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moderninsight · 5 years

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A Love Like That (The curious case of Him & Her, Reprise)

Days become weeks and weeks become months and soon it’s half past and then some. It hasn’t been 365, not yet - not quite. It may very well be for it’s been 278 since her all consuming heartbreak.

She remembers when her heart was set on fire. Too much had happened, too much was at stake and too much was lov(ed) and too much was lost. An epic heartbreak warfare mess and the wildfire had run ‘round in its own madness. But the flames were soon flooded by the monsoon in her heart and she was left in the ashes of the love she had so freely gave. When love leaves you, time stops and the world as you know it reverberates to its core creating tremors and aftershocks galore. A burn so slow, so treacherous that it left her gasping for air on days without end. She remembers the exact moment her heart was wrenched open, bleeding for every minute of every hour of every God damn day. Mind-filled, heart-heavy and tear-stained, barely breathing through corrupted lungs. And all the king’s horses and all the king’s men could not put her back together again. For this kind of heartbreak had no pain relief, not when all she knew betrayed her for lack of true effort and she was traded in for a good (e a s y) time over a good thing. Too much had happened, too much was at stake and too much was lov(ed) and too much was lost and r e p l a c e d - just like that. And in due time, her rose coloured glasses shattered and she saw him for what he really was - a lost little boy masquerading as a man.

They say “time heals all wounds” and so it goes, and so it shows. But she now knows that time just moves you along with no choice and no say and she sank too far and too long that she f i n a l l y decides to swim and not sink. She puts on a brave face (God, how exhausting) and all on her own she picks up the pieces and soldiers on.

So she catches flights, still in her feelings and puts in a woman’s work. She gets lost in Japan with her wounded heart, dragging it along the kaleidoscope of Tokyo lights and eating away the night sublime. She bullets over to Kyoto and tries to take in the serene but the dull ache in her chest is all she feels. She takes her heart next through Korea to the Philippines where she reunites with her family after 10 long years. She laughs, she cries and lives a little more. She delights in the palm trees, sea breeze and the loudness of it all. She doesn’t know if it’s more fun in the Philippines but she does know it’s more fun with her smile. Then she’s off to Orlando for a Disney adventure, screaming from the tallest heights and rushing through torrential downpour in what truly is The Happiest place on Earth. Then she’s back on cloud nine and finds herself dancing through Havana nights, a city truly frozen in time. She relishes in losing the outside world and roaming through rainbow buildings and retro cars, falling asleep to Cuban lullabies. Then she’s running through the 6ix with less of her woes and remembers the last time she was in Toronto. Doe eyed and naive but fast forward to today, she’s feeling 28. Here’s to another year she muses, here’s to more life, more heart and MORE HER. And soon enough she’s back home and no longer the girl she once was, broken and in disarray but a woman in search of her word. She may have lost the battle but she’s clearly winning the war.

In the midst of it all she had already put herself out there. Unsure, unready and so very afraid but she hits download anyway. The whole thing is daunting and the fear inescapable but when is anyone ever ready for anything anyway? So she jumps head first (for once) and heart after. She swipes left aplenty but swipes right on a few and - It’s a match!

She doesn’t know what to think of him at first, ‘cause she left him on read as she plane hopped in June but his interest was engaging and oh so soon they exchange numbers and “Can I call you?”

His voice catches her off guard - older and more refined and so sure of himself as they spoke of everyday things. And next thing you know they set a date and she’s standing in the movie theatre with a nervous fervor. They’re thrilled by swinging spiders far from home and endless conversation and next thing you know it’s past midnight and she’s found herself intrigued beyond belief. The next few weeks are filled with his smile, his laughter and boyish jokes

[*sunglasses on, hat on* “This is my running like an actor look” to “Where’d all these cars come from? It’s like the Avengers rolled through, slow down Spider-Man!”]

But nothing excites her more than the way he stimulates her mind [”You know we’re an anomoly, You and I”]

She finds herself glowing in this connection they’ve created, talking of near misses of years past [”we were both in Langara at the same time!” and “just gonna go back in time and be like see you in 5 years?”] to a soft familiarity as if she’s supposed to have known him before [”I used to fly LA all the time, pretty sure you were my gate agent once maybe twice”].

But it’s the little things she’ll never forget and the little things he’s done for her in such a short amount of time. From car rides home, Bazzi’s 3:15 and singing to old school jams and Backstreet Boys. And God, he doesn’t know it but boy could he sing. And every time he did, her heart skipped a little faster than it should.

He takes her to nature, hand-holding, eye-glancing and steal-kissing. And soon enough he feels like summer. From sunrises to sunsets to before midnights and to his handsome cockiness she decides that she likes. “What’s your type?” She’s not sure, she likes what she likes but if she really had to choose he’d be her type. And he tells her that she’s different [”yeah I’m different”] But there’s still a garden in her heart and the walls are very high. They joke that they’re “friends with feelings” but then the elephant in the room was always looming and she knew perhaps it was too good to be true. He chalks it up to “timing,” the invariable third party in the tango of life.

Her heart sinks a little because he nips it in the bud before anything can really bloom and she thinks it’s a shame because she knows they could be so much more than just g r e a t. And in the end, she wishes he would stay. [”I know what i’m missing out on,” he quietly says] Ah, at least somebody does.

But she’s never felt this before...as though a missed opportunity had passed them by but she gets it, she understands. God, she understands. He’s always been upfront with his convictions and they still joke through it all and she respects him all the more but damn, what a shame. She hopes they can still be friends, minus the feelings (maybe) because he’s cool enough to kick it but who knows she may never hear from him again...and so it goes, so it shows (See you in 5 years? hah).

And for a split second she allows herself to play make believe, thinking of the would have’s, could have’s, should have’s they could be. You find someone you like and you roll the die and the hand she’s been dealt had folded too quick - and that’s okay. But there’s always a pendulum swing and what goes down must come back up. So she’s grateful for his charm and the mind he has that she so wishes she could still pick. And the gratitude still wells in her heart for she’s writing again and she has him to truly thank. s i g h.

So days become weeks and weeks become months and soon it’s half past and then some. It hasn’t been 365, not yet - not quite. It may very well be for it’s been 278 since her all consuming heartbreak.

But she knows she’s a woman worth pursuing, who grows only in love with herself even more. And a woman who loves herself is deadly for that she is sure. Her resilience astounding, her drive alluring and forever searching from the depths of her world-building soul. It’s hard being a dreamer in a realist world but that’s what’ll make you fall in love with her. She thought she was a woman in search of her word but she’s always known what it was. She may have forgotten for a moment in the midst of all that madness but now she knows she’s truly a work of heART.

And real love? It does make canyons out of mountains and divide oceans apart. It isn’t just about making someone feel special, anyone can do that. Again, real love is a real work of heART - just like her. And when love finds you, let it in. And when love finds you...let it show, let it grow. Love is made with the fondness of sighs, a perserving sweet and a fire in lover’s eyes. Hardened hearts yet open eyes and a touch of vulnerability sealed with a kiss after a long day’s night. And when the right people come into your life, there’s no such thing as “timing”, no barrier it can’t overcome because when real love finds you...it’s t i m e l e s s and those kind of people are always right.

She’s still afraid of falling but she’s no longer scared of heights for she knows she can give a love like that.

Hey google, play “Love like That” by Snoh Aalegra

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theepitomeofsimplicite · 5 years

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Hi everyone,

I guess it’s never too late to wish you all a wonderful happy new year! Today, I’d love to take a moment to share my reflections on my best of 2018 travel. So, I am considering creating a series of posts in the upcoming weeks (YES! You read this. I am back to the grinds of writing and I am feeling super motivated) about sartorial-self editing and a follow up on continuing living my minimalist life.

The other day, a friend of mine who does not enjoy travel as much as I do recently asked me: ” What value does it bring to spend all your money in traveling so frequently?”

I paused for a brief moment and tried to recollect in my head all the countless unmeasurable benefits I gained from the experience of traveling. I’m thinking of adventures, freedom, and creating sweet memories with my favorite people. Mountains, road trips and singing cheesy songs in the car, big cities, beaches, lakes, wine country, night life, speak Spanish, fall in love… and so much more I mean where shall I begin…

Here are some advantages I can think of when it comes to why I value travelling as often as I can. To start with, there is an excitement and anticipation of planning a trip up front (read more about experientialism vs materialism post here). Looking forward to how we would imagine the journey. It gives room for creativity in deciding what activities to fill our days with.

Next, I learn to live more intentionally by pausing and being in the moment. I pay particular attention to small overlooked pleasures in life. I enjoy very much to be engaged with people in a genuine way by becoming a better active listener for instance when taking in to their stories. I experience more gratefulness. I like that my discovery mode is turned on (try new food, catch new sights, practice a new language sometimes, or embrace new cultures).

All in all, I find travelling to be important to me because it contributes to my self-improvement. All these reasons contribute towards my personal growth; my thoughts are influenced by a broader range of awareness of the world surrounding me, my habits are sometimes mimicking other’s cultural lifestyles, my learning is derived from my interactions with people and taking in their outlook on life, my beliefs are more grounded, and my thoughts are centered around creating a healthier and happier way of living. Let it be minimalism and zero waste lifestyle but these topics are worth detailing in separate posts.

Anza Borrego Desert/Julian, CA

After returning from my regular winter euro trip in the beginning of the year from Dresden and Paris, in February I went on a mini weekend road trip to Anza Borrego Desert. It’s only a two hour drive northeast of San Diego where I live and is located south east from Riverside and south of Palm Springs. The Anza Borrego Desert State Park isn’t too far from the Mount Jacinto Park where I hiked in the summer of 2017 (read here). It’s the largest park in California and has many wilderness areas as well as lots of hiking trails.

I picked the Palm Canyon trail where a minimum of climbing was involved (I love climbing!!!) and I was able to catch a sight at the primitive palm trees which are the tallest in California and are kept very wild and untrimmed. Down the oasis, I could hear from a far distance some buzzing sounds that resonated all around. As I was so curious to find out the origins of these croaks, I rushed down the river by climbing down the hiking trail in an off trail fashion (my adventurous side) to find some very cute tiny frogs under the rocks blending with the surroundings in the most perfect way.

All the climbing efforts were well worth! Then as the night quickly fell down, it’s how I got some very large and deep scars on my left forearm because I ran into a giant cactus on my way back up to the trail. Not very clever but I put the blame on my tomboy side! Later that evening on the way back to San Diego, a pit stop at Julian was required to have a taste of the well-known local apple pies and cider.

Los Angeles, CA

I drove to the city of angels and visited my friend Alexie (from UCLA) in the beginning of March as I needed to renew my passport at the French embassy. This was a two day trip but I really appreciated my time spent with her discussing various topics and you know just being women. Read more here where I talked about trying Tsukemen for the first time at Tsujita and a local’s brunch at Egg slut.

San Diego CRSSD FEST, CA

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This electronic, deep house, and techno festival is a traditional yearly thing I attend with my Persian buddies Arash and Massoud. Although I’ve tried to save a decent budget dedicated to music festivals for the year, I always seem to mess this up. But in any case, this is a sort of a mini Coachella and if you are in San Diego during March and September I recommend you guys to check it out because I like that it’s located by the waterfront and our dear Pacific Ocean.

Seoul/Busan, South Korea

In March, I was sent to South Korea for work (second time around and read first impression of the previous strip here). I stayed in Seoul and enjoyed this trip very much particularly as I didn’t end up having to do too much work at the customer site for once. But differently than last time, I decided to gather a team and explore South Korea away from the city center of Seoul. So we took the train to visit Busan.

Busan is a very large port city and is well known for its beaches, mountains, and temples. I enjoyed hanging out at the Haeundae beach with the young crowded locals and shot some fireworks. Later that night, the team composed of the new Dutch girlfriend Anne and another colleague, Robin who is Irish, went on bar hoping and met a friendly group of enthusiastic high energy good vibe young Koreans. We befriended right away with songs like Gangnam style and other classics.

We were then invited to a Karaoke bar and sung our heart out til about 8 am the following day. We actually made a reservation at a hostel nearby but needless to mention how pissed off the receptionist was as we had a very very very late check in that dragged her out of the bed. I know this was messed up but our new Korean friends helped us get to stay in to rest for the remaining duration of 2 hours, which was barely enough sleep but we needed to catch the train back to Seoul and I had to fly back afterwards.

The best part of this trip I think came from the idea that propelled me to go to Busan in the first place. The ultra fresh seafood and sashimi. I watched a documentary online where I saw a man trying to experience the “live” sashimi fish in Busan and choked on it. He became so red and almost died. I thought the idea of trying something so “fresh” would have made a fun challenge so I set my mind to experience it too at the Jagalchi Market, the world famous market for fresh fish and seafood. Robin and I got to try it but I barely survived. Personally though I wouldn’t do it again haha.

Another crazy experience was found at this local BBQ restaurant where I had fresh grilled eel for the first time ever. It goes without saying how painful that was visually and the taste was stringent. Have you ever eaten a whole eel? I’m not speaking of the little piece of eel that is place with a generous amount of Teriyaki sauce on the sushi but the whole fish. It’s so bony and crunchy towards the tail. I also would detail the part where the fish are taken from the aquarium then processed in front of your attentive eyes.

The cook knock the head of the eel using the back of the knife then begins to skin off the fish by removing the spinal column. The sound was draconian. The fish is then cut up into chunks. Later the pieces are laid on the plate ready to be grilled but the heads also come together. The visual still hurts me by just typing these lines but please skip this section if you are too sensitive sorry. As the brains were trying to pump blood through, and while Robin was devouring the body from the grill (personally I couldn’t do it), the mouth of the fish was left wide opened as a reaction to the loss of oxygen. I still remember vividly the horrified faces of the fish. In any case, this experience was quite unique but I’m still glad I got to see how life was like in Busan with the locals.

Saratoga/NYC, NY and Montreal, Canada

After my trip to South Korea, I was supposed to take some time off to stop by Japan to hang out with a friend I met during CRSSD fest but to my disappointment I had to fly straight away to New York for work again. This trip was rather unique because it’s where I met my crush there (blushing). But nothing surprising it’s just a crush and nothing more and you’ll read more about this Dutchie later 😉 Besides, work was very interesting there and the weather was ruthlessly cold with above the knee level of snow. Time working there was passing by so quickly as my best friend Mark (we work together) was also on site for work and we got to hang out a bunch.

In Albany we had Tanpopo Jakarta ramen. If you are curious about ramen, head over to my blog on ramen critic around the globe @ramencraycray. We ate at Vintage House and had interesting fried oyster sandwiches at Albany Ale & Oyster. We also hung out quite a bit in Saratoga Springs where we visited the Historic Congress Park to sip on the spring water. Had drinks at this hispter jazz playing live music at Morrissey’s and dined at the Wine Bar.

During this trip, I took the opportunity to drive to cross the border and visit Montreal. I had to make a pit stop at this gentleman’s house located in the beautiful town of Saratoga Springs. I met this older writer named Paul on the plane (yes for many of you who know me, I meet a bunch of folks on the plane and it’s not hard trust me!). We discuss many topics among writing and blogging as well as feminism and life in Paris compared with New York. We promised to give each other feedback from his book titled “Learning the Learner” while he reads my blog, this one.

He kindly invited me over to his house for breakfast along with a tour at the Spring Street Gallery which was a converted church located in front of his house. I had an immense pleasure in meeting his amazing awe inspiring wife Barbara (@blglaser5150). She is the woman I aspire to become when I get more mature. She has accomplished so much to become financially independent, in raising her Korean adopted daughter and her work in Natural State Park conservation, and now is a philanthropist. I was more than glad to have the chance to meet people like them and to share our stories. I felt so empower to continue my pursuit in advancing technology and to become as independent as she is someday. I also wish to further contribute to society just how she does it.

Ok so, now let’s talk about Montreal shall we? The road was very beautiful on my way there all covered in snow and I can easily glimpse at the mountain ranges during my three hour long drive. I stayed at Le Saint Sulpice hotel that was simply scrumptious located in Old Town. As I stepped out into town, I was clearly experiencing a wardrobe malfunction; I wore my long white Korean coat with a pair of jeans, a jumper, a beanie, scarf, and a pair of leather gloves. Evidently I froze to death within 15 minutes of walk in the blazing -15C.

So I rushed to the nearest neighborhood bar at the pub le Saint-Elisabeth. I met a new friend at the bar named Francois who was kind to show me locals spots around the well-known avenue du Mont Royal and had delicious poutine. The next day, I met up with my cousin who I haven’t seen in about 20 years (long time!!!) to catch up. We walked through the underground pass to go to the mall just like how the Quebecois shop to avoid peaking your nose out into the cold. She offered me some of the best ice wines ever. I feel very grateful!

On my last weekend there, I was meeting up with an old friend and together drove to NYC passing through the Lincoln tunnel. That was a hell of a lot of fun with lots of dancing, some ramen, and a copious amount of drinks and sightseeing. Make sure to read more about this city here.

West Coast Road Trip (Joshua Tree Park, CA/LA, CA/Big Sur, CA/Big Basin Redwood Park, CA/SF, CA/Newport, OR/Seattle, WA/Mt Adams, WA/Corvallis, OR)

In May, our birthday month, my sister (@dithy_f) from Paris and I got into my white Golf and drove along the USA West Coast. One of the best road trips ever yet! Read more here for part 1. Part 2 filled with more stories should be coming around soon so stay tune. In this case, I’ll skip here to the next trip below…

San Elijo Beach, CA

One of the best perks I enjoy about living in San Diego is that the county is so vast in its surface area that driving 30 to 40 minutes along the coast from where I live seems like a travel destination even though it’s technically still San Diego. We were camping there together with this really awesome girl Jenny (@nurse_jenny) (I met at a party and she had all the gut to just ask for my number and befriended instantly) and my friend Stephen (from work) who was set to take a year off to travel the world. I had an amazing weekend there grilling sausages and I even had some fun creating a beach bum beauty tutorial that can be found on my Instagram stories.

Ensenada/Tijuana, Mexico

I love spontaneous impromptu trips like this in the summer. Mexican friend Guerardo invited me over to tag along on his weekend getaway trip to Mexico. Singing along Felices Los 4 and Dura omg! We took the Ruta del vino to visit and wine taste at L.A. Cetto. We brunched at Bodegas del Valle, a secret local spot. We later that night played dominos then poker getting drunk on some tequila Reposado. The next day, we were beach ready to get some tan at Playa Hermosa in Explanadas. Afterwards, we had some of the best margheritas at Bar Andaluz and the best tacos ever are found at the world renown Anthony Bourdain approved Sabina Restaurante. Later, on our way back to the US, we had to stop by Tijuana where we got a roof top drink at Cine Tonala and played games.

Tel Aviv, Israel

During the summer, I traveled to Tel Aviv for the first time to visit my friend Tom. I know many of you already know how I met Tom and how I ended up in Dresden in the winter of 2017 but just for the sake of sharing with everyone. On my way to Amsterdam from Minnesota, I think that was in the summer of 2017 I happen to sit next to this blue eye guy with a quirky smile on this face. I think he started the conversation with an ice breaker question. So tips to you guys, if you are happen to sit next to a stranger on the plane and would like to make new friends, don’t put your headphones on, smile, and ask whether your flight neighbor is heading back home or visiting. This ice breaker question always works for me 🙂 So as we talked and laughed throughout our 8 hour long trip. We exchanged our contact information but before that he managed to convince me to meet again either in Tel Aviv and/or Dresden for the winter holidays.

And in truth eventually, I ended up meeting him in both cities haha. I flew to Dresden in December of 2017 from Paris because (this is a true story haha) my sister was too busy to host me during the weekday and (sadly) she is also a type A woman so she made it clear that I was on my own. Then I simply phoned Tom to check his whereabouts then booked a ticket at the airport from CDG, took the metro to Orly then flew to Dresden straight away. I actually don’t recommend anyone to fly that much in a day (4 back to back flights) but I’m still glad I made it out there. I stayed at Tom’s friend’s Matthias (a German cutie), and we got to visit the beautiful city (old and new neighborhood), did some thrift shopping as I was travelling without proper winter gears (got as scarf and beanie), and even attended an opera. The museums there were very impressive and boy I love the Christmas market to grab some warm German sweet bread, some wurst, and a sip of the delicious gluhwein (even gluhbier).

Well, I’m digressing now sorry so back to Tel Aviv! Tom and I stayed at another of Tom’s friend’s apartment nearby the beach in Yaffa area. Hillel is such a smart and funny guy. He’s very thoughtful too! I recall how before I’d get up in the morning, a warm freshly baked pastry was awaiting for me on the kitchen counter. He was temporarily being a dog daddy to Indie so I lucked out in meeting them because I had so much fun hanging out with these mischief later in the Old City. This vibrant place is full of craft shops and art galleries, and stalls selling antiques and jewelry at the lively Jaffa Flea Market.

There are some Ottoman influences such as the Clock Tower. We walked around and spotted an outdoor venue filled with folks dancing on Arab music after crossing the Wishing Bridge. The area is also popular for its hip wine bars, creative Mediterranean dining and seafood restaurants near Jaffa Port. There is such a wide mix of culture and we got together for drinks at the Shaffa bar with Stefania, her bf and friend. Well, how I met Stefania was also on a plane ride from JFK to Tel Aviv haha. We sat next to each and became friends instantly. And so we just had to meet up in town!

Then Hillel wanted to take us to his favorite secret spot that offers a unique view over the Jaffa port but on the opposite side. Recall when I called Hillel and Indie the little pair of mischief well, to get to that safely guarded spot required illegal climbing over a fence then a wall hmmm the challenge came from having our little four legged Indie with us but we still proceeded with climbing with the adventurous dog friend. It was so worth it as we could catch a glimpse in the quiet night and only hearing the waves crashing on the rocks and just taking in the beautiful sights and being in the moment.

I have a few tips on Tel Aviv for you guys if you are interested, drop a comment below. I personally really enjoy going to the outdoor markets like the Carmel market where Tom and I met up with another of Tom’s friend named Roy. He had bought some delicious cheese and we improvised a French picnic with a bottle of red (of course!) and laid around in the neighborhood park, while dog petting.

I only stayed 4 days in Tel Aviv and wished to road trip to Jerusalem but due to the unbearable heat wave, I’ll postpone this trip to another time. So next on my way to Amsterdam, I had a quick overlay in Rome. Unfortunately I couldn’t hang out with my dear friend Rita but had (yes another) interesting encounter on the plane. An older Italian gentleman who is a professor in Chemistry and avid alternative renewable energy especially in clean gas was my neighbor. He had mistaken me as a model haha. But to his disappointment I had to break it to him that I was just an engineer.

We talked for a long while about renewable energy and the new tech trends. Once we landed in Fuimicino, he kindly offer to continue our conversations over at the lounge. I personally love to converse with passionate folks. Side note by the way, a handful of people either border patrol agents or people I bumped into during my flights tend to believe I’m some model. Can it be because of my leather jacket, my casual effortless airport style or is it? Regardless, I’m utterly flattered but (shrugging) would love to know why…

Amsterdam/Eindhoven/Heusden, The Netherlands

I arrived in Amsterdam to meet up with Silvana (@saisonlune) the birthday girl. She’s taken me to the north of Amsterdam so we took the ferry where we can sight the beautiful A’dam Toren from Centraal Station. We had a snack at FC Hyena where it has movie theater and great food. The décor is industrial but with lots of quirky colors. Afterwards, we headed next door to the Hotel de Goudfazant. This place used to be a car garage so don’t be surprised if you are dining next to cars inside the space.

The following day, I also got to meet Jessica from Daarboven and stroll around Amsterdam. We had a pit stopped at my fav Scandinavian shop Filippa K where I got a couple of essential garments (a nice cropped wool jacket and a pair of simple blue denim, read here).

We sipped on some fancy drinks at the Hoxtel lounge, grabbed ramen at Fou Fow Ramen then devour some explosive chocolate at the Michelin starred Duchess .

In Eindhoven, I always enjoy staying at my bestie Joffrey. I also took some time to say hi to Adri from Chanel. She created a new look for me and left with many goodies she gathered for me. In the afternoon, Jo organized a mini road trip to Heusden for a getaway. Walking around there was very relaxing to see the lashing green surrounding and the famous windmills. In the village we grabbed some red and some bread (I love Dutch breads). Later in the evening Jo and I met up with Yohann (our betstie) to grab an apero at his house.

Then we all met up with the other guys for Lepeltje Lepeltje, a food fest in Eindhoven with live music and yummy ice creams. Later than night we all hung out at our regular Irish pub Oshea’s where a few more people are set to come by. One person was the German cutie I was seeing on the date during lunch time at one of my fav brunch spot called Krok Madame. The other person was my Dutch crush and well needless to mention how melodramatic this all resulted and of course I’ve never intended anything as such to take place.

Chinon/Vendée Road Trip, France

It’s still summer and I was on my way to Paris now to get with my sister then we picked up my mom to go onto our yearly road trip. We stopped by the wine country region as always. I’ve notice my friends recently called me “Wine Privileged” and I am beginning to be more grateful from my upbringing and the fact that my parents’ house is located in one of the most amazing wine country region of France. And so we are in Chinon and visiting the Cave Monplaisirs.

The lady owner was formidable in presenting the wine selection with exquisite details of the terrain, the grapes provenance and mixes. This is how I get wine educated by going on a variety of wine tasting and having great conversations. She also kindly offered us an extra bottle (we had to keep it quiet on the gift haha) simply because she enjoyed sharing a great conversation too! We set up our picnic by the Loire river with great sight, a fresh summer breeze, and amazing wine paring (Les Picasses from 2016).

My sister and I rented a beautiful beach house in the Vendée region with a big pool by Saint-Jean-de-Mont beach. We had a lovely time with my mom swimming , BBQ, and just chilling in town. We did a bit of sightseeing but the best experience was going to the oysters’ market casually located in various parts of the roads there called le Délit. I believe to have found the best tasting oysters in my entire life! I stoke a conversation with the bar owner sharing with him my USA stories and then he pointed out that an LA designer was painting the walls of the place. Have a look as it’s pretty quirky. Another good time (yes it’s again about food) was going to Noirmoutier to bunch at Michelin starred or recommended restaurants like L’ilot Bleu. Next stop was a flower park (my mom is a lotus enthusiast) called the Parc Floral de la court d’Aron where we spent a day there having a little French picnic.

Paris, France

This city is always crazy and has the most fun parties. I hung out with the Parisian crew (a bunch of finance folks who prize on expensive champagne bottles. Yeah I know it’s just another life style) and caught up with Taler (@nomadicfille). We had ramen again but this time at Hokkaido.

The following day we went to the street food fest in Place République. Then, we headed towards the roof top at the Art et Métiers hotel. Needless to mention, there was a gorgeous view over the city of Light and the flashing Eiffel Tower but what caught my attention was this cutie sitting right next to me from another group of Parisians. We had a great conversation but I must be so naïve in too many ways, I didn’t realize he was a catch haha. But it’s all good we are friends on Instagram, does that count?

Los Angeles, CA

In September after getting back to San Diego, the following weekend I got on the road towards Vegas, the sin city. But I thought I’d stop by and say hi to my friend Alexie (if you don’t remember her, I had a post on LA here). We caught up over dinner, girls talk then the following day brunched at our favorite place in Abbott Kinney called Gjelina. A bit of window shopping but then it was time for me to get back on the road already.

Vegas/Valley of Fire Road trip, NV

Hanging out with Jo and catching up with his dad I haven’t seen in a couple of years was fun. In short, Fermont experience, losing money gambling, getting fancy drinks at the casino, and hiking in the heat of the Valley of Fire where we almost passed out. I recommend everyone who is passing by Vegas to go check out this out of the ordinary red-bricked landscape. It’s truly breath taking how arid the climate is but how the rock formations come together is pretty amazing.

Big Bear, CA

This road tripping to camping with Arash was in late September so it was indeed freezing cold. We were out of Vodka to keep us warm so in the process I lost my toes overnight for about 8 hours then recovered. The Castle Rock trail hike by Big Bear Lake was pretty intensive in climbing but the view we could catch on top was all worth it with a breathtaking forest views, rock structures, and a distant lake.

Lake Tahoe, CA

Next road trip was made during the thanksgiving holidays. It was very adventurous on the long drive there from San Diego to Lake Tahoe especially in the freezing night. Just had to pick up Massoud along the way in Orange County. As we approached the mountain ranges, we found out too tardily that the snow chains were undersized so we decided to simply deflate the tires in order to create more traction. (3 engineers getting together that’s how things go often!).

London, England

I haven’t been back since a couple of years ago so I was glad to stop by London in December and catching up with my dear Jackie (@passyjacqueline). What I retained the most from being there was experiencing Tinder dating together haha. I recall vividly on one of the bus rides in London City where Jackie and I were eye on out phones swiping left and occasionally right on the app then suddenly we heard 3 older gentlemen exclaiming right behind us “But you keep on swiping left!” hahaha I’ll omit the Brit accent but I couldn’t help than to crack up. It’s an observation that it seems everyone young and old men and women everywhere across the globe is searching for love though this dating tool.

I really enjoyed the low key local hangout (will do a map later if you are interested for I have some tips!) and art exhibits. We went to Blain Southern and checked out the “Between the lines” of Chiharu Shiota and the drawings of Jonas Burget. Indeed, I’d rather avoid doing tourist traps cos I just wanted to create memories being with my dear friend in the most humbling way. Some of the cool places I went to are Tonkotsu ramen, Oslo Hackney bar and club, Blighty Tottenham for brunch, Pop Brixton for the hispter hang out and drinks food hall style, Ace hotel in Shoreditch for a fancy drink at the lounge. For a nice walk I went to Borough market (my fav) and had tapas at Tapas Brindisa. Roof tops I went to Sushi Samba which offers a great view of the Gherkin. Lastly, Jaaguarshoes Collective is a local hang out for casual drinks.

Amsterdam/Eindhoven/The Hague, The Netherlands

Going to Holland is always about catching up with everyone. I also flew from London to Amsterdam as cheap as 37 euro that’s why I love travelling within Europe because of the ease of transport. I’m typically staying at Joffrey’s house in Eindhoven. We always cozy up on his velvet couch in the late evening watching our fav old French show Kaamelott. In the evening I had dinner with my old friend Alain who is half Dutch and half French. We checked out the new hot spot called Kazerne which had a lovely exhibit.

This time I was in Amsterdam meeting up with Jessica. We always have planned for me to go visit the museum where she works at but every time I’m arriving by train so late in the afternoon that I keep missing out. Bummer! However, we grabbed a local Thai food where there was probably 5 tables. It was so tiny but the food was good. We then intended to go for a quick shop to Filippa K (one of my fav shops) but it had already closed by 7 pm.

Next, we just continued strolling around what I find to be the romantic Amsterdam with the light exhibits on the canals. We grabbed some drinks at the Hoxton lounge (one of my fav places to go chill in Amsterdam), and then she insisted on grabbing another drink at a club I’ve never been to, which was ChinChin. There was a karaoke bar, restaurant, and club all in one place. I like catching the train back with her and just keep on conversing about life, our careers, blogging, shopping, personal style, and recently about our love life, dating, and relationships. Needless to mention how glad I am to have getting to know her.

The following day I caught an early train ride from Eindhoven to The Hague to grab brunch with the crew made of Kimberley, Silvana, and finally got to meet Sebastian. We chatted and laughed about everything at the local brunch names Bartine. It was good to see them all. Then afterwards, I had the honor to stroll around the Hague with Sebastian as my personal tour guide. He was showing me the old government buildings, describing the architectural styles, and the history behind them.

And it was already time to head back to Eindhoven to meet up for dinner with other friends. So the lovely Anne showed up with Joffrey. Unfortunately, my friend from work Sander (a Belge guy) and his wife couldn’t stay late into the evening as they have a little toddler to attend to so I only got to see them very briefly. The next day which was Saturday, Jo and I packed our bags, got into the car and set our GPS direction towards Paris to meet up with my sister for a late brunch.

Paris, France

Ahhh Paris is always my fav place in the world! Always crazy and fun at the same time with my lovely sis Britney and the Parisian crew. You probably may have noticed but I also avidly avoid tourristy areas there. I always prefer our local hang outs or discover new hot spots that most tourists are unaware of. We hung out in the newly trend food hall style La Félicita, had a bite and a few drinks then danced our night away.

We also celebrated New Year’s eve in our own terms. No rules nor tips to follow. We simply created our own way of having a great time. No overpriced club tickets bought online, no house party on our agenda. Remember that the best plan is no plan after all. We just walked up towards the Champs-Elysee then grabbed food and drinks at the Beer Station.

The area had been blocked off for the fire work show around the arc de Triomphe but we were located right at the edge of the landmark. Stayed warm, had food and cheering on red wine then champagne, watching the fireworks all in safety and warmth instead of mingling with the crowds on the Champs-Elysee avenue where it was counted that over 150,000 people attended the event. We took the party further towards Pigalle area at the Carmen club where we met the cutie barman Romeo who had a generous amount of dating advice to give away haha.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get much free time at hand to see the group of Paris girls (sorry! Next time for sure!) but got to do a quicky apero at Taler’s house. I got to meet her boyfriend, her cousin from the US, and her other friends. My sister later showed up too!

Tours, France

This was a truly special trip into the wine country of Loire Valley. Typically every time I visit my parents’ house in the Center of France, we’d stop by the neighboring area to go wine tasting and coming back home with boxes of a variety of wines. We are also very intimate with the wine makers of the region so it’s always a pleasure to say hi. But this time, I’d convinced my sister and our friend Aja to come along with me to visit the Tours region and meet up with Antoine at the Domaine de Cray.

It was a lovely wine tour into the sparkling white wine production, the famous Cremant de Loire, where he was showing us the art of riddling wine a la méthode Champenoise. He was showing up the assembly line with some level of automation for the first fermentation to take place where the natural sugar from the grapes are converted into alcohol and letting the carbon dioxide escape from the bottle and makes the base wine or the cuvée. It’s not usually very tasty as it is very acidic. Antoine showed us where these cuvée were stored in those large chambers and even had a sip of it together with the tuxedo cat who serves as great company. I recommend anyone to stop by this winery!

If you made it to read this line, well thanks for reading my stories. Let me know if you enjoy these narratives as much as I do or rather want tips for travel but either way don’t hesitate to drop a comment and I’ll look forward to your inputs.

Best of 2018 Travel Hi everyone, I guess it's never too late to wish you all a wonderful happy new year!

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ryainmin · 6 years

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WTTC - Chapter 01: What in the What?

What the What? – Chapter 1

“I really want to see you guys too, Mom, but if that big snow storm is coming in, I don’t want you guys to get stuck here,” I say to my mother over the phone, while pulling up in the driveway.

“Are you sure, Honey? You know I love to travel. Plus, I miss you and little Ezra.”

“I’m sure, and we miss you too,” I say as I pull into the garage. “Hey, Mom? I’m going to call you back once I get settled in, okay?”

“Okay, baby. Well, I love you.”

“I love you too, Mama.” I press ‘End Call’ and set my phone in the cup holder. I turn my car off and let my head fall back on to the headrest as I let out a heavy sigh. Another holiday alone without my family, I guess. This past Thanksgiving, I couldn’t make it back to The States, because the head chef at the restaurant I work at, got very sick and needed me to stay and help.

I slip on my beanie and wrap my scarf around my neck. I swing open my car door and hop out of my SUV. Before I closed the door, I pressed the button on the stirring wheel to open the trunk. As I walk around the SUV, I opened the rear driver’s door to let Little Ezra out.

“Come on buddy, let’s get this stuff and get out of the cold, yeah?” He looks up at me and seems to nod and tilt his little head to the side. “You’re cute, you know that?” Ezra perks up and follows me to the back of the car and waits for me to grab the bags. I swing several bags over my shoulders and pull my two very large rolling suitcases out of the back. After closing the trunk, Ezra and I walked out of the garage and to the front porch. I punched in the code for the front door, and pushed it open. The motion sensing lights flicker on as Ezra walked through the door and into the living room. A small smile appears on my face as Ezra hops up on the couch.

“Stay right there buddy, okay? I’ll be right back,” I say as I shut the door and head toward the stairs to the second floor.

I slowly, but surely, drag the heavy suitcases up the stairs to the master bedroom to the right, just pasted the ‘extra blanket’ closet. I dropped my backpack, three duffel bags, and the two large rolling suitcases just inside the bedroom door. Tiredly, I slug my way to my very large king-sized bed and fell face first on it.

In the distance, little feet came trotting up the stairs and barged into my room and hopped up on my bed. Ezra buried his self into my side and whimpered.

“Are you tired, little buddy?” Ezra’s breathing slowed as he fell into an exhausted sleep. “I guess you were,” I said kissing the top of your head.

I slowly and carefully peeled myself off my very comfortable bed and began to unpack all the bags and suitcases. I slowly fill in my walk-in closet, leaving out a dark red tank top and a pair of black sweatpants.

I gather my left-out clothes and headed to my master bathroom, with my toiletries bag in hand. Looking over my shoulder to make sure the Ezra was still asleep, I walk into the bathroom connected to my bedroom and went directly to the shower.

I turn on the water and adjusted the temperature with the touch screen monitor built-in the shower. Once the water was perfect, I stripped out of my warm clothes and stepped into my rainfall shower.

Nathan, my friend who takes care of my Gangwon Mountain property, told me about the tenants he rented my chalet out to. Apparently, it was a group of seven or eight guys taking a short winter vacation. They were originally supposed to stay at a resort in Yonpyeong; which is not far from here. However, those guys were found out or something. Apparently, this place was the only available house that was far enough away from other civilization.

According to Nathan, the group of guys, only left about 45 minutes before I got here. If they took the long way down the mountain they are going to have a hard time getting to the bottom with the snow coming in.

I blindly grab the shampoo from the shelf and squeeze some into my hand. I lather my thick, black curly hair, being careful not let the shampoo run in my face, more importantly, my eyes. I rinse my hair and condition it. Rinsing my hair one more time, I turn off the water and step out of the shower, grabbing a towel.

I towel dry off and quickly put on my clean clothes, I look at myself in the mirror and watch the water droplets fall from the tips of my hair and on my tank top. I pick up my dirty clothes and walk back into my room. I throw my clothes into the hamper by my clothes door.

I get up on my bed, being careful not to wake up Little Ezra. My phone starts to ring and I quickly reach for it and answer it.

“Hello?”

“Hey, my Strawberry Pop-Tart, are you settled in yet?” My mother greeted me.

I gave a little laugh, “Yes, Mama. Everything is put away and organized, just like you taught me,” I say remembering that my mom is super OCD.

“Good. Well, I called your father and told him that we wouldn’t be spending Christmas in Korea this year,” she sighed, ��I have to say, he was very disappointed.”

“Yeah, I am too. I miss you guys,” I say getting off my bed, and walk around my room. “It’ll be a year in March. A year since I’ve seen you and Daddy,” I said wiping a tear away from my eye.

“I miss you too, Baby.”

I walk out of my room and was headed toward the stairs. “I was really looking forward to your famous meatloaf,” I expressed with a smile.

My mom lets out a little giggle on the other end of the phone.

I begin to descend the stairs. “So, what are y-.” I stop dead in my tracks on the sixth step from the bottom.

I stare into the living room with my mouth hanging slightly open.

As I stare blankly into the family room, eight pairs of eyes are staring back at me.

“Rya! Is everything okay? Rya!” My mom says with a panic in her voice.

“Uh…”

My mind goes completely blank, not knowing how to answer my mom. Standing in the middle of my living room is JYP’s GOT7, looking just as startled and confused as I felt.

Everything seems to be moving in slow motion. My eyes land on Mark and Jinyoung first. They both are looking at me with slight curiosity. I move to BamBam and Jackson, who are both standing behind the couch, holding their phones as if they were about to take a selfie. Youngjae was half hidden behind Mark, but by his body language, I could tell that he was a little nervous. Yugyeom was almost towering over everyone, looking a little lost; bless his little heart. My eyes met JB’s. I had to do my best to not look away from his gaze. His face was blank and his eyes were cold. I guess what people said about first seeing or meeting him were true.

My eyes wandered to the eighth pair of eyes. He was about 5’10” (178 cm) and weighed about 325 pounds (147 kg). In all honesty, he did not look very friendly, and the longer he stared at me, the more uneasy I felt.

“Rya...!” My mother’s voice rang in my ear.

“Yeah...?” Was all I could come up with.

“Is everything okay?”

I nodded my head, then realizing that my mom couldn’t see me. “Yeah… I just saw a really big spider in the living kitchen room.”

My cheeks instantly warmed up as my face turns a rosy red. I hear a muffled laugh from the couch. I turn to look and spot Jackson’s shoulders shaking, with his hand covering his mouth.

“Hey mom, I’m… gonna call you back. I have to kill this spider, okay?”

“Al-alright Honey,” she said worriedly. “Call me back as soon as possible okay? I love you.”

“I will. Love you too. Bye!” I quickly hang up the phone and stuffed it into my sweatpants’ pocket.

I look from member to member, my eyes meeting the youngest and tallest member of the group. As we made eye-contact, he gave me a smile, shy smile. My heart begins to race, and my vision becomes a little blurry.

What?

What the what...?

How was the first chapter? Like it? Love it? Hate it? Whether you liked it or not, please leave a comment telling me how you felt about this chapter. Thank you for reading! ^_^ P.S. I forget to mention this in the Bg Info, but there will be Korean speaking-ness in this story. P.P.S. I do don’t speak Korean, I can barely speak English and it is my first language. Ha. Ha. So, for the non-English, I had my BFF Google Translate help me out.. SO… Yeah…

#got7 #got7 jb #im jaebum #got7 mark #got7 jackson #jackson wang #got7 jinyoung #park jinyoung #got7 youngjae #choi youngjae #got7 bambam #bambam #got7 yugyeom #kim yugyeom #ambw #bwam #got7 ambw #ambw got7

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words-writ-in-starlight · 6 years

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Oh my gosh you just discovered mash? It's such a good show. It has some really serious episodes, end of season 3 comes to mind. I always imagined the animorphs watching mash or like somehow finding solace in it.

OH BOY BUT HAVE I MENTIONED THE MASH AU OF ANIMORPHS THAT I LITERALLY JUST THOUGHT OF TONIGHT THOUGH?

No, obviously not, I literally just thought of it tonight, but buckle in for it anyway because I’m SUPER in love with this show!!!!!

Now, keeping in mind that I am NOT EVEN three seasons in, here are my current castings, ft. the 4077th being known as The One Full Of Babies Fresh Out Of Med School (these kids are like 27 tops, they’re practically infants in terms of the medical field).

Colonel Elfangor Shamtul, The Local Adult, who’s actually in his late 40′s and is a real actual grown up surgeon with a practice and everything, now the boss of a MASH unit in Korea and discovering that his talent for commanding a surgical theater actually translates really well into commanding a military unit. Most everyone under his command thinks he’s the best thing since sliced bread. All his superiors are basically looking for an opportunity to get his ass court martialed when they’re not handing down commendations for his weirdly effective slant-wise thinking. His old buddy Arbron keeps them stocked then the supply lines are cut and if anyone asks Arbron and the Mountaineers are running a completely legitimate shipping enterprise. Elfangor goes by first names with the entire populace unless a general’s there and has never enforced a dress code in his entire life because it would require him to give up his blue jacket. He was transferred to command of the babiest MASH unit as a punishment after the first time his buddy’s legitimate shipping enterprise got tapped for being probably black market.

Corporal Aximili Isthill, the babiest baby, who is 25 and oh my God Elfangor is adopting this boy he loves him so much. They’re not blood relatives but Elfangor got handed a gangly excitable kid as an aide and was basically like “that one’s mine thanks” and never looked back. Ax is actually seven kinds of genius but none of them are medical--he has a stellar memory for medications but no head for anatomy--so he’s more or less single-handedly keeping the base running. He’s apparently some kind of psychic, if his gift for knowing exactly what’s going on where and when at any given time is any indication, and he's discovered a frankly inhuman talent for electrical engineering since he got drafted out of his blossoming career as a perpetual student. Elfangor is making this child get a doctorate if it kills them both, and since it turns out they actually live within an hour of each other in the States, there’s a non-zero chance that Ax will be moving in with him afterward.

Captain Jake Berenson, who is chief surgeon but not second in command and who just wants everyone to cooperate for five fucking minutes please. He is begging. And everyone knows that even though Big Jake (his army nickname within 0.3 seconds because he’s the tallest guy in the unit and built like a Mack truck) isn’t legitimately second in command, he’s the guy you go to if you want to get anything done. He specialized in cranial trauma, which isn’t as useful as you’d think when half the head wound cases die before they reach the hospital, but Jake thought the brain was interesting and made his specialty decision while kinda drunk, so. Leave him alone. The reason he’s chief surgeon isn’t because of any particular medical brilliance--Jake is a good surgeon mostly through sheer pigheadedness, not because he’s a sparkling medical mind--but rather because when Jake starts barking orders, people listen.

Captain Rachel Berenson, who is a surgeon because I don’t care about historical accuracy and because she fought tooth and nail to go to medical school and then signed up for the war when they wouldn’t draft her. She’s at least 60% of the reason Jake is begging people to cooperate, because Rachel has made nine doctors, four nurses, and six patients cry since getting her white coat. He’s not saying she didn’t have her reasons, okay, she has the right to defend her position as a doctor, but also please stop. She knows more about chest injuries than probably anyone else in Korea and she likes to remind people that it means she’d be just as good at inflicting them as patching them up. Marco labels her the Warrior Princess after two days of knowing her and it sticks hard even though she threatened to open him up with a rusty scalpel when she first heard it.

Major Cassie Day, head nurse, who everyone knows is the best at making sure that, once the surgeons have yanked someone back, they stay back. Cassie is an angel, probably, or at least so goes common theory based on the sheer miracles she’s pulled off in her time. As long as someone’s done bleeding to death when they get to her, she’ll probably drag them through--whether they like it or not. She and Rachel are bunkmates because no one knew what to do with a lady surgeon and Cassie offered, and they’ve been best friends ever since, complete with Cassie occasionally helping Rachel’s more hare-brained schemes come together. Everyone and their cousin, including Elfangor, knows that Cassie and the chief surgeon make out in the supply tent, but also the one time Cassie left for a week leave the entire unit broke down so no, they will not be reporting them for breaking frat regs. No matter how much Elfangor’s second-in-command wants to. One time someone talked shit about her skin color and was drummed out of the unit on mysteriously appearing court martial charges two days later. Contrary to popular opinion, it was not Rachel who started the brawl that got him brought up on charges, nor was the guy actually murdered straight up. Arm broken, yes. Murdered, no. Turns out Big Jake hits as hard as he looks like he does.

Captain Marco Reilly, who is the unit psychologist and also Rachel’s top enabler. She spends 80% of her time defending herself as a woman and a surgeon, he spends 80% of his time defending himself either based on his race or based on his career, and they are responsible for 80% of Jake’s ulcer because they get in a huge amount of trouble together. Psychology hasn’t really entered the generally accepted medical field, but Marco specializes in treating trauma and combat fatigue and he gets soldiers back on their feet better than anyone else. He decided on his career when he was a kid and his mom was a nurse in WWII who wrote home about how she saw boys without a mark on them ruined worse than those who would walk with a limp for the rest of their lives, and Marco doesn’t believe in regret. It’s also this mentality that generally leads to him and Rachel being a Problem for Jake. That doesn’t stop Jake from accepting the offer of gin from Marco’s personal still, or from more than occasionally getting swept up in the shenanigans himself.

Corporal Tobias Williams, who is in charge of triage and about 80% trained as a nurse in addition to his other duties. (I know MASH doesn’t formally have someone in charge of triage but they SHOULD okay, listen, they SHOULD.) He’s a decent chopper pilot, too, but the unit tends to contrive reasons to keep him around. Rachel likes to have him assist her in surgery because he has an uncanny talent for spotting things that have the potential to kill her patients almost before she does, and isn’t afraid to mention it. Tobias and Ax fall in together as inseparable besties within about a month, and Tobias learns not to wait for the announcement that wounded are coming in not long after--he just watches Ax tilt his head in that particular way and sprints off to the staging area without missing a beat. For a bit a lot of the unit talked shit behind Tobias’ back, claiming that triage was slacker work, but then there was a day where Tobias spent nineteen hours on the staging area directing choppers and ambulances, stopped for twenty minutes to eat and chug an entire pot of coffee, and turned back out for another twenty hours, and went to assist in OR once the wounded stopped pouring in. Then folks stopped talking shit. Tobias is nervous and jumpy and generally quiet enough that no one ever thinks to suspect him of being trouble, which is why people are always shocked when it turns out that, say, it was his idea to smuggle in a dozen kegs of beer for New Year’s.

(Elfangor spends three months getting really attached to Tobias before he finds out some relevant information and has about a six month crisis about how to approach it. His ultimate solution is TBD.)

Major David Pence, aka That Rat, who is Elfangor’s second in command and a screeching pain in everyone’s ass. Everyone except David knows that his dad bought his way into med school and leveraged his rank in the army to force Elfangor to take the kid on as his second. David’s under the impression that he’s great shakes at surgery and command both, and he straight up tried to report Elfangor when Jake was appointed chief surgeon over his head. That was not a major event, because David tries to report someone about twice a week. About half those attempted reports are either Rachel or Tobias or Ax--Tobias and Ax because he thinks they’re getting above their station, Rachel apparently for the crime of being herself. He cannot be trusted to keep a level head in a crisis and Cassie has had to swoop in and save his patients more than once.

Ji-Min “James” Song is a civilian doctor, their primary contact at a long-term recovery facility in Seoul where they send patients who are destined for a discharge. Every time James rolls up to collect a patient, it is heavily implied that very similar chicanery is going on at his place, and he and Jake get drunk together to commiserate a lot.

Elfangor gets drunk with them too, sometimes.

#mash #animorphs #the one where the 4077 is full of babies #featuring stealth david? i just wanted him to be there to get kicked around as an easy target #for my soul #all i ever want is for the kids to get to burn david all the time always so he is frank and i'm not sorry #rachel and marco are the SOURCE of a lot of the shenanigans but the others cannot be trusted not to enable #elfangor is slightly more onboard with stuff than henry but also he gives biweekly lectures on how they need to not get court martialed #i have my reasons for these assignments!!!! i am particularly pleased with tobias as a jack of all trades but mostly a triage commander #(get it: he's the one with the wider view of the situation)#marco (idly): do you think i can make this still more efficient?#ax (chipper): i could double your output no problem #marco: .......marry me immediately #probably erek is the priest having a perpetual crisis about violence but much more slappable than father mulcahey #after jake beats the bejeezus out of that one dude erek gives him a lecture on turning the other cheek #and when he nods stiffly and marches out of erek's tent he gets a rousing ovation from the unit at large #also OBVIOUSLY rachel and tobias start doing the kissing thing eventually #it just takes longer because they are not as emotionally articulate as jake and cassie #which is not to say that jake and cassie were quick about it--everyone got to stifle in the pining for A Minute before they got together #marco feels like he Deserves his still at this point #ax had actually never been drunk before marco got him plastered and marco is THRILLED with drunk!ax as a phenomenon #idk i've got a remarkable amount of this sorted out given that i thought of it maybe three hours ago #idiot teenagers with a queue #m to the 6th power #asked and answered

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happiestangelica-blog · 6 years

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Seoulites🍁✨

There’s nothing better than planning a vacation, especially one that you’re really excited about. You buy your tickets, pack your bags, and then the best part: you begin to daydream about your trip as you plan your itinerary, making a list of the places you must see while you’re away from home. As the list gets longer, your excitement grows, and before you know it it’s time to go! 🤗

Aneoyonghaseyo!! Chunun Angelica imnida. Welcome to Seoul, the capital city of South Korea. Fashion- and technology-forward but also deeply traditional, this dynamic city mashes up palaces, temples, cutting-edge design and mountain trails, all to a nonstop K-Pop beat. This city is mixture of old and new, fast changing, 24 hours awake city! At any time of day and night Seoul can provide.

Seoul City Tour ✨

First visit in Korea? You can start with Korea’s representative structure.

Gyeongbok Palace

If you ask the people you meet in Seoul what you absolutely must do with your time in the city, most will include Gyeongbokgung Palace somewhere on their list (for good reason). This magnificent palace was built in 1395, so not only is it one of the most beautiful man-made structures in the world, it’s also over 600 years old!

Seoul Vicinity Tour ✨

Are you looking for a pleasant day trip outside the heart of Seoul? This would be a good choice.

Suwon Hwaseong Fortress

Suwon Hwaseong is the UNESCO World Heritage site due to its unique blend of eastern and western architectural style Korea Folk Village is twenty workshops, various handicrafts such as pottery, baskets, winnows, bamboo wares, wooden wares, paper, brass wares, knots, fans, musical instruments, iron wares and embroidery are practiced in the folk village.

Are you looking for a family-friendly theme park?

South Korea’s Everland Resort

It is the world’s 10th most visited theme park. The park is set up by theme and there are kiddie rides as well as roller coasters. There is a parade through the park with many different floats and dancers. It is something to see. They also have a safari bus where you can see animals from the wild lounging around and sleeping.

Provincial Tour ✨

While you’ll of course want to spend most of your time in Korea in amazing cities like Seoul, make sure you also dedicate enough time to exploring all of the natural beauty that South Korea has to offer.

Seoraksan National Park

The tallest mountain in the mountain range that runs through the Eastern part of the country. Also referred to as Seolsan and Seolbongsan, the mountain was named Seorak ('Seol' meaning 'snow' and 'Ak' meaning 'big mountain') because the snow would not melt for a long time keeping the rocks in a permanent state of white.

Drama Tour ✨

Thanks to the K-Pop and K-Drama, Korean wave is a big time! Take a picture or make your own movie as if you are actors or actresses of K-Drama!

Nami Island

Petit France and MBC Dramia are major shooting places for many movies and dramas in Korea. Namiseom Island was formed as a result of the construction of the Cheongpyeong Dam. It is a half moon shaped.

Fly just an hour and a half from the capital city of Seoul and you will arrive at South Korea’s resort island.

Jeju Island

Koreans like to compare Jeju island with Hawaii. Like Hawaii, Jeju was created by a volcanic eruption and many parts of the island are covered with dark volcanic rocks, sands and soil. Simply, Jejuisland has more exotic natural surroundings and scenic splendors than anywhere in Korea. With breathtaking natural wonders and hundreds of unique attractions, it is no wonder that Jeju Island always comes out on top of the list as the best travel destination in Korea.

No trip to Seoul is complete without a trip to the famous Tower in Korea.

N Seoul Tower

N Seoul Tower was the first of its kind — no other tower-like tourist attraction had been built in Korea prior to its construction. The tower sits at 236 meters tall, which means that while you’re at the top, you’re at the second highest point in the entire city. While you’re visiting the tower, there are a variety of activities that will keep you busy, so make sure you clear several hours for the trip.

Therefore this tour is ranked 1st on a tourist preference. Visit the most heavily fortified border in the world and experience unforgettable memories in Korea. This is not to be missed!

HANGUG-E GAJA!!🇰🇷

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timiistraveling · 7 years

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2. A week in Seoul

I finally arrived in Seoul on the 11th of September, after 18 hours of traveling. The journey was pretty bearable, the plane food was way better than I expected and I even managed to sleep around 2 hours! I got a pretty bad cold because of the constant air conditioner, and I was a bit jet lagged too (there is a six hour difference between Romania and Korea) but I got used to the timezone pretty fast.

On the first day we ended up taking a city-sight bus with my dad (you know, the red ones with 2 levels) and seeing the bigger attractions across the city. Seoul is super big, and even though getting around is pretty easy, the distances are still enormous, especially if you want to see the streets so you decide to go to your destination on foot. We saw some of the old palaces, the center with the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts and the statues of 조선 세종 (Sejong the Great a.k.a. the King who came up with the Korean writing system) and 이순신장군 (Admiral Yi Sun-Sin - best known for his victories against the Japanese navy during the Imjin war in the Joseon Dynasty).

In the next few days I visited Building 63, Lotte World, 홍대 (Hongde - full of shops and coffee houses and waaaay to many people), 2 Raccoon Cafés, a karaoke place, tried Korean BBQ and 200 different chicken restaurants, searched - without success - for strong coffee and went in the evenings to the theater, to see my dad’s performances.

Building 63 is located on the south side of Seoul, right after the Han river. It was Korea’s tallest landmark skyscraper until this April (lost the title to Lotte Tower), but it’s worth visiting anyway. The elevator is extremely fast, it takes you to the top in 1 minute and 7 seconds (that’s and average of 1 floor/1.06 seconds! - your ears get instantly clogged around the 15th floor), where a beautiful view and a great exhibition awaits you. You can mainly see the whole city from up there, the skyscrapers and the smaller buildings, the mountains and the bridges, the sky and the woods.

Although all of this is amazing, my favorite part remains the aquarium, which can be found on 2 floors, in the basement of the building. Besides the great display and vast species the aquarium has an outstanding and peculiar attraction - a mermaid show. Yes, they have two girls who dress up as mermaids, and do a 10 minutes show every hour in the biggest tank. And let me tell you, it’s kind of super awesome. The kids love it, the adult love it, every one loves it, it’s great fun. The videos I made with my phone are the worst, but I encourage you to go and search it on youtube - you can find a ton of footage.

The next unforgettable experience was the Lotte World adventure park, one of the most famous Korean amusement parks. The thing is tremendous, you can basically get lost, it has an outside and an inside part (on 4 floors), and half a day is by far not enough to try all the attractions. As Halloween is really loved by this nation, even though we visited the park in September, the Magic Island (outside part of the park) was already transformed into Zombie Island. After 7 p.m. some actors appear (I’d say around 15-20, all of them white), all of them in really well made zombie costumes, and start “hunting” the grounds. At 8:30 they have a small show, where they jump-scare everyone, dance and perform. Not very stunning, but I’ve seen worse.

Lastly, I want to tell you a bit more about this Raccoon cafe I visited in Hongdae. It was the nicest, prettiest, coolest thing I’ve ever seen. The animals were treated well, the workers clearly cared about them. There were around 6 raccoons and 5 dogs, as people here mostly own small dogs (because of the rather small apartments) so big dogs are a true rarity. For 7.000 Won you can get a drink and a pass for the animals area, and you are able to stay there as long as you want.

All in all, ignoring that the city is really crowded and that everything is happening at light speed, it was an amazing experience and I would like to go back sometimes, to see everything else!

The next monday, a week after arriving in Seoul I set off to Busan, to join the volunteering program I’m here for.

See you there! ♡

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nicole-in-korea · 7 years

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Three Citys

Earlier in the blog, I wrote about my first impressions of each city. Now since I have been in Korea for a month, I can say that my first impressions have changed and I now see how each city functions in Korea. No city is exactly the same or servers the same purpose to society, here I will explain the function of each city and what I have experienced of them.

Seoul

Seoul is the capital of South Korea, it serves as the central hub of the country. The city is home to around half of the population of Korea and is home to major companies including Samsung, LG, and Hyundai. Seoul is what drives Korea’s economy and was once ranked the 4th city with the highest GDP after Tokyo, New York, and LA. Seoul is home to many, but also attracts millions of tourists a year. For me, Seoul turned out to be one of the most unique cities I have ever visited. The subway system is vast and acts as veins for people to use during their commutes across the city. The ease of the subway system allowed me to explore the majority of the city without having to spend too much money. The subway would take us to places including a meerkat cafe, the Han river, Lotte World and much more. Seoul is a place where you can find anything you would ever want to buy then go see a palace in the afternoon. It is a place where everyone dresses nice and where they value relationships. Seoul is the hub that runs South Korea, It has shown me much about Korean culture and how others live their lives.

Jeju

Jeju is seen as the Hawaii of Korea. It lays at the southernmost tip of Korea and also contains Korea's tallest mountain. It is where many Koreans go on their honeymoon and is often called the honeymoon island. This island is where people come to relax and enjoy the beauty of nature. My time at Jeju was nice but hot. We explored the beach, Hiked up a volcano dome, and visited a bonsai garden. The view was spectacular and the beauty of nature really did shine through.

Busan

Busan is the second biggest city in South Korea. It Contains Korea’s Biggest port, biggest beach (Haeundae Beach), and world's largest department store (Shinsegae). Majority of the fish found in Korea comes from Busan, therefore, feeding the population. Busan’s economy includes international business and the steel industry. It is also the film capital of Korea. I did not get to spend that much time in Busan, but I really enjoyed my stay. I personally love the beach and Haeundae beach was a nice break from the city. Busan also had a subway system, making it easier to explore different areas of the city. Even though it is not as bustling as Seoul, one morning when I woke up to see the sunset, there were still people out at restaurants hanging out and eating food. I would love to get a chance to visit Busan again and would recommend it to anyone who is planning to come to Korea.

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jayeon-joa-blog · 5 years

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Hiking Spots in South Korea

With Korea being a very mountainous landscape, hiking is quite popular there amongst both locals and visitors. Here are some of the top places to hike in Korea:

1. Seoraksan (설악산)

With an elevation of 5,604 feet, it’s the third highest mountain peak in Korea. It’s located in a national park in the Sokcho area.

2. Hallasan (한라산)

Located ok Jeju Island, Hallasan is a shielded volcano. It’s elevation is nearly 6,400 feet, making it Korea’s tallest mountain. The surrounding area of the volcano is a national park.

3. Odaesan (오대산)

Right in the middle of Gangneung, Pyeongchang, and Hongcheon is Odaesan. It is the focal point of Odaesan National Park with an elevation of 5,128 feet.

4. Sobaeksan (소백산)

Sobaeksan has an elevation of 4,721 feet and is located in Yeongju city. The Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute has an observatory on this mountain.

5. Jirisan (지리산)

Though it is the tallest mountain located on Korea’s mainland, it still comes second to Hallasan with an elevation of 6,283 feet. It is located in the Gyeongsangnam-do province.

I’ve never been to Korea before, but I recommend going to all of these hiking trails. Just judging by the pictures, each mountain is beautiful. And none of these places had reviews below 4 stars. Grab your backpack and get on over to Korea!

#hiking spots

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thewebofslime · 5 years

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wo weeks ago, a group called Cheollima Civil Defense uploaded a forty-second video to YouTube with a caption that read, in Korean, “To the people of North Korea.” In the video, a baby-faced Asian man, speaking accented but fluent English, identifies himself as Kim Han-sol, a North Korean and a member of “the Kim family.” He holds a North Korean passport up to the camera—most of the document’s identifying details were blocked out before the video was released—as if to prove his identity. Finally, the young man says, in a calm voice, “My father has been killed a few days ago. I’m currently with my mother and my sister. And we’re very grateful to”—here, again, the video was edited, the audio removed and the man’s lips blocked out, presumably to obscure details of his location and associates—“and we hope this gets better soon.” Soon after the video surfaced, the South Korean National Intelligence Service publicly confirmed that the man was, in fact, Kim Han-sol, a nephew of Kim Jong-un, North Korea’s leader, and believed to be the eldest son of Kim Jong-nam, the leader’s half brother, who was murdered last month at an airport in Kuala Lumpur. The circumstances of Kim Jong-nam’s death—two women rubbed his face with VX nerve agent—attracted international attention, while both the Malaysian authorities and the South Korean government accused Kim Jong-un of ordering the hit. North Korea responded not only by denying any role in the death but also by denying that the incident had anything to do with the Kim family. According to North Korea, the victim was a North Korean citizen named Kim Chol (a pseudonym Kim Jong-nam had used to travel incognito), and he had died of a heart attack. That a member of the Kim family would come forward to rebut the official narrative was unprecedented, and that his video statement was addressed to the nation as a whole, despite the fact that the Internet is forbidden to most of its citizens, was extraordinary. Kim Han-sol, who is in his early twenties, was educated in Macau, Bosnia, and France, and has spent much of his life outside North Korea. On their own, these facts can’t be used to form any conclusions about his politics—Kim Jong-un was educated in Switzerland and is as committed an authoritarian as exists on Earth. The media, however, has focussed on an interview that Kim Han-sol gave to a Finnish TV station in 2012, in which he comes across as eloquent, reasonable, and open-minded. Much has been made of Kim Han-sol’s reference to Kim Jong-un as a “dictator” in this appearance—but that may well have been a slip of the tongue from a teen-ager giving his first sit-down interview in front of a camera. More notable, in my opinion, is that he spends most of the interview discussing the value of the international community at his schools in Macau and Bosnia, and of the things he learned from his Libyan roommate, who told him about the revolution in his country. “Because of the multiculturalism that the school has and the diversity in the classrooms, it is easier for all of us to expand on our topics in the class and share our opinions on various topics,” Kim Han-sol says. “And through that I think we can come to a better understanding with no boundaries, and I think that’s a very crucial thing for building a more peaceful community.” He speaks of everyone having “very similar core human values”; of his future hopes, he says, “I would like to engage in more humanitarian projects and also work to contribute to building world peace, and especially back home. . . . I’ve always dreamed that one day I will go back and make things better and make it easier for the people there.” In 2011, I spent six months undercover in Pyongyang, teaching English and gathering reporting for my book about the country. My students, who were nineteen or twenty years old, were the sons of North Korea’s élite, and Kim Han-sol reminds me of them. South Korean media outlets have followed his postings on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter for years. Sometimes his comments have been supportive of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, while at other times he has declared sympathy for democracy. My students were often similarly conflicted. What distinguishes Kim Han-sol is his lineage. His father was the first son of the previous Great Leader, Kim Jong-il, which means that Han-sol can claim a direct line of descent from North Korea’s founding leader, Kim Il-sung. In North Korea, the Great Leader concept blends several ideas that run through Korean history: an almighty God, the Confucian worship of a parent, and a king with the Mandate of Heaven. The Great Leader myth was also built around what North Koreans call the Baekdu hyultong, or Baekdu bloodline, named after Mt. Baekdu, the tallest mountain in Korea and a symbol of Korean nationalism, which has supposedly blessed the Kim family with its holy energy. The Kims keep their family tree deliberately obscure—children and wives are often concealed from public view—and Kim Han-sol’s mother has sometimes been referred to in the press outside North Korea as a mistress instead of a wife of Kim Jong-nam, who had children with at least two women. Still, an argument can be made that Kim Han-sol is more entitled to the position of Great Leader than Kim Jong-un, who is Kim Jong-il’s third son, and whose mother was born in Japan. According to the North Korean caste system, called songbun, people born in Japan or South Korea, the nation’s archenemies, are categorized in a lower class—Kim Jong-un’s heritage on his mother’s side would be considered “impure.” By apparently having Kim Jong-nam—a fellow-beneficiary of the bloodline—killed, Kim Jong-un has further damaged the Baekdu hyultong myth. The significance of the group called Cheollima Civil Defense is still unclear. Is it a North Korean defector group, a South Korean outfit, or something else? Kang Cheol-hwuan, a former North Korean political prisoner and the founder of the human-rights group North Korean Strategy Center, told me that Cheollima Civil Defense could be a front group for individuals who coördinate contact between foreign governments and high-ranking North Korean officials. “They must be highly specialized brokers or agents,” he said. “It doesn’t seem feasible that they are a civilian group.” Cheollima refers to a mythical flying horse that is commonly used as a propaganda symbol in North Korea. Originally used as the name for Kim Il-sung’s postwar economic push to increase the country’s productivity (he wanted workers to produce goods at cheollima speed), the term has since been used for a Pyongyang subway line, a cigarette brand, and the country’s national soccer team. Images of cheollima are found on postage stamps and coins. A bronze statue of cheollima stands in the middle of Pyongyang. The group’s Web site consists of just a single page, and its Korean is oddly stilted, as if the statements there had been drafted first in a different language, then translated. The page features a mission statement addressed “To the People of North Korea,” which says, “If you want to escape or share information, we will protect you. This would be possible no matter what country you are in. We will safely escort you to wherever you want. We, who have already helped several North Koreans, do not expect any payment.” Below this, the group has posted the testimony of “a high-ranking North Korean official” who claims to have escaped with the group’s assistance, and describes a James Bond-esque operation involving “fancy cars and airplanes.” The last thing on the page is the group’s statement claiming responsibility for Kim Han-sol’s escape to an undisclosed location, for which the group thanks the governments of the Netherlands, the United States, China, and an “unnamed” country. The only individual they mention by name is Lody Embrechts, the current Dutch Ambassador to both Koreas. (Embrechts refused a request for comment for this article.) An e-mail address is listed, and the group asks that any donations be made in bitcoin.

#TheWebOfSlime

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