Holding On to Summer

The temperatures have dropped and the days are shorter. Autumn has arrived. Yet, I find myself still holding on to summer. Holding on to those lazy walks beneath the shadows of palm trees. To frolicking in the warm salty waters and watching fish swim between my legs. To sunshine. To sandy beaches. To evenings where only the sound of the ocean permeates the stillness. 

Sigh. If only summer could last a bit longer.

My summer started in the Spanish island of Mallorca, where I spent most of my time at the beach. There wasn’t an itinerary. The plan was to not plan anything and the goal was to relax. To just wake up in the morning and let my current mood dictate my actions. It was utterly liberating. Whether to the sandy beaches or to a Moorish fortress, I followed my every whim and gave in to whatever my heart desired. Stargazing on a rooftop lounge, leisurely walking down a beachside promenade, and eating seafood to my heart’s content. It was a great start to my summer and it only got better. Now before you ready those trench coats and pull out those scarves, come with me. Let me take you to the shores of a small Mediterranean island. Think of warm sunny days and rolling ocean waves. Yes. Let’s still hold on to summer.

Thank you for reading!

Mornings Far Away

There’s something wonderful about waking up in another city.  Suddenly, the sounds that gently nudge you from your slumber are unfamiliar and somehow unreal. Did I just hear someone calling out in Spanish? you ask yourself, as your drowsy mind tries to make sense of reality. And since when did you hear sharp whistles for a cab at this hour of the day? It takes a while for consciousness to sink in and for you to fully awaken to take in the  newness of your hotel room. 

Then the adventure that a new morning brings starts to unfold.

I love tiptoeing in the dim light to draw back the curtains to reveal another world framed in the window. A bustling street scene of Barcelona, the rhythmic movement of the ocean, an expanse of towering buildings in New York, or the mountains of the Austrian Alps — all the possibilities of the world hidden beyond an enchanted curtain. And all that magic right at the start of a day. 

As I crack open the window or step out onto the balcony, another whole wave of sensations fill my senses. How could the smell of mountain air be so fresh or the salty ocean breeze be so inviting? How could the crisp chilly air of the north transport me right back to my earliest childhood memories? Everything seems surreal. 

Oh yes, how wonderful it is to wake up in another city, where your soul arises as your body awakens. Everything is recognized more keenly. The foreign sounds and smells are perceived and not merely overlooked. The beauty of the world is appreciated and not just ignored. Each morning brings hope and excitement. Life is lived intimately. 

And all begins with mornings far away.

Thank you for reading!

The Making of a Masterpiece

The Sagrada Família is a temple, which has been in construction since 1882 − that’s one-hundred-thirty-two (132!) years of building. Yet it’s still unfinished! But despite of being a perpetual construction site, Templo Expiatorio de la Sagrada Família (Expiatory Temple of the Holy Family) has become a landmark of Barcelona. Thousands of tourists swarm the church, taking pictures of it from all possible angles, scaffoldings, cranes and all. Most of the tourists leave it at that, choosing to move on to the next item on their itinerary. I mean, I see their point. If the building is not yet done, what could possibly be seen inside? And if the interior of the Sagrada Família is not a dusty mess then it would probably look similar to the cathedrals all over Europe. 

Well...let me just say this: the interior of the church far eclipses the exterior. If you’ve already come to look at the church from the outside, might as well go inside and witness a historical masterpiece in the making. It’ll be like being there while the Eiffel Tower was only an unfinished mass of twisted metal. This is history being written and if I missed out on the  building of the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Great Wall of China, at least I can say that I got to see the construction of the Sagrada Família.

This church is a masterpiece of art and Antonio Gaudí was the artist who made me literally stop in my tracks as I beheld the church from the inside. With my mouth open in astonishment, I did not know where to look first. It was a sensory overload kind of moment...a heady sensation that befuddled my mind as I tried to absorb all that I was seeing. In contrast to other great European churches, the Sagrada Família was not dimly lit but was flooded in a kaleidoscope of colors. It was a delightful mix of flowing curves and slanting columns (no boring straight lines), of jagged edges and sloping lines. All imaginable shapes and colors were thrown in to create this extraordinary house of worship − and as I said, it’s still unfinished! So dear reader, please give yourself a visual treat and step inside the Sagrada Família for a perfusion of color and delight.

Thank you for reading!

Beautiful Madness of Casa Batlló

Stepping into Casa Batlló was like stepping into a painting of Dali or Picasso, where reality gave way to imagination. Antonio Gaudí went all wild with this one, integrating dragon backs and bones and the spine of a whale. Yet in all that confusion of tiles and wood and stained glass, there was an order in the disorder. There was art to be found in the chaos. If I were to describe Casa Batlló in one word it would be compelling. You could not look at Casa Batlló without actually seeing it. It was a kind of in your face work of art that demanded your attention. Walking from one room to the other, I got the feeling that Gaudí didn’t care if I liked his work or not. Somehow, it was as though when he designed  the house he didn’t care if it evoked hatred or interest or awe or inspiration. What mattered  was that it compelled people to feel something. Anything. And if indeed this was so, Gaudí achieved just that. 

In a world of rules and structure, I found Casa Batlló utterly refreshing. The staircase handrail at the entrance of the house was like the spine of a whale and near the top of the house was a white hallway that felt like walking through the rib cage of a beast. Even the ceilings were not left bare as chandeliers and oddly shaped light fixtures hung from swirling and undulating lines. To top it all off, the back of a large dragon dominated the roof! It was chaos. It was madness. But what compelling chaos and beautiful madness it was.

Thank you for reading!

Summer Memories

Dear Reader,

I do not know how to put into words all that I felt and saw this summer in Barcelona. 

Perhaps as words fail me, these pictures will speak in ways that transcend all language of man.

xoxo,

Karline Kim

Thank you for dropping by!

  

Magic Fountain of Montjuïc

I didn’t really have expectations. But like all other moments when you don’t have expectations, life just serves you one big surprise. Yes, I was surprised. Enthralled even. Yet, I was enchanted above all. 

The plaza around the Font Màgica de Montjuïc was packed with people in the fading light of day. Everyone was trying to get the best vantage point before the musical fountain show would start. Somehow, I wound up standing directly at the fountain’s edge between a little girl and an elderly man. I kinda liked that. There’s always something special about places that draw people of all ages. And as though Heaven itself was part of the show, the sky dimmed just as the first musical note filled the hushed air. 

Then the fountain came alive. 

The water rose and fell in time with the music. With every crescendo, the fountain burst to it’s heights and the water faded and blended into different colors. People applauded and cheered and the fountain continued it’s show like a dancer reveling in the light of the crowd’s admiration. Some people danced with the music, some people hummed to the beat, and some even sang along. Gazing all around me, I saw tourists from all around the globe mingle with the locals. There was a certain tranquility that I felt. I found it beautiful that despite all our varied ethnic backgrounds and cultural differences, there could be unity. Laughter was the universal language that summer’s eve. And oh, how it filled the air!

In the light of the current troubles of our world, when I begin to doubt humanity, I go back to that one evening I spent at a fountain in Barcelona. That moment where race, creed, and politics were all set aside to appreciate the beauty of what we had. The blessing of music, the wonder of seeing, the gift of that soft summer breeze...the miracle of living. Remembering that moment, I cannot help but think that there is hope for humanity after all. 

Please pray for peace in this troubled world. 

Thank you for reading.