Phuong Thu Thuy (Phuong Thu Thuy), author of the bookFollow the sun, chose to come to the US in February 2020 just because of a promise for winter.
Instead of going to New York City to see the skyscrapers and the endless stream of people in Times Square, she "changed direction" and chose for herself another New York - the New York of nature and enjoyment.
"The long, reluctant journey" was an opportunity for her to fully capture the four seasons of America through the camera lens, and was the inspiration to write her second book,Stranded.
Phuong Thu Thuy - peaceful "Stuck" days.
American winter
America also has four distinct seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter. Winter starts from December to February of the following year, with cold weather, heavy snowfall, and frozen lakes. Winter 2020 in the US was also the time when the epidemic broke out in China, and soon after, curfews began to be imposed all over the world. “America - back just for Winter”, that was the original purpose of the trip, also the name of the album that Ms. Phuong Thu Thuy chose to record her strange moments - the days of being “stuck” in America because of the epidemic - reluctantly. After a road trip from California through Arizona, to Utah and Nevada, Michigan was the stop for her to “winter” when the lockdown began to take effect.
Winter - frozen rivers and lakes.
Seagulls fly over Lake Erie Metropark -4 degrees Celsius.
Spring
Spring in America usually lasts from March to early June, the weather warms up and the ice melts. Migratory birds flock to the parks. Spring is not yet the tourist season, the weather is pleasant and not too crowded, suitable for walking, flower viewing, and enjoying life. Phuong Thu Thuy spends the entire three spring months on the hills of Farmington to watch the quiet moment of changing seasons, to read – and to write.
Swans on Lake Erie.
"The white pear branch has a few flowers."
Phuong Thu Thuy's peaceful spring days in Michigan.
Summer
Summer is beach season. If it weren’t for the Covid-19 pandemic, this would be the busiest time of year for tourists in the United States. And, as a way to enjoy the summer, Phuong Thu Thuy also went to Nevada, Pictured Rocks Cruises, and Biloxi, a city on the Mississippi Gulf Coast that offers some of the most beautiful beaches in the United States.
An early dawn before the storm in Mississippi.
The Mississippi Gulf is clear blue.
Pictured Rocks Cruises.
Sunset at Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
Autumn
Autumn is always a time that makes travelers' souls flutter and vibrate. Perhaps, Americans do not look at autumn through the calendar, they look at the rows of trees outside the window. When the leaves begin to change, the lake surface is calm and the whole space is dyed yellow, that is autumn. Autumn is also the four seasons of Phuong Thu Thuy in America. The trip lasted longer than expected, but perhaps it was also an opportunity for her to contemplate and realize many things: "Whatever happens, it is what should happen - I believe so - I will still be at peace as I am and soon find the map of my life after months of being stuck here" (Phuong Thu Thuy).
The surface of Lake Kitch-iti-kipi in early autumn is called "Mirror of Heaven".
Kitch-iti-kipi is Michigan's largest freshwater lake.
The forest turns yellow with leaves.
Early fall at Foote Pond Overlook.
Phuong Thu Thuy's photos of America are currently being auctioned via her personal Facebook page for 100,000 VND/photo, with all profits going to support Central Vietnam.
