Dream Trip 2008: September

Great Travel Moment

Traveling with the Colorado Springs Youth Symphony, performing in 5 cities, holds many memories. We began our tour in Beijing the day after the anniversary of Tianamen Square events. I thought about what happened -- the lives lost and how many changes people of China have seen since that day. Once inside the Forbidden City, the beautiful architecture and seeing the Chinese enjoying their culture was a joy. The little girl caught my eye because she was so fashionable, especially with the oversized sunglasses. As I brought the camera up, she whipped off the glasses and then held my gaze for a long, intimate moment. I felt her presence. Later when I saw the photo I was struck by the symbolism of the open door to her future on the left and the beautiful red doors of the past on her right.