I don’t think I’ve ever been in a more city-like city than Hong Kong. It’s miles and miles of skyscrapers, unrelenting traffic noise, and concrete. At first, it had a lot of anonymity vibes, but, after Id’ walked around for a couple of days, it felt almost user-friendly. Overhead foot paths cross giant boulevards and wind through high rise complexes. Quiet paths hug the harbor through green spaces and large parks. No garbage and no bad smells except the fish sauce. The public transportation is impressive. Buses, trams, subway trains, and escalators. Also ferries. Because Hong Kong’s commercial districts are located on different islands, there is a lot of back and forth across Victoria Harbor. For 80 cents, you can hop a Star Ferry and almost any time of night or day.
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“Las Meninas” at the Prado

So….instead of writing my usual travel postings, I’m going to post one photo a day with a a little bit of context. Today’s photo was taken in Madrid’s Prado Museum. The painting is “Las Meninas,” by Diego Velazquez. It’s a very complex portrait of a Spanish family that creates an uncertain relationship between the viewer and the figures in the painting. I loved it even more after seeing the many ways Picasso deconstructed it in paintings that are exhibited in Barcelona. You can learn more about them here https://kimmie53.com/2020/03/07/catalunyas-many-free-spirits/#more-13292 or here https://www.infobae.com/cultura/2020/10/07/la-belleza-del-dia-las-meninas-de-pablo-picasso/.
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