so close. Walk, walk, walk, throughout my life -- bumpy and tough, but happy and brave!

Photographed by Jennie Bai.

(Note: The article was originally written in March 2005.)

My European Trip 19 - Montparnasse Cemetery

2008-11-22T22:39:00.005-05:00

"Montparnasse" ---- the name is said to be derived from the ancient Greek "Mount Parnassus", the home of Apollo, the god of poetry, music and beauty. ---- has been a Mecca for Parisian artists and intellectuals. And Montparnasse cemetery, is the final resting place of many those celebrated intellectuals.

It was Sunday morning. I came to the entrance of the cemetery, without knowing much backdrop. There is no omen signaling a trip any different from cemetery tours in New Orleans. When opening the cemetery guide map however, I surprisingly found many readable names. Some of the notable burials here include: Charles Baudelaire(French poet), Camille Saint-Saens (French composer), Samuel Beckett (Irish writer), Marguerite Duras (French writer and film director), Heinrich Heine (German poet), Jean-Paul Sartre (French philosopher and novelist) and Simone de Beauvoir (French philosopher).

Many years ago I bumped into the book in a tiny bookstore, the Flowers of Evil (恶之花) by Charles Baudelaire, the beginning of the name Baudelaire came to my mind. When studying in Chicago, I was further influenced by my roommate Xin, who majors in French literature and one of her favorite poets is Baudelaire. I still remember the postcard on her bookshelf, a handsome young man with mysteriously penetrating eyes, who is Baudelaire.

As for Heinrich Heine, I just visited the world's unique Heinrich Heine Institute in his hometown Dusseldorf, two weeks before visiting Montparnasse cemetery. The memory was still fresh, for his talented works and those lyric poetry set into music by Schumann, Mendelssohn, and Brahms. Now I saw his grave, the forever peace place he would rest.

"It was the men I deceived the most that I loved the most." -- Marguerite Duras

Many people got to know Duras from the movie "The Lover". It was adapted from her semi-autobiographical novel L'Amant. At the time as I was watching this movie, I was too naive to understant those feelings. But I still clearly remembered the ending. In time, she is not sure that she didn’t love him, when she hears a waltz by Chopin on the ship as she crosses the Indian Ocean. It is only then that we see any real emotion – real sobbing, real tears. He will call her years later when he is in Paris and she is a famous writer. Duras writes, His voice trembling, he tells her that it is as before. That he never stopped loving her. Would never stop. That it would be that way until his death.

"In love there are no vacations … No such thing. Love has to be lived fully with its boredom and all that." -- Marguerite Douras

(Marguerite Duras, 1914 -1996)

Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980) and Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1986), two of the most influential and controversial writers and thinkers of the 20th centruy. You may hear about that Sartre declined the Nobel Prize in Literature. You may read the famous book, The Second Sex by Beauvoir. You may even know that this "couple" shared independent life, who met in cafés, where they wrote their books and saw their friends at separate tables, and were free to enjoy other relationships, but who maintained a kind of soul marriage.

But have you heard about anecdotes that they were ever acting out a version of "Dangerous Liaisons”? Was Simone really happy for such a unique relationship with Sartre? In her final words on Sartre's death (and her own, in Adieux), Simone wrote:

"My death will not bring us together again. This is how things are. It is in itself splendid that we were able to live our lives in harmony for so long."

(Notes on their joint tomb. The bottom one wrote, "Merci Simone!")

"One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman." - Simone de Beauvoir

My European Trip 18 -- Idyllic Life

2008-11-11T22:04:00.008-05:00

我住在卢瓦河谷的一座农庄里，仿佛是在Tuscany。房间的陈设，－－雕花的书桌，五斗橱，壁炉，一切都是老式的，却带着说不出的亲切。推开窗户，花园中淡雅的香气扑面而来。单这味道，就带给人一天的好心情。

我坐在窗前写信，满怀感恩。

－－题记

My dear friend,

Life is idyllic.

I wish you could be here, taking in this cool fresh air filled with bird notes and scents of flowers. I wish you could be here, enjoying a relaxed happiness with me. Here, with me...

After a long day's trip, I came back to the lodging, jaded and longing for a comfortable bed. Well, I found more than a superb bed. But a Tuscany guesthouse! The lodging was renovated from an old simple chateau. The interior decoration was old-fashioned but amiable: carved cabinet, flowering wallpapers, neat white curtains and cozy bathroom. I am sure you would love here as well, wouldn't you?

I got up as early as birds today, strolling in the garden. The whole lodging quietly reveled in the dawn. Unspeakable aroma filled the air. The smell alone brought me mounting happiness. Every breath cheered up to each nerve ending.

(The courtyard)

(A dialogue with absent lovers)

(More often I was represented only by my shadow. If you were here, this photo would rather clearly display my smile. You know it, that my smiles are so shining that they could even melt ice. )

Now I was sitting in front of the window and writing to you. My mind was teeming with gratitude. How blessed I am to have known you as my dear friend all these years! Particularly, how grateful I am to have you in mind at this very moment to share joy and peace. My meditation teacher ever said that goodwills vibrate through the air and will eventually arrive at whoever you devote feelings to. Have you conceived my feelings at this moment?

(I was writing letters on this table)

You know, my friend, you'd better not spending too much time in tours in the Loire Valley. It's a good base, but it's the countryside that counts. Not far from my lodging were French villages and flower fields. Here and there, you could see beautiful beautiful sunflowers. I dived into the sunflower field, holding my camera like a dancing monkey. The whole world shrank to these golden yellow colors in front of me. Van Gogh, -- I cannot help thinking of him once again as I did so many times in my trip.

An integral component of my idyllic life in the Loire Valley is genuine French food. So much here, on and around the plates, speaks of the place and its traditions. I would love to recommend a restaurant, La Licorne, which claims "la table est un art desert". A handsome waiter patiently explained to me the French menu for about twenty minutes last night. And the resulting dish was .... You cannot imagine my expressions, completely satisfied with each bite. Well, you see, this was my dessert. Beautiful, isn't it?

Do you now feel a little bit pity for not traveling with me? Never mind! I have stored the sunshine of the Loire Valley in my heart; I have sealed the aroma of the garden in my memory. And I am now writing all the happiness on the paper to share with you, my dear friend!

Be Happy!

With Mettā

J.

Photographed by Jennie Bai.

My European Trip 17 - Villandry

2008-11-11T11:28:00.002-05:00

Villandry was completed toward 1536 and was the last of the large chateaux built in the Loire Valley during the Renaissance. Villandry is best known as France's archetypal potager, a kitchen garden, together with its ornamental garden, water garden, and herb garden.

To understand and appreciate these gardens, you have to know their history and the symbolism behind their design. Villandry was built by Jean le Breton, one of King François I's finance ministers. Le Breton had been ambassador to Italy, where he devoted his spare time to study the Italian Renaissance art of gardening. Anyone who has been to Florence will instantly recognize this influence in the grounds of Villandry.

Most noteworthy are the ornamental gardens, for its colors and motifs symbolizing tender love, tragic love, fickle love, and mad love. Behind the herb garden is a maze, which I didn't visit. I don't think you can enter it anyway, because you might never find your way out of this Garden of Love!

My European Trip 16 - Azay Le Rideau

2008-11-11T11:12:00.012-05:00

Imagine a medieval stronghold built at the far end of an island in the middle of River Indre, protecting the passage from Tours to Chinon for centuries. Built by Gilles Berthelot, a rich financier and member of the Touraine bourgeoisie, the Chateau of Azay le Rideau inaugurated the era of leisure residences that combined the charm of a French-style château with the majesty of an Italian Renaissance palace.

The interior of the chateau is richly furnished and decorated with portraits and historical paintings, for example, the portrait of the Sun King Louis XIV. I saw many of his portraits in Versailles, but the one in Azay le Rideau is unique. It's the Sung King WITHOUT wigs! He was still young and handsome in the painting at an age of less than 30.

Wigs became fashionable, increasing in popularity during the reign of Louis XIV. The king not only wore them to hide his baldness but also to make himself seem taller by means of towering hair. It immediately became a fashion throughout the French royal court. Most portraits you saw today are Louis XIV wearing wigs since he was getting bald around 30. If you want to see a different king, come to Azay le Rideau.

The facade of the chateau is gently reflected in the calm river. It was a beautiful impressionism painting, as you will see in the following slides.

Next Stop: Villandry

My European Trip 15 - Chinon

2008-11-02T19:47:00.006-05:00

(River Vienne, view from the Chinon tower)

Chinon is a historical little town on the banks of the river Vienne, 45 kilometers south of the heart of Touraine, which is called the "Garden of France" and the "Cradle of the French Language". It became the residence of Charles VII, the heir of the throne of France in the early 1400's, and was where the legendary Joan of Arc came to recognize him and raise an army to liberate the country from the English domination.

(A long stairway from the Parking lot to the tower, with residents houses distributed on both sides. )

Old Clock in the Chinon tower. It still works today, making solid sound every sharp hour to 10,000 residents.

A Beetle wecker in the 1960's.

Birds' view of Chinon

Next stop: Azay-le-Rideau

My European Trip 14 -- Loire Valley

2008-11-02T18:06:00.005-05:00

慕名前往法国城堡之乡卢瓦河谷，使我惊叹留恋的不是那一座座风格迥异的城堡，而是念兹在兹的田园生活，如诗如画, ---- 还有那个清晨在窗前写信时满怀感恩的心情。－－题记

A couple of hours south of Paris, the Loire Valley is a cultural landscape of great beauty, containing historic towns and villages, and great architectural monuments. There I lived an idyllic life, visited footprints of the Hundred Years' War, and read anecdotes of the French royal family from one château to another.

During the eventful Hundred Years' War, the Loire valley was the trusted refuge of the French side. Charles VII, the dauphin, moved his fragile power and the royal administration to the Loire, traveling endlessly. Thus, from one chateau to another, I came across him. For example, Chinon was ever announced by Charles VII as the capital in the heart of the martyred kingdom. This is also the place where the story of Joan of Art (圣女贞德) happened.

The architectural monuments see the transition from defensive castles to renaissance châteaux, places of luxury, pleasure and refinement. The word "château" is hard to translate: "castle" is too warlike, "palace" too regal. Besides, they are so different from Versailles and Fontainebleau.

My travel route is Chinon -- Azay-le-Rideau -- Villandry -- (Blere) -- Chenonceaux -- Amboise -- Blois -- Chambord. In the following articles, I invite you to come with me to the Loire valley, and enjoy a harmonious blend of natural and man-made beauty.

The Château of Azay-le-Rideau

The Château of Villandry

The Château of Foutevraud

The Château of Chenonceaux

The Château of Chambord

The last, but not the least, I strongly recommend you to spend several nights in the Loire valley and savor the local food. For a long time this area is famous for wine and delicacies.

Bon voyage and bon appetit!

Next Stop: Chinon

.

读杨万里文有感

2008-11-02T17:15:00.001-05:00

书莫读诗莫吟读书两眼枯见骨吟诗个字呕出心人言读书乐人言吟诗好口吻长作秋虫声只令君瘦令君老且勿论旁人听之亦烦恼何妨闭目坐斋房下帘扫地自焚香听风听雨都有味健来即行倦来睡

.

今天星期五

2008-10-24T17:06:00.005-04:00

一夜无眠。小恙初愈。慵懒地起了床，才想起今早约了G大学的老师吃早餐。匆匆赶到Midtown, 摇摇晃晃得一个人走在城市的街头，面带微笑，迎着林立高楼中升起的朝阳......

相谈甚欢，也许过阵子去那边做个talk，顺便逛逛我喜欢的Freer Gallery. 分手时还兴致昂扬，回到办公室才发觉一夜无眠之后是如此的疲惫。索性今天不做事了，随手写写字吧。

一火车

上周六坐了一个小时的火车，晃晃悠悠得到了新泽西中部。坐火车的感觉真好，仿佛又回到了今年夏天乘着德国、荷兰、比利时、法国的火车在欧洲兜兜转的日子。

坐火车的美妙之一是，不必费心做选择。上了车，就只有一条单行轨道，目的地是明确的，不需要做选择，也不能够做选择。没有选择的生活，有时是简单而快乐的。

坐火车的好处之二是，不必牵挂时间。早到也罢，晚点也好，都不是你能控制的。焦虑忧愁都于事无补。所以我在火车上总是踏踏实实的：下了火车见什么人做什么事，那是以后的事；现在我可以什么都不想，也可以海阔天空地胡思乱想。我的许多机灵古怪的小主意，小快乐都是在完全放松的遐想中得到的。有时候，有些事严肃认真地去想，反而什么也想不出来的；有些话一本正经地去说，反而失了情意。

二眼睛

去新泽西是为了看望镎姐的女儿。柚柚一百天了，眼睛又大又亮。

为什么小孩子的眼睛总是清澈如水，而大人的眼睛却含了许多读不懂的东西？

Most people ever have a fresh, eager, curious mind. But why does the mind deteriorate, become old, heavy, and dull?

三风铃

火车早到了15分钟，镎姐还没到。我沿着站台走来走去，突然听到一阵铃声。寻音而去，便看到了一幢小房子和门前的风铃。风吹过，又是一串铃声。

你可曾留意那些屋檐下的风铃弄出的声音？你听的是什么呢？是铃声，还是铃声空隙的安静？如果没有那安静，还会有铃声吗？也许正是因为那片刻的寂静，铃声才有如此的穿透力，如此的清晰。

记得我以前禅修的时候，老师曾说, "It's important to have space in the mind." 也许内心有了空间，思维有了空间，才能发现那些普通事物的美好。心思太多的人，是无法觉察这些美丽的。

.

My European Trip 13 - Paris II

2008-10-22T21:30:00.002-04:00

(Sketching when sitting in the Luxemburg Park)

Mais j'étais trop jeune pour savoir l'aimer.
But I was too young to know how to love her...
-- The Little Prince

Quiet Corners in Paris

Big cities mean crowds, confusion, hustle, bustle and noise -- they're like a giant with chronic indigestion. Parisians face the rumbling daily reality and seem to feel they have three options: put up with it, cocoon cozily at home, or get out. (New Yorkers share the same options. Having been in NY for almost two months, I finally started to get used to its rumbling reality. I still vividly remember how I was waken up from unknown noise in the early morning on my first day.)

The madding crowd is a predictable beast, rushing from one trendy, new, hip, must-see spot to the next. When it comes to still backwaters, to uncluttered nooks (a hidden, secluded spot) and noiseless crannies, the crowds simply shy away, uninterested.

Crowds draw crowds.

Quiet places stay quiet.

In Paris, you actually could have more than three options. What you need is a little bit spirit of exploration. At least, I found tranquil beauty in these places.

1. Mini garden behind a church, which is close to the City Hall.

2. Luxemburg Park, a beautiful spot with a pleasant green-garden atmosphere.

3. Walking along the Seine River

4. Public library, always a good place to check emails and rest mind.

5. Unknown antique shop, with a good companion like Tintin's dog, Snowy.

5. An ignored corner at the Versailles.

6. Roof garden at the Pompidou Center, where you could get a bird's-eye view of the whole Paris, including Eiffel Tower and Basilique du Sacre Coeur.

7. Watching a little princess playing at a fountain in the royal garden of Versailles .

What is nothing for the common people is probably everything for you. Open your eyes and heart, and you will always find beauty and tranquility in the mundane world.

Love is the simplicity of being sensitive.

.

Hi, Vincent!

2008-10-13T16:28:00.003-04:00

他来了，又走了。后来又来了，可还是又走了。来来去去，不留痕迹；但我相信他就在那些画里面，他会知道我来看他——我怀着这样隐秘的心思独自走在挨挨挤挤的MOMA.

Three months passed since I saw Vincent Van Gogh's works in Amsterdam (see the article "Vincent Van Gogh"). Now I saw him again in the recently opened "Van Gogh and the Colors of the Night" at the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in New York. This exhibition, tiny but immensely touching, pays tribute to the artist’s twilight rhapsodies, to the solace he found in stars, and to the sway of his nocturnal muse.

Watching paintings at different stages of his career, I seemingly re-read Van Gogh's life as I did in Amsterdam. But this time bears more warm and close sensations and new-found awe. I greet this old friend in each of his dazzling nightscapes, especially in the "Starry Night on the Rhone River".

This painting for me seems to have a magic power. The velvety blue spreads out my visual perception; stars ablaze with their luminescence; the night provides a view of the tenderness, urgency and brilliance, -- each inch of canvas carrying its own sense of life. Gazing this painting for a long time, I felt warm current freely flowing from eyes to toes.

“colors have a beauty of their own which must be preserved, as one strives to preserve pure tones in music. ... the beautiful freshness of color ... what counts most with color are relationships. ” - Henri Matisse

Van Gogh saw the darkened sky opening into boundless dreams, and at the same time offering a series of mournful endings – of the day, of the season, of life. Night meant despair and enlightenment. “You surely know that one of the fundamental truths of the Bible,” Vincent wrote to Theo, is “the light that dawns in the darkness.”

"And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me." -- Genesis 37:9

Van Gogh discovered new colors everywhere, especially at night. For him, night was symbol and metaphor, mood and meaning.

I discover new beauty everywhere, especially at Karma. For me, Karma is experience and process, hardship and happiness.

这一切的颠沛，只是一个过程。命途的多舛，是为了求证最终的圆满。 -- 安意如

My European Trip 12 - L'amour et L'amitie

2008-10-05T18:28:00.001-04:00

"Predestined happened to us,
we have no choice but peace.
Lying in the endless nights,
warm your soul with the hottest kiss.
As space apart and time flies,
my heart right here forevermore stands!"

I visited Rodin Museum in July, which has the largest collection of Auguste Rodin's works. What impressed me most are not his representative works like the thinker and Balzac, but a series of sculptures themed love. I perceived exquisite details which in turn reminded me of the novel "Eleven Minutes" by Paulo Coelho. Walking in the garden of the museum, I came to the idea of this article, L'amour et L'amitie. In this article, all my feelings and descriptions are redundant; let Rodin's sculptures and Coelho's words tell you everything.

"Here was her man, who was giving her pleasure and joy, with whom she could be the person she really was, with whom she could talk about her problems, and tell him how much she would like to stay with him for the rest of the night, for the rest of the week, for the rest of her life. " -- Paul Coelho

"It hurt when I lost each of the various men I fell in love with. Now, though, I am convinced that no one loses anyone, because no one owns anyone. ... That is the true experience of freedom: having the most important thing in the world without owning it. " -- Paul Coelho

Bodies always understand each other, even when souls do not.

"She wanted to tell him that she loved him. But that would spoil everything, it might frighten him or, worse, might make him say that he loved her too. Maria didn't want that: the freedom of her love depend on asking nothing and expecting nothing." -- Paul Coelho

"If I were to tell someone about my life today, I could do it in a way that would make them think me a brave, happy, independent woman. Rubbish: I am not even allowed to mention the only word that is more important than the eleven minutes -- love."

Reference reading:

Eleven Minutes, Paulo Coelho

On Love and Loneliness, Juddu Krishnamurti

My European Trip 11 - Paris I

2008-10-05T18:22:00.006-04:00

Like it, dislike it, and love it -- my feelings on Paris evolved so over three weekends. Paris first astonished me with her romantic fresh air. I spent my first night at the Left Bank with a friend and his family. As you probably know, this is the Paris of another era; the Paris of artists, writers, and philosophers, including Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Jean-Paul Sartre, Ernest Hemingway, and dozens of other members of the great artistic community at Montparnasse (see another incoming article "Montparnasse Cemetery").

It was almost midnight. We enjoyed a terrific Japanese dinner and walked along the Seine. Cathedral Notre Dame gracefully stood on Ile de la Cite, looking down at the people who were savoring the sweet noctune. All the scenery looks like a midsummer night's dream, echoing Shakespeare's words:

"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,
And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind."

On the way back I found subway advertising murals in the underground world, which were so different from what I ever saw in NewYork, London, Beijing, and other metropolitan cities. C'est la Paris!

An opera poster, Louis performed at the National Opera of Paris. It's a pity that I didn't get chance to watch an opera in Paris, which has one of the best opera halls in the world.

Advertisement for a contemporary art gallery.

Indeed, l'amour was the theme throughout my journey to France. One of my favorite photos is the following one. I was taking a boat tour on the Seine, while thunderstorm came at the very corner. When the boat was passing through a bridge, I turned around, looked up and caught this picture. The red color sparkled my heart, and was forever engraved in my memory.

Montana - The Journey of Understanding

2008-09-21T19:02:00.006-04:00

"When we tug
at a single thing in nature,
we find it attached
to the rest of the world."
-- John Muir

Like other exploration in nature, the journey in Glacier National Park once again brought me unexpected joy. One of the most memorable moments came on an early morning in Rising Sun Point, surrounded by Lake St. Mary and snow capped mountains. The pure sunshine, the pure wind, the pure water, and an inner peaceful silence. I took in the smells and listened to wind and water, full of happiness. It was soothing and soft; but it also could be scary and inviting, -- I even encountered a grizzly within 30 feet, face to face. It's impossibly adequately to describe the romantic charm of Glacier. I can show you pictures of the mountains and valleys of snow, but to know the feeling you must come up here and fill your lungs. Also, the lens won't record the silence.

Aquamarine blue, topaz yellow and garnet red ... The wild flowers of Glacier National Park are as briliant as a dowager's jewel box.

The superior glory of Glacier national park is in its wealth of water. Glacier silt adds special blue-green color to high lakes.

Lake St. Mary

Lake McDonald

Glaciers (rivers of ice) sculpted these pristine mountains.

"The only Zen you can find on the tops of mountains is the Zen you bring up there... To live only for some future goal is shallow. It's the
sides of the mountain that sustain life, not the top." -- Robert Pirsig

Early sunshine projected on a silent mountain in Logan Pass (6646 feet).

Glacier's animals. For the first time I saw a moose eating in the lake. His silhouette was elegant in the sunset, harmonious with the environment. To avoid disturbing his dinner, we didn't use flash and couldn't get a clear picture. Other photos of animals not displayed here include hickhall, snake, and various marmots.

white-tailed deer.

big-horn sheep

Close Up and Personal -- Mountain Goat

Now let me introduce the leading actor of this play: Grizzly Bear, the very one Jennie encountered! Face to face, less than 30 feet! (Originally, both bear and I were in the trail. This photo was taken when the bear walked away up the hill. Not quite clear, but still put here for illustration. Thanks to siang-Yu who recorded this grizzly. Another exciting picture, Jennie running right in front of bear was taken by an unknown hiker but I forgot to ask for his contact information.)

So what should you do if you run into a grizzly? Here are some suggestions straight from the park guide:(1) Talk quietly or not at all; (2) Do not run! Back away slowly! (3) Bend at the knees and turn sideways, etc. So what did Jennie do at that very moment? Screaming, turn back swiftly and run! ... You know the outcome, right? Otherwise, I bet you cannot be reading this traveloque now. I was lucky since the mother bear was not around, or more likely because this grizzly was not hungary.

Still this experience shows two truths. People more often and more easily act on instinct in emergency, ignoring rational thinking. -- I am a good example. Whenever he goes, a grizzly bear owns his entire surroundings. He carries a patent of ownership.

St. Mary Lake on a calm day

A life is like a pebble / thrown into a pool / the water ripples / then becomes still

a breeze whispers / blowing past unheard / a wisp of motion / creating sudden waves

a life floats by / reflected in a mirror /of water in liquid flow / becoming a shadow

the earth cools / as the warmth fades / then returns as rays/ shine unobscured brightly

the water still / again awaits the motion / the return of a pebble / thrown into the void.

--- Dale Clark, the pebble (abstracted).

Renting a boat here. It's kayaking time! Come with me!

Another sight from Rising Sun Point

This is native Indian tent, called Tipi (tee-pee). Now it serves as a decoration in front of our lodging. At the end of the day, you will sleep soundly breathing the fresh mountain air, flavored with scents of mountain pine.

A glacier lily unfolds its modest elegance.

The four-day journey in Montana is a time for replenishment and inspiration. I arrived there with anxiety and left with tranquility. I better understood the mountain, the lake, the wildflowers and my life, my worries, and my affection. It is a jouney of understanding. Things became simple and I know how to face the obstacles. People became clear and I realize who are the important in my life. Over the past nine months I haven't been so close to hear my own voice.

When sitting in the shore of Lake Mcdonald, I was flipping Paulo Coelho's Eleven Minutes in the sunset. One page unexpectedly came into sight, on which I ever underscored the following words with a green pencil: But their relationship was based on freedom, and no other sort of relationship would work - perhaps that was the only reason they loved each other, because they knew they did not need each other." ~Paulo Coelho, Eleven Minutes, p. 234

Photographed by Jennie Bai.

(Note: The article was originally written in July 2007.)

秋茶翦繁

2008-09-21T14:15:00.016-04:00

Already three weeks in New York, I gradually settled down and got on the research track. Yet I still couldn't conceive a feeling of "home". Maybe, this is not important. Ultimately, it doesn't matter where I am, as the pursuit in life would always be the same. My roots are inside of me. - Jennie

夜很静，
静得坦诚，
静得踏实，
静得可以听到自己的心声。

拿出六安瓜片，
撮一小撮，沏入沸水,清香四溢。
茶汤清亮，叶片绿嫩，
气味高爽，回甘鲜醇。

小瓷杯盈盈握住，
心里便一点一滴地暖起来。
清茶汤淡淡嘬进，
心中郁积便一点一滴地散开去。

茶入口，心释然。

“暂对清泉涤烦虑，
况乎寂寞成且欢”

到纽约已经三周了，依然没有家的感觉。但还是满心感激，至少这其间度过了一个温情美好的中秋。秋天来了，凡人总是容易添愁绪。莫要，莫要。一起来喝茶～！

My European Trip 10 -- Museum Burlesque

2008-09-06T19:29:00.001-04:00

Sketching on the train from Bonn to Cologne
(The original work is from Kunst Museum Bonn)

Visiting museums, like eating and sleeping, is an integral part of my life. Whatever city I visit, museums are always on the top of my to-do list. It is hard to tell to what extent those museums have exerted influence on my life. But I do feel at home with peace and joy, every time I visit a museum. It is the place for inspiration, learning, and enjoyment.

Europe is such an ideal place for museum-lovers. France surely has the most famous collections from museums like Louvre and Orsay. But to my surprise, Germany has numerous impressive museums as well, especially for the modern art. In this article I will share with you some art works from Art Museum of Bonn, Museum for Modern Art, and Städel Museum in Frankfurt.

I. Kunst Museum Bonn

Interestingly, most modern art museums in themselves are great artistic works. For example, Guggenheim Museum, MOMA in New York and San Francisco. This is Kunst Museum Bonn (Museum of Modern Art in Bonn).

The interior design.

Sculpture by Max Ernst, a painter and sculptor of Dadaism and Surrealism.

RECLINING NUDE, by August Macke, one of the leading members of the German Expressionist group Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider).

II. Museum für Moderne Kunst

Museum for Modern Art in Frankfurt. Another impressive building.

This museum was holding a special exhibition dedicated to Bernard Buffet. It was the first time I got to know this great French painter, and I was immediately attracted to his unique paintings.

Painting, we do not talk about it,
we do not analyze it,
we feel it.
---- Bernard Buffet

Bernard Buffet was once feted as being one of France's most important painters and the legitimate successor of Picasso. As the "painter of existentialism" and the man who found the images to describe post-War sensitivities, Buffet's works had a visual presence and renown in West Europe that almost no other painter has achieved since.

Unlike many artists, Buffet wan huge success all over his life. He had his first painting shown at a famous salon at the age of 18 and had his first solo exhibition at the Librarie des Impression d'Art in Paris at the age of 19. Ever since then he kept winning recognition throughout the world.

Poster of Bernard Buffet's exhibition in Taipei.

Chairman Mao on the cover of Magazine Stern (Star in English).

III. The Städel Museum

The Städel Museum is located directly on Frankfurt's "museum bank" opposite the high-rises of the financial district. Established by a banker and businessman in 1815, the Städel Museum is the oldest and most prominent museum foundation in Germany.

The special exhibition held there was "The Magic of Things. Still Life Painting -- 1500 - 1800."

I generally don't have much interest in still life paintings. Though still life offers the most brazen opportunities for artistic arrangement of color, texture and light, they are anything but a purely aesthetic matter. However, a painting called "PEARS WITH INSECTS" caught my special attention. It reminded me of the fleeting nature of life, a universal thought symbolized by the perishable pear.

Perishable fruit -- staged like a monument and unusual among the skill life of the eighteen century -- is like an ironic commentary on traditional still-life painting.

My European Trip 9 -- Cologne

2008-08-30T22:20:00.003-04:00

在科隆的每个傍晚，我会点一瓶啤酒。然后微醉地沿着莱茵河畔走回旅馆。夕阳洒在身上，暖暖的。－－题记

The highlight of my trip in Cologne is the dusk. I used to order a different beer with dinner all three nights there. Then I would walk back to my hotel along the Rhine river, slightly drunk. The sun was still high at 8pm in the summer. Walking in the merry sunshine, I felt satisfied. Sometimes I lingered at the restaurant facing the Rhine, watching those happy people and innocent children.

Cologne Dom and Deutze bridge at the sunset

The hotel I lived was right beside the Cologne Cathedral. Wherever I went, I always first passed by this pointed architecture. Hence I got the chance to see her beauty from various angles.

The dom is simply tooooo high! I had to crawl forward to get her complete beauty.

Close-up of the statues on the side door.

The tower penetrates into the clouds. I named this photo "the Imagination of the Sky".

I am not an Christian, and have no religious faith. But I believe in the existence of an unknown invisible mighty power and a sincere heart. In this cathedral, I lit a candle for my mom and dad, as I always did in many trips. As the single daughter in the family, it's a great pity that I couldn't accompany them in the past ten years, though my heart is always with them.

The old town of Cologne (Altstadt) is composed of abundant narrow alleys, hiding in between are good bars and restaurants. This Italian restaurant is named "Pinocchio". Does it remind you of the wooden puppet whose nose grows whenever lying? ^_^ Another childhood happy memory.

Grinheads. All over the old town you see them on the facades of old houses, those grisly stone masks called "Grinkopfe". In medieval times they served a practical purpose where their lower jaw should be a hole to hold the pole over which a rope was thrown. By means of this simple mechanism barrels and heavy weights were heaved into the cellars.

Outside Great St. Martin's church you will meet Tünnes and Schäl -- well-known Kölsh characters. Tünnes (Kölsh for Tony) is a harmless good-natured fellow whose rural cunning should however not be underestimated. His big, fat nose shows signs of constant rubbing, as grabbing hold of it is supposed to bring luck. Schäl (Kölsh for squinting, but also meaning bad or nasty) is a shy old fox. He is even more workshy than Tünnes, full of bluster, and enjoys a drink and a good punch-up. He has a kind of love-hate relationship with Tünnes; in fact, neither can get by without the other.

The famous Chocolate Museum

Statue in the old market: a Boy and a Girl

Photographed by Jennie Bai.

Next Stop: Amsterdam

My European Trip 8 -- Bonn

2008-08-25T08:45:00.004-04:00

Bonn has a charming old town. After a 20-minute express train from Cologne, I walked out of the central station (Hauptbahnhof) and pleasantly found that I was embraced by lovely small houses. The sign to the Tourism Office clearly guided me to an alley with an air of great antiquity in two minutes.

Traveling Tip 4: Always stop by the Tourism Office. There you can usually get a free map with most places of interest and well-designed walk tours. The staffs' encyclopedic knowledge of their domain seems indispensable, especially in heritage-rich areas such as Aveyron or museum cities like Frankfurt and Bonn. Moreover, I am growing increasingly fond of speaking with people in the storefront of the Tourism Office.

Great! I have a map now. Follow me!

This is the old town hall of Bonn. Every Saturday the plaza afront holds a big farmers' market.

I don't know why, but fresh fruits and vegetables bring me great excitement all the time ever since I was a little girl. I enjoy seeing them well-stacked in the grocery store. I love to see so many vivid colors! The texture, color, and taste in my mind, are immediately associated with vigor and satisfaction.

The map told me there should be the Beethoven house at this corner. Why couldn't I find it anywhere? Walking back and forth along the street for three times, I finally found the door hiding among other buildings. Here it is, the place where Beethoven was born and spent his youth hood.

Bonn University. This building used to be Electoral Prince's Castle, now serves as the main building of Bonn University. It's beautiful and grand, isn't it?

I love many European towns and small cities like Bonn. Here and there you can find colorful flower stores, delicious bakeries (Boulangerie in France), and original Cafés.

An ornament in a flower store.

Red and white balloons. Are they hurrying for a wedding?

Door handle

Oh, Rose! She is waiting for somebody? Someone just left? Or she bought it for herself?

My mom usually complained that I took many pictures each trip, but she hardly saw pictures of me. Well, that's probably true given the limited situation of my solo traveling. More often, I am represented only by my shadow.

But this time I got my own picture in the Modern Art Museum of Bonn. One exhibit used projector to show hundreds of photography works. Putting my camera beside the projector and choosing the automatic mode, here I am! Together with a little African girl. :)

Next Stop: Cologne

Photographed by Jennie Bai.

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Note: I will move to New York City from Chicago this afternoon (August 25) and start working in September. From now on I will update this blog only on weekends. Thank you for your continuous attention and reading!

My European Trip 7 -- Frankfurt

2008-08-23T08:47:00.016-04:00

Nobody would recommend Frankfurt as a place of interest before my journey; they said that Frankfurt is just another Manhattan in Europe. It possibly is in an European's eye; but the city still brought me surprises at the first sight. And the unforgettable memory on my last day in Europe.

To be exact, the city should be called by its full name "Frankfurt am Main", since there is another Frankfurt (significantly smaller) in Germany. Situated on the river Main, Frankfurt is one of the largest financial centers in the world, also the residence of European Central Bank and several large commercial banks such as Deutsche Bank.

I stayed in a hotel across the central train station, which is close to the financial district and the river Main. The time I went out happened to be rush hours when people got off work. So I saw many professionals -- with business suites and ties -- riding bikes. Here bicycling is simply a transportation tool rather than a sport. To tie the fluttering lower pants, someone used amusing red threads, someone chose colorful clips. Other bikers include women with extra long skirt or with miniskirt. So many bikers along River Main! What a scenery!

The old town square, Römerplatz.

The Logo of a Nutcracker Soldier Store.

Another logo of a tourism store.

Fountain of Justice Goddess who has a simple balance with hand showing fairness.

A street in the old town.

Many Europeans are natural gardener, especially the Dutch. They always use beautiful flowers to decorate their balconies.

The Euro 2008 champion tournament final was in two days, between Germany and Spain. Everywhere I saw the national flags of Germany, in the balcony, on people's faces and bags. Someone even wrapped her puppet with a Germany flag.

Frankfurt is the only city in Germany with many high-rise buildings. Let's now see its modern side.

Frankfurt is a city under continuous construction ever since World War II.

The first good impression on Frankfurt is its taxi. Getting out of the train station, I saw a long waiting line of taxis. All of them were Mercedes-Benz, with a color of beige, and with their Benz logos shining in the sun. In the late July I also visited Stuttgart, residence of Porsche and BMW. As far as I know, Germany on the whole has the best taxi in the world.

Indeed, German men are said to love their cars better than their wives, at least spending more time with cars. Do you believe so?

Smart cars. Like them or not, they can at least easily find a parking. :)

Next Stop: Bonn

Photographed by Jennie Bai.

My European Trip 6 -- The Smurfs

2008-08-21T20:34:00.002-04:00

Sketching at the Comics Museum

Have you heard about the Smurfs?

They are my childhood's happy memory. And after twenty years I saw them again at smurfs' home, Brussls' Comics Museum.

The Smurfs, Blue Imps, Loc Pitufos, As-Sanafir, die Schlumpfe, Smerfy, 蓝精灵, Smrkci, ... Whatever you call those little blue dwarfs, les Schroumpfs were invented by the Belgian comic artist Peyo in 1958. And NOT by some French guy like everybody seems to think.

This year 2008 is the 50th anniversary of the birth of the Smurfs. The Comics Museum in Brussels holds a special exhibition to celebrate it. I was lucky to be there and I wish this article could bring you childlike smiles.

"It's true. The characters that I've created are not tough guys at the outset. The strength they express isn't spontaneous. Peewit [Jennie's note, pronounced Peer-loo-ee], for instance, is resourceful. As for the Smurfs, they are constantly in danger. They became strong together by being united."
---- Peyo

The Smurfette （蓝妹妹） was created from a magical potion by the wizard Gargamel. Do you know what ingredients Gargamel used to make her in the laboratory? Is that a definition of "Woman"? I found the answer is interesting. The list of ingredients includes "Sugar and spice but nothing nice...A dram of crocodile tears...A peck of bird brain...The tip of an adder's tongue...Half a pack of lies, white, of course...The slyness of a cat...The vanity of a peacock...The chatter of a magpie...The guile of a vixen and the disposition of a shrew...And of course the hardest stone for her heart..."

Fortunately, that definition is turned around by Papa Smurf. After a successful operation of "plastic smurfery", Papa Smurf transformed the ugly (and unhappy) brunette Smurfette into the blond bombshell as she is today.

As I remembered, these little blue creatures (three apple tall) always win the powerful wizard. Perhaps the reason is like what Peyo summarized, they became strong by being united. Smurf for all, all for smurf!

In the comics museum, I also met another famous figure, Tintin.

I always wonder why so many people love Tintin. His face is made up of a few very simple features. It's almost expressionless. Probably, the fact that Tintin is nobody and his face is neutral makes him the ideal recipient for the emotions felt and projected by readers.

Finally, enjoy the Smurfs theme from YouTube!

Next Stop: Paris

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Note: Before my Paris stories, I will recall those in Germany, my first few stops in Frankfurt, Bonn and Cologne. After Cologne I started my Holland visit.

My European Trip 5 -- Brussels

2008-08-20T08:13:00.025-04:00

If you don't know which beer is to your taste,
If you happen to be in a country famous for the diversity of beers,
Which beer would you choose?

The sign of a beer house.

Jennie's answer is ---- she bought five different bestselling beers under local people's suggestions.

Also, she bought them in a grocery market. Traveling Tip 1: Grocery stores or supermarkets are always cheaper than tourist shops for food and souvenirs. They all sell a few of the six Trappist beers (Chimay, Ovral, Rochefort, Westmalle, Westvleteren, Achel) and good chocolate like Cote d'Or or Jacques.

And she brought five bottles of beer to the top floor of Parking 58, which offers a 360 spectacular view of Brussels in open air! It's free to enter, just take the elevator to the 10th floor. There you can see as far as the Atomium, Brussels' landmark like the Eiffel in Paris. Traveling Tip 2: The rooftop of Parking lot in big cities provides you a FREE panoramic view.

How to behave like a local in Brussels? Eat and drink a lot! Brusseleirs are called the "kiekefretters" (chicken eaters) because, according to legend, they preferred eating to fighting during the Middle Ages. :)

Well, it's lunchtime! Let's have some genuine Brussels waffles. Remember, a real Brussels waffle is square, and a Liégeois is round and caramelised. If you really want to behave like a tourist, order extra chocolate or strawberry.

For dessert, I'd love to share with you real Belgian Chocolate. Taste so good!

A marionette chef in the window of a chocolate shop.

Th Pissing Boy

"Is this it? He's much smaller than I thought!" Indeed, the pissing boy called MANNEKEN PIS is the ideal national symbol for a country that is also very small and absurd. In 2007, for example, he did not pee for one day, with a sign warning for prostate cancer. His suit is changed a few times per month. Go to see the City Museum on the Grote Market/ Grand Place for the last 804 costumes, from Mozart to Mandela.

The pissing boy's dress on July 3, 2008

After saying goodbye to the little boy, I kept strolling along the streets. All of a sudden, I was caught up by a series of beautiful sounds ending up with four solid chimes. I realized that it was 4:00pm now. Following the chimes I found a big wall clock.

So if you happen to have no watch or clock with you in the journey, how could you know the time? This situation has applied to me for many times. And Jennie has found quite a few tips! Think about your solution. I will release Jennie's answers later.

Photographed by Jennie Bai.

My European Trip 4 -- Kinderdijk

2008-08-18T16:53:00.003-04:00

Birdsong brings relief / to my longing.
I am just as ecstatic as they are, /but with nothing to say!
Please, universal soul, practice/ some song, or something, through me!
-- Rumi (from Birdsong -- translated by Coleman Barks)

Kinderdijk is a small village unique for 19 beautiful windmills dating from the 1500s. The name Kinderdijk is Dutch for "Child's Dike". The folktale says that during severe flooding in 1421 people found a wooden cradle floating, and a cat jumping back and forth in the cradle trying to keep it in balance. When the cradle eventually came near the dike, someone fished the cradle out and saw that in it a baby slept quiet and dry. This area hence got the name, Kinderdijk.

Holland is a country of windmills. The Dutch invented the world's first windmill in 1229. These windmills however, are not used for the purpose of agriculture as you think, but rather for pumping out of water to keep the soil dry. Remember, Holland is a country most of which is below the sea level.

The weather changed dramatically. The above photo was taken before a thunderstorm. Ten minutes later however, all colors magically switched and generated the following picture.

Along the canal, the vigorous reed stretches out.

In Amsterdam I unexpectedly met an old friend, also an alumnus of Fudan University, whom I have known for ten years. He generously offered to accompany me first to Leiden, and then to Kinderdijk. -- Thank you, my friend! We talked, talked and talked, surprisingly finding that we had so much to share. (When I was writing this, I ran across another alumnus in MSN who now stays in Belgium. He sent me a message, saying "it's so good to catch up with an old friend after so many years". :) ) My feeling is the same.

"Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind ?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne ?"

It's the middle of the afternoon. The sun is shining after a hearty thunderstorm. We're sitting on a small deck, hanging down our feet towards the water. It's a beautiful, mild day filled with the sounds of birds singing and the smell of crisp breeze. There seemed to be a tacit agreement. We simply sat there, silent and totally relaxed.

(the scenery in front of us when sitting on a small deck)

Life is really unpredictable. Two straight lines have been parallel for ten years, and all of a sudden they crossed at an abrupt point. The track then is no longer the same.

Next stop: Brussels

Photographed by Jennie Bai.

My European Trip 3 -- Vincent van Gogh

2008-08-17T08:58:00.017-04:00

月亮和六便士都在眼前，是为一份六便士的生活疲于奔命？还是为仰望心中那轮明月而有所放弃？其实门一直都开着，问题只在于我们的脚步去留不定。
---- 题记

Before visiting Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, I only know that this Dutch artist created some of the world's best known, most popular and most expensive works. What I don't know is his diligence, passion, tragic life and friendship. Van Gogh's Life, this special exhibition presented me how this great artist devoted his life to painting.

Please first allow me to express my respect and admiration with this sunflower picture, which I took in France. (The museum prohibits using cameras. So let me use this as a substitute.) Vincent, you would still love these brilliant sunflowers, wouldn't you?

Sunflowers in the countryside of the Loire Valley, France

In 1880 Vincent van Gogh decided to become an artist. He was 27 years old at the time and had already been employed in a variety of professions, as a lay preacher, a schoolmaster and an art dealer, none of which had proved a great success. However, his evolution from an inept but impassioned novice into a truly original master was remarkably rapid. Ever since then, he produced 900 paintings, 1,100 drawings and 800 letters in the last ten years of his life. Most of his best-known works were produced in the final two years till his suicide in 1890.

In December 1888, Van Gogh cut off a piece of his left ear following a breakdown in his friendship with Paul Gauguin. After this he suffered recurrent bouts of mental illness, which led to his suicide at the age of 37. "I feel like a failure," he wrote, "I feel as though this is my fate, and that it will no longer change."

Passion

Van Gogh's earlier need to serve people, arising from his religious calling, eventually became -- as he himself wrote -- a strong desire to leave "a certain souvenir" to humankind "in the form of drawings or paintings, not made to comply with this or that school but to express genuine human feeling".

His oeuvre, inextricably tied to the tragedy of his life, is still an invaluable source of inspiration to many. If you have further interest, you could see two movies Lust for Life, and Van Gogh.

Selected Works

(I did no shopping throughout this European trip, except hundreds of postcards and posters. I reproduced the following pictures from my posters.)

Van Gogh created a highly distinctive style of painting -- using expressive brush strokes and vivid colors.

I really like his BEDROOM and the idea behind when he created this painting. He wrote that he wishes this painting, with the simple forms and bright, contrasting color planes to represent "rest" and "sleep". "I want to make it really an artist's home -- not precious, ... but everything from the chairs to the pictures having characters. "

"This time it's just simply my bedroom, only here color is to do everything, and giving by its simplification a grander style to things, is to be suggestive here of rest or of sleep in general. In a word, looking at the picture ought to rest the brain, or rather the imagination." ---- Vincent, in a letter to his brother Theo.

The BLOSSOMING ALMOND TREE may not be Van Gogh's best known painting, but surely is my favorite. This is a painting with deep love and hope, devoted to his newborn nephew.

On January 31, 1890, Theo (his younger brother) wrote to Vincent of the birth of his son, whom he had named Vincent Willem. Van Gogh, was greatly moved and immediately set about making him a painting of his favorite subject: blossoming branches against a blue sky. As a symbol of this new life, Vincent chose an almond tree, which blooms early in southern regions, announcing the coming spring.

This painting remains a tour-de-force, both the product of Vincent's fondness for the child as well as for the Japanese art which he so greatly admired.

"My work was going well, the last canvas of branches in blossom--you will see that it was perhaps the best, the most patiently worked thing I had done, painted with calm and with a greater firmness of touch. " -- Letter 628 Vincent to Theo, April 15, 1890.

Van Gogh and Paul Gauguin

Van Gogh’sSUNFLOWERS is probably one of the world's most expensive paintings. This painting, as you may not know, was first hungby Vincent as a welcoming decoration in a bedroom that he hadprepared for Paul Gauguin in the famous Studio of the South.

The Studio of the South is located in Arles, a provincial town in the south of France, which witnessed the intensely dramatic and nearly fatal relationship of the two of the greatest artists in modern art, Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin. Few men have struggled so manfully with their demons or suffered so much for their art.

Initially, Van Gogh invited Gauguin, because he hoped that they could reinvent and reinvigorate art outside the established Parisian art world. However, as Gauguin wrote in his 1903 memoir, "Between two such beings as he and I, the one a perfect volcano, the other boiling inwardly too, a sort of struggle was preparing.'' On the Christmas Eve of 1888 a frenzied Van Gogh threatened Gauguin with a straight razor and then hacked part of his own ear lobe off and collapsed.

In 1890, Vincent committed suicide, heartbroken. Gauguin, although more outwardly attractive and successful, ended up spending the next fifteen years searching for an imaginary lost paradise in Tahiti - syphilitic, broke and ultimately alone. Yet he continued to write with special affection of Van Gogh who was his friend and of his appreciation of Vincent's genius.

The story of their relationship is well captured through Irving Stone's bestseller "Lust for Life". For an vivid artistic description of their relationship, I recommend this website. Also, there is a special exhibition using original masterpieces to portray the complete stories in the South of the Studio, please click here.

Van Gogh and Gauguin's story remembers me of another painting, IRISES (1890) by Van Gogh, which he emphasized an effect of enormously divergent complementary colors, and said "[whose] contrasts makes them stand out all the more strongly". Does it exist such a relationship of "making them stand out all the more strongly, but in a harmonious way"?

Harmony? It may well persist in an artist's works, but rarely exists in his personal life. Many years ago, I by chance read a novel by W. Somerset Maugham, The Moon and Sixpence. It is said that the novel was adapted from Paul Gauguin's real life. The story tells about the miserably rocky road of Charles Strickland, a middle-aged stock broker who abandons family and wealth abruptly in order to pursue his desire of painting.

The moon symbols the starry sky, while sixpence is the smallest currency in England at that time. It is said that a friend ever joked with Maugham that people tend to forget sixpence at their feet whereas looking up the starry sky. Maugham found it interestingly fitted the theme of this novel, then named it so. The moon and sixpence, the ideal and the reality.

With the choice between the moon and sixpence, will you run off your feet for a living? Or to give it up for the chaste moon in your heart? The door is always open. The only obstacle is your hesitation.
-- Jennie

Epilogue: It took me extra time to write this article, far beyond my expectation. Reading through Van Gogh's life again, especially the triumph and tragedy in the South of the Studio, I was deeply touched so that had to stop writing and thinking for several times. Still, I felt I failed to depict a whole picture of Van Gogh. I could only extract my feelings to some words and share a little with you, personally. Again, let me present these sunflowers to this great artist.

The photo was taken in the south of France

According to a friend's suggestion, I put a YouTube video here. It is a song called Vincent (also named Starry Starry Night) by Don Mclean. This song is perfectly melt with representative paintings by Vincent van Gogh. -- Thank you, Willy!

Next stop: Kinderdijk

My European Trip 2 - Amsterdam

2008-08-15T09:00:00.019-04:00

Amsterdam is not my first stop in the journey, but
My memory of Europe starts from Amsterdam.
---- Jennie

On the train from Cologne to Amsterdam, a tall and neat man sat across me. Two warmhearted smiles initiated a three-hour interesting talk. Like me, we both witnessed Cologne's craziness for the final tournament of Euro2008 the night before, a game between Germany and Spain. Our topic quickly spread out from football, his Euro2008 experience, to whatever ideas flipped through our minds such as Barack Obama ... All of a sudden, I asked him, "Can you tell me how to correctly use the three words: Netherlands, Holland and Dutch?" After explaining the difference of Netherlands and Holland, he continued, "Dutch refers to people. Like me, I am a Dutch." At that time another man sitting besides him followed, "I lived in Amsterdam, but was born in Cologne. So I cannot be called a Dutch. But I could be a double Dutch." We bursted out laughing!

"Double Dutch" means being completely incomprehensive or difficult to understand. It immediately reminds me of other jokes about "Dutch". The most well-known is "Go Dutch". Others include "Dutch uncle" (a person who gives unwelcome advice), "Dutch courage" (the reckless bravery caused by drinking too much), "Dutch wife" (you can google it, ^_*) and so on. Why do people like to make so much fun of Dutch? :)

The Dutch may be, indeed, different from other European people. You see, even for the tourism logo, they would not choose the Cléché "I Love XX", but rather "I amsterdam".

The Dutch say that God created the rest of the world but that they created the Netherlands. The country is, indeed, a feat of engineering,and since most of it is below sea level, vigorous pumping and a series of dikes have created thousands of square kilometers of land (including Amsterdam) that was once under water. The Holland is a country where freedom has come with responsibility and hard work. It is a country where the word "land" means something special valuable resource won from the sea. Amsterdam itself is 10 feet below sea level.

To the outside world, the enduring image of the Netherlands is of a land unremittingly flat, criss crossed by canals and dotted with windmills. Popular imagination conjures up pictures of clogs, cheese and swaths of brightly colored tulips. Then there is Amsterdam, the lively, lovely and evocative capital, seen by many as a slightly wicked city.

A scenery from the flower street.

Holland is a country of flowers. For this reason alone, I would love to live there. People who love flowers are apt to love life as well, aren't they? The Dutch, as I observed, are more likely to be optimistic. I have talked with several Dutch, about the global warming and its increasing impact on Holland. All of them confidently believe that there will be a solution before the situation gets worse. Good luck, the flower-loving Dutch!

Summer is not the tulip season. Without colorful tulip flowers, I instead saw various tulip seeds.

In nine months we would expect these little seeds to bring us another fabulous blossom, wouldn't we?

你从风车的国度来，应该见过那位公主。
花朵是王冠，叶片是宝剑，球根是黄金，
一派烂漫的少女容颜。
她盛开的姿态赐予我们永恒的祝福
和爱的表白。
那浅白的光晕里，你可曾看见
她微笑的脸？

From the land of windmills, you should have seen that princess. / Flowers are crowns, leaves are swords, bulbs are gold. / Her blossom bestows happiness and love upon us. / In the halo of light, have you ever seen / her smiling face?
-- Anonymous (literally translated from the above)

Everywhere in Europe there are many lovely Cafés. Each one is unique in its style and table design. In Amsterdam, the most representative decoration would be ....? Clogs (Wooden shoes)!

A window painting in a Café.

Those who know Dutch, could you please kindly provide any translation? (I just got one, "Dearest, the real animals are with fur coats to make love! Lifelong. " )

More clogs.

Kids dancing with the street music.

Observing a child's expression is pretty enjoyable. In their faces there doesn't exist any lies.

Night sights of Amsterdam.

Photographed by Jennie Bai.

My European Trip 1 -- Prelude

2008-08-13T22:24:00.007-04:00

I usually enjoy traveling alone. I've loved the often bizarre situations you seem to find yourself in when you're traveling solo. I've loved the complete sense of freedom, the joy of being able to do whatever I want, whenever I want, and not having anyone around to judge me. You decide what time you get up in the morning, you decide what to have for breakfast, you decide where to continue visiting exhibitions in a museum, you decide which bar/restaurant to go to, you decide who you'd like to meet up and hang out, and you decide when to stop and go home.

Yep, traveling solo is pretty sweet.

But this 35-day European journey somewhat changed my opinion. I wasn't expecting that I will make that decision in Heidelberg. I couldn't forget those laughs and tears in Paris. I would like to relive that tranquil afternoon in Kinderdijk. I missed the idyllic life in the Loire Valley. And I cherished the encounter of my childhood in Belcastel. In the end of the journey I felt like something's missing slightly -- someone to share things with. Such a feeling motivates me to open this blog, to share Jennie's stories.

My journey started from Frankfurt. From there I traveled to Bonn, Cologne, and Dusseldorf in Germany, then went north to Amsterdam, Leiden, Kinderdijk, and Rotterdam in the Netherlands, shortly visited Brussels, and arrived in Paris. In France I rounded out weekdays in the Loire valley (Chinon, Villandry, Chenonceau, Azay-Le-Rideau, Foutervraud, Chambord) and in Aveyron's villages (Najac, Sauvette, Villefranche, Belcastel), whereas spent all three weekends in Paris. Finally, I went back to Germany again, from Berlin to Stuggart, to Konstanz and Switzerland, to Munich and ended up the journey in Frankfurt. The whole trip lasted thirty-five days from June 26 to July 28, 2008.

Traveling is a live sociology lesson, and the people you meet is as part of your trip as the local architecture and scenery.

Being a single Asian female, I've found that I easily caught others' attentions in restaurants, on the road, or even when sitting along the river. However, Sex and the City is NOT real-life. In the journey I learned when and how to subdue myself to avoid unnecessary troubles. Also, I learned more often how to accept smiles and goodwills.

(Rose in Fontevraud)

The journey is an enriching pursuit. I try to collect notes to memorize my solo. Like the rose I saw at an ignorable corner in Fontevraud -- no matter whether there is anyone to observe and appreciate its beauty-- the rose silently unfolds its modest elegance.

Photographed by Jennie Bai.

Jennie's Nonlinear Life

What's the Color of Your Dream?

Surrealism

Epilogue - Aug 2011

Baltic Seashore - Jurmala

Abisko - A Third Memory

Abisko - On Second Thought

Abisko -- Alpine Flower

Abisko - Arctic 'Adventure'

Stockholm

Milles Garden

Morocco

The Mile-High City - Denver

Maine - Columbus Day Excursion

One Night in a Border Town

LANG-DE Miao Village

On the road

Impressions on Korea

Central Park's Winter

秋啖石榴

Montreal - Kaleidoscope From La Belle France to North American Metropolis

平遥古城

无名之城

闲居的日子 －－ 生活在别处

Mt. Huang Shan

Hui Zhou - the Cradle of Hui Culture

Florida Palette

Long Island Excursion

Xi Tang - A Story of Time

Tai Wan - The Treasure Island

Spring is here!

Washington D.C., in the Spirit of Spring

My European Trip 20 -- Aveyron

Utah! -- Hoodoos

My European Trip 19 - Montparnasse Cemetery

My European Trip 18 -- Idyllic Life

My European Trip 17 - Villandry

My European Trip 16 - Azay Le Rideau

My European Trip 15 - Chinon

My European Trip 14 -- Loire Valley

读杨万里文有感

今天星期五

My European Trip 13 - Paris II

Hi, Vincent!

My European Trip 12 - L'amour et L'amitie

My European Trip 11 - Paris I

Montana - The Journey of Understanding

秋茶翦繁

My European Trip 10 -- Museum Burlesque

My European Trip 9 -- Cologne

My European Trip 8 -- Bonn

My European Trip 7 -- Frankfurt

My European Trip 6 -- The Smurfs

My European Trip 5 -- Brussels

My European Trip 4 -- Kinderdijk

My European Trip 3 -- Vincent van Gogh

My European Trip 2 - Amsterdam

My European Trip 1 -- Prelude

闲居的日子－－生活在别处