Carlos Fuentes passes away

RIP Carlos, you will be missed.

http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/Carlos+Fuentes+Latin+America+premier+authors+dead/6626348/story.html

Nostalgia

Sometimes, I wonder why I bother blogging. Is it ego? A sort of "look at me" fictional persona devoid of real-life flaws thanks to the ability to edit stories and crop pictures? Is it to keep in touch with a handful of friends and family? Is it to connect with an online community in order to exchange ideas and meet others with similar interests? Am I grasping at the vague hope that jotting down a few random observations will positively impact my career?  Is it ridiculous to publish personal details of my life on the internet for no apparent reason?

All of these things circulate in my mind frequently, yet here I am, with another new website, blabbing away.  I suppose I like blogging because I feel like it adds some order; provides a timeline, a visual representation of experiences often jumbled and forgotten.  Since graduating from college in December, 2006 I have moved approximately five times. That number does not include the extended, international backpacking trips or stints with family in Washington and Oregon.  Partially by choice and partially because of circumstance, I have been transient for the majority of my adult life.

Sometimes I worry that in the whirlwind of moves and travels, I will lose track of my memories. If it wasn't for my voracious picture taking and semi-diligent journal keeping, the task seems impossible.  I was scrolling through my photos yesterday and came across this picture of my desk in Korea:

It seems simple, but seeing it again brought back a plethora of memories: my favorite coffee cup, the corner where I completed my first online semester at the New School, my Lonely Planet guides hauled on many in-country train trips, Polaroids from a night out with friends, a cactus bought in Gangnam, a scroll from Insadong, my battered university diploma shipped over for visa purposes, the hand-me-down cellphone that had taken hours to set up.

So just for fun, I decided to take a look back at some of my residences from the past five years; apartments and neighborhoods that hold important chapters of my past.

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

In front of our apartment building in South Lake Union

The view from our roof

Neighborhood graffiti

Rainy days, micro-brews, long walks along the lake to Fremont. Sailboats in the summer, street fairs and cultural festivals, the rusted monolith of Gasworks park. Rattling downtown on the bus to look in bookshops or stroll around the waterfront. Oh Seattle, I probably miss you most of all...

SEMARANG, INDONESIA

The view from our back stairs

Our lovely friends and coworkers over for a visit

C in front of our stunning house

It was brief but fascinating...the gorgeous house on Bukit Tulip (which translated means "Tulip Hill") with mango trees and geckos and a pet goldfish in a stone bowl.  I'll never forget the massive thunderstorms that shook the roof or the beautiful chorus of the mosques calling worshipers to prayer at dusk.

EUGENE, OREGON

Cycling from Alton Baker Park to the University of Oregon

Willamette River

Our apartment

Moving back to my college town wasn't what I had planned, but we made the most of it with long bike rides, barbecues, swimming in the river, and camping trips around Oregon. Eugene is a truly spectacular place to spend the summer, with parks, outdoor concerts and festivals, a great farmers market, and plenty of fun places to eat and chill out.

HONOLULU, HI

View of Ala Wai canal from the back of the building

Ainahau Gardens

C in our apartment

 Life in Waikiki, not always a paradise but a fascinating glimpse of the clash of tourism and tradition in one of America's most diverse cities. Returning home after long hours of body boarding and cooking, lying in Kapiolani Park under the shadow of Diamond Head, wandering hot and sticky down Ala Wai Canal to go to the library or the zoo, the Trade-winds rattling the blinds at night.

BEOMGYE, SOUTH KOREA

Our apartment

View from our roof...looks like Sim City

The Beomgye strip

Living on the 15^th floor of a modern apartment building in a smoggy suburb of Seoul. Jostling in and out of the crowded subway, making the long icy trek to work. Sitting in Central Park and looking around at the rows of seemingly computer-generated concrete buildings. Gazing out the window and watching the neon lights blink.  Drinking soju in a smoky bar or eating bibimbap at a corner café. Braving the waves of students as they spilled out of the schools on “Hagwon Street” into their buses. 


Which brings me to the present...

ANTIGUA, GUATEMALA

Life is good!

Reasons to love Antigua : Flowers

You can buy a dozen fresh roses at the market for around $1. And if roses aren't your thing there are lilies, sunflowers, daisies, and many other gorgeous blooms.

Cinco de Mayo!

Pedro, guarding the tequila

Guatemalans don't celebrate Cinco de Mayo, and why should they? It's Mexican independence day, after all. Of course, that doesn't stop the foreign travelers and expats in town from finding an excuse to have a good time...especially since it happened to fall on a Saturday this year! According to this gallery featured by MSN, beer giants like Miller and Anheuser-Busch helped make the holiday popular in the US during the 1980's. 

Dinner!

With the semester eking painfully to a close, I've been really busy with final projects, so C and I decided to stay home and cook.  There are some women down the street who sell fresh corn tortillas hot from the oven; you can buy a dozen for around $.50. We made quesadillas along with avocado, red pepper, and lime from the market. Absolutely delicious.

C in our kitchen

PS - the yellow skeleton's name is Pedro. C found him at the weekend craft market down the street. He is quite a character.