Writing Adventures

Maybe it’s because 2020 is difficult and people need a faraway place to relax. So this time I’ve chosen three very niche destinations for you to visit. The year 2020 is more than half over, and although we’ve been through a lot, things are moving in the right direction now.
1. Gansu – Gannan
Gannan is a remote part of Gansu, and it’s nothing like what you’d expect in the northwest. There are mountains, lakes, grasslands, rivers, and a rich Tibetan culture.
1）. Across the Yellow River: Tank Yellow River with nine twists and turns.
2）. Visit the Tibetan Buddhist monastery of Labrang Monastery, the setting for the film A World Without Thieves.
3）. Visit the two central grasslands of the Tibetan Plateau: Ruoerge and Sangke. The greens are filled with cattle, sheep, and Tibetan boys on big horses.
4）. Sacred mountains a year Baoyuze: year-round snow-covered peaks and plateau glaciers spectacular ice body, as well as steep rocks and mysterious lakes.
5）. About Seda. Here, everything is related to Buddha. Come here, to be connected with Buddha.

Tips.
There is no rail access in Gannan, and roads are the only means of transportation in and out of Gannan Autonomous Prefecture.
The Gannan region is still relatively cold, with a massive temperature difference between morning and night, so a thick coat is necessary.
A variety of sunscreen, hydrating masks, and lip balm are necessary, as well as sunglasses and mosquito repellent. And all kinds of cold, anti-diarrhea, band-aids, and other medicines also need to be prepared.
Remember not to run and jump on the plateau, do not be too excited.

2. Hebei – Anaya

The most famous building here is the pure white church by the sea – Anaya Auditorium, with a clean and straightforward design, it looks like a painting no matter what angle you take it from or what the weather is. In addition to the Anaya Auditorium, there’s also the Sanlian Bookstore Seaside Community Library, which has been called the “loneliest library” in China. The library, which stands alone in the picture, also has an inexplicable beauty in the endless seaside. Life will end, but the sea will never end, says Shusei Terayama. Qinhuangdao has a pleasant spring and summer climate, perfect for long walks on the beach, gentle moments, and extended holiday days.
1) We can go to the pigeon nest to watch the sunrise on the sea, blowing the warm sea breeze, running against the morning, and there are flocks of pigeons gathering among the rocks.
Admission: 25 RMB per person, open 4am-6pm.
2) Head to the safari park, where there are baby white deer and white tigers, and you can choose to browse the scenic train ride through the park.
Admission: 100RMB per person (children half price), open 8:30am-4:30pm.
3) Xianluo Island, take the 1,000-meter cross-sea ropeway and take a snapshot on the ropeway for a memorable photo.
Admission: 90 RMB per person, opening hours: 8:00am-5:00pm

3. Xinjiang – Turks
Although Xinjiang is no longer a stranger to the scenery, the Akitas grasslands in Turks are a relatively more niche choice ~ rolling hills, covered in vibrant greenery. Here, all you can see is blue sky and white clouds, followed by greenery as far as the eye can see. There are also wildflowers blooming in the mountains in summer, the feeling of shadows around you and flowers under your feet. Another beautiful scenery in Turks is the village called Jongkhushtai. There are snow-capped mountains, streams, cattle, sheep, and pine forests. It is like a fairy tale world. All the village houses are made of wood, and the older ones even have grass on their roofs, blending in with the grassland. Turks is the first city without traffic lights in china.
Walking around the city is equivalent to breaking into a gossip formation. Ask a local for directions, he will not answer east, west, north, south, up, down, left, and right, which can not accurately express the order of Turks, but with metal, wood, water, fire, cut one off nine.

Top 5 Alternatives to Starbucks in Denver 

I love Starbucks just as much as the person but, sometimes I want to switch it up or just save some money (because let’s just admit it Starbucks can get a bit pricey). So here are the top 5 coffee shops in Denver.

5. 

   Ink! Coffee

Ink! Coffee on University Bvd is definitely a must-try, the interior design is simplistic and urban. Although their decor is simplistic their coffee is not. They pride themselves on their ability to roast coffee beans at a high altitude and a low temperature. And they have such a wide variety of coffees to chose from, and not only that they have a wide variety of lunch items to choose from and even some gluten-free pastries! And if you need your PSL fix they do have a special fall pumpkin drink this year.

4. 

   Keith’s Coffee

If you’re looking for a place that gives you the warm and fuzzies and feels like you’re sipping coffee with your parents, I would definitely check out Keith’s Coffee. Keith’s Coffee is definitely a hidden gem near the University of Denver. Their coffee is simple just like their decor. But, the simplistic nature of their shop doesn’t take away the rich flavor of their coffee! If you make your way there I would definitely suggest that you try their vanilla latte it is made to perfection!  

3. Kaladi Coffee

Near Evans Ave is one of the most interesting coffee shops that I have ever been to. While the shop originated in Alaska they pride themselves on having coffee from all over the world. They mainly focus on south American coffee styles. But they’re coffee isn’t the only thing that makes Kaladi Coffee the decor in the coffee shop is very reflective of how diverse their coffee is. If you’re looking to try something interesting I would definitely try the golden milk latte!

2. Olive and Finch

Near Cherry Creek Mall Olive and Finch is a cute little bakery that has amazing brunch food and unique coffee. Most of their coffee has a unique spin on it, like the dirty chai tea latte I got, they also have a ton of different options when it comes to milk substitutions! But what is really great about this bakery is that they have some of the most perfect pairings of their coffees and pastries, they even give you a little list. Although it is more expensive it is definitely worth it.

1. Stella’s Coffee

Stella’s is by far my favorite coffee shop in Denver, as soon as you walk in you get a very chill artistic vibe from the shop. Every room in the coffee shop is colorful and decorated but each room is different. The coffee is great, they do have a set list of drinks but the baristas are super accomodating and will really make anything for you. A lot of University of Denver students go into Stella’s to study and there’s free wifi. 

Gone are the days of capricious weekend getaways and excessively anticipated trips to far off lands – or so it seems, at least. No, under the weighty limitations of the corona virus, we content ourselves with side-stepping strangers on one of the few open trails nearby or visiting a Trader Joe’s in the next county over because its rumored to have shorter lines. But, with great oppression comes great creativity. When it comes to traveling in 2020, the front lines of innovation have been pushed, as we all struggle to adapt to this jarring, new way of life and work within its parameters. The static background green screening your life suddenly becomes alive when looked at through wearied eyes and by a disheartened soul; like The Garden of Earthly Delights, you only find more the longer you stare. We explore our neighborhoods and backyards, meandering familiar streets with newfound free time, pondering newfound challenges. Travel is born not only from physical setting but from the mental experience that encompasses it. What looks like a haunted house at night might seem a castle in the light of day. Our experience of place can change and grow with the flight of our minds. The 2020 mind takes the hardened fossil of our local neighborhood and melts it down, loosening its atoms’ grip on one another, making the solid malleable.

Therapy, psychiatry, and mental counseling in general are likely among the few industries that have actually profited under Donald Trump’s Covid America. Between the egregious consequences of a systemically and institutionally racist country, a global pandemic that’s secondary consequences encompass newfound depths of social isolation, the abhorrently capricious demagogue running the country, and the cancellation of Keeping Up with The Kardashians, the need for professional mental health guidance has never been more dire. No strangers to this pervasive melancholia are the student of the University of Denver, who are ruing each class they naively skipped before the luxury of walking to Sturm on a crisp fall day was rescinded. But next in the endless obstacle course of unprecedented impediments is this: the walls of your 1,000 square foot house are paper thin, and your four roommates haven’t seen the light of day since yesterday’s Birdcall run, plus two of their boyfriends seemed to have moved in (although no one has acknowledged this yet), and privacy is a luxury. Like all domains of life post-corona, you must get creative. Here are some little-known spots that are perfect for a 50-minute TeleHealth appointment with your trusty confidant:

• Robert H. McWilliams Park

Unbeknownst to the general consciousness of the student body is Robert H. McWilliams Park, a 1.8 mile bike ride that Google Maps presumptuously reports as taking 13 minutes although this route takes me at least 20 minutes on my most manic days (don’t believe everything you read on the internet, people). Other than a few club athletes sporting DU garb who coach the 4^thgraders in lacrosse and soccer on the other side of the creek, I’ve never encountered a fellow Pio while lamenting the death of spontaneous human interaction with Dr. Farquhar under the shade of the oak trees.

• This Random Tree Outside of the Registrar’s Office

While so many visceral, interactive aspects of campus have changed, like a decapitated cockroach crawling frantically in a blind frenzy, so many of its inherent stressors have stayed the same. The familiar academically induced breakdown hasn’t lost its stubborn charm, only donned a mask. As a humanitarian, I’m most familiar with the terrain of North-West campus, and my favorite virtual Shrinking Couch is under this old reliable. Bonus: It’s near the library, so if anyone sees you in the throes of emotion, they’ll assume that all of your midterms fall on week 4.

• Blackjack Pizza Parking Lot

There is no more fertile ground for honest transparency than the illusion of anonymity. We are lulled into this false sense of namelessness as soon as we venture a few blocks from the University’s buildings – a small, stressed out fish in a large pond of Conocos and Cherry Hills commuters. I find that I can really open up to my therapist about my increasing pessimism and disillusionment with a world morphing into a caricature when I stoop it on the curb outside of Blackjack’s. Besides, it’s the worst pizza in the Denver Metro Area, so you’re guaranteed solitude.

• The Alley Between S High and S Williams St

One of the DU area’s most attractive qualities is its abundance of outstanding alleys. Littered with trash, populated by a cohort of upperclassmen spiraling into reckless despondency, and overrun by a particularly aggressive tribe of squirrels, the alleyways from High to Downing really increase the property value of the college cottages in the area. If you can find a sunny spot free from freshman stoners sneaking out of the dorm and the mysterious wet patches punctuating the uneven concrete, you can really overanalyze with your mental health professional.