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Dirty Elbows

Another travel blog (but with more wine-related stuff)

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emily tossing her hat happily on Olkhon Island

Travel Stories + Life Musings

view of Beijing from Sanlitun Soho

Hello from Beijing! 

October 1, 2017 //  by dirtyelbows

After a summer of deliberation and hair-loss, I bought a one-way ticket to Cartagena, Colombia for October 25, intent on finally starting my …

Hello from Beijing! Read More

Category: BeijingTag: beijing, china

A short beautiful airport story 

May 20, 2017 //  by dirtyelbows

I'm at the airport on my way to Seattle to meet one of my favorite people in the whole wide world. In line, I start to chat with another …

A short beautiful airport story Read More

Category: Uncategorized

My “Before Sunrise” Fantasy: Istanbul to Berlin by train

May 10, 2017 //  by dirtyelbows

Before Sunrise is one of my favorite movies. In February of 2015, in search of my very own Before Sunrise encounter, I embarked on a train …

My “Before Sunrise” Fantasy: Istanbul to Berlin by trainRead More

Category: Travel

migration of emaciated cows in Bagan, Myanmar

Day 3 at ThaBarWa: Skepticism

May 9, 2017 //  by dirtyelbows

February 12, 2016 | Day 3 (I guess there was a third journal entry after all...) I don't feel involved and I don't want to be involved …

Day 3 at ThaBarWa: SkepticismRead More

Category: Musings + Stories

A Bit of Social Commentary on my First Couchsurfers Meetup

May 4, 2017 //  by dirtyelbows

I've been craving conversations about travel lately, looking for people who share my wanderlust and don't look at me like I should get a job …

A Bit of Social Commentary on my First Couchsurfers MeetupRead More

Category: Musings + Stories

Day 2 at ThaBarWa: Doubts

May 3, 2017 //  by dirtyelbows

(I really need to up my post-title-game...) February 11, 2016 | Day 2 (copied from my journal) I'm not sure how I feel at the moment, …

Day 2 at ThaBarWa: DoubtsRead More

Category: Musings + Stories

makeshift school at a charity village in yangon, myanmar

ThaBarWa Meditation Center in Myanmar: A different kind of retreat

May 2, 2017 //  by dirtyelbows

In February of 2016, I stayed 8 days at ThaBarWa Meditation Center located a bit outside of Yangon, Myanmar. Those 8 days tapped into every …

ThaBarWa Meditation Center in Myanmar: A different kind of retreatRead More

Category: Travel

My (Transformed) Arbitrary Idea of Happiness

April 27, 2017 //  by dirtyelbows

I'm sitting at my brand new kitchen table with a pretty view of my recently acquired backyard and tall trees beyond it. I have my coffee, my …

My (Transformed) Arbitrary Idea of HappinessRead More

Category: Life

Righteous L.

March 18, 2017 //  by dirtyelbows

Yesterday I finally couldn’t bear walking by the man who sleeps in the park in the freezing cold so I decided to turn back and talk to him, …

Righteous L.Read More

Category: Letters to Strangers

My first film review…and it’s about cats of Istanbul and how they’ve melted my heart into a million wheezy little pieces

March 11, 2017 //  by dirtyelbows

Kedi embodies the indescribable chaos, the culture and the uniqueness that is the essence of Istanbul. Without them, the city would lose …

My first film review…and it’s about cats of Istanbul and how they’ve melted my heart into a million wheezy little piecesRead More

Category: Musings + StoriesTag: cats, film, Istanbul, Turkey

Judy Blume cover with Emily's face

Are You There God? It’s Me, Emily.

March 8, 2017 //  by dirtyelbows

I've recently embarked on a spiritual quest. Not like a pilgrimage or staying at an ashram. More like asking a lot of questions and visits …

Are You There God? It’s Me, Emily.Read More

Category: SpiritualityTag: God, religion, spirituality

conversation between Tippett and Whyte

My Reflections: A Conversation Between Krista Tippett and David Whyte on “Ways of Being in the World”

March 2, 2017 //  by dirtyelbows

I just returned from a forum with the creator and host of the podcast On Being, Krista Tippett, and poet and philosopher, David Whyte. …

My Reflections: A Conversation Between Krista Tippett and David Whyte on “Ways of Being in the World”Read More

Category: Uncategorized

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