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G’day
mates! This time my restless feet swept me to the " Land
Down Under." Sydney Harbor was the setting of my New
Year celebration. The famous Opera House stood in grandeur
with the fireworks decorating its half-domes.
The
Australians are very warm and tourist-friendly. The kangaroos
kept me company at the beach as I viewed the sunrise and the
sunset. Driving through the scenic coastline of the Great
Ocean Road away from Melbourne, the great attraction is the
collection of isolated rock formations known as the "Twelve
Apostles." These sandstone monuments are remnants of
limestone caves that gradually erode in silent surrender to
the relentless pounding of the waves.
While
you were experiencing the Arctic weather in the East Coast,
I was in Harbin, China, where the temperature is –30
degree Celsius. Life is all about basic necessities in this
frozen wonderland. It seemed as if I was watching an old movie.
In the snow -covered landscape, the conventional horse-drawn
wagon is still used to clear the pathway. From the distance,
the trails of smoke emanating from the cottages entice the
weary traveler to a warm shelter ahead.
Harbin
also takes pride of its annual Ice Festival with artistic
displays of ice and snow sculptures. Grand carvings of famous
monuments, palaces, and the Great Wall are among the exhibits.
Another must-see winter affair is the Rime Festival in the
city of Jilin. I learned that rime is formed when extremely
cold water droplets freeze on a cold surface, such as trees.
The magical spectacle of rime-coated trees along the banks
of the Songhua River is one of the four natural wonders of
China.To
thaw out from this freezing temperature, I escaped to the
warmth of Mandalay . Myanmar is going out of its way to welcome
tourists. Part of the tapestry of the life in the countryside
is the people’s close connection with nature. They have
less to worry since they are sustained by their catch of the
day and their vegetable patches. Their simplicity reminded
me of what is essential. One of my favorite shots of this
place is of a determined little boy pulling a stubborn ox
to go home.
These
are glimpses of my travel. As always, it is great to be back
in the frenzy of New York City with my daily bagel and coffee.
No time to lose, I headed to Florida to test the waters of
my latest productions. Hope all is well with everyone. I can’t
wait to see you at one of the upcoming art shows.
Art
Show Schedule, please click
here
Warm
regards,
Michael
Chen
email: mc@mc-images.com
url:
www.mc-images.com |
