Useful Log

Oregon beach is cold even in summer. There is often strong wind and the sea water is freezing. Nevertheless, the sand is very soft on Oregan beaches and I still enjoy walking on the beach and dipping my feet into the waves, even in the winter.

This photo is taken by PJ with a disposable Kodak film camera. Nowadays shooting with a film camera is becoming a niche hobby the same way that poeple listen to music with vinyl records. People even look for digital camera brand such as Fujifilm, which has its unique film-like color profiles.

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I have been to many countries in Europe since I was a kid, but somehow I did not think about visiting Portugal. The closest thing I have done that links me to this beautiful country is a book titled “Cork Boat”, which I bought during my time in the grad school.

Fast forward to last year, I was watching Eugene Levy’s TV show “The Reluctant Traveler”. In the show, Lisbon has a relaxed lifestyle with an artist vibe. In addition, I love the Pastel de Nata a lot. So I decided to see Lisbon as my first city after my last trip to Europe 12 years ago.

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Maui is the second island I visited in Hawaii. Driving up to Haleakala National Park and watch the sunrise. At 10,023 feet, it is the highest peak in Maui. Reservation is required to enter the park.

The sunrise moment is the highlight of this Maui trip. As people are waiting for the sunrise, a park ranger sang the Hawaiian sunrise chant “E Ala E”, meaning “awaken”, to welcome the sun.

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I got my first “real” camera in 2024 - a camera with a detachable lens and adjustable aperture and shutter speed; it is a Sony a6700 mirrorless. I used point-and-shoot camera growing up when films were the only way to record photos. I remember that people would worry about their films getting exposed under X-ray luggage scanner. Entering the digital age, I owned a golden Sony CyberShot point-and-shoot. Then I skipped the entire the DSLR age by exclusively using iPhone to take photos. Perhaps it is the first time I felt that the photo can be aesthetic, in addition to being the practical recording media that captures an event.

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I live among tall trees in Oregon. Conifers in my backyard are easily taller than a 3-story house and I am so used to seeing and walking amongst these tall trees. The trees in the Redwood National Park, however, are beyond my imagination.

Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area. We saw a large group of elks here. This is on Umpqua highway along the Umpqua River, near Reedsport in Oregon.

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I was in Chicago again! The city that I visited so frequently holds a lot of memories. It has been 4 years since my last trip to Chicago. Everything felt both nostalgic and fresh at the same time. P and I stayed in Chicago Athletic Club over the weekend. This stylish hotel sits right across the Millennium Park and has a vintage, sporty theme.

Then we spent the entire week working from a hotel room in the West Loop neighborhood. We finally had a chance to visit Girl and the Goat.

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Visiting Saguaro National Park is like visiting another world - it is beyond my imagination. It took a decade for a Saguaro cactus to grow a few inches tall, and yet there is a forest full of giant, 3-story tall Saguaro in front of me. Think about how long does it take to grow this vast landscape of cactus.

Saguaro cactus has a wax-like texture skin with deep groove on its surface. When it takes more water in, the body will expand and the grooves become shallower. It is a very delicate mechanism to store water.

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The snow storm is coming in town soon. I had tried to cancel my hotel, but the credit card company who made my booking never did really cancel it and not even notify me. I have been trying to cancel the flight too, but the airline told me to wait for the announcement if the weather really got worse. On the Friday before long weekend, the weather was still calm and peaceful after work. “Let’s pack and go,” I said. P and I landed in Las Vegas right before midnight.

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Glacier National Park is very popular and extremely difficult to book. I was very lucky to able to go there, thanks to P’s perfect planning one year in advance. We stayed in Kalispell and entered from West Glacier.

We sat by the Bowman Lake and did nothing - just watch people and enjoy the time. It could be one of the most relaxing experience. There were people skipping pebbles. One kid was really good and all proud of himself, until he saw another guy throwing twice as many skips. I also met a bird, don’t know its species, jumping really close to my lap – then it pulled a green worm out of the sand from under my lap.

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Birthplace of California – before I visited this city, I have been hearing good thing about San Diego. The perfect weather, good food, and fun activities. One thing I did not know before my trip, is that it is also an old city. In fact, the Old Town San Diego is referred to as the “birthplace” of California.

The yard in La Casa de Estudillo, the iconic building in the old town plaza. White wall, red pottery roof tile, cactus and a resting rabbit. Apparently the rabbits live here and don’t mind people walking around their home.

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