A positive start to a new week! My photo essay under pen name 蓝天游 on Tokyo's mini bookstore Morioka Shoten located in prime Ginza district《东京银座森冈书店,每周只卖一本书的书店》is published today! Special thanks to Lianhe Zaobao, you have made my day! Thank U so much 感谢 感恩. There may be a deferment of travel plans currently due to the global pandemic situation but i do not stop writing about my past travel stories. I hope everyone stay healthy and safe always!
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My New Acrylic Painting on Hot Air Balloon (Up, Up and Away!) - Inspired By The Movie "Up"20/3/2020 The shape of the hot air balloon is something I am drawn to. I can’t help wanting to draw and paint it. There is so much to love about their generous curves. Like an upside down pear. I love the way they let the air fill them up so completely, no reserved hidden corners
I always like to see hot air balloons. It is just the sort of extraordinary sight in an ordinary day that makes me happy to be alive. Even in the most routine tasks there is the odd touch of whimsy to be found. It makes you breathe a little deeper and a smile a little more. Up in the quiet expanse of blue under a glorious colourful bulb. Staring at those bright generous shapes in the sky you can feel the sense of freedom. Freedom is a state of mind. Even though I am not a huge fan of heights, there is something a little magical about a hot air balloon. They seem to have an energy of anticipation about them that is so inspiring. For it does take some energy to fill that balloon and get it air bound. All the heat and drama required to lift that balloon is a fascinating contrast to all the peaceful, silent floating. So true to life. There will be moments of heat and fire. Passion and drama. But there will also be moments of ease and serenity. Perhaps one is not possible without the other. I’m not sure what the collective noun is for hot air balloons, or if indeed there is one. But for me there is only one word that describes them en masse. To see a sky filled with hot air balloons, what else could you call them but a celebration? If you follow my blog, then you already might know that one of my favourite things to do is to explore a new place as walking aimlessly and getting lost in it. I love when one discovers new and unexpected travel gems and The Hague (a.k.a. Den Haag) in The Netherlands was a great surprise. You can easily travel from Amsterdam and trains from Amsterdam to The Hague Centraal take roughly 50 minutes. It’s very easy to get around in the Hague and explore on foot (and public transportation is quite expensive). I love the Hague because it has such an international spirit, but still a vibe of a small town. The Hague doesn’t have the same scale as Amsterdam, ie, Miles of canals and multiple historic districts. The Hague’s Center City charms are impressive but concentrated in a very walkable area. Also, the architecture in Den Haag is very beautiful. I have a thing for big windows, bicycles and beautiful and big doors. The typical Netherlands picture.
The Hague is such an important city in the Netherlands. The Hague is home to the International Court of Justice, a center of justice associated with the United Nations, which is located in the Peace Palace. The International Criminal Court, which is responsible for prosecuting international crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, is also located in The Hague. In addition to these international courts, the King and Queen of the Netherlands live in the center of The Hague. It’s quite an important city, not only for the Netherlands but the rest of the world. 荷兰一直是个神奇的国度,它总是不断刷新人们的认知,就像大家都知道阿姆斯特丹是荷兰的首都,但却不一定知道荷兰政府其实不在阿姆斯特丹,而是在另一座城市:海牙 (The Hague)。海牙曾是皇室贵族的猎苑,直到16世纪成为了荷兰的政治中心。这里是荷兰中央政府和议会的所在地,荷兰的皇室也在这里,因此海牙是荷兰名副其实的皇城。 虽然这座城市充满了皇家贵气和政治的肃穆感,可偏偏最令我铭记海牙的,是那一抹令人心颤的纯净翠蓝。从小到大,一直很喜欢蓝色,总希望能找到一个只有蓝色的地方,静静地徜徉其中,就像在天空中漫步一样。对蓝色迷恋至极,我的旅拍画面里时常记录纯净湛蓝的天空和深邃宽广的蓝色海洋,每次旅行,我的镜头不由自主地追寻着蓝色的影踪。这一趟荷兰旅程让我邂逅一个千年古老的蓝色海牙,一路探寻它昔日的辉煌,旅途中真正的蓝色艳遇。 Let’s get one thing straight from the get-go. I fell in love in Amsterdam. Not with a person, but with the city itself. It was instantaneous and mutual. Amsterdam was made for me and I was made for Amsterdam. Amsterdam is for everyone – the extroverts, introverts and everyone in between.
Amsterdam is one of my favorite cities in the world. I love its brick buildings, open skyline, rich history, and relaxed, easy going attitude towards life. I love the beauty of the canals and historic homes (as I keep saying over and over again), the friendly nature of the Dutch, the museums, the parks, and the quality of life. I love the international feel of the city, the cafe culture, the art, the exploding entrepreneur scene, and the rise of good beer bars! In short, I love it all. 一到阿姆斯特丹,心情就好像能随时随地飞起。阿姆斯特丹实在是精彩绝伦,我喜爱它的文化多样性和美丽的建筑物。它是古代航海时代的商业传奇,现代人性化基建和城市规划,超乎想象的别样体验,数不尽的惊喜和温柔,走过上百座城,阿姆斯特丹尽乎完美。穿行在这座城市,常常让我觉得恍惚,是那种掉进了名信片里的感觉。在这座城市里散步闲逛,是络绎不接的游人们在这座城市最迷恋做的事,在运河边漫步也是一种独特的体验。 |
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