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My Favorite Places - Monterrey, Daegu, and St. Louis



I have chosen three places - all of them have a great deal of meaning to me, and store many memories.
Monterrey, Mexico - I recently took my first trip here with my fiancé. It's where he was born, and where his family has its roots. We traveled all over the city, going to museums and shops and eating a lot of food. We also went to visit a few mountains that surround the city. One of the most striking things about it is that the mountains rise up practically from the city.
This is a photo I took of what I believe is the original post office building for the city. Taken December, 2018.
This is a photo I took from the center of a city, in an old steel mill industrial park that has been turned into an oasis in the middle of Monterrey. Taken December, 2018.
Daegu, South Korea - I spent a semester studying at Kyungpook National University in Daegu, and it continues to be one of my favorite places. I made such wonderful friends, and South Korea is beautiful in so many ways: the people, culture, food, and music, to name a very few.
This was Daegu in the 18th Century, according to Wikipedia.
This was the view of the sunset from the top of my dorm building at the university. Taken October,  2016. 


St. Louis, Missouri, USA - St. Louis is where I spent most of my childhood, and where my family is currently located. I love the city for many reasons, despite the bad rep it gets in the news. We have free museums, zoos, concerts, and more, and it's a great place to raise a family.
This is a photo I took from the top of the St. Louis Arch, with some filters added. The city is gorgeous and has plenty to do, without feeling crowded like so many other cities. Photo taken August, 2017. 
This is a photo taken on my phone by a friend of my brother and I at an ice skating rink in a plaza due West of the St. Louis Arch. Photo taken December, 2017.

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  1. Laura GibbsJanuary 14, 2019 at 2:27 PM

    What a great combination, Alena! The only one of these places that I have been to is St. Louis (my great-aunts all lived there; I know the Arch well). That picture you took of the Monterrey "oasis" is beautiful... and how great that you have lived in Korea! Here is a fun India connection: The Indian princess who became a South Korean queen -- the Indian "Ayodhya" mentioned in the article is going to be the home of the hero Rama that you will meet in the Ramayana. :-)

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    1. AlenaBeeskiJanuary 14, 2019 at 2:35 PM

      How fascinating! I had no idea South Korea and India had such a connection (historically accurate or otherwise). Thank you for showing me this!

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  2. Laura GibbsJanuary 14, 2019 at 3:48 PM

    One of the very cool things about studying India is looking at the interconnections all throughout Asia. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Elena GuoMarch 3, 2019 at 12:58 AM

    Hi Alby!
    I think it is really cool that you studied abroad in South Korea! My sister is currently working there as a English instructor for primary school students, so I am actually thinking of going there in May to visit her (and because I have always wanted to visit South Korea!).

    ReplyDelete

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