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Hey everybody, do you know what the sculpture is in my photo here? You probably got it right - the Chicago Bean!

This public artwork’s official name is Cloud Gate, and it has been a landmark of Chicago since the opening of Millennium Park in 2004. Locals call it The Bean. This huge magic bean is a very popular site that attracts tourists from around the world. I was one of them. :)

It was during my grand solo trip in USA 5 years ago. I took the epic California Zephyr train (yes the unforgettable 53 hours crossing the vast American land with gorgeous views :)) from San Francisco to the Windy City - Chicago, and visited this famous stainless steel figure.

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嗨~ 大家好！看出来这是哪里了吗？这大豆一样的公共雕塑位于美国芝加哥的千禧公园，正式名称叫“云门”，昵称“豆荚”。自从2004年揭幕，就成为芝加哥的地标之一，一直吸引着世界各地的吃瓜群众前来观瞻，包括我。;)

五年前，我搭乘那趟有名的加州西风号列车，晃荡了50几个小时，横穿美国大陆，一路美景变幻，从春风萧萧的旧金山风尘仆仆地来到风城芝加哥，有幸领略了这颗大魔豆的风采。看出来这段的关键字是“风”了嘛？;p

它的创造者卡普尔是位印度裔的英国人，称云门的灵感来自于液态水银。这颗巨大的魔豆由168块不锈钢板接焊而成，我们这些游客可以从它的表面上看到被反射和扭曲的自己、其他吃瓜群众和城市轮廓。整个大豆光滑无接缝，底部的凹形空间还会歪曲和重叠影像，是不是很奇特？:)

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According to its creator, the Indian-born British artist Anish Kapoor:

What I wanted to do was to make a work that would deal with the incredible skyline of Chicago and the open sky and the lake but then also be a kind of gate. You know, the tradition of public sculpture is for the gate, the archway, the square to flow within [the landscape] rather than be an object decorating it.

Contemporary public spaces are a very difficult problem that we haven’t yet fully and properly understood. The idea here was to make a work that was drawing in the sky, the skyline and all of that, and at the same time allowing you to enter it like a piece of architecture that was pulling your own reflection into the fulcrum, making a kind of participatory experience.

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At every side of the big Bean, there were onlookers taking selfies or group photos. I guess we all like its lovely shape and the cool idea that one can see him/herself together with the surroundings from the shiny surface. Plus it’s fun to get those distorted shots of your body and the buildings around. =) Kudos to Anish Kapoor for the “participatory experience”!

Like what we normally do on the Uyuni salt flats, or with the Pizza tower, visitors can take creative perspective photos with all kinds of goofy gestures. :D I would probably try some too if I travel there with my families or friends in future!

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Have you visited this Bean before? How’s your experience?

The head image is also my entry for @axeman’s Cityscape Photo Contest. Check it out and join the photo fun! :)

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你去过芝加哥没？觉得这颗大豆怎么样？=)

^{All content by @itchyfeetdonica
图文 by Donica多}

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Thank you for visiting! Please tell me what you think. Exchange makes change! =)
If you like my content, please support me by commenting / following / upvoting / resteeming.
感谢来访！你的关注/点赞/留言/转发就是对我最好的支持~ 下次见！:)

---

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Here are some of my travel shots. Check out my posts on Steemit World Map, and follow me for more adventures around the globe! :)
下面是我的一些旅途摄影。欢迎查看我的Steemit世界地图，跟我一起环游世界~！

!steemitworldmap 41.883055 lat -87.623122 long d3scr

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Posted using Partiko iOS

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This page is synchronized from the post: ‘#218 Cloud Gate 🇺🇸 | 芝加哥大魔豆’

Hey everyone! How’s your weekend going so far? Here I’m sharing some photos of clouds, 3 of them as my entries to the B&W Photo Contest.

大家周末好啊~ 今天分享三组单色云的照片，希望你们喜欢。=)

Lens Clouds in Patagonia
智利巴塔哥尼亚的飞碟云

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I took these 2 photos near the Lago Grey lake inside Torres del Paine national park of Chile. This dramatic lenticular cloud formation is commonly seen in this region. As the lens clouds look like flying saucers, they have been mistaken by some people as UFOs. I talked about it last year in my post of Grey Glacier.

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Clouds near Juliaca of Peru
秘鲁高原的云

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The epic views in the second group of photos are by Río Cañuma, close to Juliaca and Puno in Peru. It was freezing cold high up at about 4300 meters even when I was there in summer time, but this breathtaking (literally too) scenery just held me spellbound. :)

Clouds in Atacama of Chile
智利阿塔卡马沙漠地区的云

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The volcano in the first photo here is Licancabur, which could be seen from many corners of the area. After hiking to a hilltop in the Moon Valley, I was stunned by the surreal scene. The clouds floated around the magnificent mountains, and under my feet was the moon-like terrain.

Impressed by the candyflossy clouds and the rugged hills, I snapped the second picture with my phone from a bus leaving the Atacama region.
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Our mother nature is amazing, isn’t it? That’s it for the clouds. Which one do you like the best? Tell me in the comments please! =)


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看到这里，是不是也惊叹大自然母亲造物的神奇功力？你最喜欢哪一张呢？欢迎留言评论。:)




^{All content by @itchyfeetdonica
图文 by Donica多
Photos shot with Canon Kiss X3 and iPhone 7}

---

Thank you for visiting! Please tell me what you think. Exchange makes change! =)
If you like my content, please support me by commenting / following / upvoting / resteeming.
感谢来访！你的关注/点赞/留言/转发就是对我最好的支持~ 下次见！:)

---

##
Here are some of my travel shots. Check out my posts on Steemit World Map, and follow me for more adventures around the globe! :)
下面是我的一些旅途摄影。欢迎查看我的Steemit世界地图，跟我一起环游世界~！

https://steemitimages.com/DQmWSyM6PcNQJ9LL5UciWHWdZjHvcKQwP63HHMyJzvzvobB/4.jpg

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This page is synchronized from the post: ‘#217 My Entries for B&W Photo Contest ~ Clouds ☁ | 云们~’

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What’s up fellow Steemians! You might have heard of Neuschwanstein Castle, which inspired Sleeping Beauty’s castle in Disneyland? So follow me today to visit this famous palace nestled in the idyllic Bavarian Alps! :)

大家好呀~ 你们听过德国的网红新天鹅堡吧？没错，就是迪士尼乐园里睡美人城堡的原型！据说也启发了1950年建成的灰姑娘城堡。今天就请跟我到巴伐利亚州，一路上山来看看这个梦幻城堡和它周围让人惊艳的自然环境。

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As you can see from the map of my phone, the castle is located on a hill above the village of Hohenschwangau near Füssen in the southwest of Germany. Most visitors start the trip from Hohenschwangau where the ticket center is located.

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The route map I found on a road sign:

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Some easy walking at the beginning:

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En route I got this view of the castle - Hohenschwangau perched on a little hill, and the brilliant sunset. This older castle was where King Ludwig II spent his childhood, and it had been overshadowed by the shing new castle ever since its completion.

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Actually Neuschwanstein Castle was originally called New Hohenschwangau Castle, and it’s given a new name after Ludwig II’s death. Literally meaning “New Swan Stone Castle”, it is a reference to the influential and controversial composer Richard Wagner’s character, the Swan Night.

King Ludwig II of Bavaria commissioned the castle as a retreat on a rugged cliff in 1868, 2 years after he lost his powers as a result of the Austro-Prussian War. However, he never saw the final Neuschwanstein castle. The last towers were only finished 6 years after his sudden death in 1886.

After this charming Romanesque Revival palace was opened to the public, it quickly became one of the most visited castles in the world. Its white limestone façade and blue turrets are said to be real-life inspiration for the Disney Cinderella castle as well.

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Pictures and commentaries on my way - the castle seen from the west and the northwest:

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Getting closer:

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Looking up at the Neuschwanstein Castle:

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The tunnel inside:

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Below is the view I captured from the very high Marienbrücke” (Mary’s bridge), situated above Pöllat gorge. What impressed me the most was not the Neuschwanstein Castle itself, but rather how it blended into the stunning natural settings around.

I visited it in September when the surrounding foliage just started to turn yellow, while green was still the dominant color. Judging from the photos I saw taken in other seasons, this place is amazingly beautiful all year round. I’d love to visit it in future in other times of the year and to do more hikings in the forests nearby.

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After crossing the bridge, I found a narrow trail leading high up. Thinking that it would be a great vantage point for photos, I decided to hike along:

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The trail was almost blocked at the end, and I had to climb with my hands at the last part. But it’s a lot of fun to explore, and it’s rewarding to see the panoramic view in the golden hour. :)

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View from that hilltop:

The head image in this post was taken from the same vantage point, and it’s my entry to @qurator’s Photo Friday competition.

So that’s it for today. Have you visited this world-renowned palace? How’s your experience? Tell me in the comments please! :)

^{All content by @itchyfeetdonica
图文 by Donica多
Photos shot with iPhone 7}

---

Thank you for visiting! Please tell me what you think. Exchange makes change! =)
If you like my content, please support me by commenting / following / upvoting / resteeming.
感谢来访！你的关注/点赞/留言/转发就是对我最好的支持~ 下次见！:)

---

##
Here are some of my travel shots. Check out my posts on Steemit World Map, and follow me for more adventures around the globe! :)
下面是我的一些旅途摄影。欢迎查看我的Steemit世界地图，跟我一起环游世界~！

!steemitworldmap 47.557455 lat 10.749940 long d3scr

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This page is synchronized from the post: ‘#216 Follow Me to Neuschwanstein Castle 🏰 🇩🇪 | 梦幻新天鹅堡’

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Greetings everyone! This is my entry to the People Photography contest by @worldcapture. I shot this photo from a running bus on a street of Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital city. It’s raining heavily, and these 2 vendors were selling sweet potatoes and longans.

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越南首都河内街头，闷热持续了很多天，最后离开时突然暴雨倾盆 ⛈️ 。天色灰暗，街道泥泞，我从行进的巴士上看到这两位卖地瓜🍠和桂圆的女性。当时的心情大概也比较潮湿。生活不易，且行且珍惜。

^{All content by @itchyfeetdonica
图文 by Donica多}

---

Thank you for visiting! Please tell me what you think. Exchange makes change! =)
If you like my content, please support me by commenting / following / upvoting / resteeming.
感谢来访！你的关注/点赞/留言/转发就是对我最好的支持~ 下次见！:)

---

##
Here are some of my travel shots. Check out my posts on Steemit World Map, and follow me for more adventures around the globe! :)
下面是我的一些旅途摄影。欢迎查看我的Steemit世界地图，跟我一起环游世界~！

https://steemitimages.com/DQmWSyM6PcNQJ9LL5UciWHWdZjHvcKQwP63HHMyJzvzvobB/4.jpg

---

This page is synchronized from the post: ‘#215 Street Vendors @Hanoi 🇻🇳 - People Photography by Worldcapture Week #21 | 河内街头’

When I say Vietnamese food, what’s the first thing popping into your mind? Phở? 🙂 Originated from northern Vietnam in the early 20th century, this delicious noodle soup has been popularized in other parts of the world by refugees after the Vietnam War.

Well, Vietnamese people might laugt at it, since they surely have so much more to offer than this little bowl of noodle soup. But after trying out different food around Vietnam, I have to say phở is still one of my favorites. 😄

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Here I’m sharing some photos of the Phở bò (beef noodle soup) I had in Hanoi, the country’s capital. Since my friend Joy is traveling there right now and we talked about the local food.

Phở consists of beef or chicken broth, herbs, and rice noodles called bánh phở. Phở bò is with beef cuts and Phở gà has chicken in it. When I was in Hanoi, I ate it almost any time of the day, but when I went to the south of Vietnam, it’s more difficult to find it after breakfast time. The size of the rice noodles, the choice of herbs and the taste of the broth are also different.

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因为老朋友Joy正在越南的首都河内游玩，问我以前在那吃了啥好吃的，我在手机里一通搜索，找到些河内逛吃的照片，这次先来分享个越南有名的河粉。

20世纪早期，越南河粉起源于国家的北部，也就是河内所在的那块地区。越南战争后被难民带到世界各地，广受欢迎。西方国家大城市的街头也常常能看到卖越南河粉的店。

当然，如果我们一提越南菜就说河粉，越南人估计会发笑，因为毕竟还有那么多其他美食呢。然鹅，我从北到南吃了一圈各种菜，还是觉得河粉最合胃口，哈哈…… 我这是烂泥扶不上墙的刘阿斗吗？😄

一般越南河粉有鸡肉和牛肉两种口味，北方和南方用的米粉宽度、汤头味道和香草🌿配料也有不同。我这里发的是在北方的河内一家小店吃到的牛肉河粉。在河内和其他北方地区时，一天到晚街头都有河粉卖，但后来到了南部，过了吃早餐的时间，就很难找到河粉摊子了。

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Address:
地址：

This is my entry for Qurator’s Tasty Tuesday competition, and here are 2 more posts I did before about Vietnam:

另外，以前发过越南街头的迷你煎饼，还有在美国华盛顿和越南的胡志明市参观两个越南战争纪念馆的经历：

• Vietnamese Street Food - Mini-Pancakes🥞 🇻🇳 | 越南街头的迷你煎饼

https://steemitimages.com/DQmPU4sqvSZUrDHS3frjAbNGJ74UmN8u8B4gExDG4bA58uc/IMG_0708.JPG

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• Visiting Vietnam Veterans Memorial 🇺🇸 + War Remnants Museum 🇻🇳 | 越南战争双馆记

https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmQqZfP1qhWxohUbGh9xEjYt1fyHTSaE3BQ1cYwMfuqJya/IMG_6947.JPG

^{All content by @itchyfeetdonica
图文 by Donica多}

---

Thank you for visiting! Please tell me what you think. Exchange makes change! =)
If you like my content, please support me by commenting / following / upvoting / resteeming.
感谢来访！你的关注/点赞/留言/转发就是对我最好的支持~ 下次见！:)

---

##
Here are some of my travel shots. Check out my posts on Steemit World Map, and follow me for more adventures around the globe! :)
下面是我的一些旅途摄影。欢迎查看我的Steemit世界地图，跟我一起环游世界~！

https://steemitimages.com/DQmWSyM6PcNQJ9LL5UciWHWdZjHvcKQwP63HHMyJzvzvobB/4.jpg

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This page is synchronized from the post: ‘#214 Phở Bò @Hanoi 🇻🇳 | 美味的越南牛河’

Greetings everyone! How’s the weather in your place? It’s been raining here in Belgium for too many days and there’s even a hailstorm today. So let’s get some vitamin sea and sun from the tropical island - Puerto Rico. I used to live in San Juan and shot these photos. Life is a beach there~

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嗨~ 今天分享几张我住在波多黎各首都圣胡安时拍的城市海滩。因为前些天看到@veronicazhu发的圣胡安游记，想起我曾在那里住过，然后这几天比利时阴雨连绵，今天还下起冰雹，实在是渴望阳光，就找出以前在圣胡安这个热带城市的照片，聊以自慰。也来参加 @iguazi123发起的「带我看看，你的城市」。

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Carolina Beach - a bit far from the city center, but nice and quiet. Slender palm trees and splendid sunset：
卡罗莱纳海滩 —— 离市中心比较远，安静悠闲，棕榈摇曳，日落超赞：

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Condado Laguna and beach - in downtown area, great place for snorkeling and stand up paddle boarding:
康达多泻湖和沙滩 —— 就在市区，经常去那里浮潜和玩水上直立板：

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Punta Escambron - a popular place for local families to swim and to relax with picnic and music:
Escambron角 —— 安全的港湾，是处游泳的好地方，很受当地家庭的欢迎。每次去都会看到很多一大家子在那里晒太阳、野餐、伴着震天响的音乐唱歌跳舞 :D：

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I used to live by the Ocean Park beach too, but didn’t find any pictures! I guess I was too used to going to that beach every day, so didn’t feel like taking photos. :)

还有其他几处常去的城市海滩，竟然没有找到照片，大概是去太多习以为常了，就没有拍照。毕竟，熟悉的风景总是容易被忽略咯~ =)

^{All content by @itchyfeetdonica
图文 by Donica多}

---

Thank you for visiting! Please tell me what you think. Exchange makes change! =)
If you like my content, please support me by commenting / following / upvoting / resteeming.
感谢来访！你的关注/点赞/留言/转发就是对我最好的支持~ 下次见！:)

---

##
Here are some of my travel shots. Check out my posts on Steemit World Map, and follow me for more adventures around the globe! :)
下面是我的一些旅途摄影。欢迎查看我的Steemit世界地图，跟我一起环游世界~！

!steemitworldmap 18.466650 lat -66.086080 long d3scr

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This page is synchronized from the post: ‘#213 San Juan (1) - Life is a Beach 🇵🇷 | 圣胡安（一）—— 城市海滩’