Inside Yale's Harkness Tower

Harkness Tower is a masonry tower at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Part of the Collegiate Gothic Memorial Quadrangle complex completed in 1922, it is named for Charles William Harkness, brother of Yale's largest benefactor, Edward Harkness.

The tower was constructed between 1917 and 1921 as part of the Memorial Quadrangle donated to Yale by Anna M. Harkness in honor of her recently deceased son, Charles William Harkness, an 1883 Yale graduate. When the residential college system was inaugurated in 1933, the tower became part of Branford College.

Harkness Tower is 216 feet (66 m) tall, one foot for each year since Yale's founding at the time it was built. From a square base, it rises in stages to a double stone crown on an octagonal base, and at the top are stone finials. From the street level to the roof, there are 284 steps.

Merci, Paris!

My recent trip to Paris has already made me think of another trip to Paris soon again. Apparently there are so many places to visit, museums, cafes, and even bookstores…

I don’t really speak French. All I know are just Bonjour and Merci. My friends in France told me just say “Bonjour” whenever you enter a new place, a restaurant or convenience store, and that will make your life much easier. I guess that is the magic, or we may be lucky?

We met many nice waiters/waitresses, especially at those local cafes in your hotel neighbourhood. My favorite during the last trip is the one near Le Bon Marche, the famous department store in Paris, and the cafe is already a three-generations family business, which is not unusual in Paris.

The waitress of Au Sauvignon (est. 1954) in the 6th district was in my grandma age but she remained very elegant. We took her advice for the home-made croissant and omelette and they were just très bien!

As my friend Shavkat Toshev, a Uzbek diplomat based in Paris, reminded me that the whole city of Paris itself is like a huge gallery. Every corner is so beautiful that you have to walk every street to see the whole and different beauties and charms of Paris on your own.

And yes, the best way to explore Paris is by foot and it will be also such a good exercise especially after you eat many delicious croissants.

Oh, if you go for brunch or coffee at Au Sauvignon, try its omelette, one of the best I’ve ever had. Miss it already.

Paris, till the next time!

Till We Fly Again

I’m a magnet souvenir collector.

Wherever I travel, I will buy one or two local magnets of my destination and then bring them home. Every trip has an end but somehow those souvenirs can make my home feel more like home.

But my world travel paused in 2020. It’s not about cabin fever or get a bottle of champagne at the 35,000 feet high, but suddenly that I feel my world is smaller and don’t have the freedom of move any more. That in fact frustrates me the most.

You know the old Chinese saying? Like the “frog of the well” (井底之蛙), so it won’t get a chance to see the ocean and the real world.

In 2020, we are all like frogs now. Just sad.