2024 has been an amazing year for me. It is for the first time that I travel that much in a year. For me, photos always served as an “index” that, precisely locate certain pieces of memories in my mind. This is the first blog for me to remember a year using photos.
In the future, I would attempt to recover more memories from the past years.
January#
We are still working during January in Beijing, and it’s one of the last days for us to work near campus.
February#
I went home during the Spring Festival, as Kunming is close to the tropics, the weather is always warm and sunny.
March#
Beijing finally welcomed its spring at the end of March.I visited the National Botanical Garden for two consecutive days to admire it’s stunning beauty.
April#
As temperature rises, I continue to enjoy Beijing’s fleeting spring. On a cool night, we young people cycled around Tiananmen Square.
Relocated to the far northern suburbs, I found more times to discover birds around me.
May#
I continue to explore wildlifes. Shahe Reservoir has been a hotspot on eBird during that season.
Situated in far north, explored further south. I visited more streets and parks, but this one caught my eye most.
Beijing Wildlife Park is worth visiting, even when it’s 35 degrees.
In the last few days of May, I dashed to Hong Kong and Macau. Heat and humidity did not suppress their vitality.
June#
Close to graduation, June was a busy month for me. During a stormy evening, I tried to mimic Franklin.
July#
And here comes the graduation. Three years have passed in the blink of an eye.
August#
I continue to explore progressively. After Hong Kong, it’s time for some more exotic places.
Bangkok is a city of contrasts. Prices are low, people are friendly, but the roads are congested.
Singapore is a city of order. Buildings are spotless, attractions are crafted exquisitely.
September#
It’s time to expand my horizons. I visited Japan for the first time.
Luckily Maliksi skipped Osaka, so I had a chance to visit the city.
Kyoto is a city of tradition. A few days would not be enough to explore its beauty.
A mixture of tradition and modernity could also be found in Kyoto.
On the way to Nagoya, I discovered some hidden gems.
Nagano is not a popular first-time destination, but it holds a special place in my heart.
Of course, I visited Tokyo. It’s suffocatingly big. Everyday I stepped out of the hotel, I felt like an NPC in a video game.
Under the scorching sun, museums are the best places to hide.
There are some free observation decks in Tokyo, offering a glimpse of the endless skyline.
Before departing, I visited the Minato City. Endless heat, steely skyscrapers, and a sense of loneliness.
October#
Then it’s even further west. Paris preserved its beauty, without messy cables in the sky.
Lausanne hosts one of the best universities in the world. Full of hurried passersby in the city, but the lakeside is enchanting.
Divided for decades, Berlin has its own charm.
November#
I enjoyed the last few days of autumn in Evian. I’m not interested in the calcium-rich water, but the tranquility of the town.
Interlaken is a paradise. Wooden houses on the hillside, the town by the lake, and the snow-capped mountains in the distance.
Tired of sunrises at 8 AM and sunsets at 5 PM, we set off for Lisbon. Daytimes were clear and sunny, yet fierce winds and rainstorms came at night.
In Sintra, we enjoyed the sunset by the Atlantic Ocean.
Flying back to Geneva, I enjoyed a bit of the city before going home.
December#
Christmas holidays in Switerland sounds crazy. Hosted by a friend, we travelled with not much expense.
Abbado served in the Lucerne Festival Orchestra for 13 years. Yet his trace could not be found in the city.
Luckily, I spotted a local playing Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier by the lake. His instrument has no clavier though.
Zurich chose my hometown, Kunming, as its sister city 42 years ago. In the Chinese Garden, I found a familiar sight.
Basel sits on the border of three countries. We sensed more French and German than Swiss in the city.
We chose St. Gallen solely because it’s a frequent on SBB’s timetable. Yet the stunning Abbey Library and the snow-covered town made it the most memorable stop.
We visited Bern on Christmas Eve. Shops and restaurants were closed, I decided to visit Gurten.
Neuchatel is a small town by the lake. The unassuming museum houses mind-blowing Automates Jaquet-Droz.
The whole city was shrouded in mist. Riding the funicular through the mist, a magnificent view appeared.
