Thoughts beyond my life & my travel - Bel

Harbin, located in the north-eastern part of China, still reminds me its tragic moments during the Japanese occupancy, especially the inhuman chemical and biological tests on humans. It is also a vast area where the Russians fought against the Japanese for its ambitious expansion plan. Nevertheless, many old buildings in the city are full of historical heritage, including St Sophia Cathedral. This magnificent structures are one of the symbols in Harbin and was built 100 years ago. I walked around the cathedral, the brick looks impeccable. I sense tranquility in its surroundings despite that it is a popular place for families or couples to hang out. The dome top is so unique that makes me feel I were in Russia. Sadly I didn't have a chance to look inside the cathedral as it's turned to be a so-called museum. Cathedrals and churches are the place for people to pray and admire. They should be always open to everyone including Catholics or atheists. Why asking people to...

It's a 6-day trip but I felt like I was on the road for over 2 weeks as there was a long drive almost every day. I missed home on day 5 since I was sick of changing hotels every day and tried to struggle with unfamiliar beds for a good sleep. The scenery is amazing that can compensate the sleep that I lost, but the early morning calls just stirred up my sleep schedule and ruined my happy mood. Who wants to wake up at 4am in the morning? We didn't wake up for sunrise but simply tried to have an early start driving back to a bigger city and do a lot of sightseeing in a day. That triggered another thought - I shouldn't join a group tour in my next trip. Travel should be more relaxed with good sleep and no crazy schedule. At 10:30pm on day 5, I was lying on a comfortable bed in a 5-star hotel, thinking that I should have a wonderful sleep that night. Sadly, I was just crying and feeling heart broken which I didn't feel for a long time. The hurtful feeling shall sub...