Feasting on Fido

I finally tried 보신탕, which is dog soup.

I'm sure you've just had an involuntary reaction: disgust, awe. I get it. Dog soup isn't a common dish around the world, so my decision to try it is a little hard to digest.

So let's dig in to that a bit. First, it's important to know that the dish is seen as a specialty in Korea and is viewed with mixed opinions. Many Koreans have never eaten dog, do not agree with serving dog meat and think it should cease. They are also critical of the methods used to kill the dogs, which may include beating or hanging, but it is uncommon these days as most dogs are instantly killed with an electric shock. Others, especially the older crowd, want to continue the practice, seeing it as part of the country's tradition. Additionally, the dog meat doesn't come from just any dog running around the street. The common breeds, Nureongi (누렁이) and Hwangu (황구), are raised as livestock.

Personally, I don't see a problem with eating an animal that is raised for the purpose of consumption. Ideally it would be raised in a nice environment and killed humanely. So I decided to try out this specialty while the opportunity was available. 

Now, on to the experience. I had been wanting to try dog for a while, but it wasn't easy to find people who wanted to go with me. And it wasn't something I wanted to do alone. I needed to react in real time with someone sharing the experience! Luckily my friend Anton also wanted to give it a whirl, so we headed to a restaurant in downtown Daegu. We went to Cheongdo Restaurant (청도 식당). On the way to the restaurant we joked about it having pictures of dogs on the storefront (this actually happens occasionally: posters of fluffy yellow ducks lining the walls of a duck restaurant entrance), but thankfully there weren't any pictures of dogs. There were, however, some goats pictured. I'm not sure if the restaurant also served goat, but it was funny.

We each ordered the soup, which was 10,000 won (a bit less than $10) each. The soup was incredibly hot when it came out, so I had to give it a bit of time to cool off before I could start. I was glad to have the time though, because it gave me a moment to catch my breath and settle my stomach. I was a little nervous, but mostly excited. I was finally going to try some dog! 

Preparing for the first bite.

The first bite I took was a fatty piece, which ended up being one of two pieces of that style, that had very little meat on it. It wasn't too bad, but it was chewy and bland. Round two provided a much better experience. I ate a nice chunk of meat, which was really tasty. The meat was a dark grey and had a nice meaty texture. It didn't really have a distinct flavor, but was very tender. I would say the texture was what I imagine the stringiness of pulled pork mixed with the firmness of a thick steak would be like. After my second bite, I was sold and really enjoyed the soup. The soup had a rich, mildly spicy broth filled with a generous helping of meat along with green onions, mushrooms and some other vegetables.

First bite.

Contemplating...

Yum! I like it.

We also received a few side dishes, including bean sprouts, peppers and a mysterious cold cut of dog. Anton and I tried to figure out what part of the body it came from, but we reached no solid conclusion. Whatever it was, it was chewy and cold. Absolutely awful! I chewed it as little as possible and drank some tea to help wash it down. I then decided to eat a pepper to help cleanse my palate. Was that ever a mistake! The peppers are tricky, because their spiciness is inconsistent. I picked one of the hottest peppers I have had in Korea, and my mouth was on fire. Tears leaked from my eyes; my nose was running. Thankfully the heat died down within a few minutes and I was able to enjoy my dog soup again.

My dog-eating adventure was a delightful experience. I really did enjoy the soup, though my stomach did the occasional jump as I remembered that I was eating dog. I am really glad that I tried it. I don't feel the need to run out and get it every week, but I wouldn't be opposed to eating it again if the opportunity arose.

Bonus shot- Anton liked it too.

Long Weekend

I had a much-needed, long break from work the first weekend of this month. May 1 was labor day, May 2 my school was closed, May 3 and 4 were the regular weekend, May 5 was Children's Day and May 6 was Buddha's birthday, making for a fabulous 6-day weekend! It was incredibly refreshing to get away from school for so long. I traveled to Busan and Seoul, which was a nice change of pace from Daegu. It had been months since I had been to either city.

Thursday (May 1), I headed to Busan in the early afternoon, stopping first in Gwangalli Beach. It was the first time I've been. I wasn't super impressed, but it did seem to have a nice offering of restaurants. And I want to see it some time at night to enjoy the light show on the bridge. I didn't spend too much time there. Just walked the length of the beach and grabbed a late lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant.

I then headed toward Samgwangsa and met up with Meghan. We headed to the temple and enjoyed one of the most beautiful displays of lanterns in Korea for Buddha's birthday. The lanterns were impressive during the day, but they really shined (haha, I'm so punny) when they were lit at night. The temple itself was also one of the most interesting temples I have seen in Korea. Most of the temples tend to be a bit monotonous, but this one had a variety of unique features. It was really gorgeous, especially with the rows and rows of lanterns. After visiting the temple, I headed back home to Daegu.

The next day I got a lazy start and eventually headed up to Seoul. I arrived fairly late, so I just headed to Itaewon for dinner. I went to JR's Southern Style BBQ, which was pretty disappointing. I got a half rack of baby back ribs, but they were really tough and seemed like fairly crappy meat. Then I headed to my hostel. I stayed at Pine Tree Guest House near the Samgakji subway stop. It was a nice place with comfortable beds and lovely facilities. But I forgot how much is sucks to sleep in a dorm style room! I didn't get a solid night's rest while I was there, but that's just part of the hostel experience. 

Saturday I headed to Everland. It was very similar to Disneyland. There were a few rides, the themes were heavy and there were lots of characters and some parades. I thought it was a pretty nice place, but one day was definitely enough for me. I am more of a thrill seeker and roller coaster rider, so the theme park is not my favorite. That being said, there were a few good coasters, namely the T-Express, a wooden coaster with one of the highest drops in the world. It was a lot smoother than most wooden coasters I've been on. And another bonus was that they served beer (cans and draught) in the park. I just enjoyed that is was available there. But the park is such a journey from Seoul that I wouldn't say it is a must see.

I left my hostel around 9:15 a.m., took the subway to Gangnam, waited an hour at the public bus stop, rode the bus (number 5002) for an hour and a half, and finally took a 10-minute shuttle from the parking lot to the front gates of the park. All in all, the journey took about three and a half hours! Granted that was using public transportation, so driving on your own or taking a taxi would probably be much faster. But at about $3 for the one-way journey, it is hard to sacrifice the great price to save some time.

In the evening I headed back to Itaewon for dinner. I intended to try out Vatos Urban Tacos, an upscale Mexican restaurant, but the line was insane. One girl said they had been waiting an hour just to get a buzzer, let alone to be seated any time soon. So I debated what to eat instead and ended up at Taco Bell. And I'm glad I did. Taco Bell really is its own genre of food, and it is so tasty! It really hit the spot and was a nice treat.

Sunday I met up with Jenny and she and I headed to church. Before the service, we grabbed a delicious lunch at a small cafe. We each got a tasty panini and scrumptious, fresh-squeezed glass of juice. Then we went to Every Nation Church for their international service. It was amazing! That place is so filled with God's presence and love. I wept from the first note of worship to the end of the message. They weren't tears of conviction or guilty or sadness; they were tears of awe and veneration. I just felt so overwhelmed by His spirit. And the worship was beautiful. The lead singer had a lovely voice. And the message was powerful and so timely. It was all about being God's masterpieces and loving God and ourselves so we can love others. They showed this excellent skit, which really captured the essence of the message, check it out if you have time. I definitely plan to visit that church again any time I am in Seoul on a Sunday.
After church Jenny and I headed to Hongdae and grabbed a tea before splitting ways to meet up with other friends. I also found a hoop nose ring, which I have been wanting for a few months now! I'm so glad that I was finally able to find it somewhere in Korea. Hongdae really has a unique vibe from the rest of the country. It is such a diverse, artsy place. I'm a big fan.

Later in the evening I met up with Taejoon. I still think it's hilariously awesome that we randomly met in a hostel in Switzerland, but have kept in touch and hang out every once in a while. We grabbed dinner at a Japanese-run ramen place. It was so delicious! We each got the black ramen, which was in a nice mildly spicy soup and had two melt-in-your-mouth tender pieces of pork. It was definitely the best ramen I have had in Korea and is very similar to the quality stuff you will find in Japan. After dinner we headed to a beer garden place and chatted while drinking a few beers. I enjoyed a couple of Hefe-weizens and a Blue Moon (I can't even remember the last time I was able to get a Blue Moon, and it was so good). It was great to catch up with Taejoon.

Monday Jenny and I met up again for lunch in Itaewon at a Greek restaurant. I was hopping to enjoy their gyro lunch special, but it isn't available on holidays. It worked out well though, because we shared a Greek salad and each got spanakopita. It was really delicious and so fresh. We then headed to an international food store and bought a few items before finally taking the train back to Daegu. On the final day of my vacation, I lounged around at home and squeezed in a Costco trip. It was nice to take a lazy day to recuperate from my time away.

Little Adventures

Nothing too big has been going on lately; I've just been enjoying life with friends, food and fun. But I have had a few small adventures in the past few weeks (with the exception of a fairly significant outing this past weekend, which will be detailed in a following post!).

I've finally started attending Zumba classes here in Daegu, which I've been meaning to do for months! It has been so much fun and a great way to work out. I'm glad I got my lazy butt in gear!

I also went to see the Phantom of the Opera (live) with Jenny and Cynthia during the second weekend of April. The performance was spectacular! I got the chills when the orchestra played the opening music. I was very impressed with the company's performance (it was a Western group, so it was performed in English) and the orchestra. Though I wouldn't have minded if the phantom had a bit more of an ominous voice. Overall it was a quality show and fun to see such a classic.
The next week our church had a Seder dinner the Friday before Easter. It was my first Seder experience. I really enjoyed seeing the whole process from start to finish and partaking in all the traditions. We had to adapt it a bit to fit with the things we had available in Korea, but I was really impressed with how smooth and legitimate the event was. And the food, once we finally got to the feasting portion, was absolutely delicious. It was a great experience!
The next day was quite busy. I attended a wedding, went to an evening church service and danced at another bachata event (which was an absolute blast). My previous coteacher Eunji (은지) was sweet enough to invite me to her wedding. I was really excited to go, because I was happy for her and it was my first Korean wedding! I had been briefed by friends who've been to other weddings about the process before I attended, but it was still an interesting experience.

I would say the goal of a Korean wedding is efficiency and speed. The whole ceremony, including taking pictures with the couple, was finished within half an hour. And many of the patrons left after the bride completed her walk down the aisle. And the majority of those who stayed proceeded to have loud conversations throughout the entire ceremony. There was even a child with a barking toy dog running free in the back! Additionally, the lights were used excessively, flickering on and off for different parts of the ceremony while the staff ran around, instructing everyone about what to do. My favorite of whom was the lady, dressed in jeans and a baggy T-shirt, who kept adjusting Eunji's dress, making sure it was perfectly placed for each picture. It all seemed like a big show with an under-rehearsed act and an inattentive audience rather than an important celebration. But I guess that is just a difference in culture! And I was happy to show my support for my friend and enjoy the buffet meal at the end of the ceremony. I'm definitely glad I was able to experience a Korean wedding before heading home.
On Sunday a few friends went out to a traditional makgeolli joint after church to celebrate Vincent's birthday. It was a nice, relaxed evening of drinking and hanging out. And I was impressed we found the place, because it had been more than a year since we had gone previously, but we zeroed in on it in the first try.
The following week was pretty quiet; mostly just work and lounging at home. Though I am currently taking more advantage of having access to my roof. I started doing yoga up on my roof when the weather is nice, which has been more frequent as of late. My roof has a really great view! I can see much of the surrounding buildings, but also the mountains that hug the area. It is a nice, serene spot. I'm really loving spending time up there.
The next weekend I watched Captain America with Elizabeth and Meghan. The movie was definitely much better than the first one, but it was still a bit ridiculous. Though it was a fun movie to see and nice for a simple evening. After the movie, we headed to an all-you-can-eat barbecue place. I finally tried 곱창 (gopchang pig intestines) and 막창 (makchang, pig intestines/rectum). It wasn't too bad, but it's not something I need to eat often. It had a lot of fatty tissue, and I'd rather eat actual meat. But I'm definitely glad I finally tried them both.

The last Sunday of the month, we had a basketball tournament after church. It was so much fun and reminded me just how much I love playing the game. I was definitely not in basketball shape, but I still loved every second of it. I played last year as well and had a blast, but this year was even better, because the competition and skill level was significantly higher this time around. April was a great month!

Wonderful Weekend

 Last weekend was amazing from start to finish! I spent it with wonderful people and doing lots of fun things. Friday night I met up with my lovely friend Rina for dinner (at Nazar Kebab- love Turkish food!) and catching up. It had been far too long, and I really enjoyed spending time with her and learning what she has been doing and is planning to do. We also enjoyed a tasty bubble tea after dinner and chatted even more. It was a delightful evening!

 Saturday I headed to the jimjilbang (Korean public bath house/sauna) with Jenny and Elizabeth. There is a really nice one fairly close to my house, so it is convenient for me to get to, but I just don't do it often enough. We spent the early afternoon sweating in the co-ed sauna, wearing our fashionable jimjilbang gear, and then soaking in the warm baths. It was incredibly relaxing. We also all got an adjuma scrub down. It was Jenny and Elizabeth's first time! I really love the scrub down and definitely needed it this time! All my old skin was scrubbed off, leaving a smooth layer of soft skin. It felt like I shed my winter coat and am now ready for spring.

 After the jimjilbang we headed downtown to watch the short play, Pirates of Penzance. It was a fun comedy performed by several foreigners in Daegu, a few of whom I know. The show was great and had lots of hilarious cultural references. I was impressed with the talent we have in Daegu and happy to finally see one of their shows. After the show Elizabeth and I went to Nazar Kebab for dinner (seriously, I love this place; that is not the first time I have been two days in a row) and then enjoyed a coffee at my favorite coffee shop in Daegu, Waiting Coffee. We then headed to Traveler's Bar and Grill to hang out with a few other people. 

 I left fairly soon after, because I was headed to a bachata party at Babalu, a salsa club in Daegu. I originally wasn't sure if I wanted to attend the party, because it was 20,000 won, but now I am so glad I went! It was worth every cent. Turned out to be the best night of dancing I've experienced in Korea and is in the top three for best nights of dancing of all time! I am still pumped just thinking about it and wish I could go back and dance even more! Koreans really know how to get down and have such flair and style. And of course, I loved dancing with all of my foreigner friends as well. I wish I could convey how amazing it was, but I just can't find the right words to express it. The bachata party itself lasted til about 3:30 a.m. But we weren't done yet, because we headed to another venue for an after party. I stayed out until 6 a.m., dancing the majority of the time. I would have stayed even longer if I didn't have any plans for Sunday! I had to drag myself home so I could get some sleep. And since the subway was up and running again, it was a cheap way to get home. Seriously so much fun!

 After a brief nap, I was up again to start my Sunday. I went to church and then headed downtown with Elizabeth to grab some dinner. After eating, we did some shopping at H&M. It was a nice day and great to see everyone at church. I headed home and went to bed pretty early, trying to catch up on some sleep. It was a wonderful weekend!

 And seriously, the dancing was incredible.

Gurye Sansuyu Flower Festival

My friends, Jenny and Elizabeth, and I headed to Gurye for the Sansuyu Flower Festival on March 22. It was a pretty small festival compared to others I have been to, but it still offered quite a bit. We took a bus early Saturday morning to Gurye, where we stayed the night at Little Prince Pension. It was a really cute place with a log cabin feel. And the bed was super comfortable, which is not always the case in Korea.
We spent the rest of Saturday walking around the festival grounds. There were several booths offering typical festival foods and some for making various items from the sansusyu flower or berry. We also wandered through the surrounding area, which was filled with lots of trees covered with the yellow flower. I think the trees are best appreciated very close up, so you can see the interesting shape of the flower, or from quite a distance, so it looks like a sea of yellow. They weren't the most impressive blossoms I've seen, but they had their own unique beauty. And it produces a delicious berry, which makes some tasty tea and makgeolli (Korean rice wine).

Since we were at the festival on the opening day, we were able to enjoy a bit more exciting of a schedule than the other days presented. There were several live performances throughout the day, including a percussion band and several dancers and singers. Girl's Day, a fairly popular K-pop group, also performed. We didn't know about the performances beforehand, so it was a nice surprise and a delightful experience. We were sat on some rocks near the top of a (man-made) fountain to watch the performances, giving us a nice view of the stage. And the experience was made all the better by the delicious sansuyu makgeolli we drank. We bought two bottles of prepackaged makgeolli from one of the stalls, but then later discovered a booth selling freshly made makgeolli for an even better price. We were a bit bummed at first, because the fresh stuff was so much better. So we drank one of the prepackaged bottles, but then decided the fresh stuff was just too good to pass up. We ended up drinking a bottle of the fresh stuff as well, skipping our second prepackaged bottle. I would definitely prefer to have fresh makgeolli any time! I was amazed at the difference in taste. It was a fantastic evening.

Sunday we headed to Hwaeomsa Temple, which was very close to our pension. There was a 3,500 won charge to get in, which I thought was a bit steep. The temple was lovely and had a bit different of a lay out from other Korean temples I've seen. There were also a few unpainted buildings, which really allowed the beauty of the wood and carvings to show. The trees and surrounding mountainside were also beautiful, and the weather was perfect. It was a really lovely area and a serene place to stroll through.
After our hike, we checked out and headed back to the festival area with the intention of visiting the hot spring spa in the area. Unfortunately, by the time we made it to the area (traffic at festivals in Korea is insane! they just never seem to plan strategically for it), we didn't have enough time to enjoy the hot springs. We ended up getting (a late) lunch at one of the restaurants in the area, and then riding the bus back to the Gurye bus terminal to catch our bus back to Daegu. The ride back to Daegu felt so long, and I was happy when we finally arrived in the city a quarter to 9 p.m. I then rode the subway home, unpacking and relaxing a bit before turning in for the night.
Overall, the Sansuyu Festival was quite nice. I was so glad to share it with my lovely friends. They definitely made the experience even better!

Visitng the Orthopedic Doctor

My spine.

My favorite part of the process!

 Two weeks ago I was washing my feet in the shower and had to twist to catch my balance, which I did in just the right way to strain my low back muscle. It was a quick, sharp pain that started out fairly subtle but got worse throughout the day. I was a bit nervous about the extent of the damage (though I figured it was only the muscle), so I decided to head to an orthopedic surgery office, which was within a 7 minute walk to my house. It was really convenient! My coteacher was kind enough to write my condition and what happened in Korean, but the doctor spoke English quite well, so it was easy to communicate with him. He checked my spine and decided that it was only a strain on the muscle.

 I then received some simple, but delightful physical therapy. I laid on a heating pad for about 10 minutes, then had two machines target the low back. The first machine (pictured above) was my favorite! The four suction cups were attached to my low back, and then the machine sent pulsing waves of vibration to my muscles. It felt like someone was alternating between kneading my back and pinching it together. It was really relaxing, and I was disappointed when the timer went off. The session ended with the second machine, which I am still a bit confused by. I don't really know what it is, but it essentially felt like it was sending small electric zaps to my muscles. It was very subtle and an interesting feeling! I then headed to a pharmacy for the pain killer and muscle relaxer the doctor prescribed for the next three days (three times a day).

 But three days later the pain was worse, so I went back. The second time he did an X-ray of my spine and came to the same conclusion. He said I just needed to give it a bit more time. I went through the physical therapy process one more time and got another round of medicine. But I decided to stop taking the pills the next day, since they didn't seem to make a huge difference. Instead, I got some medicinal hot patches to stick on my back. They really helped! I put one on in the morning to wear throughout my day at work, and a new one on at night. The constant heat helped relieve my muscles and reduced the pain. Overall, the pain lasted for about a week. I am happy to be back to normal and not having any more pain to slow me down. And I was again amazed by the speed, efficiency and low cost of Korean health care. They definitely do medicine well here!

Philippines

I recently spent a week diving, relaxing and lounging on the beach in the gorgeous Philippines. It was a great time in a fantastic place. The weather was perfect: sunny and warm. The people were great. And of course I loved the food; though in all honestly, I mostly indulged in western style grub.

 
First(ish) Stop: Boracay Island

I spent the better part of my first day traveling from Daegu to Boracay Island. My journey started with catching a taxi at 1:50 a.m. to get to the express bus terminal in East Daegu. After a four-hour bus ride, I arrived at Incheon International Airport, where I checked in for my flight and waited about two hours. We flew into Manila, where I waited for my next flight to Caticlan for another three hours. I arrived in Caticlan around 3:45 p.m. I was then taken on a short tricycle ride to the jetty port, where I hopped on a boat to Boracay Island. After another tricycle trip and a bit of walking, I finally arrived at Dive Gurus, my home for the next few days.
I was quite tired after my nearly 16-hour journey, but the beautiful ocean and powdery white sands quickly made me forget my weariness. I dropped my few possessions in my room and then headed off to stroll along the famous White Beach. It is a good sized stretch of sand; I was able to leisurely walk the length of the beach in about 45 minutes. The sand is some of the finest I've encountered. It was incredibly soft. And the sunsets are stunning.

Boracay is one of the places I've been that moments after arrival makes it very evident why it is such a popular destination. It had a great blend of relaxed beach vibe, water activities and nightlife. But even during the busiest time of year, I never felt like it was overcrowded or spoiled by a mass of tourists. There is a wonderful balance to it that left me wanting more. Certainly a spot I would happily return to time and again.
I spent much of my time sprawled out on the beach but nearly an equal amount of time exploring the underwater world. I got my Advanced Open Water certification from Dive Gurus. I would highly recommend diving, completing courses, and staying at Dive Gurus. The entire staff is wonderful, the equipment is in great condition, the accommodations are comfortable and clean, and it is in a great location. And my instructor, Jojo, was amazing. He was incredibly helpful and a great teacher. And I was lucky enough to get one-on-one instruction. During my course, I completed five dives: Dive Navigation, Wreck Dive, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Deep Dive and Night Dive. The course was much more fun than the Open Water, because the vast majority of the time is spent in the water doing the dives, rather than reading through copious amounts of instructions and theories or watching sleep-inducing videos. I enjoyed the wreck and night dives most. I actually did two wreck dives (the second counted as my deep dive). One was Camia II, a purposely sunk boat; the other Tri Bird, a purposely sunk plane. It was interesting to see how the sea life claimed them, building little reefs along the remnants of the wrecks. And the night dive was exciting, because the ocean was a whole new place in the dark. It was a bit nerve-wracking looking around and seeing a wall of black surround you. But with flashlight in hand, I was able to see lots of critters: hermit crabs, urchins and a huge crab. After my night dive, I had finished my course. Now I am officially and Advanced Open Water diver! I have grown quite a love for diving, so hopefully in the future I'll be able to keep diving more and maybe work my way up the chain of certifications.

I opted for a little adventure on land for my last full day on the island. I did a (short) zipline over a beautiful secluded beach and then rolled down a hill in a giant inflatable ball. The zipline was over quickly, but the area was absolutely stunning. I then headed to the Zorb Park, where I jumped into an inflatable ball filled with a bit of water. I had hoped to do the dry Zorb, which you are strapped into, because it seemed like more fun. But sadly the wet Zorb was my only option. It was an interesting experience and mildly fun. Though once in a lifetime is enough for me. It was a pretty jarring ride as I flopped all over the place while the ball rolled down the hill. Thankfully it was a short ride, so it didn't become intolerable. That being said, something I'm glad I experienced. I ended the day by lounging on the beach and soaking in the last rays from the sun before the beautiful, fiery sunset.

Next Up: El Nido

I spent my the next day on another epic journey of travel. I did the tricycle, boat, tricycle ride back to the airport in Caticlan and then flew into Manila. I had a nearly four-hour layover, including a slight delay of the flight, in Manila. Then I flew into Puerto Princesa, where I had to wait about two hours to catch the six-hour van to El Nido. The first parts of the trip were fairly smooth, but once I was in the van, it was bumpy all the way to El Nido. The road connecting the two cities is paved about half of the way. The rest is loose dirt and gravel. But the whole of it is spread with bumpy, jostling terrain that made for a turbulent ride. Had it been during the day, it wouldn't have been too bad. But crammed into the van- that clearly was intended for one row of seats less than the five they had jammed in it- between 6:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. made for a terrible, nearly impossible, night's sleep. I was ecstatic to finally arrive in El Nido, where I hopped on yet another short tricycle ride to my accommodation, Casa Cecelia. I checked in, dropped my bags and headed straight to bed, glorious bed.

A mere six hours later (I'm a girl who loves sleep), I woke up for a small breakfast and then headed to DEEP Blue Seafari to dive yet again! I dove three times with a great group of people. We spent our down time between dives hanging out on the ship. It was nice to have a group of people to chat with. Many of them were also around my age, and we are all avid travelers. Hearing about the places they have been intensified my desire to keep traveling and exploring the world. I really enjoyed sharing our stories about our trials and successes as we've traversed around.

The diving was also great as were the many islands dotting the ocean. El Nido reminded me a lot of Ko Phi Phi in Thailand. Giant rocks covered in greenery jut up into the air with little spots of powdery white sand beaches below. Truly a beautiful sight. Sadly, I didn't have enough time to do a proper island tour, which is the activity for El Nido. But moving between dive sites gave me a similar feel to what an island hopping tour would have been like with the added bonus of seeing underneath the water as well. The dive sites in El Nido were even more spectacular than those in Boracay. There were a whole array of coral and fish decorating the sea. I saw lots of amazing creatures. It was a great place to dive and definitely trumped doing just an island tour in my book.

After we returned to shore, I walked up and down the few streets of the tiny city. El Nido is small, but still has a lot to offer. I was famished after all the diving and walking, so I met up with my new buddy from the dive trip, Emily, and we headed to dinner. We ended up at a busy Italian restaurant, Altrove. It was busy for good-no, great-reason: the food was scrumptious! We shared a delectable brick-oven baked mushroom pizza and a fresh plate of pesto pasta. Even with the Moroccan-like decorations and knowing I was in the Philippines, my mind was transported to Italy. The food was fresh, authentic and perhaps the best Italian food I've had outside of Italy (even better than some of the Italian food I ate while in Italy!). Definitely my favorite meal of the whole trip. After dinner we parted ways. I got a massage, indulged in a Nutella mango crepe, and then headed to bed.

The next morning was my last in El Nido; it was a short trip! I got another massage in the morning, lounged on the beach, and then prepped to leave back to Puerto Princesa after lunch. The van ride back was equally long and bumpy as the ride in but more tolerable during the day. And I rode shotgun, so I had plenty of leg room. I arrived in Puerto Princesa around 6 p.m. and headed straight to my hotel, By the Bay Jacana Bed and Breakfast. It was in a fairly secluded and forested area, which was perfect for my last night in the Philippines. I was able to rest and recuperate after a long, but rewarding, few days of travel. The staff were fantastic and the room was comfortable and clean. I ordered take out from a restaurant and then spent the evening relaxing in my room.

Saturday I slept in as late as I could and then headed to the airport after a bit of breakfast. I got into a bit of a squabble with another young woman when my line was merged with hers. My check-in line had been clearly marked for the Manila flight, but when the single neighboring check-in line for the Cebu flight was closed, my line was transformed into the Cebu line. So naturally, we all just shifted over in the line to our left, which was still dedicated to the Manila flight. Well, homegirl found that upsetting and took her frustration out on the nearest line merger: me. We proceeded to engage in a bit of a quarrel over line etiquette. She approached me saying that she supposed the line was several people back behind her; to which I responded that obviously it would be unfair for our line to have to wait behind a bunch of people who weren't even in the airport when we first queued simply because the staff decided to change things on us. Apparently my logic didn't suffice and she felt personally injured that I would try to "cut" in front of her. With rumors of the flight being canceled do to inclement weather (thankfully it was not!), I had more important things on my mind, so I took the space behind her instead. She seemed mildly appeased, but certainly in the mood to continue arguing if I proved a participating opponent. I still get a bit ruffled up thinking about it, but mostly it makes me laugh. Made for a more exciting morning.

I caught the flight to Manila, and then had to rush to Terminal 2 to catch my Philippines Airlines flight to Korea. (Note: Domestic flights are in Terminal 3, international flights (and some domestic) via Philippines Airlines are in Terminal 2 and international flights via other airlines are in Terminal 1.) I was originally under the impression that I could take a shuttle from Terminal 3 to Terminal 2, but apparently you must go from a Philippines Airlines flight to another Philippines Airlines flight. Since I flew into Manila with Cebu Pacific, I had to use the regular transportation to the other terminal. I was originally planning to use the bus, which is the cheaper method, but the next one was not scheduled to leave for another hour. The clock was really ticking at this point. I had a two hour gap between landing and taking off for my next flight. The first thirty minutes were quickly eaten up with waiting to exit the plane, mistakenly going to the shuttle and then looking for the area to catch the bus. I finally was able to get a taxi for an obnoxious and obviously overpriced 1,100 PHP or roughly 25 dollars. But I was desperate and needed to get to the terminal quickly. Better to pay extra for a cab than for a new plane ticket because I didn't make it to the terminal on time. Communication error at its finest, the taxi driver took me to Terminal 1. Though it was not his fault, rather the man with whom I spoke at the airport wrote down the incorrect terminal. Thankfully, I figured it out before the driver dropped me off and let him know I needed Terminal 2. He was very sweet and quickly remedied the situation, assuring me I would be on time. And thankfully I was. I only had a few minutes to spare, but I had enough time to check in, pay my terminal fee, go through customs and squeeze in a quick snack before boarding my flight back. I made it to Busan after a smooth flight, then caught the 9 p.m. bus to Daegu. Finally I took the subway to my stop and walked the short distance to my little home. It felt great to finally be back, though I certainly wouldn't have minded if I had been reclining on the sandy beaches in the Philippines instead.

The Philippines are really a treasure: the people are so kind and helpful, the beaches and cities are beautiful and the food is scrumptious. Something tells me I'll certainly be returning. For one reason or another!

Back at It

Hey there blogging world! It's been quite the hiatus for this blog, but not so much for my life! Right around the time of my most recent post (recent being a very loose term here, considering it was back in September!) I went through quite a trying time, and didn't have the heart to dedicate any time to this blog. Due to the very personal nature of this ongoing experience, I won't go into many details. May it suffice to share that I am growing, learning and adapting.  That being said, there is so much to catch up on that I surely won't be able to do it justice. So bear with me as I breeze through the past five months, highlighting the most important details.

Dad's Visit

My amazing father came to the Land of Kimchi to visit his favorite daughter... admit it sister... (don't fret: it's a family joke). I was pleased that Dad was able have a hands-on experience of Korea. I enjoyed sharing some of my favorite Korean food with him and showing off my city. We also traveled to Jeju Island together during the Chuseok holiday (Korea's rough equivalent of Thanksgiving). It was the perfect time, because the weather was sunny and warm, and the crowds were off in their homes, celebrating the holiday with family. Though getting tickets to fly in was a bit of a challenge, even though I booked them back in May! We just ended up flying in style: first class! It was a good bit of fun. We spent three full days on the island, allowing us to explore the best parts. My favorite spot on the island was Seongsan Ilchulbong, also know as Sunrise Peak. It was a beautiful crater towering over the picturesque ocean.We also visited the Manjanggul Tunnels (a series of lava tunnels), the racy Love Land, Cheonjeyeon Falls, a bit more of Seogwipo and hiked Eoseungsaengak. And of course we had to try the famous Black Pork. It was more fat than meat, so not ideal. But still fun to try and pretty tasty overall. I was certainly glad to visit Jeju Island, but once will be enough for a lifetime!
After flying back to Daegu, Dad and I hit up some of the more popular spots in Daegu. We visited Suseong Lake, Seomun Market, Duryu Park and downtown. I had Dad try lots of tasty Korean dishes, including bibimbap, gimbap, kalguksu and of course Korean barbecue and patbingsu! It was heartbreaking when he left, but I was so grateful he made the trek all the way here to visit. His presence was very soothing and rejuvenating!

                                      

DMZ Trip

On November 9, I went to the DMZ with a few friends. It was great finally checking out the spot of such tension. It was quite interesting learning about the history of the area and seeing it first hand. The two flags on each side of the DMZ were a more memorable aspect of the trip. They were subject to a bit of a pissing contest between the divided country. North Korea's flag ultimately rose above, flying on a 525-foot flagpole in Propaganda Village; the South Korean flag flies on a 323-foot flagpole in Daeseongdong. We were able to check out the Joint Security Area, the third infiltration tunnel, Dora Observatory and Dorasan station. I also really enjoyed peaking into North Korea with the telescopes at Dora Observatory. Made me curious as to what life in North Korea is truly like. And very grateful to be living in the South!

                                                         

                             

Christmas and New Year's

I was able to head back to good old California to celebrate Christmas and New Year's. It was an absolute delight to be home, and a much needed respite from Korea. I ate all the foods I love and missed, made up for all the time I hadn't been driving, and most importantly visited with my loved ones! I hit the ground running as soon as I got home and was kept (happily) busy the two weeks I was there. Mom and my sister picked me up from the airport and we went on a bit of a shopping spree on the way home. Next day we had a birthday party, complete with bounce house. Fun! Then several girlfriends came over for a festive champagne brunch of gingerbread house making. Christmas came up quickly! We went to my grandma's for Christmas Eve, did Christmas morning at Mom's, and then headed up to Dad's for Christmas dinner, which was delish. We were able to spend a few days at Dad's house, and then had a lovely dinner at my aunt's with the Sacramento family before returning to Mom's. I was able to meet up with friends for a few different meals, and rang in the New Year with a nice, small group. I wish I had had more time at home, but all good things must come to an end. It was truly a blessing to visit with so many great people! And my tummy and taste buds were thoroughly titillated by all the delicious delights I indulged in. Oh and also...

             
I cut my hair! I've always wanted to donate, and I've had quite a monotonous hairstyle all my life, ranging from just about chin length to the length you'll see in the picture on the left. I've never dyed it or done any type of permanent treatment to it. So I figured I'd give as much of my hair away as I could and play with it as it grows back out. Plus I was curious if I could pull off the buzz cut look. I must say I was pretty pleased with the result. My hair is sure to be a myriad of colors and styles as it grows back out, which I am looking forward to. Monotony no more... or at least not for a while! Also, for anyone else considering donating their locks, may I suggest going with Pantene Pro-V's Beautiful Lengths. I did a bit (emphasis there on a bit) of research, and from what I read, they seem to be one of the better organizations to go with. Here is the link: http://www.pantene.com/en-US/PanteneBeautifulLengths/Details/beautiful-lengths-make-the-cut.aspx

Well thanks for indulging in this brief overview of the last few months of my travels. I also recently journeyed to the Philippines, but I'll be conjuring up a separate post to focus solely on that trip. Heading your way soon!

Year Two in Korea Commence!

I am back for one more year in Korea! Kind of hard to believe. I've had a bit of time to get back into the swing of things after vacation. But I must admit that upon arriving back here, I was a little bewildered why I had indeed decided to renew my contract. It's not like this job is too hard or too stressful, and it's not that I don't enjoy the country. I can't exactly explain what it was (and still sometimes is) that makes me feel this way, but I'll give it a try anyway. Part of it is because it can be exhausting to be a foreigner in Korea. Not so much because it's hard to communicate, though that applies on occasion, or isn't a nice place to live, but mostly because it isn't easy being stared at with a combination of fear, uncertainty and bewilderment. I just get so frustrated by the lack of diversity in this country and the ignorance that lends itself to.
But I think the biggest source of strife stems from the job usually feeling meaningless; am I really making a difference? do the kids even care? what am I really doing here? But even though it isn't a life altering, world changing kind of job (which I don't honestly think I'm cut out for), it really is a good gig. Every job has its down points, and I'm lucky enough to have one that had more good than bad. And it also helped that a student recently told me he didn't enjoy English, but now that I'm his teacher he loves it and really wants to learn English. So even if I can't always see it, I really am doing something positive here.
I'm sure I will have more ups and downs throughout this second year, occasionally wondering just what the hell was I thinking. But happily I am now back in a good place, and want to focus my attention on developing my friendships and doing things that bring me joy. So since I've been back I've been to many a delightful dinner with friends and caught up on people's lives and vacation adventures.

And this past weekend I joined (and met some new) friends for a photo scavenger hunt as part of the Daegu Compass's Sharing Life Festival. I was thoroughly impressed with how organized the festival was. It was a really impressive shindig and so much fun. My team wasn't hell bent on winning the scavenger hunt, so we just had a good time strolling around the beautiful park it was at. It is right by downtown, but I hadn't been to it yet. After the scavenger hunt, we grabbed some dinner. I was so happy to be with people who actually wanted to get sushi! It was a scrumptious meal, and we got our food for a good deal. We then headed back to the festival for the reveal of the winners... not surprisingly, we weren't among the top three. Then the festival concluded with some Holi Hai action as we through color powder and color paint all over each other. It was so much fun, especially with the DJ playing some quality tunes, many of which were by Pitbull! Always a good time. To cap the evening off, we headed downtown, like colorful Easter eggs, for some drinks. It was a fun weekend!

Bali

Well this has been a long time coming! During my summer vacation I was also able to visit the gorgeous Indonesian island, Bali. It was such an interesting place with a beautiful mixture of sandy beaches and mountainous rice paddies. And the weather was perfect. The temperature was comfortably warm, and the sky was a piercing blue occasionally dotted with some puffy white clouds. The people were very friendly and the food was scrumptious!

Rice paddies

GETTING THERE
I booked my flight via Kayak, opting for the cheapest flight available. Lucky me, it turned out to be an executive class seat! So I was really pumped for that. I have always wanted to fly in the privileged section, so it was exciting to get a seat for the best deal available (that I found). But it wasn't without its downfalls... A 6 hour flight from Osaka to Malaysia, a 6 hour layover, and another 6 hour flight from Malaysia to Bali were all in store. But then luck struck again. The flight was overbooked, so Malaysian Air put me on a direct flight via Garuda Indonesia that left at the same time I would have originally flown out. So my travel time was just a third of the originally scheduled time. And it was great, because Garuda Indonesia offers inflight visa service, so I was able to get my visa right on the plane. No waiting in the long line for my visa upon arriving at the airport. I got through customs and out of the airport so quickly. And the flight itself was very comfortable. I drank champagne and lounged in the very comfortable seat. I also watched a few movies. It was a really nice flight. I wish I could fly executive class all the time!

Kuta Beach Sunset

KUTA
Since I arrived in Bail a day earlier than I anticipated, I had to frantically book a hotel once I arrived around 6 p.m. (on Sunday, August 11) I was so happy to learn that the airport offered free Wifi. Thank God for technology! I searched, found a booked a hotel on my iPod for a really good deal. I was a little panicked when the booking fell through the first time, but I was able to get it eventually. I started my tour around Bali in Kuta. It is conveniently close to the airport and one of the cheapest areas to stay. I left the airport grounds to find a taxi, because I wasn't about to get ripped off. The third taxi I hailed outside agreed to the meter and took me to my hotel. He was a nice guy and was jamming out to some reggae music. It was a fun, short ride. And about a tenth of the price it would have been jacked up to had I gotten one straight from the airport. Once at my hotel I ventured out for some food and after got a massage. I got a full body massage, a cream bath (basically a head massage with cream), a facial and a pedicure all for roughly $30. Talk about a great, relaxing deal. It was the perfect end to an evening of traveling.
The next day I changed to my originally booked hotel, which was sadly not as nice as the last minute one I found. But it was cheaper yet, so can't really complain. I spent most of the day on the beach, reading and sun bathing until sunset. That night I went to the large shopping area in Kuta and had dinner at Tony Roma's. I felt a little lame going for an American restaurant, but after living in Korea for a year, it had been a long time since I had steak and ribs. And the food was delicious, so it was worth it. Later in the night I checked out some of the clubs, but felt a bit odd heading out alone. So my night ended fairly early, which was fine by me. Tuesday I didn't do much else. I did a little shopping and chilled on the beach again. And a sucker for massages, I went for a four-in-one body massage that included hot stones and Thai and Balinese techniques.It was a decent massage, but my poor masseuse kept falling asleep. I felt bad for the poor lady, but I was also a little bummed that my massage was not very good. I headed home for the night after and rested up in preparation for heading out the next day.

Pemuteran

PEMUTERAN
Wednesday afternoon after roaming around Kuta, I was picked up to head to my bungalow in Pemuteran in the northwest of Bali. Along the way, my driver stopped at a few hot spots to let me explore popular sights in Bali. We went to Lake Batur and he took me to a really beautiful waterfall. It was a pleasant drive with great views of the numerous rice paddies along the way. I did miss some of the sights on the drive though, because I kept being lulled back into sleep. But to be fair, the trip took five hours.
Pemuteran was definitely my favorite spot on the trip! I would have loved to have spent more time there. The beach was absolutely stunning, and it was such a relaxing area. I really enjoyed that there were large stretched of soft sand, both black and light brown. And the beaches have a backdrop of lush vegetation and some nice, rounded mountains. It was such a stunning juxtaposition. The area reminded me of Kauai.
I arrived in Pemuteran around 5 p.m. Wednesday, so I just went to the beach for a bit and had some dinner. Thursday I spent the first half of the day doing two dives at nearby Menganjan Island. The dives were great! I went on a boat out to the island with a family of five (from France) and a couple (from Italy), but they all went snorkeling. So it was just me and the instructor doing the dives. Nice and exclusive. The sites were both incredible. I saw so many different creatures of all shapes, sizes and colors. I was a little nervous on my first dive of the day, as it was only the fifth one I have ever done. But I got back into the groove about halfway in and I was really able to enjoy the rest of my time exploring the underwater world. After the excursion to Menganjan we returned to Pemuteran and I headed for another day of reading and sunbathing on the beach. I had dinner at one of the resorts on the beach, which served up some delicious Greek inspired dishes. Everything I ate was so delicious. Friday morning I again spent my time lounging on the beach before leaving a bit after noon for Ubud. It was such a relaxing way to end my time on the northwest side.

Independence Day Celebration

UBUD
It was about a three hour drive to get to Ubud, but I wouldn't have minded if it took a little longer. My driver was intent on getting us to our destination as fast as he possibly could. He zipped around the curvy roads that wound up and down through the inland mountains and rice paddies. I was a little nervous, but happily arrived at in Ubud safely. I didn't do much after arriving besides walking around the area near my bungalow, and of course, grabbing some dinner. But on my way back to my accommodation, I stumbled across a celebration for Indonesia's Independence Day. There was a school band and lots of groups of students in the festivities. And several military people. I didn't understand all of the pomp and circumstance, but it was interesting to watch. After some singing and once it started to get dark, many of the spectators and those involved in the even set fire to torches. They then marched down the street with them to conclude the festivities.
On Saturday morning, I joined in with a cooking class, Paon Bali. We started with a quick tour of the market, learn ing about the offerings given each morning and night as well as the ingredients we would be using in our dishes. After we went to some rice fields where we learned a bit about the process of growing rice in Bali. Finally we went to the home of the incredibly sweet couple who ran the cooking class. The husband gave us a brief explanation about traditional Balinese homes, which have special rooms built in upon each cardinal point. One of the most interesting things he told us was that the placenta of each child born into the family is buried in front of the main house. After gaining some new knowledge, we were taken to the kitchen area to get our cooking on. We made an absolute feast: vegetable soup, chicken coconut curry, chicken satay, gado gado (mixed vegetables with peanut sauce), snake bean salad, steamed fish in banana leaves, deep fried tempeh salad and banana and jackfruit in palm sugar for dessert. Everything tasted incredible and was so much fun to make. There were 16 of us students, and we took turns working with partners for the dishes, alternating who took the lead. The cooking class was one of the most enjoyable experiences I had in Bali. I would highly recommend it to anyone! Later that afternoon I wondered around the downtown area and had a delicious carne asada burrito at a little Mexican restaurant. It was so much better than any Mexican food Korea tries to offer. The home-made tortilla alone impressed me, but the guacamole, pico de gallo and meat made it even more delicious. It reminded me a bit of a Chipotle style burrito, but with a bit more of an authentic taste. I also had a really tasty watermelon mojito with real lime and mint! Another exciting thing to see. I ended the night watching a fire dance. A group of maybe 30 men sat in a circle chanting while two women and a few other characters danced around a fire structure that was much like a really large candlestick.
Sunday I went on a long trip to the east side of the island, leaving at 9 a.m. and returning around 6 p.m. I saw Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave), which was so lush and gorgeous. The elephant cave itself wasn't so impressive, but the surrounding forest was beautiful. I then headed to Semarapura (aka Klungkung) for a little history sightseeing. I went to Kertha Gosa (The Hall of Justice), which had a small, but interesting museum highlighting Bali's history. Next I headed up to Sideman for a gorgeous drive through some more rice paddies. After was Tirta Gangga, the floating palace. It was really cool and had some swimming pools, which sadly I did not swim in. Then I finally got all the way to the east-coast city of Amed. The beach there was also lovely, but it was a really quiet area. It would have been a better place to stay and relax at rather than just a day trip, but I'm still happy I saw it. Then came the long journey back, but this time it was along the coast. On the way back traffic was insanely backed up, apparently from cremation ceremonies taking place. It took about an hour more than it would have without traffic, but I finally got back to Ubud after a stop over at the unimpressive sea temple Pura Musceti.
Monday I biked around Ubud and headed to the Sacred Monkey Forest. It was another highlight of the trip. The monkeys were so adorable and the forest itself was incredible. It was entertaining to watch the monkeys interacting with the other people visiting their home, and of course interacting with each other. The trees were really tall and the area was so green. On my way out of the park, I carried my empty water bottle with aims of throwing it in the trash. I attracted one little monkey's attention, and it ran up to me looking at the bottle with such longing. He put his little hand on my for support, but thankfully didn't climb all over me! I was really surprised at how soft his hands were; it was actually a nice touch. But I found a trashcan soon after, and once I ditched the bottle, the monkey ditched me. I spent the rest of the day reading in one of the coffee shops. I happened to stumble across one that was putting on a coffee making competition for its employees. It was interesting to watch them try to make the prize winning cup of Joe. I finished up the day with another meal at the Mexican restaurant (this time shrimp tacos, yum!) and then got a ride to the airport.

Flight Delay Compensation!

GETTING AWAY
Remember my great luck getting to Bali and the roughly 12 hours of travel time I saved? Well that was all wiped away by the terrible luck I had getting home. I had a 19 hour delay, due to technical malfunctions with the airplane. But better to be delayed and have a functioning plane, then go up in a compromised one.I got to the airport around 9 p.m., which gave me plenty of time to check in and wait for my flight, which was scheduled to leave at 12:25 a.m. I kept checking to see which gate we needed, but it wasn't listed, so I started getting suspicious. Sure enough, at 11:50 p.m. it was announced that our flight was delayed until 3 a.m. As a compensation, the airline gave us free meal vouchers. So I went and grabbed one of the meals, and settled in next to an outlet in the restaurant. I was able to pass the time by fairly quickly, because I watched Gladiator on my iPod. So 3 a.m. finally rolled around and we were let into the waiting area by the gate of our plane. But it was to no avail! The delay kept getting longer and longer, pushed back in hour increments. I was really fortunate to have a few other English speakers on the same flight--all teachers in Korea-- so we played some card games and chatted to help pass the time. And it really helped me to not freak out too much. Had I been alone with no one to talk to about the situation, I would surely have been much more miserable. We finally boarded at 6:30 a.m. and started rolling out a bit after 7 a.m., but our hopes were quickly dashed. The plane rolled right back into the gate area and technicians boarded to check it out. About 30 minutes later we had to get off of the plane, and were taken to a nearby hotel to get some food and rest. One of the girls, Heather, and I ended up getting a room together, which turned out to be a fun idea. We didn't really get much sleep, but we watched TV and chatted. It was good fun and we laughed quite a bit. We left the hotel around 4 p.m., went back to the airport and waited again. We finally got on a new plane and left Bali about 7 p.m.
The flight was miserable. I think I got a bit of a fever from lack of sleep and perhaps some bad reaction to the food we had at the hotel. I felt like I might puke the first half of the flight, and even though I was wrapped up with four blankets, I was freezing. Thankfully the flight was rather empty, so I was able to lay out across a middle aisle and get some sleep. The turbulence was really bad the whole time, which wasn't a comfort after learning the first plane had malfunctions in the cockpit. But I did my best to get as much sleep as I could. We got to Korea just before 3 a.m. Wednesday (originally scheduled to arrive at 8 a.m. Tuesday), and I felt a little better from the rest. I had to wait until 6:20 a.m. to catch the four-hour bus home to Daegu. I was so relieved once I finally arrived home. It was such a journey getting back, but I made it safely. Plus we got 200,000 won back from Garuda Indonesia for the flight back, which was a nice touch. And I have always wondered what it would be like to have a long enough delay to warrant the airline putting me up in a hotel. But now that I know, I don't need that adventure again! Even though my trip ended with such frustration, I absolutely loved Bali and am so happy I was able to visit.

Japan

I really loved Japan! The people were so friendly and helpful. And the food was delicious. I was lucky enough to visit several places: Tokyo, Hiroshima, Miyajima, Kyoto and Osaka.

Imperial Palace

TOKYO
I started in Tokyo, and was able to visit Melissa, my amazing friend who I interned with in Italy. It was so wonderful to catch up with her, and I really enjoyed meeting the other interns at the Tokyo Camp Adventure site. I was able to stay in the hotel with her, so it was a really comfortable and affordable sleep! The hotel, New Sanno, was so nice. The bed was ridiculously comfortable and the staff was some of the best. On Friday while the girls were at work, I meandered around Shibuya district, Yoyogi Park and Hirajuku. I had a delicious doner kebab in Shibuya (way better than any kebab offerings Korea has) and did a little shopping at H&M. After that I relaxed and people watched on a bench in Yoyogi Park. Then I walked around Hirajuku for a bit and was able to see some of the girls dressed up in their famous, crazy fashions. Sadly I did not get a picture with or of any of them!
Friday night we headed out to an English style pub that was having a sale of 50 percent off all drinks for the entire day. It was amazing! We got ourselves a few drinks there, and then headed to Greenland, a bar with a roughly 10 dollar cover for all you can drink until 11 p.m. And since we arrived 15 til 9 p.m., we certainly got our money`s worth! The odd thing about bars in Japan is that dancing is technically forbidden in establishments, and signs warning you not to dance dress the walls. But that did nothing to stop us or other patrons in the bar, and we had a great time dancing away. We left Greenland, grabbed some snacks at a convenie and were going to head home, but the owner of a bar nearby called Joker`s enticed us in to his joint with a free drink. We ended up getting two drinks free and some tasty popcorn, which I ate at the bar in addition to my convenie sandwich. An old man next to me kept tapping my shoulder, pointing to my sandwich and laughing. He found it absurd (as did I) that I was eating the sandwich in the bar. But the bar owner encouraged me to take it in when he offered the free drink, probably fearing that had I stayed outside to finish it, I never would have made it into the bar at all. We finally got away from the bar and headed back to the hotel, where we promptly fell asleep after such an eventful evening.
On Saturday we slept in late. We eventually headed to the famous fish market, grabbing lunch at an Italian restaurant along the way. Sadly once we finally got to the fish market, everything was shut down and packed up. So we then headed to the Imperial Palace. The grounds were so beautiful as were the buildings. It was such a nice little area, but sadly we only had about 30 minutes to explore. I could have gone for a little more time, but was happy that we were able to see it none the less. That night Melissa and I had dinner at a ramen restaurant. It was so good! We both got the vegetable ramen and shared a thing of gyoza. Later in the night we joined some of the other girls for a drink in the hotel bar. The staff were so sweet and gave us nachos and a cheesecake! It was delicious. We then headed back to Roppongi for another night on the town. We danced in another `no dancing allowed` bar for most of the night. After working up such a sweat, we headed to a nearby kebab stand to refuel. The kebab was delicious and had lots of meat, but was not quite as good as the one I had in Shibuya. And that was pretty much the end of our night!
Sunday we slept in as long as we could, and the headed down to the hotel`s brunch. Luckily, one of the children the girls work with was able to get us into the 25 dollar brunch for free. It was so good. Everything was ridiculously delicious. I ate so much food, I can`t even remember it all! The highlights were the fresh fruit, cheese, champagne, seafood and desserts. It was a real treat, and certainly would have been worth the price. After doing a quick load of laundry, it was time for me to say goodbye. I was so sad to leave! It was such a delight being able to spend time with Melissa again. And I really loved all the other girls who I met as well. Everyone was so nice and such fun to hang out with.
I was a fool and didn`t exchange my Japan Rail Pass before trying to leave. So I spent a good two hours waiting in (the wrong, then the right) line to exchange my pass and then get my reserved seat for the train to Hiroshima. I was so tired from getting such little sleep the night before, and stressed out that I was going to miss my check in window for my next hostel. Once I finally got my ticket (only the train from Shin-Osaka to Hiroshima had any seats left to reserve) I burst into tears. At that point emotions were just all over the place, and try as I might I couldn`t collect myself for a good hour, crying on and off. When I got on the first train, I was so sad to have to stand; it was a 3 hour journey from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka. But after about 20 minutes into the ride, a sweet Japanese man showed me an open seat and encouraged me to sit down. I was so relieved to be able to sit there for the length of the journey. And I was able to use another kind Japanese man`s phone to call my hostel and let them know I was going to be late. So it all worked out and I was finally able to relax. After getting to Shin-Osaka, I transferred to another 2 hour train to get me to Hiroshima. Adding in the lines for tickets, it took me about 7.5 hours to get from Tokyo to Hiroshima. I was so exhausted by the time I arrived, but so happy to be able to get in to the hostel with no probably. I dropped off my stuff, took a quick journey to 7 Eleven to refuel and then headed to bed.

A-bomb Dome

HIROSHIMA
Hiroshima was a really great city, and I took advantage of its proximity to Miyajima Island. The island was definitely worth a day trip. It is best known for its Toori Gate that appears to be floating at high tide. Sadly, the tide was low the whole time I was there, so I didn't get to see the floating effect. But it was fine, because I was able to walk around the gate on the beach and check it out from a much closer vantage point. I spent the day walking around the island and checking out the various temples and buildings. My favorite was the five-tiered pagoda. The island is also known for its deer, and for good reason! They were everywhere. And not at all concerned about the people milling about. The deer were actually quite aggressive if you had anything they wanted, namely food. They would walk up to someone and persistently try to snatch it from them. I did my eating inside a restaurant, so I happily did not have to battle a deer for my meal. I had some oysters, which are popular in the area. They were grilled and very tasty.
In Hiroshima, I visited the A-bomb Dome and Memorial Peace Park. I happened to be there on the anniversary of the bomb drop, so it was a really interesting experience. I just kept thinking that if I had been there 68 years ago, I would likely have been killed. It was surreal. There were several booths and activities happening to commemorate the anniversary. I walked on a strip of cloth with a dye on my feet for a group collecting footprints. And I visited the museum, which was really informative. It had a good collection of pictures, artifacts and replications of the bombing. Some of it was hard to see, especially the pictures of people with their flesh burned off and their bodies mangled. The thing that impacted me the most, though, was a wrist watch that reads 8:15, the time when the bomb was dropped. It just embodied something being frozen in history. Sadly I didn't have time to say for the lantern lighting in front of the dome, needing to get to my hostel in Kyoto in time for check-in.

The Golden Pavilion

Fushimi Inari Shrine

KYOTO

I did a lot of exploring in Kyoto. I checked out some of the more interesting sites, including the Golden Pavilion, Ryoanji rock garden and Sanjusangendo Shrine. The Golden Pavilion was really beautiful and one of the cooler buildings I've seen in Asia. I also really loved the rock garden. The garden itself was pretty awesome, but the area surrounding it was absolutely gorgeous. It was a lush, moss-covered forest that seemed enchanted with the way the sunlight peeked in. Sanjusangendo Shrine was really interesting as well. It is filled with Buddhist statues. There are so many, it seems like an army. 

During my time in Kyoto, I was able to hang out with my friend Tiffany. She taught English in Korea as well and decided to travel to Japan too. We met up my second day in Kyoto, and headed to nearby Kumara to check out its Onsen (public bath house). This one was special, because it was in a mountainous setting with indoor and outdoor baths. It was rather small, but so beautiful. I loved just hanging out in the bath while gazing at delightful nature. And I also enjoyed the clothes we were given to cover up when walking from the indoor to the outdoor bath. It was so comfortable! We spent nearly the whole afternoon there, deciding to leave a little after 6 p.m. We lucked out, because the last bus into the city was at 7 p.m. We had a bit of a wait, but it was nice to know we still had a sure way to get back to Kyoto! Once we got back we went out to dinner and then ended the night with some sweet karaoke. 

My final day in Kyoto I ran into Tiffany when I went to get breakfast. So we decided to head to Fushimi Inari Shrine together. We didn't see the whole area, because it is ridiculously vast, but we got a good feel for it. It was a really awesome place. There were so many of the orange gates. I believe the official count is more than 1 million! And the bright color was so striking. We parted ways after the shrine, and I headed to Sanjusangendo Shrine, and then on to Osaka.

Sinsekai

OSAKA

I did very little sightseeing in Osaka, but that was perfectly fine with me, because there was little I really wanted to see. I went to Osaka Castle the afternoon I arrived and was pretty content with what I had seen. But my hotel was close to the Sinsekai area, which is know for its gambling rooms and fried food on a stick, so I went to check it out. I had a whole assortment of food fried on a stick: avocado, lotus root, pumpkin, asparagus, salmon, shrimp and scallop. They were quite tasty, but not my favorite meal in Japan (honestly, I think the pack of edamame I ate almost everyday from the convenies may have been my favorite!). I wasn't quite ready to turn in for the night, so I went to Spa World, which is a huge collection of public baths. There is an Asian section and a European section with various styles of baths. From the brochure pictures, it looked like the European section had Roman, Greek and Spanish style baths. Women were in the Asian section for the month, so I was able to use the Islam, Persian, Japanese and Bali style baths. It was a nice and relaxing evening. 

The next day I went to Summer Sonic, the epic music festival that drew me to Japan in the first place! It was absurdly busy. I thought Korea had crowded events; boy was I wrong. It was just incredible how many people were there. Utter insanity. But I made the most of it. When I arrived, the line for the shuttle bus from the train station to the concert site must have been at least a three hour wait. I just didn't have the patience (and I didn't purchase a ticket beforehand, so I wasn't sure if I'd even be able to ride it), so I scoped out the crowd and saw two foreigners trying to flag down a cab. So I ran over to them and asked to join in their taxi. They were really nice and agreed, but we weren't able to get a taxi as they all were busy or kept being taken. So we went one train stop back and caught a taxi from there no problem. The weird thing though, was that the previous train stop was for Universal Studios theme park, so I was a bit shocked when I got off the train and walked into a theme park version of America (i.e. the city walk)! But I didn't have much time to marvel, though the roller coasters did tempt me, as we hurried to get a cab. We got the the site within a 10 minute drive, and I only ended up paying about a dollar more than I would have for the shuttle. So worth it!

Once I finally got to the concert, I walked around the area to get an idea of where things were located. Then I got to see the first band I was looking forward to, Imagine Dragons. They were so good and incorporated so much percussion into the performance. A really great show! I also saw John Legend (pretty good), Cyndi Lauper (awful), Carly Rae Jepsen (a little whiny for my tastes), and the Smashing Pumpkins (good). Additionally, I was able to watch Two Door Cinema Club. They were so great! I really love their music, and that was reinforced by their excellent performance. Sadly I only caught the middle performance, because they were playing at the same time as the band I most wanted to see: Muse! Oh my goodness! Muse was so incredible. They totally rocked my socks. Even though I missed about 20 minutes of their performance to watch Two Door, I heard all of my favorite songs. So I was completely happy with how it turned out. One of the best performances I've seen!

Leaving the concert was not as bad as I had anticipated. The line for the shuttle was again insanely long and no taxis were to be found. But I happened to walk past a public bus stop that had a really short line. I wasn't sure where it was going, but something said JR, so I figured it was associated with the railway system and thought I'd take a chance to see if it could get me to the train station. I ended up waiting for only about 10 or 15 minutes. And it was a pleasant wait, because two Korean guys who spoke good English were behind me. So we chatted a bit, which helped pass the time. It was a bit odd though, because it felt a little like a comfort of home talking to them. Maybe because I was able to speak English and actually converse with someone. But I think also because they were Korean and its like my second home now. So a nice feeling. Anyway, my intuition paid off, as the bus went directly to the train station and I was able to catch a train back to my hotel rather quickly. Leaving Summer Sonic was thankfully a much quicker process than arriving there. But it was absolutely worth it, and I am so glad I was able to see so many great performers. The concert was the last eventful thing I did in Japan, and a nice way to end. I crashed at my hotel before waking up for my morning flight to Bali.