It didn’t REALLY feel like being back in the US until after returning home to San Francisco. The last few stops in New York, Vermont, Chicago and Santa Fe were a continuation of the European adventure to me. Although I hastily posted the panoramas I took of each major stop in the 80 days around the world, I didn’t get a chance to highlight some memorable events from this year’s 2015 trip.

1. Beijing: staying at the Courtyard 7 Hotel, in the midst of a lively commercial scene in Dongcheng;
2. Trans-Siberian and Trans-Mogolian Express:  Exercising in a private car and nosing into staff attendants’ food prep;
3. Moscow: seeing the mighty Kremlin, Red Square, and beautiful Russian women;
4. St. Petersburg: exercising in the park adjacent to the hotel and overcoming hoards of tourists at the Hermitage;
5. Berlin: a visit to the Reichstag in the seering heat and finding respite in the Zoological Gardens;
6. Salzburg: seeing Jonas Kaufmann (a bit disappointing), but being in the company of extremely sveldt opera-goers;
7. Vienna: the National Library collection and Schönbrunn grounds for running;
8. St. Florian: handsome priests (!) and undulating hills
9. Zurich, Brunnen and Wallins: Walking, seaside resort and crisp mountain air with scenery that makes your eyes ache from the beauty;
10. Schwäbisch Hall: Goethle, new-found friends, and little Deutsch Verbesserungen;
11. New York: art galleries, East River and more love for the best city in the world;
12. Chicago: friends, Biennale, and more love for city that’s a sane New York;
13. Santa Fe: good food, and integration of art and environment.

These are just snapshots of my fantastic trip this year. Who knows what 2016 will bring???

As for my reintegration into San Francisco and its own crazy world of high tech, housing crisis and public transit first, a few photos of my last few days:

Curtain call for the San Francisco Opera Performance of Lucia de Lammamoor, with Nadine Sierra as Lucia;

A rare shot of the Chou-Fong family: Gee Kin (an educational consultant); Melissa (a dessert chef at Mourad); Julianne (an architect at Mithune Architects), and VickieVictoria, celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation in my home town, Oakland.

My two favorite architectural professors, Jim Ishimaru and Sara Ishikawa, at the East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation 40th Year Anniversary

And finally, on Friday Evenings at the De Young, a performance by Ben Ahn, an Asian ukelelist:

As you can see, I am trying to keep the momentum going to stay active, see the world even if it is at home, and enjoy the best of life, art, architecture, and culture! Forward to the future….

Thanks to all for your comments and sharing in this adventure. I look forward to staying in touch with each of you.