Anna, Author at Marianna Cao

The Collective Lens: A Reflection on Visual Redundancy

Lake Lucerne at sunset

Perched on a weathered stone bridge that arched gracefully over the crystalline expanse of Lake Lucerne, I found myself enveloped in a scene that seemed to have leaped from the pages of a postcard. The gentle breeze carried the faint scent of water lilies and the distant melody of church bells, harmonizing with the rhythmic… Continue reading The Collective Lens: A Reflection on Visual Redundancy

Bao

https://drive.google.com/file/d/130sr3txCLSRoNz1DaDs_sU-QlNPRk5JY/preview

Resilience and Renaissance: Gare de Metz-Ville’s Century in Transit

On y salue une ambition digne d’une cathédrale, et ce n’est qu’une tourte, un immense pâté de viande. Gare de Metz Ville, an architectural marvel—or so they say. It astounds us with its Romanesque style and a steeple, supposedly designed by Wilhelm II, but nothing soars; everything is contained, squat, and compressed under a lid… Continue reading Resilience and Renaissance: Gare de Metz-Ville’s Century in Transit

Voices of the Past: Verdun’s Tale of Remembrance and Reconciliation

I knelt. As I brought my face closer to the small square glass pane, the image of a jumble of ribs, limbs and skulls emerged with stark clarity. The innocuous window framed a haunting tableau of mixed German and French soldiers’ bones, a macabre mosaic of skeletons intertwined, forever bound by the anguish of war… Continue reading Voices of the Past: Verdun’s Tale of Remembrance and Reconciliation

We could do better: The Fading Beauty of Roman Ruins

Standing amid the ruins of the Kaiserthermen, I was struck by the Romans’ commitment to architectural magnificence. The massive stone walls, the labyrinthine corridors beneath the arena, and the remnants of the heated chambers were puzzle pieces of an era when these baths were not just places for cleansing but also hubs of social interaction… Continue reading We could do better: The Fading Beauty of Roman Ruins

Titanic: Movie Review

I don’t even have a picture of him. He exists now only in my memory. ” — Rose The Titanic is one of the, if not the most, iconic works in film to date. Wikipedia’s summary of the film writes, “Seventeen-year-old Rose hails from an aristocratic family and is set to be married. When she… Continue reading Titanic: Movie Review

Dawn Will Come

This goes out to the little girl who I nearly crashed into on the street and her mother. I was going for my nightly jog, in a very light drizzle, and was just desperate not to feel alone and so unanchored and so unwanted. I had a really bad day, or rather a really bad… Continue reading Dawn Will Come

This is How to Write

Fluorescent lights magnified the smell of sweat and the noise of rowdy banter. I stood at the entrance, wishing, yet again, that Mom would just drop me off a little later. The bell never rang, never saved me from sitting alone on newly refinished gym floors. At least I had my book: a young adult… Continue reading This is How to Write

Masking My Insecurities

Thank you masks for the freedom you have given me. Masks have played an important role in stopping the spread of Covid-19 and suppressing the number of new cases in Singapore. As we progressed through the phases of re-opening, we regain certain freedoms. Personally, I have gained a particular freedom I never knew I sought… Continue reading Masking My Insecurities