# @kirstenalana on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/BrApG2sh3s7
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/2429710-kirstenalana-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/3bdef49bc6.jpg
- **Posted:** 2018-12-05T15:05:24.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Kirsten Alana (@KirstenAlana) — https://gondola.cc/KirstenAlana

## Caption

As 2018 draws to a close and I start to think about what I want for 2019, I realized that one theme comes foremost to my mind over and over again. CONNECTION. It’s a theme that begs for more inclusion in my day to day life when I am not traveling, where long episodes of alone time at home can be very isolating. It’s a theme that is threaded through the quilt of my travels as I feel drawn to the moments that connect me to others with more depth than a merely photogenic vista inspires. It’s a concept that informs my beliefs on how we as human beings should treat one another since I do not believe any individual is an island onto themselves.
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And it’s the reason I enjoyed visiting @fairmontempress because it’s a historic property that fosters connection; to the past which was so deeply connected to Great Britain in the time of Queen Victoria, to the future of the city of Victoria which is the capital of British Columbia, to the people who have visited in the past and the people you visit the hotel with in the present.
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It’s so apparent in @QattheEmpress which is both a bar and a restaurant following the recent 60 million dollar restoration of the 110-year-old property; with the property’s unusual “purple gin” that is an homage to the past while being so modern and funky (even color changing once it’s in a drink!). And with @TeaattheEmpress where generations of men, women & children of all ages and from so many destinations around the world have taken part in that most traditional of food-related activities - Afternoon Tea. However, I found the idea of connection to be present in my Suite as well, in the rooftop garden that the property’s Chefs use and the Fairmont Gold Lounge where fire pits, couches and beautifully appointed common areas invite you to stay a while and relax with friends, new or old.
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More on this in my forthcoming blog post! But next it’s onward to the @FairmontWaterfront where their environmental initiatives simply blew me away. #HostedBy #FairmontMoments

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## Tags

fairmontmoments, hostedby

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