Staying in touch can be hard, especially when your world’s been turned upside down. There’s never a good excuse, only explanations, and here’s mine.
I left Japan at the end of July last year and came home. I’ve been studying at Indiana University since August, working toward a Ph.D. in foreign language education, but that’s not the real reason I came home. About 3 years ago, when my mum went in for a regular mammogram, the doctors found a lump. It was a really small one, but after biopsying it, they determined that it was cancer. She had it removed and was given an all-clear from the doctor. Then about a year ago, she had a cough that just wouldn’t go away. She went in to the doctor and they discovered that they hadn’t gotten all the cancer out the first time around; now it had spread to her lungs and brain. The doctors had told her that chemotherapy wouldn’t have made a difference the first time around, so she had just done radiation. I guess they were wrong. The cancer was in Stage 4 now so she began chemo and radiation to take care of it. The doctors said that since it was breast cancer that had spread, the chemo should work wonderfully, and for a while, it seemed to. But then they found it had spread to her liver, and eventually her bones. Three weeks ago today she finally succumbed and her body gave out.
What do you say to someone whose mother, or sister, or wife, has passed away? Unless you’ve been through it yourself, it’s hard to know. I’ve decided to write this blog so that if any of you know someone who goes through this, you may have a better idea of what to do. No situation is the same, but at least I can tell you what was helpful for me and my family; at least it’s a place to start.
#1: Don’t say, “Let me know if there’s anything I can do.” Just do something.
When people said this to me, I knew they had good intentions. But what was I supposed to say? “Buy me a car.” “Take me out to dinner.” “Buy our groceries.”? I don’t want to impose on anyone. However, there ARE things you can do. One lady stopped by one evening with a bag of breakfast supplies: bagels, cream cheese, fruit, milk, and juice. It was so thoughtful of her and something I never would have asked for, but it was SO nice to have! Another woman brought over a tray of lasagna, a large salad, and bread. Even though cooking is usually therapeutic for me, the stress of losing my mum made me tired all the time. Having a full meal that we could just throw in the oven and put on the table was a great gift that she gave us. On the other hand, we received TONS of sweets – brownies, cake, cookies,… - more than we could even begin to finish. Having real food was much more useful. One lady made us a vat of chicken salad and brought about 50 rolls; this was nice but we were eating chicken salad for a week just to get through it! You don’t need to do much, but bringing over a meal is a wonderful gesture.
#2: If you’re gonna give me a hug, give me a real one.
I found a lot of people who wanted to give me a hug to make me feel better, but they only gave half a hug. Do you know what I mean? Our shoulders met but the rest of our body was apart. If you want to give someone a hug, but you’re afraid that you don’t know them well enough to give a real one, just don’t give one at all. Half-hugs do not make me feel better.
#3: Don’t try to make me feel better. Just say, “That sucks.”
Again, I know people thought they were trying to help, but when someone tells me that “she’s in a better place” or “it’s all part of God’s plan”, I really want to tell them to go *$#& themselves (pardon my French). It takes time to get through this. There’s a hole in my heart where my mum was, and it may be a year before I spend less time focusing on the hole than I do on other things. The best thing you can do is be available to listen.
#4: Keep the cards coming.
Even if you can’t make it to the visitation or funeral, it’s amazing how nice it is to receive a card. We’re still receiving them and it’s lovely to hear how people knew my mum. Even a small gesture like this is appreciated.
#5: If you invite us over, and we decline, don’t take it personally.
Just after Mum died, everyone invited us over for dinner. It’s a wonderful gesture but there are times when we are just too tired. It’s nothing against you; it’s just that staying home and watching movies may be easier.
********************
I hope everyone’s lives are going well, but if they aren’t, feel free to contact me – I’m always happy to listen. Take care and keep my family in your thoughts.
sharron
A real Asian experience: Part III... Beijing
And the bad part of my trip begins.
Day 1
After a hard night on what they call a "soft-sleeper", I arrived in Beijing at 7:30am. Since I couldn't check-in until noon, I stuffed my bags in a locker and went for a cold walk. I first came across a park that was filled with older people doing tai chi, playing badminton, and rehearsing for some kind of dance performance. And then there's me, bundled up in my scarf and hat, huddled on a bench, reading a book! I then continued my wander to Tiananmen Square and after having a quick look between Tiananmen Gate and the Forbidden City, decided I was too cold and tired to go in. I decided to head back to the train station, pick up my stuff, and go to the hostel. As I was leaving, the craziest thing happened: 5 Chinese men in black leather coats jumped the guardrails and charged the guards along the moat. You can imagine what happened - a mad rush of police arrested them and hauled them around the back to an office. Then other police, who I SWEAR are required to be at least 6 feet tall, pushed the crowd way back, yelling what I can only imagine to be, "Hey! What are you looking at?! Get back! There's nothing to see here! Move it!" (but as you can imagine, that only drew more of a crowd!) Meanwhile, a slew of other police had climbed down into the moat to fish out whatever it was those guys had tossed in. It was kinda scary and exciting at the same time. I made sure to keep my distance 'cuz I SO didn't need to get arrested under suspicion of involvement! You can bet that there was NOTHING in the news about that later that night! After the excitement had died down, I made my way to the train station, then to the hostel. Another 3 hour nap later, and I was ready to go find some dinner. I ended up at the Downtown Cafe where I ate vegetarian lasagna and downed a bottle of water. That accomplished, I was ready for a proper night's sleep.
Day 2
Another day of rain and muck. I ventured out around noon, only to wander around my area NE of the center and end up spending most of the day in coffee shops and malls. I still hadn't seen the Forbidden City but wasn't too heartbroken about it, as I was totally looking forward to visiting the Great Wall the next day (my last). That evening I splurged for a fancy Italian restaurant which cost an arm and a leg but was divine. After planning for my big final day, I hit the hay at 10:30pm.
Day 3
I got up, packed a day bag, and made my way to the bus station. Thus begins my last and worst day in China. They wouldn't sell me a ticket. And I refused to pay 40x the bus ticket to hire a taxi there and back. I then made my way to where the tour buses were, only to find that they had all already left for the day. What a letdown, as this was really the only reason I'd planned to come to Beijing. I must admit, there were a few tears and a couple sobs. Not to let the whole day be a waste, I spent 2 1/2 hours in the Forbidden City, which unfortunately is under massive renovations for the Olympics in the summer of 2008. Although I did get some satisfactory photos, it was nothing like what I'm sure the Great Wall would've been. What a disappointment. I went back to the hostel, finished packing, and went to bed.
I hate Beijing.
Day 1
After a hard night on what they call a "soft-sleeper", I arrived in Beijing at 7:30am. Since I couldn't check-in until noon, I stuffed my bags in a locker and went for a cold walk. I first came across a park that was filled with older people doing tai chi, playing badminton, and rehearsing for some kind of dance performance. And then there's me, bundled up in my scarf and hat, huddled on a bench, reading a book! I then continued my wander to Tiananmen Square and after having a quick look between Tiananmen Gate and the Forbidden City, decided I was too cold and tired to go in. I decided to head back to the train station, pick up my stuff, and go to the hostel. As I was leaving, the craziest thing happened: 5 Chinese men in black leather coats jumped the guardrails and charged the guards along the moat. You can imagine what happened - a mad rush of police arrested them and hauled them around the back to an office. Then other police, who I SWEAR are required to be at least 6 feet tall, pushed the crowd way back, yelling what I can only imagine to be, "Hey! What are you looking at?! Get back! There's nothing to see here! Move it!" (but as you can imagine, that only drew more of a crowd!) Meanwhile, a slew of other police had climbed down into the moat to fish out whatever it was those guys had tossed in. It was kinda scary and exciting at the same time. I made sure to keep my distance 'cuz I SO didn't need to get arrested under suspicion of involvement! You can bet that there was NOTHING in the news about that later that night! After the excitement had died down, I made my way to the train station, then to the hostel. Another 3 hour nap later, and I was ready to go find some dinner. I ended up at the Downtown Cafe where I ate vegetarian lasagna and downed a bottle of water. That accomplished, I was ready for a proper night's sleep.
Day 2
Another day of rain and muck. I ventured out around noon, only to wander around my area NE of the center and end up spending most of the day in coffee shops and malls. I still hadn't seen the Forbidden City but wasn't too heartbroken about it, as I was totally looking forward to visiting the Great Wall the next day (my last). That evening I splurged for a fancy Italian restaurant which cost an arm and a leg but was divine. After planning for my big final day, I hit the hay at 10:30pm.
Day 3
I got up, packed a day bag, and made my way to the bus station. Thus begins my last and worst day in China. They wouldn't sell me a ticket. And I refused to pay 40x the bus ticket to hire a taxi there and back. I then made my way to where the tour buses were, only to find that they had all already left for the day. What a letdown, as this was really the only reason I'd planned to come to Beijing. I must admit, there were a few tears and a couple sobs. Not to let the whole day be a waste, I spent 2 1/2 hours in the Forbidden City, which unfortunately is under massive renovations for the Olympics in the summer of 2008. Although I did get some satisfactory photos, it was nothing like what I'm sure the Great Wall would've been. What a disappointment. I went back to the hostel, finished packing, and went to bed.
I hate Beijing.
A real Asian experience: Part II... Shanghai
Day 1
I arrived in Shanghai slightly exhausted, having dozed a bit on the plane but being wakened by the stewardess who was adamant that I eat the meal. Arriving at the airport, I was amazed by how modern it was! If I hadn't known I was in China, I would've thought I was at O'Hare. After clearing customs, I decided to splurge, and rather than take the 1 hour bus into the city, instead take the Maglev train (magnetic levitation) which takes only 8 minutes. What an amazing experience! When the train reached its maximum speed of 431 km per hour (and for you Americans, that's 269 mph!), I knew the $7 ticket was worth it! I then caught the metro and walked the last 10 min. to my hostel, a hole-in-the-wall place in a very prime location that cost only $9 a night.
Awake again, I ventured out to secure a soft-sleeper ticket for the March 1st night train to Beijing and see about a ticket for the famed Shanghai acrobats. The train ticket was harder to come by than I expected. My Lonely Planet recommended that I should NOT, by any means, go directly to the normal ticket office, where they most likely couldn't speak English and it would be filled with rambuncious Chinese trying to get tickets as well. Instead, I should visit a nearby hotel who, though charging a small fee, could speak English and book the ticket for me. As I found out, the hotel was under construction (and I mean, had been demolished and was being completely rebuilt!) so with much hesitation, I entered the normal ticketing office, only to find English-speaking sales agents and no line! That handled, I went off to find the theatre to buy tickets for the next night's performance. On reaching the theatre, I discovered they'd closed for renovations until May (!!!) but the woman working at the front door of the Ritz said the concierge inside could arrange a ticket for me elsewhere. So helpful! The concierge was very polite and was able to book my ticket immediately. (The troupe, as it turned out, was performing at a smaller theatre in the meantime.) This was the 4th time friendly Shanghai-ese had helped me, something that contrasted sharply with my experience in Seoul. Even the locals at the coffee shop had explained exactly where the theatre was, as it wasn't clearly marked on my map. What a lovely surprise, as I'd been afraid that NO ONE in China would be able to speak English!
The walk to the theatre revealed how modern Shanghai is, but also how duplicit it is. On one side of the street you can see elegant, modern skyscrapers, and on the other, derelict 1920s Parisian-style apartment buildings and shops in desperate need of renovation. It's quite the contrast. The road to the theatre is the west half of what could be described as Shanghai's tourist street. The center of town is People's Park, where old men huddle around games of Mahjongg and couples go for a short walk. There are several beautiful museums located in the park, which, though it can't compete with Ueno Park in Tokyo or Tiergarten in Berlin in size, provides a nice break from the concrete.
After a nice long nap, I went for a walk to see Shanghai at night. I began heading down the Bund, along the west side of the river that divides the old part of Shanghai with the new and improved Pudong side to the east. Most of the buildings along the Bund were built by or for the large foreign population in Shanghai around the turn of the last century, and you can still see their majesty. Across the river are all the pretty, lit-up modern feats of architecture, but the Bund provides for more photgenic shots. I was awestruck.
After the Bund, I wandered along the east half of the tourist street to the park. This side is pedestrian-ized and has more neon than Shijuku and Shibuya in Tokyo put together. Stores and restaurants of every kind line this street and even though it was 10pm on a Tuesday night, the street was crowded with shoppers. It was even possible to take a trolley ride along this road to revel in all the color. All in all, my first day in Shanghai was terrific!
Day 2
I began the day with a walk to Yuyuan Temple and Gardens. This is a bit of a flashback to Old China, and though Lonely Planet says it's a bit cheesy, I loved it! It was still festively decorated for the New Year. The area around the temple and gardens has become a giant market with traditional Chinese goods being sold next to McDonald's and Starbucks. Too funny! The temple and gardens were amazing... I couldn't stop taking pictures! After wandering out of the meleé that was the market, I began the hunt for a place to sit down for lunch. Though my "trusty" book recommended an "easy-to-find" place, no one could help me locate it, so I stopped at a woman cooking on the street and settled for a metal plate filled with a noodle, beef, onion, stirfry for 8 yuon ($1). She then took me upstairs to the restaurant where I joined 3 old Chinese women eating ramen :) It was pretty funny, having bought my food on the street and then jumping the queue to wedge myself into an empty seat. Honestly, that was the best meal I had on my trip!
After lunch, I wandered to the French Concession, inappropriately named as when it was established, most people living there were Russian! This is the ritzy area of Shanghai and it was the perfect day for a stroll. I wandered through an open-air mall, down streets of lovely old homes, and through a park with a fountain and an area where families were flying kites. I even saw a guy in an authentic Iowa Hawkeyes sweatshirt!
That evening, I returned to the French Concession to see the Shanghai Acrobat Troupe perform in a little theatre. I ended up sitting next to a guy and his mother from Lebanon who were very pleasant to visit with. The guy had just finished university and moved to Shanghai 7 months earlier to study Chinese and eventually get a job. His mum was visiting for 3 weeks, and though he seemed to get annoyed with her easily, I thought she was charming in a motherly sort of way. Isn't that always the way it is?! The performance was spectacular, and though I got some cool photos, I wished I'd had my video cam along. Thus ends another lovely day in Shanghai!
Day 3
My last day dawned rainy and dismal. I checked out of the hostel and took my bags to the left luggage office at the train station. I'd planned to go to Pudong and go up the high towers to see Shanghai from above, but with the rain and fog, I knew it would be a wasted trip. Plan B was to visit a museum or 2 at People's Park, but when I got there, I just didn't feel like that either. In the end, I went to see a movie :) "The Devil Wears Prada." I'd read the book and wasn't really the biggest of fans but the movie was great! What a surprise! The rest of the afternoon I spent window shopping and at a foreign bookshop. (Shame on me. :) ) At 7:30pm I was on the night train to Beijing, wishing I'd planned for a whole week in Shanghai, but with all the excitement for more cool experiences! If only I'd known...
I arrived in Shanghai slightly exhausted, having dozed a bit on the plane but being wakened by the stewardess who was adamant that I eat the meal. Arriving at the airport, I was amazed by how modern it was! If I hadn't known I was in China, I would've thought I was at O'Hare. After clearing customs, I decided to splurge, and rather than take the 1 hour bus into the city, instead take the Maglev train (magnetic levitation) which takes only 8 minutes. What an amazing experience! When the train reached its maximum speed of 431 km per hour (and for you Americans, that's 269 mph!), I knew the $7 ticket was worth it! I then caught the metro and walked the last 10 min. to my hostel, a hole-in-the-wall place in a very prime location that cost only $9 a night.
Awake again, I ventured out to secure a soft-sleeper ticket for the March 1st night train to Beijing and see about a ticket for the famed Shanghai acrobats. The train ticket was harder to come by than I expected. My Lonely Planet recommended that I should NOT, by any means, go directly to the normal ticket office, where they most likely couldn't speak English and it would be filled with rambuncious Chinese trying to get tickets as well. Instead, I should visit a nearby hotel who, though charging a small fee, could speak English and book the ticket for me. As I found out, the hotel was under construction (and I mean, had been demolished and was being completely rebuilt!) so with much hesitation, I entered the normal ticketing office, only to find English-speaking sales agents and no line! That handled, I went off to find the theatre to buy tickets for the next night's performance. On reaching the theatre, I discovered they'd closed for renovations until May (!!!) but the woman working at the front door of the Ritz said the concierge inside could arrange a ticket for me elsewhere. So helpful! The concierge was very polite and was able to book my ticket immediately. (The troupe, as it turned out, was performing at a smaller theatre in the meantime.) This was the 4th time friendly Shanghai-ese had helped me, something that contrasted sharply with my experience in Seoul. Even the locals at the coffee shop had explained exactly where the theatre was, as it wasn't clearly marked on my map. What a lovely surprise, as I'd been afraid that NO ONE in China would be able to speak English!
The walk to the theatre revealed how modern Shanghai is, but also how duplicit it is. On one side of the street you can see elegant, modern skyscrapers, and on the other, derelict 1920s Parisian-style apartment buildings and shops in desperate need of renovation. It's quite the contrast. The road to the theatre is the west half of what could be described as Shanghai's tourist street. The center of town is People's Park, where old men huddle around games of Mahjongg and couples go for a short walk. There are several beautiful museums located in the park, which, though it can't compete with Ueno Park in Tokyo or Tiergarten in Berlin in size, provides a nice break from the concrete.
After a nice long nap, I went for a walk to see Shanghai at night. I began heading down the Bund, along the west side of the river that divides the old part of Shanghai with the new and improved Pudong side to the east. Most of the buildings along the Bund were built by or for the large foreign population in Shanghai around the turn of the last century, and you can still see their majesty. Across the river are all the pretty, lit-up modern feats of architecture, but the Bund provides for more photgenic shots. I was awestruck.
After the Bund, I wandered along the east half of the tourist street to the park. This side is pedestrian-ized and has more neon than Shijuku and Shibuya in Tokyo put together. Stores and restaurants of every kind line this street and even though it was 10pm on a Tuesday night, the street was crowded with shoppers. It was even possible to take a trolley ride along this road to revel in all the color. All in all, my first day in Shanghai was terrific!
Day 2
I began the day with a walk to Yuyuan Temple and Gardens. This is a bit of a flashback to Old China, and though Lonely Planet says it's a bit cheesy, I loved it! It was still festively decorated for the New Year. The area around the temple and gardens has become a giant market with traditional Chinese goods being sold next to McDonald's and Starbucks. Too funny! The temple and gardens were amazing... I couldn't stop taking pictures! After wandering out of the meleé that was the market, I began the hunt for a place to sit down for lunch. Though my "trusty" book recommended an "easy-to-find" place, no one could help me locate it, so I stopped at a woman cooking on the street and settled for a metal plate filled with a noodle, beef, onion, stirfry for 8 yuon ($1). She then took me upstairs to the restaurant where I joined 3 old Chinese women eating ramen :) It was pretty funny, having bought my food on the street and then jumping the queue to wedge myself into an empty seat. Honestly, that was the best meal I had on my trip!
After lunch, I wandered to the French Concession, inappropriately named as when it was established, most people living there were Russian! This is the ritzy area of Shanghai and it was the perfect day for a stroll. I wandered through an open-air mall, down streets of lovely old homes, and through a park with a fountain and an area where families were flying kites. I even saw a guy in an authentic Iowa Hawkeyes sweatshirt!
That evening, I returned to the French Concession to see the Shanghai Acrobat Troupe perform in a little theatre. I ended up sitting next to a guy and his mother from Lebanon who were very pleasant to visit with. The guy had just finished university and moved to Shanghai 7 months earlier to study Chinese and eventually get a job. His mum was visiting for 3 weeks, and though he seemed to get annoyed with her easily, I thought she was charming in a motherly sort of way. Isn't that always the way it is?! The performance was spectacular, and though I got some cool photos, I wished I'd had my video cam along. Thus ends another lovely day in Shanghai!
Day 3
My last day dawned rainy and dismal. I checked out of the hostel and took my bags to the left luggage office at the train station. I'd planned to go to Pudong and go up the high towers to see Shanghai from above, but with the rain and fog, I knew it would be a wasted trip. Plan B was to visit a museum or 2 at People's Park, but when I got there, I just didn't feel like that either. In the end, I went to see a movie :) "The Devil Wears Prada." I'd read the book and wasn't really the biggest of fans but the movie was great! What a surprise! The rest of the afternoon I spent window shopping and at a foreign bookshop. (Shame on me. :) ) At 7:30pm I was on the night train to Beijing, wishing I'd planned for a whole week in Shanghai, but with all the excitement for more cool experiences! If only I'd known...
A real Asian experience: Part I... Seoul
I had never planned to visit Seoul, as it never, shall we say, "called out to me", but since I had to connect to China through the city, I figured I might as well spend an afternoon there. I got up at 5:30 a.m. to be out the door by 6:30 for my 2 hour train ride to the airport. On grabbing my coat, I realized that my flight was at 9:30 and not 10:30. (*heart attack!*) Arriving breathless in the departure area, I was relieved to find no one in line ahead of me. (Apparently, they had all already checked in!) The flight was uneventful and I arrived around noon. After taking a break for a cigarette, I boarded a bus for the city, and though it was supposed to take an hour, the traffic was so bad (midday on a Monday, go figure!) that it took an extra half hour. I then spent another half hour walking up and down the same stree, asking extremely unfriendly Koreans with no English ability if they knew where the hostel was. Finally I went into the Raemian Gallery and thank goodness for the nice man who called them up and got directions for me. I walked the 3 minutes to the hostel, dropped my stuff off, and by 3:30 was out the door for an afternoon of sightseeing.
I began with the original palace called Gyeongbokgung since Changdeokgung was closed (it being Monday and all). I was unimpressed with the exterior and almost decided not to fork over the $3 entrance fee. What a tragedy that would have been! I had no idea how beautiful the vast expanse of buildings could be! One after another, and just when you thought you'd seen it all, there was another passage to a whole 'nother area. Just amazing and I couldn't stop taking pictures. It was originally built in 1395, but after the Japanese destroyed it in the late 1500s, the Koreans decided to build a new one, now the famous Changdeokgung. It wasn't until 1868 that renovations began on this palace, and they're still working on it. The colors at the palace are incredible and the pictures, though cool, don't do any of it justice!
After spending an hour winding in and out of passages, I decided to embrace the nice, if windy, weather, and walk across the city, rather than take the subway. That way, I could see the city hall and the rest of modern Seoul on the way to my next destination. How fantastic - I really was not expecting it! I found myself snapping photos of hotels and restaurants as if I'd never seen a building before. The city hall was very East Coast USA, and the sunset was providing for some terrific reflections. Having come to Namsan Park on the other side of town, I climbed the hill and indulged in an ice cream. I had one more thing on my list: to go up the N Seoul Tower (a TV tower) and get a view of the city from above.
I began the walk over to the cable car, but as the signs were not as clear as I would have liked, I happened instead on a walking path. Giving a shrug and a "Why not?", I began to wind around a lovely wooded area. If only I'd known what I was getting myself into! The clues were there, and yet, having nothing else to do and surprisingly good weather, I failed to read them correctly: the people in their running clothes, the ups and downs of the well-lit path, the distance markers painted on the road, or even the fact that Namsan Park is named for Mt. Namsan... Before I knew it, I'd huffed and puffed my way 2 miles around and up what I now know to be Seoul's only mountain! Not being in the mood to turn around and walk back the 2 miles to the cable car, I decided to continue on foot to the TV tower. The next two miles were only uphill. I stopped twice to stretch my aching muscles and reheat my ears with my sweaty hands before finally reaching the top. Oh my GOD, what a view! Of course, I'd seen glimpses on the way up through breaks in the trees, but I was SO not prepared for the lights. During the day, I must admit, Seoul isn't much to look at through the grime and air pollution, but I was stunned by its beauty at night. Taking the elevator up the tower to the observation deck (360 degree view), I took pictures from almost every angle. I have to say, it ranks better than Chicago in my book! If I'd taken the cable car, yes, I would have been a lot less sore for the next 4 days, but I don't know that I would have appreciated Seoul as much. Utterly amazing.
Deciding to save my money and take the stairs (which, by the way, took only 20 min. instead of 2+ hours), I managed to get down to the city in record time. Famished, when I saw the sign for The Outback Steakhouse, I knew that no amount of traditional Korean food would make me feel human again. I know what you're saying... "Sharron, how COULD you??? You are in Seoul for 1 day and you don't even eat Korean food???" Trust me, I said the same thing to myself, but not having eaten anything besides that ice cream cone since the plane ride and having walked who knows how far, when I saw the sign, I knew that only a proper steak and potato dinner was going to be able to chisel away at the hunger that was defining my entire existence at that point.
Arriving back at the hostel, fully sated, completely exhausted, and in the middle of my first major asthma attack in years (and, honestly, I was seriously scared I wasn't gonna make it back to my medicine!), I was looking forward to getting a good night's sleep before my morning flight to Shanghai. Unfortunately, I got talking to two college students until a quarter to 1, and though it was interesting, boy did I pay for it the next day. No worries - I made it to the airport in plenty of time - but what a way to start my Shanghai experience! Thus begins Part II...
I began with the original palace called Gyeongbokgung since Changdeokgung was closed (it being Monday and all). I was unimpressed with the exterior and almost decided not to fork over the $3 entrance fee. What a tragedy that would have been! I had no idea how beautiful the vast expanse of buildings could be! One after another, and just when you thought you'd seen it all, there was another passage to a whole 'nother area. Just amazing and I couldn't stop taking pictures. It was originally built in 1395, but after the Japanese destroyed it in the late 1500s, the Koreans decided to build a new one, now the famous Changdeokgung. It wasn't until 1868 that renovations began on this palace, and they're still working on it. The colors at the palace are incredible and the pictures, though cool, don't do any of it justice!
After spending an hour winding in and out of passages, I decided to embrace the nice, if windy, weather, and walk across the city, rather than take the subway. That way, I could see the city hall and the rest of modern Seoul on the way to my next destination. How fantastic - I really was not expecting it! I found myself snapping photos of hotels and restaurants as if I'd never seen a building before. The city hall was very East Coast USA, and the sunset was providing for some terrific reflections. Having come to Namsan Park on the other side of town, I climbed the hill and indulged in an ice cream. I had one more thing on my list: to go up the N Seoul Tower (a TV tower) and get a view of the city from above.
I began the walk over to the cable car, but as the signs were not as clear as I would have liked, I happened instead on a walking path. Giving a shrug and a "Why not?", I began to wind around a lovely wooded area. If only I'd known what I was getting myself into! The clues were there, and yet, having nothing else to do and surprisingly good weather, I failed to read them correctly: the people in their running clothes, the ups and downs of the well-lit path, the distance markers painted on the road, or even the fact that Namsan Park is named for Mt. Namsan... Before I knew it, I'd huffed and puffed my way 2 miles around and up what I now know to be Seoul's only mountain! Not being in the mood to turn around and walk back the 2 miles to the cable car, I decided to continue on foot to the TV tower. The next two miles were only uphill. I stopped twice to stretch my aching muscles and reheat my ears with my sweaty hands before finally reaching the top. Oh my GOD, what a view! Of course, I'd seen glimpses on the way up through breaks in the trees, but I was SO not prepared for the lights. During the day, I must admit, Seoul isn't much to look at through the grime and air pollution, but I was stunned by its beauty at night. Taking the elevator up the tower to the observation deck (360 degree view), I took pictures from almost every angle. I have to say, it ranks better than Chicago in my book! If I'd taken the cable car, yes, I would have been a lot less sore for the next 4 days, but I don't know that I would have appreciated Seoul as much. Utterly amazing.
Deciding to save my money and take the stairs (which, by the way, took only 20 min. instead of 2+ hours), I managed to get down to the city in record time. Famished, when I saw the sign for The Outback Steakhouse, I knew that no amount of traditional Korean food would make me feel human again. I know what you're saying... "Sharron, how COULD you??? You are in Seoul for 1 day and you don't even eat Korean food???" Trust me, I said the same thing to myself, but not having eaten anything besides that ice cream cone since the plane ride and having walked who knows how far, when I saw the sign, I knew that only a proper steak and potato dinner was going to be able to chisel away at the hunger that was defining my entire existence at that point.
Arriving back at the hostel, fully sated, completely exhausted, and in the middle of my first major asthma attack in years (and, honestly, I was seriously scared I wasn't gonna make it back to my medicine!), I was looking forward to getting a good night's sleep before my morning flight to Shanghai. Unfortunately, I got talking to two college students until a quarter to 1, and though it was interesting, boy did I pay for it the next day. No worries - I made it to the airport in plenty of time - but what a way to start my Shanghai experience! Thus begins Part II...
The Change of Seasons
...and another summer is over. My how things change! It's finally cooling off a little here, just in time for my school's yearly festival. The girls have been preparing for weeks, decorating their homerooms, painting signs, and practicing the performances they'll give, and it's just now soaking in that this will be my last one. Plus, my kids that I've taught since I arrived are graduating in March and I can't imagine what it'll be like here without them! When I got here, they were 3 months into their first year, so pretty much, I've been here since they started high school. And I still feel like I just arrived.
Last month I participated in the orientation for the newbies here in Saitama. Since I was older than most of the kids who came when I did, now I feel like an old woman compared to them! These kids, 22, 23, and 24 year olds, have so much enthusiasm and passion, that I can't bear to imagine how one or two years here will change that. Don't get me wrong, I'm still here after more than 2 years, so there's gotta be something good about it, right?! The real pity is how little we can do to make a difference. In the end it comes down to that story about the old man on the beach after the storm. You know that story, right? The storm washed hundreds of starfish ashore, and as a young man comes down to the beach, he sees the old man picking up starfish one by one and tossing them back into the sea. The young man says, "What are you doing? There are hundreds of starfish on the beach. How can you imagine you'll even make the smallest of differences?" And the old man picks up a tiny starfish and sets it in the tide as it rolls onto the shore, and as the water carries it away, he says, "It made a difference to that one." Every morning I wake up, and think, "Do I really have the energy for all this today?" Then at the end of the day, looking back on the lessons I taught and the students I talked to, I have to smile because what I do is so much more than teaching English. I allow students to get a glimpse of another culture, another way of life, and it makes every single thing worth it. Obviously, I'm feeling rather sentimental - as always happens in fall.
I just finished reading the most amazing book, "The Mists of Avalon" by Marion Zimmer Bradley. It tells the story of King Arthur from his sister's perspective, and allows the reader to see what life was like for women in the time of kings and knights. It's almost 900 pages and took me days to read, and during that time, several people asked me if I had a cold. I responded that I didn't and asked why. And they said that I was talking differently - my voice was different. And I understood that when I was reading the book, I was in a different place, as if I was somehow in the book and part of the story. And when I took a break, it was as if I was then in a dream world, still in the book, and that my real life was not real. It was rather surreal, if you can imagine, and things that normally would seem aggravating or important weren't so. Nearing the end of the book, I almost didn't want to finish it because I was afraid the calm that came from reading and contemplating might disappear when I was finished. Now that it is finished, I can feel the dreaminess drifting away and I miss it. Strange, that a book can do that. When I was a kid and we thought about the future, we imagined that there wouldn't be books anymore, but everything on computer. Thank goodness that isn't true! Books allow us to develop our imagination and create a place for us to go to relax, laugh, or even cry, in order to add color to our lives.
Back to reality, this summer was busy with no fun trips, but lots of business trips. I look forward to being home in Iowa for 2 weeks around Christmas and New Year's and seeing family and friends I haven't seen since last summer. I want to take this chance to congratulate my friends Michelle and Richard and wish them all the happiness in the world with their new spouses. I know that although life tosses us some trying situations, both of these people have wonderful futures ahead of them and I wish them all the best.
Until my next episode...
shar
Last month I participated in the orientation for the newbies here in Saitama. Since I was older than most of the kids who came when I did, now I feel like an old woman compared to them! These kids, 22, 23, and 24 year olds, have so much enthusiasm and passion, that I can't bear to imagine how one or two years here will change that. Don't get me wrong, I'm still here after more than 2 years, so there's gotta be something good about it, right?! The real pity is how little we can do to make a difference. In the end it comes down to that story about the old man on the beach after the storm. You know that story, right? The storm washed hundreds of starfish ashore, and as a young man comes down to the beach, he sees the old man picking up starfish one by one and tossing them back into the sea. The young man says, "What are you doing? There are hundreds of starfish on the beach. How can you imagine you'll even make the smallest of differences?" And the old man picks up a tiny starfish and sets it in the tide as it rolls onto the shore, and as the water carries it away, he says, "It made a difference to that one." Every morning I wake up, and think, "Do I really have the energy for all this today?" Then at the end of the day, looking back on the lessons I taught and the students I talked to, I have to smile because what I do is so much more than teaching English. I allow students to get a glimpse of another culture, another way of life, and it makes every single thing worth it. Obviously, I'm feeling rather sentimental - as always happens in fall.
I just finished reading the most amazing book, "The Mists of Avalon" by Marion Zimmer Bradley. It tells the story of King Arthur from his sister's perspective, and allows the reader to see what life was like for women in the time of kings and knights. It's almost 900 pages and took me days to read, and during that time, several people asked me if I had a cold. I responded that I didn't and asked why. And they said that I was talking differently - my voice was different. And I understood that when I was reading the book, I was in a different place, as if I was somehow in the book and part of the story. And when I took a break, it was as if I was then in a dream world, still in the book, and that my real life was not real. It was rather surreal, if you can imagine, and things that normally would seem aggravating or important weren't so. Nearing the end of the book, I almost didn't want to finish it because I was afraid the calm that came from reading and contemplating might disappear when I was finished. Now that it is finished, I can feel the dreaminess drifting away and I miss it. Strange, that a book can do that. When I was a kid and we thought about the future, we imagined that there wouldn't be books anymore, but everything on computer. Thank goodness that isn't true! Books allow us to develop our imagination and create a place for us to go to relax, laugh, or even cry, in order to add color to our lives.
Back to reality, this summer was busy with no fun trips, but lots of business trips. I look forward to being home in Iowa for 2 weeks around Christmas and New Year's and seeing family and friends I haven't seen since last summer. I want to take this chance to congratulate my friends Michelle and Richard and wish them all the happiness in the world with their new spouses. I know that although life tosses us some trying situations, both of these people have wonderful futures ahead of them and I wish them all the best.
Until my next episode...
shar
Children of the 80s
Back in the days when we all had free time to create lists, this is one of my favorites I got. Remember this? And check out some of the new links I've added on the right for a little fun :)
You know you grew up in the 1980's if..
…you know the profound meaning of "Wax on, Wax off."
…you know that another name for a keyboard is a "synthesizer."
…you can sing the McDonald's Big Mac, Filet-o-fish, quarter pounder, and French fry song.
…you know who Mr. T is.
…you know who Fat Albert is.
…you ever wore fluorescent, neon clothing.
…you could breakdance, or wish you could.
…you wanted to be The Hulk for Halloween.
…you believed that "By the power of Greyskull, you HAD the power!"
…partying "like it's 1999" seemed SO far away.
…you thought that Transformers were more than meets the eye.
…you knew that knowing is half the battle.
…you wanted to be on Star Search.
…you can remember Michael Jackson when he HAD hair.
…you wore a banana clip at some point during your youth.
…you remember the Garbage Pail Kids, and/or owned some.
…you HAD to have your MTV.
…you actually thought "Dirty Dancing" was a REALLY good movie.
…you remember when ATARI was a state of the art video game system.
…you owned any cassettes.
…you were led to believe that in the year 2000 we'd all be living on the moon.
…you remember and/or owned any of the Care Bear Glass collection from Pizza Hut or the Muppets glasses from McDonalds.
…Poltergeist freaked you out.
…you knew who Ben Stein was before you could win his money, "Bueller?"
…you carried your lunch to school in a Gremlins, ET, Dukes of Hazzard, Knight Rider, Strawberry Shortcake or A-Team lunch box.
…you have ever pondered why Smurfette was the ONLY female smurf.
…you know what leg warmers are and probably had a pair.
…you wore biker shorts or tights underneath a short skirt and felt stylish.
…you wore your Izod shirt with the collar up.
…you had a Swatch Watch with the Swatch Guard.
…your Legos collection started with the free sets in a Happy Meal.
…you remember when Happy Meals came in a box, not a paper bag.
…you remember when Saturday Night Live was funny.
…you had Wonder Woman, Spiderman, or Superman Underoos.
…you know what a "Push Up" is.
…you had to come in the house when the street lights came on.
…you had to change into *play* clothes after school.
…you owned, or knew somebody with a Commodore 64.
…you hate Scrappy Doo.
…you recorded songs off the radio with your boom box.
…you wished you had a Light Saber.
…somehow you still know all the words to songs played on VH1's "Big 80's"
…your arm was full of rubber bracelets.
…you have ever wondered what happened to Saturday morning cartoons.
…you had to get up to change the channel.
…you can still sing 1 to 12 from the Pinball machine on Sesame Street.
You know you grew up in the 1980's if..
…you know the profound meaning of "Wax on, Wax off."
…you know that another name for a keyboard is a "synthesizer."
…you can sing the McDonald's Big Mac, Filet-o-fish, quarter pounder, and French fry song.
…you know who Mr. T is.
…you know who Fat Albert is.
…you ever wore fluorescent, neon clothing.
…you could breakdance, or wish you could.
…you wanted to be The Hulk for Halloween.
…you believed that "By the power of Greyskull, you HAD the power!"
…partying "like it's 1999" seemed SO far away.
…you thought that Transformers were more than meets the eye.
…you knew that knowing is half the battle.
…you wanted to be on Star Search.
…you can remember Michael Jackson when he HAD hair.
…you wore a banana clip at some point during your youth.
…you remember the Garbage Pail Kids, and/or owned some.
…you HAD to have your MTV.
…you actually thought "Dirty Dancing" was a REALLY good movie.
…you remember when ATARI was a state of the art video game system.
…you owned any cassettes.
…you were led to believe that in the year 2000 we'd all be living on the moon.
…you remember and/or owned any of the Care Bear Glass collection from Pizza Hut or the Muppets glasses from McDonalds.
…Poltergeist freaked you out.
…you knew who Ben Stein was before you could win his money, "Bueller?"
…you carried your lunch to school in a Gremlins, ET, Dukes of Hazzard, Knight Rider, Strawberry Shortcake or A-Team lunch box.
…you have ever pondered why Smurfette was the ONLY female smurf.
…you know what leg warmers are and probably had a pair.
…you wore biker shorts or tights underneath a short skirt and felt stylish.
…you wore your Izod shirt with the collar up.
…you had a Swatch Watch with the Swatch Guard.
…your Legos collection started with the free sets in a Happy Meal.
…you remember when Happy Meals came in a box, not a paper bag.
…you remember when Saturday Night Live was funny.
…you had Wonder Woman, Spiderman, or Superman Underoos.
…you know what a "Push Up" is.
…you had to come in the house when the street lights came on.
…you had to change into *play* clothes after school.
…you owned, or knew somebody with a Commodore 64.
…you hate Scrappy Doo.
…you recorded songs off the radio with your boom box.
…you wished you had a Light Saber.
…somehow you still know all the words to songs played on VH1's "Big 80's"
…your arm was full of rubber bracelets.
…you have ever wondered what happened to Saturday morning cartoons.
…you had to get up to change the channel.
…you can still sing 1 to 12 from the Pinball machine on Sesame Street.
April 2006
Hey everyone!
Not much happened in April but I did get to see my cousin Mike! I hadn't seen him in ages and he and 2 friends of his were here for the weekend with one of their fathers. I went down and met them and we had sushi for dinner and then wandered around the streets of Shinjuku for a couple hours. I had wanted to look good for a Saturday night in Tokyo, so I wore my high boots and let me tell ya', boy did my feet hurt afterwards! I almost got a taxi from my train station to my apartment, and that's saying something because it's only a 5 minute walk! The next day was beautiful so I went down to Tokyo and took some pics of the cherry blossoms and Ginza - the shopping district. The last pics on my "April 2006" album are on my 30th birthday (my golden one!). Please ignore the laundry hanging to dry behind me and my goofy-ness and the fact that I didn't even have a real birthday cake! There was a festival in town that day so Florence (a French foreign exchange student at my high school) and I walked around the festival and then went to my favorite pub for dinner, followed by an assortment of cakes we had bought - delicious! Not the most exciting of birthdays, but still a good one. :) Hope you enjoy the pictures!
Not much happened in April but I did get to see my cousin Mike! I hadn't seen him in ages and he and 2 friends of his were here for the weekend with one of their fathers. I went down and met them and we had sushi for dinner and then wandered around the streets of Shinjuku for a couple hours. I had wanted to look good for a Saturday night in Tokyo, so I wore my high boots and let me tell ya', boy did my feet hurt afterwards! I almost got a taxi from my train station to my apartment, and that's saying something because it's only a 5 minute walk! The next day was beautiful so I went down to Tokyo and took some pics of the cherry blossoms and Ginza - the shopping district. The last pics on my "April 2006" album are on my 30th birthday (my golden one!). Please ignore the laundry hanging to dry behind me and my goofy-ness and the fact that I didn't even have a real birthday cake! There was a festival in town that day so Florence (a French foreign exchange student at my high school) and I walked around the festival and then went to my favorite pub for dinner, followed by an assortment of cakes we had bought - delicious! Not the most exciting of birthdays, but still a good one. :) Hope you enjoy the pictures!
Germany was great!
I had the BEST time in Germany with my parents! Check out the photos on my Yahoo site. There aren't many 'cuz Dad took a bunch but at least there's a few. We had great weather everyday but the last, when it rained, and though it was cold, it was wonderfully sunny with a lovely blue sky the rest of the time. I arrived on Wednesday eve after an eventful trip... I flew KLM from Tokyo, connecting in Amsterdam. On the way to Amsterdam, some lady got sick, and after much discussion, the pilot told us we had to stop in Helsinki so she could go to the hospital. I've heard that the Helsinki airport is one of the most beautiful in the world, but unfortunately we just sat outside it for an hour while they did the paperwork so we could take off again. I know I should feel bad for the old lady because I'm sure it sucks being sick on a plane and then stuck in a hospital in Finland, but I missed my connection and was pissed as heck! I thought about writing to KLM and demanding those extra few miles we went out of our way to stop in Finland... Yeah, I'm nuts, what can I say?!
The first day and a half I hung out with my friend Silke and had a great time getting ready for her birthday party Thursday night. I was still jet-lagged so I didn't stay up too late but it was nice to spend some time with her.
Friday I met my parents at the airport and we began our adventure! We drove (ok, actually I drove them) to Hannover where they had lived for a year before I was born. We met the Haley's, friends of theirs and had tea and dinner with them. Mr. Haley is from England and Mrs. Haley is German. We had a nice time with them and I'm glad I finally got to meet them.
Then we took a trip to a rather unknown wine region in eastern Germany. We spent the night in Freyburg, where we toured a sekt (German champagne) factory and bought lots of wine. It was surprisingly good! (Dad thought it would taste like Amana wine, and for anyone who knows that stuff, you know it's bad!) What a pleasant surprise.
Our next trip was to Neubrandenburg, 2 1/2 hours north of Berlin, to visit the Lange's and see where Teddy lived for a year. They surprised us by having taken a day off work, so we were able to spend the day together walking around the town, having lunch, and visiting one more winery - the northernmost winery in the world! I've known the Lange's for almost 12 years so it was about time that my parents met them! We had a wonderful time and ate more than enough amazing food to last a lifetime! Thanks, Lange's!
On our way to Berlin, we went to Waren and had tea and cakes with Oma (Grandma). Oma is one of my most favorite people in the whole world and I just had to see her. It's a pity we didn't have more time to go for a walk around the Muritz Lake but it'll have to wait til next time.
Our last 3 1/2 days were spent in Berlin, where we walked and walked and walked... I had no idea how much whining 2 people could do! We saw all the sights, did some shopping, went to the Pergamon Museum (highly recommended!!!), and met Silke for dinner at Potsdamer Platz. We had wonderfully heavy authentic German food and got lots of good exercise. Our flights were on Sunday morning and unfortunately, no one told us that the time would be "springing forward" Saturday night! My flight was at 10am and their's was at 10:40 so we planned to arrive a little after 8am to give us time to have breakfast together and do a little more souvenir shopping. When we arrived and I looked at the board to find my gate, I discovered that it was 9:26am! Talk about a heart attack! We said a quick goodbye and I ran for my life! No worries in the end but that's not the way I like to end a vacation with my parents :( All in all, it was a terrific trip and I'd do it again in a second!
The first day and a half I hung out with my friend Silke and had a great time getting ready for her birthday party Thursday night. I was still jet-lagged so I didn't stay up too late but it was nice to spend some time with her.
Friday I met my parents at the airport and we began our adventure! We drove (ok, actually I drove them) to Hannover where they had lived for a year before I was born. We met the Haley's, friends of theirs and had tea and dinner with them. Mr. Haley is from England and Mrs. Haley is German. We had a nice time with them and I'm glad I finally got to meet them.
Then we took a trip to a rather unknown wine region in eastern Germany. We spent the night in Freyburg, where we toured a sekt (German champagne) factory and bought lots of wine. It was surprisingly good! (Dad thought it would taste like Amana wine, and for anyone who knows that stuff, you know it's bad!) What a pleasant surprise.
Our next trip was to Neubrandenburg, 2 1/2 hours north of Berlin, to visit the Lange's and see where Teddy lived for a year. They surprised us by having taken a day off work, so we were able to spend the day together walking around the town, having lunch, and visiting one more winery - the northernmost winery in the world! I've known the Lange's for almost 12 years so it was about time that my parents met them! We had a wonderful time and ate more than enough amazing food to last a lifetime! Thanks, Lange's!
On our way to Berlin, we went to Waren and had tea and cakes with Oma (Grandma). Oma is one of my most favorite people in the whole world and I just had to see her. It's a pity we didn't have more time to go for a walk around the Muritz Lake but it'll have to wait til next time.
Our last 3 1/2 days were spent in Berlin, where we walked and walked and walked... I had no idea how much whining 2 people could do! We saw all the sights, did some shopping, went to the Pergamon Museum (highly recommended!!!), and met Silke for dinner at Potsdamer Platz. We had wonderfully heavy authentic German food and got lots of good exercise. Our flights were on Sunday morning and unfortunately, no one told us that the time would be "springing forward" Saturday night! My flight was at 10am and their's was at 10:40 so we planned to arrive a little after 8am to give us time to have breakfast together and do a little more souvenir shopping. When we arrived and I looked at the board to find my gate, I discovered that it was 9:26am! Talk about a heart attack! We said a quick goodbye and I ran for my life! No worries in the end but that's not the way I like to end a vacation with my parents :( All in all, it was a terrific trip and I'd do it again in a second!
Finally!
Hey, everyone!
The pics are finally finished! There's an album called "Thailand trip" and another for "Graduation 2006" that shows some of my students. (Just click on the link on the right called "My Photos" and then choose the album you want to view.) My week and a half in Japan after Thailand was so hectic that I only now had time to get my pics up - and I'm in Germany at the moment! I'm staying with Silke (Kaddy's sister) for 2 days til Mum and Dad get here tomorrow. Then our journey begins - off to Wunstorf where they lived for a year before becoming parents, then to Freyburg to visit some wineries (although in March, I don't imagine there'll be much to see!), then to Neubrandenburg to meet Kaddy and Silke's parents and see where Teddy worked and lived, then back to Berlin to see my favorite town. It'll be a hectic but great trip and the clean air here balances with the cold - in Japan it's not as cold but has filthy air!
The trip to Thailand was great but we didn't really get up to much. I can now say I have an addiction to fruit milkshakes - they make the BEST banana milkshakes in Thailand so now, I can't start the day without one! Good thing I have a blender, huh! The food was fantastic, the beaches beautiful, and the company well-missed. It seems crazy that I hadn't seen my sister in a year (since Grandpa's funeral), so we really enjoyed ourselves. I was so jealous when I had to leave and she still had 3 more days! Well, I'll definitely have to go back and see all the things she saw. If only we all had a month to go wandering...
Wishing you as much adventure as we've been having...
love, shar
The pics are finally finished! There's an album called "Thailand trip" and another for "Graduation 2006" that shows some of my students. (Just click on the link on the right called "My Photos" and then choose the album you want to view.) My week and a half in Japan after Thailand was so hectic that I only now had time to get my pics up - and I'm in Germany at the moment! I'm staying with Silke (Kaddy's sister) for 2 days til Mum and Dad get here tomorrow. Then our journey begins - off to Wunstorf where they lived for a year before becoming parents, then to Freyburg to visit some wineries (although in March, I don't imagine there'll be much to see!), then to Neubrandenburg to meet Kaddy and Silke's parents and see where Teddy worked and lived, then back to Berlin to see my favorite town. It'll be a hectic but great trip and the clean air here balances with the cold - in Japan it's not as cold but has filthy air!
The trip to Thailand was great but we didn't really get up to much. I can now say I have an addiction to fruit milkshakes - they make the BEST banana milkshakes in Thailand so now, I can't start the day without one! Good thing I have a blender, huh! The food was fantastic, the beaches beautiful, and the company well-missed. It seems crazy that I hadn't seen my sister in a year (since Grandpa's funeral), so we really enjoyed ourselves. I was so jealous when I had to leave and she still had 3 more days! Well, I'll definitely have to go back and see all the things she saw. If only we all had a month to go wandering...
Wishing you as much adventure as we've been having...
love, shar
I'm baaaack....
What an amazing 4 days in Thailand! It was hotter than the bejeezuz (sp?) and I got roasted like a red pepper but I had a great time. We spent a lot of time on beaches and did a speed boat tour for a day, plus the tiniest bit of hiking and a lot of eating. The food was great but I must say that the pizza place we found topped everything else! Oh, and the bruschetta... Those Thai could teach the Italians a few things! I'm working on the pics, so hang in there. They should be up by the middle of next week. I highly recommend southern Thailand to anyone with the opportunity! More later!
:) shar
:) shar
Only 5 more days!
Only 5 days left until I get out of this miserable rainy weather in Japan and spend 4 days with my sister in Thailand. I can't wait! Warmth, sun, great food, and $3 massages, apparently! I imagine it'll be hard coming back but boy, is this trip due :) Check out my sister's blog site - I've included a link to it on the right-hand side of this page. As you can see, I've uploaded a few of my favorite pics to this site. For those of you who feel the entire photo albums on Yahoo are a bit too much, I'll be choosing a couple from each new album and posting them here in the future. Have a great day!
shar
shar
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
