Why did I sing "Safe and Sound" by Taylor Swift? Oh I don't know, maybe the ruined hotel reminded me of war and battles, which reminded me of the Hunger Games, which reminded me of its incredible soundtrack? Anyway, I hope you like it.
Tag: photography
A Real Working Holiday at a Moroccan Surf Camp
Teaching yoga, learning to surf, all while filling our bellies with delicious pancakes working at a Moroccan Surf Camp.
Abandoned Factories in Longdong
An abandoned factory off the shores of Longdong surprised us with an urban exploration wonderland, as we roamed the eerie premise.
The Ultimate Guide to Taroko Gorge
All the information out there about visiting the Taroko National Park can be quite confusing - especially because of the language barrier. Here's everything you need to know about visiting one of the most beautiful places in Taiwan.
Budget Backpacker: How to visit Bangkok for 7 days for only $300
Tested and proven, Bangkok is one of the most affordable places in the world to go on relatively spontaneous solo backpacking trips. 7 days, NT$10,000 to cover living, food, transport, and plane ticket. Find out how I pulled it off.
A moment for butterflies
It's another Monday, and it's back to the grind of a full-time job in the city. I had the blessing to escape the concrete on a filming assignment in Miaoli for a tourism television series exploring the best foods and attractions in Taiwan. At a Bed & Breakfast we visited, there was a bush that was Taiwanese-swimming-pooled … Continue reading A moment for butterflies
The Taipei Bucket List: Cat Cafés
If a city has a village designated to cats (Houton), it's no surprise that Cat Cafés would exist for those who don't have the time to trek to the cat lady paradise. As an distinguished and unashamed cat lady, I am vowing to visit every single one of the massive list of feline-inhabited cafés in … Continue reading The Taipei Bucket List: Cat Cafés
The Taipei Bucket List: Tourist Trap 101
If you're a fellow newly-grad folk faced with financial restraints, you might be interested in finding alternatives of enjoying the city without the cost.
City lights
I'm back on the road again - and every journey begins with an obligatory image of the view out of an airplane window from my 15-hour flight to Asia. This is the view over the city of Hong Kong at around 8pm.
The City Cat
How a stroll at the Financial District in Shanghai inspired a short film about the chillest cat on the planet.
Scenes of Shanghai: A man and his bird
There's a place in Shanghai where middle aged men go and feed their pet cricket, bird, and fish obsession.
Scenes of Shanghai: Playing cards in the park
There must be some secret poker society here in China, because I can't help but notice crowds of card playing at random sidewalks and every park I've visited.
A Chinese, less-extravagant version of Venice
What happens when a historic town that resides along a riverbank becomes a tourist hotspot.
A Dream I Dreamed in Shanghai
Yayoi Kusama is one of the most influential artists of our time. With her "A Dream I Dreamed" exhibit opening in Shanghai, a famous and rare attraction in an overpopulated city proved itself to be a unique experience all of its own.
Scenes of Shanghai: Adorable kids and pigeons
An adorable kid feeds pigeons in People's Square, which is like a smaller, Shanghai-version of Central Park, sitting amidst skyscrapers in the middle of the city. We assume the pigeons are purposely planted by the Chinese government, since this is the only place in the city that they are seen.
Scenes of Shanghai: Men and cotton candy
Two men enjoy their giant swirls of cotton candy in Tian Zi Fang, a maze of boutiques and street food in Shanghai, China.
A tourist-less attraction
In the dead season of tourism in Shanghai, shops in Yu Garden remain open and fully staffed despite the lack of tourists. This causes a lot of boredom and quality iPhone time for the clerks.
Cultural clashing
Tourist attractions in Shanghai seem to appease the tourists not only with extravagant traditional buildings, but also with a little modern familiarity.
Shameless tourist returns to Asia
What happens to a non-Cantonese speaking Asian in Hong Kong...
Life of luxury
Happiness is a perspective -- Nothing is worse than having everything you need and want, yet still always yearning for more.
The New York routine
Nothing makes you appreciate your "college days" more than experiencing a full-time job for the first time. Although I do love not having to worry about work after 5pm or pulling all-nighters to finish assignments, I do miss sleeping in and being allowed to skip classes every once in a while. Miraculously getting two … Continue reading The New York routine
Eating just enough for the city
If you ask anyone who's ever lived in, visited, or even touched New York, they'll probably all tell you one thing: It's expensive. Upon arrival, I've spent more money than I would for a whole month in Bloomington. Even Goodwill and thrift stores, which are usually my safe haven, are much pricier and stricter. (Another … Continue reading Eating just enough for the city
Culture shock
My arrival to New York has been a whirlwind. I went from awkward uneasiness to falling completely in love with this city. I was greeted with impeccable rudeness from workers in the supposed "customer service" industry upon arrival. The employees in subway stations are the most unhelpful people on the planet, and they will be … Continue reading Culture shock
Spring Break across the Pacific
While everyone else was getting their tan on a beach somewhere, I had the biggest honor of meeting the most incredible people in Japan. It was beyond a class trip, it was historic.
Home sweet n’ sour home
My mother recently sent me an old piece of writing I composed when I returned to Taiwan during the summer breaks after moving to the States. What year or how old I was when this was created is unknown, but the writing serves its destined purpose of documenting a life that I knew I would … Continue reading Home sweet n’ sour home
Colored powder and happy people
Nothing looks better on photos than colored powder and happy people. Last October I volunteered to photograph the annual JB5K, raising awareness for the disappearance and murder of Jill Behrman 13 years ago.
Dancing in the dark
I was doing some spring cleaning of the virtual world before a new semester begins when I stumbled upon some old photography I did for my photojournalism class back in the fall of 2011. The Nikon D3100 malfunctioned while I was there, so I was unable to submit these photographs to my class as it … Continue reading Dancing in the dark
The favorite restaurant
Taiwan is known for the portable eateries you encounter at night markets - the ones who couldn't pass an FDA evaluation if their life depended on it, yet provide the uniquely tasty dish non-reproducible anywhere else on this planet. But there's a hidden gem tucked away in southern Taiwan that is well-lit and sanitized with excellent … Continue reading The favorite restaurant
A home for the abandoned
Publication On Indiana Daily Student It’s hard to stroll the streets of Taiwan without seeing a few skinny dogs digging through the neighborhood dumpster. It’s no secret that this country has long suffered a serious stray dog problem due to the lack of animal shelters. But one family is trying to fix the problem, 800 … Continue reading A home for the abandoned
Things to do at a beach in Taiwan
Five movies, three meals, two snacks and a rough nap later, I finally arrived at Kaohsiung International Airport in Taiwan. I'd visited this country just last year in August, but having endured two more semesters of college since has provided a clean slate as to what to expect. The dreaded 18-hour flight was better than I … Continue reading Things to do at a beach in Taiwan
Lena Morris 