tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36414550111906842472024-02-21T22:35:00.467-05:00 cherchez l'aventureAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00777993167381872005noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641455011190684247.post-49779805676590270402013-11-17T01:44:00.004-05:002013-11-17T01:45:17.221-05:00We've Moved!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00777993167381872005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641455011190684247.post-20930704480085172962013-11-11T11:07:00.001-05:002013-11-11T11:08:34.538-05:00North to South<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Although Halong Bay is the big draw to Vietnam for most tourists, there are plenty of other parts of the country that have a lot to offer. Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are loaded with history, delicious food, and even a little bit of charm. </div>
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Unfortunately, my time spent in Hanoi was accompanied by a typhoon, so I hid under my raincoat for a good portion of my visit. I stayed at the <a href="http://www.essencehanoihotel.com/">Essence Hotel</a>, which I highly recommend to anyone visiting. This place has top notch service, a great location in the Old Quarter near Hoan Kiem Lake, a killer breakfast spread, and is a steal at a mere $60/night. For those looking for a one or two night stop over before heading to Halong Bay, this is a great pick.</div>
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After Halong Bay, I headed down to Ho Chi Minh City. I stayed at the <a href="http://www.legendsaigon.com/">Lotte Legend Saigon</a>, which was very conveniently located, and I walked just about everywhere on my stay. After a good nights rest, my first stop was the Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica, which is one of the many architectural manifestations of the French influence in Vietnam. </div>
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After that, it was just a short walk to the Reunification Palace. I would definitely recommend taking one of the free tours that they offer at the main entrance. It lasts about an hour and the tour guide has a lot of interesting information, but may only be meaningful if you have a basic understanding of the history behind the war. </div>
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For a more thought provoking experience, I headed over the the War Remnants Museum. It is a bit emotional wandering through the halls looking at pictures of everything from the My Lai Massacre to the victims of Agent Orange. But, all in all, I think the experience helps put the culture and overall feeling of Vietnam in better perspective. </div>
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Almost everyday I was in Saigon I ate lunch at <a href="http://www.rustycompass.com/destinations/detail/city_4-vietnam-ho-chi-minh-city/16-eating/256-ngon-restaurant-quan-an-ngon-saigon#.UoD8NxZi7S8">Quan An Ngon</a> on Pasteur St. in District 1. The pho, vermicelli, and rice dumplings were some of my favorites, but everything was delicious and they have something on the menu for everyone. My dinner highlight would be my meal at <a href="http://saigon.park.hyatt.com/en/hotel/dining/Opera.html">Opera</a> located in the Park Hyatt. While it's not traditional Vietnamese cuisine, it's still absolutely delicious and worth a visit.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00777993167381872005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641455011190684247.post-50364752802394603632013-11-05T00:10:00.002-05:002013-11-05T00:11:56.518-05:00Cruising Halong Bay: Part II<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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After our amazing bike ride on Cat Ba Island, it was off to another set of small islands, in Ho Ba Ham, where we could swim up to a beautiful beach, go kayaking and jump off of the roof of the boat into the water. We were provided a delicious 5 course lunch with very traditional Vietnamese dishes, and there was also a full bar on the boat, at your convenience, if you felt like indulging with a mango lassi or something a little stronger. </div>
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The next morning I rallied before the daily tai chi class to check out the sunrise. A few other early birds joined me on the roof deck to catch the sun peaking over the landscape. Apparently, it is usually quite hazy in the mornings, so it is often hard to get a good shot, but after messing around with my camera settings for a while I captured some really pretty images. </div>
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Once the sun was up and I got a cup of tea (or four) and some croissants in me, it was off to another island for our final excursion before we headed back to shore. A small tender boat dropped us off at the beach and we climbed to the top of the mountain, well more like hill, to soak in the last few moments in Halong Bay.</div>
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After rinsing off in the bay, we got back on the junk boat where we were slowly brought back to the mainland. I really loved my stay in Halong Bay and I would recommend booking with <a href="http://www.heritage-line.com/en">Heritage Cruise Lines</a>. They took amazing care of me and everyone else on board and made it an experience I won't soon be forgetting.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00777993167381872005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641455011190684247.post-70991509063288920902013-11-01T08:16:00.001-04:002013-11-03T02:56:20.919-05:00Cruising in Halong Bay<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Choosing a cruise in Halong Bay can be tough; especially when you're on a budget. After doing quite a bit of research, I think dropping a pretty penny for this once in a lifetime experience is the way to go. A two-day, one-night trip seemed really rushed, and by staying two nights and three days, you truly get an opportunity to explore, and appreciate this amazing place. </div>
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I ended up going with Jasmine via <a href="http://www.heritage-line.com/en"><b>Heritage Cruise Lines</b></a>. This isn't your typical backpacker party boat, so if that's what your looking for, I definitely wouldn't go with this company. Yes, it is a little bit pricier, but you get some great food, premium accommodations, top notch service, and the day boat (for those who are staying for two nights), which was absolutely amazing. You go biking, kayaking, and you often are only with 6-10 other people for the whole second day. Definitely worth it!</div>
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The first night that we were on the boat it was a bit drizzly and a little eerie floating through the bay. I almost felt like we were in a scene from Pirates of the Caribbean. Before the sun set, we managed to go and see a traditional fishing village, which was really interesting. Apparently, only in the past couple of years, the locals have been required to actually build houses on floating rafts. Before that, they just lived out of their fishing boats. Aside from their catches of the day, the only other way the generate income is from tour groups, like ours. Make sure to carry some small money with you if you do go on a floating village tour (which you likely will), so you can tip your row boat guide.; 20,000 Dong, less than a dollar U.S., is plenty.</div>
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The next day, me and seven others took off on our day boat, while the main boat took back the passengers who were just staying one night. It was great to see the sights with a smaller group of people. Our first stop was at a larger island where we biked about half an hour inland to a relatively large village in the bay. We saw a school, local hospital and a family living (with the most adorable little boy) in a very traditional home. Everyone was super friendly and we were very well received by all of the locals. </div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">The rest of the day was filled with loads of other fun activities, and I have the pictures to match. But, instead of having a massively long post on my entire cruise, keep your eyes peeled for 'part two' on Halong Bay coming soon!</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00777993167381872005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641455011190684247.post-75713864855593528632013-10-27T11:26:00.000-04:002013-10-27T20:54:58.675-04:00Bright Lights, Long Nights<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
If you know anything about Hong Kong it's that the cuisine, nightlife and foot massages are legendary; especially in that order. My long weekend in Hong Kong started at the <a href="http://www.aqua.com.hk/"><b>Aqua Room</b></a> in TST with a champagne brunch. Some friends and I kicked it off with unlimited Veuve and sashimi and then some of the best beef cheek I have ever had. The best part about the Aqua Room was the location; I can't imagine there is a better panoramic view of the city anywhere in Kowloon. Several hours later, we moseyed our way back to Central, where I eventually ended up at <a href="http://www.dragon-i.com.hk/main.html"><b>dragon-i</b></a> partying until the sun came up. Luckily, my apartment was an escalator ride away, making for a short commute in my five inch heels.<br />
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After catching up on sleep, my friend's took me to some traditional dim sum consisting of popular Chinese dishes like chicken feet (which I could not bring myself to try), rice noodles with beef, fish head, and lots and lots of dumplings. Later that evening, we headed over to Stanley Plaza where we had a yummy dinner at <a href="http://www.cafedecogroup.com/outlet.php?oid=23"><b>The Boathouse</b></a> and finished the night off with a selection of cheeses at <a href="http://www.classifiedfood.com/"><b>Classified</b></a>. </div>
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Another place that I managed to grab some grub was<b> <a href="http://www.openrice.com/english/restaurant/sr2.htm?shopid=14245">Vbest Tea House</a></b> in Central. I tasted the Shanghai dumplings and Shrimp Vermicelli (pictured below), which were both delicious. A few other restaurants that I tried were <a href="http://www.french-creations.com/pastis"><b>Pastis</b></a>, french cuisine, <a href="http://themonogamouschinese.com/"><b>Monogamous</b></a>, traditional Chinese, and <a href="http://www.openrice.com/english/restaurant/sr2.htm?shopid=1796" style="font-weight: bold;">Ole</a>, spanish. All were yummy, and if you ask one of the servers to teach you how to salsa at Ole, they will do just that.</div>
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Last stop before my flight was a super relaxing foot massage! We went in the middle of the work day, so we ended up having the whole place to ourselves. After a long weekend in heels and treking up and down the hills of Hong Kong, this was a much needed repose, which left me nice and refreshed!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00777993167381872005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641455011190684247.post-91928524970052764262013-10-24T02:39:00.000-04:002013-10-29T10:17:04.946-04:00Pearl of the Orient<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
My first meal in Hong Kong was on Gough St. at Kau Kee Restaurant (九記牛腩 ). They are famous for the beef brisket noodles, and for good reason!The place gets a line about 45 minutes before they open, but the wait is well worth it. You and your friends won't be getting a table all to yourself because the owners fill every seat to make sure that they can serve as many people in there as possible. Not a bad system if I do say so myself. Pretty sure the two people we had to share with were calling me an obnoxious <i>gweilo</i> the whole time considering how many pictures I was taking. Luckily, I had my friend Christy to guide the way. She was so great getting me set up in Hong Kong; she hooked me up with an amazing apartment in Central and turned me on to a new company called <a href="http://handy.travel/hk/en"><b>Handy</b></a>, which is a must if you are visiting Hong Kong! For about $10 (US) a day you get unlimited 3G and international calling. You can also set up the phone as a WiFi hotspot so you can blog, work, or cruise the internet wherever you are! Each Handy device comes with a built-in city guide, with categories covering restaurants, shops, experiences, bars, and attractions. With just a few clicks, you can pinpoint your exact location on a map, reserve a table at a waterfront restaurant, or navigate your way to the nearest attraction. Genius!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizzs-COg6UCl0L-Oktq72HrROjIw0QE6mKaCV7KGNVRzYbEcLmQZ-E48oLcK61BSg7fAzjocxdakUtuY9RwFTUBMpVGIM4ZK7ZHU4jCAZClFsMjLYeE-36bn2FqpGrl3ICCUnEUVW28uY/s1600/IMG_2093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="kau kee restaurant hong kong" border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizzs-COg6UCl0L-Oktq72HrROjIw0QE6mKaCV7KGNVRzYbEcLmQZ-E48oLcK61BSg7fAzjocxdakUtuY9RwFTUBMpVGIM4ZK7ZHU4jCAZClFsMjLYeE-36bn2FqpGrl3ICCUnEUVW28uY/s640/IMG_2093.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
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After lunch, one of Christy's friends took me over to Kowloon (or more commonly known in Hong Kong as TST). While he was getting a suit tailored, I walked the Avenue of Stars which is their version of the Walk of Fame. There are a couple of fun statues, but the real treat is the view of the city!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhkkfOvIYAx6Ic_2S-rzOkly-OPNPEMkHwQuvlW22_GijuNDIJIcZxRGAdTlnRKCgcpSEGpW5GHRDj57Q-Jj61eZ79LzNj5xkEwyDyCsGlghPE2lzLA-4xe-_uoB4ogS9MqtGZvO1u234/s1600/IMG_2118.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img alt="avenue of stars hong kong" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhkkfOvIYAx6Ic_2S-rzOkly-OPNPEMkHwQuvlW22_GijuNDIJIcZxRGAdTlnRKCgcpSEGpW5GHRDj57Q-Jj61eZ79LzNj5xkEwyDyCsGlghPE2lzLA-4xe-_uoB4ogS9MqtGZvO1u234/s640/IMG_2118.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
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After taking in the views, I grabbed an egg custard (a HK staple) and stook the Star Ferry, which is the oldest form of public transportation in the city, back over to Central. </div>
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Later that night, Christy and her boyfriend, Ben, took me up to the Peak to see one of the best views of the city. After walking around for a bit, we cabbed back down to Duddell's where we shared a few delicious cocktails. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTS3LYUyURuEEU08W-K0gNyhIbuomVYkcntY_1NlnGTuKoHHbMZ7mP3mUvoulpivbOxptAL3oNZD39QgoOQ66XRy3N0ehyphenhyphenWFvpNgUXuNUvpuEUY9q1bd0gD1W5n51_48CCu848j8grovs/s1600/IMG_2145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="the peak hong kong" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTS3LYUyURuEEU08W-K0gNyhIbuomVYkcntY_1NlnGTuKoHHbMZ7mP3mUvoulpivbOxptAL3oNZD39QgoOQ66XRy3N0ehyphenhyphenWFvpNgUXuNUvpuEUY9q1bd0gD1W5n51_48CCu848j8grovs/s400/IMG_2145.jpg" title="" width="266" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ7OuqYWLZ19gJxw0sUOlMeoZXiPVoNSAmXFpIzKvpCWCEm_WHpUDr17Y3vNAS7IAdcRuRD5j8OT-OtPB_FB9AZC3kkVbGDrvtRx5E1DgGOFIf63T79p8ZrJfR8gba84j0MOF1t4gIO_k/s1600/IMG_2147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ7OuqYWLZ19gJxw0sUOlMeoZXiPVoNSAmXFpIzKvpCWCEm_WHpUDr17Y3vNAS7IAdcRuRD5j8OT-OtPB_FB9AZC3kkVbGDrvtRx5E1DgGOFIf63T79p8ZrJfR8gba84j0MOF1t4gIO_k/s400/IMG_2147.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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That first day really set me up to fall in the love with the city. While it's not so big in size, there was so much to explore and experience. Can't wait to share my adventures from the days to follow.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9WbCySm_ISdNQUQKJ6BLjhy6aaI0tUuXvK1FAi8UfgV58bV11miT0E6J6ivbPme4AOOPdQil3OBhry1NFQF1UaCMzQMKjehOc4rCSAAsRANM-cxkPxb5H_Nor3ngbbkGLHlSv_6221LE/s1600/IMG_2288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="central hong kong" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9WbCySm_ISdNQUQKJ6BLjhy6aaI0tUuXvK1FAi8UfgV58bV11miT0E6J6ivbPme4AOOPdQil3OBhry1NFQF1UaCMzQMKjehOc4rCSAAsRANM-cxkPxb5H_Nor3ngbbkGLHlSv_6221LE/s640/IMG_2288.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Kick ass view from my apartment (<a href="http://www.theprecinct.com.hk/"><b>Precinct Serviced Apartments</b></a>) in Central HK. </span></td></tr>
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On a separate note, here's to the Red Sox demolishing the first game of the World Series! I was that weird American cheering at 8AM down at the breakfast buffet. It was a little reminder that while I am having a blast on the other side of the world, there are still some things I miss about home. </div>
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Get the Look: Shirt, Joie // Scarf, Old Navy</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00777993167381872005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641455011190684247.post-84580587475527274882013-10-21T08:36:00.000-04:002013-10-21T08:51:00.467-04:00Hong Kong in Black & White<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I really loved my time in Hong Kong. The city was full of color and character. Because it is an amalgamation of so many different cultures, you got the best that every one has to offer. I can't think of another city where you can go from the best dim sum, to the best charcuterie shop, to the best sushi in a couple of metro stops. The city can certainly be a little overwhleming, so instead of my first round of photos in color, I decided to simplify things a little. Photographing in black in white forces you to see the world more graphically; taking in shapes, textures, and in this case, some movement as well. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiscwMMDbZinHZlYERmx6TRR7Ii_lrSbRWoqGvbBbzAx6dmlb56uB_omZmQ_FKcZ3q3-Kho0m6kjPcceayZ5ktqk7tYfKsruX3P0gF-wKD9Kw26g4gIhZ1x7Fz1yD_vpRav7kPAqfLrPs4/s1600/IMG_2120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiscwMMDbZinHZlYERmx6TRR7Ii_lrSbRWoqGvbBbzAx6dmlb56uB_omZmQ_FKcZ3q3-Kho0m6kjPcceayZ5ktqk7tYfKsruX3P0gF-wKD9Kw26g4gIhZ1x7Fz1yD_vpRav7kPAqfLrPs4/s640/IMG_2120.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKrB8V1_46ZevRpyWJCoifb5sO3N5JDzKHkNEE7V-K2VJ9VdGeJAJIE54e2ojwG5_YNtsnQVaH9xEcOhE8gdwsXJjP4WZh6nxl2448POH2ju3iZnOCMwxSWniiM_1H67figuT2NK0-2l8/s1600/IMG_2196.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKrB8V1_46ZevRpyWJCoifb5sO3N5JDzKHkNEE7V-K2VJ9VdGeJAJIE54e2ojwG5_YNtsnQVaH9xEcOhE8gdwsXJjP4WZh6nxl2448POH2ju3iZnOCMwxSWniiM_1H67figuT2NK0-2l8/s640/IMG_2196.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiQJiI5Vjs_tJlIITtLbX4013czSemRhZ7CqbJORcn8RuybeG0mcdc6c0ery9mUkG-aeBIE7umh_4UY44eSn559So9CtjEaIzV7gNtIprXSdSQJ-FKeevZe6XQYF4fuWbY-6rhyphenhyphen1DaHyQ/s1600/IMG_2223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiQJiI5Vjs_tJlIITtLbX4013czSemRhZ7CqbJORcn8RuybeG0mcdc6c0ery9mUkG-aeBIE7umh_4UY44eSn559So9CtjEaIzV7gNtIprXSdSQJ-FKeevZe6XQYF4fuWbY-6rhyphenhyphen1DaHyQ/s400/IMG_2223.jpg" width="266" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFSITh40opYEs6DuI928VcNY1xn9RIOjo1uHaEshFdAnYREs2mkCRsbLygBKAHEP1ZisCLRIQsHCbl56yfb0eC8daamqdf-JbCdPljAnMrYBh2v601_Yh4CClFRLd2SO3JcqQqVdHPHC8/s1600/IMG_2249.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFSITh40opYEs6DuI928VcNY1xn9RIOjo1uHaEshFdAnYREs2mkCRsbLygBKAHEP1ZisCLRIQsHCbl56yfb0eC8daamqdf-JbCdPljAnMrYBh2v601_Yh4CClFRLd2SO3JcqQqVdHPHC8/s400/IMG_2249.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKEzrFPK5XRjo_Tt9qA9FTM8YSutWw12uenBASaY8O6HD8tUbpVYLNU0sFTQqVTVjPH9JYXURDBV1gS-q9rUP6AwwLmR9KuzmnMUmRdpRf7544TgrrrOefo46RYpErYVLIItDUn-UZRp0/s1600/IMG_2251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKEzrFPK5XRjo_Tt9qA9FTM8YSutWw12uenBASaY8O6HD8tUbpVYLNU0sFTQqVTVjPH9JYXURDBV1gS-q9rUP6AwwLmR9KuzmnMUmRdpRf7544TgrrrOefo46RYpErYVLIItDUn-UZRp0/s640/IMG_2251.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJp37YhxsTDpgSvszkosXAcx7_G_VNJQiwD30YOaNlkU7AvhjT4XkqrUndKs8xFKA_NMnQ0D6VHM5GDMt9iwtRK56OHq6HPK8mn0qIIXpAnh9C4Fy0u4lLtnEetjEybp7aLLoqgzgjWsI/s1600/IMG_2263.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJp37YhxsTDpgSvszkosXAcx7_G_VNJQiwD30YOaNlkU7AvhjT4XkqrUndKs8xFKA_NMnQ0D6VHM5GDMt9iwtRK56OHq6HPK8mn0qIIXpAnh9C4Fy0u4lLtnEetjEybp7aLLoqgzgjWsI/s640/IMG_2263.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00777993167381872005noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641455011190684247.post-69508227663171243992013-10-20T21:51:00.001-04:002013-10-20T21:52:57.454-04:00Typhoon Tangents<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Unfortunately, my last few days in Shanghai I managed to find myself in the midst of a typhoon. While there were some sights that I still wanted to see, I had no intention of soaking through three layers of clothes in the process. So, I resorted to plan B: eat my way through Shanghai. Collin, a friend who I had made earlier that weekend, introduced me to some delicious takeout and probably the best soup dumplings I have ever had in my life. Miraculously, the takeout was delivered by hand in the poruing rain, but I guess to the people of Shanghai, it was just a light drizzle. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Century Park and Shanghai skyline from my hotel in Pudong. </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvp2Z47dtAkqbkzmzzhS71T_xuAMS95we6wxrfvhIh3V6ehVZ1ljmi8B2Tscm9DOTz-mNNsxz8n-inaxdMMsFGWeUelqlTdQwdOMoyr7HTKdx3w6iGbGz5yMgYEIwdvX3weBD1MXZT9Ks/s1600/IMG_1930.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvp2Z47dtAkqbkzmzzhS71T_xuAMS95we6wxrfvhIh3V6ehVZ1ljmi8B2Tscm9DOTz-mNNsxz8n-inaxdMMsFGWeUelqlTdQwdOMoyr7HTKdx3w6iGbGz5yMgYEIwdvX3weBD1MXZT9Ks/s640/IMG_1930.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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My last meal was soup dumplings from Jia Jia Tang Bao with Collin. This is a no frills dumpling house with made to order dumplings of all kinds. I managed to peak my head back into the kitchen to catch a few shots. I don't think I've ever seen fingers move that fast! I'm pretty sure we ended up going through 5 trays of dumplings on our own. And while I had to be practically rolled to the train to get to the airport from how full I was, my taste buds hadn't been that happy all trip. And, besides, I'm sure the dumplings were calorie free...<br />
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I ate up until the very last minute before I had to head to the airport, where I took the Maglev, which hits speeds hovering around 400 km/h (roughly 230 mph). I was a little sad to be leaving Shanghai after getting a sneak peak into the city. There are plenty of sights left to see, so I guess there will just have to be a next time. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00777993167381872005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641455011190684247.post-53437812247646272962013-10-16T12:44:00.003-04:002013-10-16T12:47:22.303-04:00Shanghai'd<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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For my first full day in the city I decided to roam around the Bund, drink an obnoxious amount of tea, and eat lots and lots of street food. That seems reasonable enough, right? </div>
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It was fun just to people watch for a while. Shanghai is so drastically different from my first stop in China. You don't get an overwhelming sense of history, or the Party, like you do in Beijing. I think the youthfulness of the city paired with the modern skyline puts people in a different mindset all together. Everyone is ready to shop, eat, drink, and just have a good time. So, that's what I did.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: left;">A quick note on the tea 'ceremonies': agree on a price before you start. <br />Often they are looking to totally rip you off, so better to be safe than sorry.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: left;"> As far as the street food goes, just line </span><span style="font-size: small; text-align: left;">up where a lot of locals seem to be going.<br /> I ended up only paying a whole $0.70 for lunch. Can't go wrong with that!</span></td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00777993167381872005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641455011190684247.post-25212476753341787992013-10-15T10:03:00.003-04:002013-10-15T10:04:32.992-04:00As a Duck Takes to Water<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
My overall impression of Beijing is a mixed bag. The city is very spread out and quite difficult to get around. Luckily, cabs are cheap and your hotel will usually write addresses in Chinese to avoid any confusion. Because of this, Beijing is the only city that I never took public transportation. In addition, the Chinese culture is very conservative and reserved and often came off as harsh. That, paired with the polution made for a difficult introduction to the city. But, once properly settled in, the history and cuisine balance out scales. While you might need someone to help translate and a tour guide for the major sights, Beijing is the gateway into the China that still remains somewhat of a mystery to most of us Westerners.<br />
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For my last dinner in Beijing, we had some very traditional cuisine at Da Dong Roast Duck Restaurant. There are plenty of places to order duck in the city, but according to my sources, this is the very best restaurant to enjoy Peking's signature dish. The duck is carved table side and served with a large assortment of a accouterments including sugar, garlic sauce, and melon. To me, those were some unlikely combinations, but boy, I'm glad I tried every single one. </div>
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Lots of other smaller dishes, with ingredients I have never heard of, were ordered as well. The highlights were a pear and vegetable soup and a traditional preparation of Chinese cabbage.</div>
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At the end of the day, I consider myself incredibly lucky to have had a friend who works in the city and took time out of his holiday to show me the sights. I think without this, I would have had a tough time appreciating all Beijing has to offer, which is more than meets the eye.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00777993167381872005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641455011190684247.post-11684822815451180432013-10-14T01:35:00.001-04:002013-10-14T01:42:19.513-04:00When in Peking<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Traveling to China during the Golden Week can be a little overwhelming. Although all of the major sights in Beijing are packed during the holiday, going to the Great Wall is a must. The trick is choosing the right part of the wall so that you aren't swallowed up by the crowds. Juyongguan, or Juyong Pass, is one of the three greatest mountain passes of the Great Wall. The steep terrain and narrow steps make it one of the most difficult parts of the wall to climb, and while normally this wouldn't be ideal, in the case of a national holiday, it's probably the best option. Most people journey to Badaling, but Juyongguan shows more of what the 'real wall' was like before it underwent significant renovations. In addition to the amazing views from the top, it was one heck of a workout. I saw a few women in high heels, and while I was impressed, my feet hurt just looking at them. Needless to say, I was happy that I wore my sneakers. </div>
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Make sure to give yourself plenty of time at the wall. Between the crowds, traffic and the actual climb, it took up a the entire afternoon. </div>
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Being a Western tourist during the Golden Week is a bit of a novelty. In general, the crowds are consisted of tourists from the rural areas of China. For many, this is their first trip to a major city, and their first brush with people from Western cultures. About every ten minutes or so, I had people asking to take my picture with them and I definitely wasn't prepared for all of the pointing and staring. While the experience may have bothered some, I think it made my trip to the Great Wall a little more special. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00777993167381872005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641455011190684247.post-24358095355882892002013-10-10T03:17:00.000-04:002013-10-14T01:41:57.590-04:00Forbidden City<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I'm so excited to finally update you all on my recent adventures in mainland China! For those of you who don't know, the major social media and networking websites are blocked, which made it next to impossible to access most means of communication. As someone traveling alone, it can definitely be tough not to have access to most of your friends and family. Luckily, I had already generated some connections to show me the ropes in Beijing and give me a great tour of the the city's most popular sights, which made for a perfect distraction. On my first full day my friend He Gang and I headed to the Forbidden City. It was really helpful to have him along because he pointed out the subtle nuances and details in the construction of the Forbidden City. If you plan on visiting, I definitely recommend having a tour guide to show you around.<br />
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Be warned, though, tour groups can be quite large. If you can swing it, I would suggest getting a private tour. You can move at your own pace and ask all of the questions you want.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_JLGGIB8gDF0yxER9BLX1yW1CEJIdI2GDXMW-kEF8P5Uvh8SUbCcE796mLS2QU2ASeiR0L3fNyHCP1mGfO1p-uzdtYqbj5H8v71kBjk6111WWwECvGuEu6kvHMx_-6DBNJDhVtxTgEbo/s1600/IMG_1606.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_JLGGIB8gDF0yxER9BLX1yW1CEJIdI2GDXMW-kEF8P5Uvh8SUbCcE796mLS2QU2ASeiR0L3fNyHCP1mGfO1p-uzdtYqbj5H8v71kBjk6111WWwECvGuEu6kvHMx_-6DBNJDhVtxTgEbo/s640/IMG_1606.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The central line of the Forbidden City. This line runs through the center of all of Beijing.<br />
It also serves as the division between the men's and women's side of the city. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the lions guarding the palace. This is the female lion, holding the cub under her paw, on the left side of the central line.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can find 308 of these copper pots spread around the city. They were constantly filled with water in case of a fire.<br />
In winter time, these vats were covered with quilts to prevent the water from freezing.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This shot was taken in the Imperial Gardens. In all four courners of the gardens you will find pavilions that represent each season.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All of the gates to the city are outfitted with doors that have nine rows of nine golden door nails.<br />
As He Gang described it, the number nine is considered the most powerful and important number in China.</td></tr>
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Once you leave the Forbidden City through the rear exit, there are a set of royal gardens which I definitely recommend taking a walk through. If you climb to the top of the peak, you get a great view of the whole area. Unfortuantely, the pollution was on the high end of the scale that day, limiting the visibility, but it was still worth a hike up. </div>
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The Forbidden City is definitely worth at least half of a day of your time. Before I visited, I didn't realize how massive the whole place was. You could easily spend your whole day there exploring the different halls, bridges and gardens.<br />
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For lunch, I went to <a href="http://www.leigarden.hk/English/local_detail.asp?id=10F2F16D-108E-4C09-9275-4ED397973FBA">Lei Garden</a> in the World Trade Center. They have delicious dim sum!! None of the menu was in English, which prompted lots of communication via Google Translate, but it was worth fighting through the language barrier.<br />
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More posts on China to come!<br />
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Get the Look: Vest, Rugby Ralph Lauren // Sweatshirt, H&M // Jeans, Lucky Brand // Watch: Michael Kors</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00777993167381872005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641455011190684247.post-34634311647820631962013-10-09T04:36:00.003-04:002013-10-09T04:43:50.766-04:00A Long Layover: Seoul<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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A couple weeks ago I took a three day trip to Seoul on my way to Beijing from Tokyo. Once I got myself situated at my place in the Gangam distrcit, I took a walk down to Garosu-gil, which is an area in Sinsa-dong. The name literally means tree-lined street, which is appropriate considering the street is lined with tons of ginkgo trees. I liken the area to the Newbury Street of Seoul. There are a lot of cool little shops and cafes to hang out. I stopped by Per Se (right across the street from Theory) to grab a bite to eat and do a little reading. I snagged some milk tea, and instead of the traditional Korean BBQ, I went for ink pasta with some calamari and shrimp.</div>
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After lunch I managed to do some shoppping. There are a ton of little boutiques with fashion forward Korean made clothes. Some stores I would recommend are 8ight Seconds, Around the Corner, Youk Shim Won, and 9 Owls, which is a really cute vintage store. I had a tough time finding things that fit because often times they only had pieces in one or two sizes, and not a lot of it would fit a 5'11 frame, but it was fun to browse.</div>
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Later that night I met up with a friend and we went to <a href="http://eden-club.co.kr/">Eden</a>, which is a club connected to the Ritz, for a night of dancing and fun. The cover is a little steep, but not bad. On a Friday night, you can expect a good mix of locals and tourists. </div>
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Unfortunately, I didn't get out too much during my stay in Seoul. The weekend was a sneak preview into a city that I would definitely like to get to know a little bit better. Looks like I will have to go back!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00777993167381872005noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641455011190684247.post-2847539668205604922013-09-27T06:04:00.001-04:002013-09-27T06:04:34.129-04:00Final Hours in Tokyo<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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For my last night in Tokyo, I decided to stay at the <a href="http://conradhotels3.hilton.com/en/hotels/japan/conrad-tokyo-TYOCICI/index.html">Conrad Hotel</a>. The Conrad definitely lived up to it's reviews and it was located in one of the most picturesque parts of the city; right across from the Hamarikyu Gardens and overlooking the bay. If you have time for it, I definitely recommend having afternoon tea at <a href="http://conradhotels3.hilton.com/en/hotels/japan/conrad-tokyo-TYOCICI/amenities/restaurants-twenty-eight.html">TwentyEight </a>. They have a great selection and their sweets were divine.</div>
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One of the other reasons why I stayed at the Conrad was it's proximity to the Tsukiji Fish Market. People start lining up outside the market as early as 2:30 in the morning to have a chance to catch the famous tuna auction, so having it within walking distance was key. </div>
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The Tsukiji Market was one of my 'must-sees' for my trip to Japan. The best sushi chefs from around the city come to the world's largest fish market to pick out their cuts for the day. </div>
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As a tourist, you are given a yellow vest and a small area to stand and view the auction. I was completely fine with this considering that you are getting to observe the real Japan. As long as you do your best to stay out of the way, you get to see some pretty interesting action. And, at times, I'm sure the bidders found us equally as entertaining as we did them.<br />
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After your 25 minutes is up, you are escorted out of the auction. Keep your eyes peeled for the massive amount of men on carts flying around the market. These guys won't stop for anyone!</div>
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The only way to end the experience is to indulge in some delicious, fresh sushi. Sushi Dai is by far the most popular place in the market, but Daiwa-Zushi is a great second option. Expect to pay upwards of 700 yen per piece of fish, but trust me when I say, it's worth every last yen.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00777993167381872005noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641455011190684247.post-36943379406488319572013-09-25T08:16:00.001-04:002013-10-14T01:43:51.116-04:00A Mountain of Orange<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The Fushimi Inari shrine is probably one of the most photographed shrines in all of Japan. And by looking below, it's easy to see why. At times, it was hard not to look at it through my lens. But after hiking about half way up the mountain, I just sat for a while overlooking Kyoto. This was probably one of the most peaceful moments I have had since starting my travels, and a nice escape from the hustle and bustle of the city below. I hiked up at the end of the day, as to avoid the crowds and to catch the sunset from the top. Good move on my part! My only wish was that I had packed bug repellent, but that's neither here nor there. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJBHo1BlXYFKzeQ2FDa7soAMfB7byjPS-fCQBtVIMwpkLpOVfYFBL2RArkitaO6k6IKj8CpD13n6X8fEXRjWzJ7HIk0a2AxiBBErVnRxG8AVF2GVsBJGF5WHUpPlMYKQUp3Bk-GXErZps/s1600/IMG_1346.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="fushimi inari shrine" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJBHo1BlXYFKzeQ2FDa7soAMfB7byjPS-fCQBtVIMwpkLpOVfYFBL2RArkitaO6k6IKj8CpD13n6X8fEXRjWzJ7HIk0a2AxiBBErVnRxG8AVF2GVsBJGF5WHUpPlMYKQUp3Bk-GXErZps/s640/IMG_1346.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
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A pleasant little surprise were all the kittens running around different parts of the shrine. Some of them were a bit skittish, but these two guys below hung out for a while; guarding their portion of the shrine, I suppose.</div>
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The last little bit of the hike was my favorite. The sun started to go down and it lit up the shrine perfectly. Definitely one of the best sunsets I have seen since being in Japan. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSpjVo-50vMg1omneE0bMguNj4-cR9YTXps8cHxS75hSNjxfvCWaVOzjsx5jd4kXiqn1ggd3jEpLpwzepZLMcaLvznl3nLgiyb1KOj0r35g9ki4F82mDQj6_ewf-tdnFl9xNz1HiOXvgU/s1600/IMG_1365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="fushimi inari shrine" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSpjVo-50vMg1omneE0bMguNj4-cR9YTXps8cHxS75hSNjxfvCWaVOzjsx5jd4kXiqn1ggd3jEpLpwzepZLMcaLvznl3nLgiyb1KOj0r35g9ki4F82mDQj6_ewf-tdnFl9xNz1HiOXvgU/s640/IMG_1365.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVa10kaK2agGL2Ut2G5ALbwsuX4WlC3MEndOXX6R2VJ_7_57OHVYCPnuTA-Tk1jWqkjmCW9SXIg-yYrF5rO_YbOjKdr1ilBjfhl4RrSSMMOx31qh6bDg_p-DuaFfZw-R4bBBGNjlwKpIY/s1600/IMG_1403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="fushimi inari shrine" border="0" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVa10kaK2agGL2Ut2G5ALbwsuX4WlC3MEndOXX6R2VJ_7_57OHVYCPnuTA-Tk1jWqkjmCW9SXIg-yYrF5rO_YbOjKdr1ilBjfhl4RrSSMMOx31qh6bDg_p-DuaFfZw-R4bBBGNjlwKpIY/s640/IMG_1403.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: left;">This picture reminded me ever so slightly of the view from Sacre-Coeur </span></td></tr>
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After getting back into Kyoto, I took a brief detour and hung out around Kyoto Station. Upon exiting, you have prime viewing of Kyoto Tower, which is best seen at night.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr2D3d8nzKlw_O2OM-euXCKUKMFvzwf0kuZ9emE-WCEc4evBIUBgqY6ZWeN_Qy_gqgg7huYhCP60pgFOCSMgFISe2XMW1MqLuUAuSsTER6f0sNjTVulPxqrpZfWV_vO9f_Pvb0jtX4Vgo/s1600/IMG_1440.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="kyoto tower" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr2D3d8nzKlw_O2OM-euXCKUKMFvzwf0kuZ9emE-WCEc4evBIUBgqY6ZWeN_Qy_gqgg7huYhCP60pgFOCSMgFISe2XMW1MqLuUAuSsTER6f0sNjTVulPxqrpZfWV_vO9f_Pvb0jtX4Vgo/s640/IMG_1440.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
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Tonight, I am in Tokyo for one final night and then it is off to Seoul tomorrow!</div>
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Get the Look: Shirt, James Perse // Shorts, J Crew // Scarf, Anthropologie // Purse, Marc by Marc Jacobs</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00777993167381872005noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641455011190684247.post-28657074611780325662013-09-24T07:50:00.001-04:002013-10-14T01:45:11.420-04:00The Heart of Kyoto<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Today was predicted to be hot, so I stuck with light, airy fabrics and some of my favorite accessories from <a href="http://www.pinkyotto.com/">Pinkyotto</a>. I'm loving their new Fall designs, so definitely check out their new collection!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8zoFyiRzztgKNBzr4cOIV4niEFAkqDk0AyzsQjPYkNG8LR4xSKdOQoHxc3H-mZvIt8u0Qy7LcQHtsO_75qtqy-spG7WFthMbayA6nOJeQPHYl655CoCCCr9IqpEfDtmnnEcFlYDGsfOk/s1600/IMG_1108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="pinkyotto" border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8zoFyiRzztgKNBzr4cOIV4niEFAkqDk0AyzsQjPYkNG8LR4xSKdOQoHxc3H-mZvIt8u0Qy7LcQHtsO_75qtqy-spG7WFthMbayA6nOJeQPHYl655CoCCCr9IqpEfDtmnnEcFlYDGsfOk/s640/IMG_1108.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQuAen47LLdWAyX6ei7GBYmTq0ExtwAJ-9HJPJDvBhyphenhyphensZi_zcW3JP6N3MIv1MBgm9NlDtIubtNQSQFE71_hNWz1518u0SQk0l2Xo2bH18RZ09dPx-gG8EUQbW93vM6eMlTxQKT_cfCSAQ/s1600/IMG_1092.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img alt="travel style" border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQuAen47LLdWAyX6ei7GBYmTq0ExtwAJ-9HJPJDvBhyphenhyphensZi_zcW3JP6N3MIv1MBgm9NlDtIubtNQSQFE71_hNWz1518u0SQk0l2Xo2bH18RZ09dPx-gG8EUQbW93vM6eMlTxQKT_cfCSAQ/s640/IMG_1092.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFhR856vC5kqilzlu31XTKvxSlqLDdiHCJEKkW-ra_bxCPEM98viv9iodkLiyx8xm64dVUSpYZ2HryhLEW-vHXjLQYEoxAm4NeOkfpDMe_c29kK6VKDWpZSE6vr1RS3F2hML3T8PopCxc/s1600/IMG_1206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="travel style" border="0" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFhR856vC5kqilzlu31XTKvxSlqLDdiHCJEKkW-ra_bxCPEM98viv9iodkLiyx8xm64dVUSpYZ2HryhLEW-vHXjLQYEoxAm4NeOkfpDMe_c29kK6VKDWpZSE6vr1RS3F2hML3T8PopCxc/s640/IMG_1206.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
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My first stop of the day was to Kiyomizu-Dera, which is a Buddhist Temple towards the outskirts of Kyoto. I took the City Bus to Gojozaka, and from there it is about a 15 minute uphill trek to the temple. I chose to go up the direction of the cemetery, which is the road less traveled, so to speak. I recommend going that way to start and then going down the main path to pick up a quick snack before your next stop. Once at the top, there were several different buildings, including the bell tower, three storied pagoda, and my favorite, the Kaizan-do Hall.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJOvjodNB1f_tLB6AbJpifVcHuv2irxXzILUO-t1oYWiYqXmZv9veWH2BD_Lbd-PMM7VkAbxTGIK95lYGwAvbuCpei94WsT67Iwr3NtmoAtFsybXSBQVEAX0G9rZ6gGncw4_Y-evgoKJk/s1600/IMG_1231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="kiyomizu temple" border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJOvjodNB1f_tLB6AbJpifVcHuv2irxXzILUO-t1oYWiYqXmZv9veWH2BD_Lbd-PMM7VkAbxTGIK95lYGwAvbuCpei94WsT67Iwr3NtmoAtFsybXSBQVEAX0G9rZ6gGncw4_Y-evgoKJk/s640/IMG_1231.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Deva Gate at the entrance of the temple.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLW-qsJn-pp0PScBsO7KyH1XedGP_8reip3R-8xoa4THFK5CGprEsNTV2OIDZcbX2Gn8caClkYWB7jAA8kMJ8vtRVBmqBUwR_MOscBppeRrbG9-zFIBct-N73yQ4ZS4YCqySrxar8KpV4/s1600/IMG_1245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="kiyomizu temple" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLW-qsJn-pp0PScBsO7KyH1XedGP_8reip3R-8xoa4THFK5CGprEsNTV2OIDZcbX2Gn8caClkYWB7jAA8kMJ8vtRVBmqBUwR_MOscBppeRrbG9-zFIBct-N73yQ4ZS4YCqySrxar8KpV4/s640/IMG_1245.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bell Tower</span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW_sZ-gilOrXOxbLUxSwBs1KiJp4C6HDG-1AB7cPxQrMSuSBvmsdbeB1zJl6gmjaAlGrNijGlC6qULeFu23oY53g3Rj_SSqZzD46T491XE1K-EgS35Z7lrJhaV21ED9xAKjrbLbEIkwMw/s1600/IMG_1257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="kiyomizu temple" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW_sZ-gilOrXOxbLUxSwBs1KiJp4C6HDG-1AB7cPxQrMSuSBvmsdbeB1zJl6gmjaAlGrNijGlC6qULeFu23oY53g3Rj_SSqZzD46T491XE1K-EgS35Z7lrJhaV21ED9xAKjrbLbEIkwMw/s640/IMG_1257.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Kaizan-do Hall</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7B5beACS7ueNleAbQgqIGAOY6XrUhKVw3NgyxfvQ_Cnraa6enVn6GYqRUDWZvEkJZccoAeB4sVLeX6bAtSQnj4gyb7Vmymi_R3FoEN4RIS9scBa4flKpssN6FkVc_d5XHQwazLTO9o8Y/s1600/IMG_1268.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="kyoto" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7B5beACS7ueNleAbQgqIGAOY6XrUhKVw3NgyxfvQ_Cnraa6enVn6GYqRUDWZvEkJZccoAeB4sVLeX6bAtSQnj4gyb7Vmymi_R3FoEN4RIS9scBa4flKpssN6FkVc_d5XHQwazLTO9o8Y/s640/IMG_1268.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCJ-mBZL32pgxkbePHiERquwAzlq3WI9drjFStqm22FK2HR7DS_hMyLfZ3xrDoGoedDeWD-dM3zUb4lt5quLBVR5WifxvFmAv2i5fcQiWPxGsRFkSnz7idTq02eJoPLwM36X8rY6q5-Nk/s1600/IMG_1258.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="kiyomizu temple" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCJ-mBZL32pgxkbePHiERquwAzlq3WI9drjFStqm22FK2HR7DS_hMyLfZ3xrDoGoedDeWD-dM3zUb4lt5quLBVR5WifxvFmAv2i5fcQiWPxGsRFkSnz7idTq02eJoPLwM36X8rY6q5-Nk/s400/IMG_1258.jpg" title="" width="266" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh013Yu0oZ7PyKIlc5I2hisNHfO83TEBlnqCBwIL2AzuM26RMd223pzqU-6L8ISpznqKz9dMVBfeWViexGP39cIbNYCAaDvs5Abi2oQIYYHKHQNeuNEt9IuBfNJ57VrIMxA0EoaO2wT34c/s1600/IMG_1273.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="kiyomizu temple" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh013Yu0oZ7PyKIlc5I2hisNHfO83TEBlnqCBwIL2AzuM26RMd223pzqU-6L8ISpznqKz9dMVBfeWViexGP39cIbNYCAaDvs5Abi2oQIYYHKHQNeuNEt9IuBfNJ57VrIMxA0EoaO2wT34c/s400/IMG_1273.jpg" title="" width="266" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjex7bm_VYfez87t2MV30rGkzhuJ430eodc2dbJWfQLpfzv_yCZEZLXwbP9IGdMFfp40xz6B7grH0DQdA8nmzAfLZRt_sM7YlYfmcaz8AMT-4QMqp1jlW-hGIk6DdBXEUH7vCS5QPHVRDo/s1600/IMG_1283.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="kyoto" border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjex7bm_VYfez87t2MV30rGkzhuJ430eodc2dbJWfQLpfzv_yCZEZLXwbP9IGdMFfp40xz6B7grH0DQdA8nmzAfLZRt_sM7YlYfmcaz8AMT-4QMqp1jlW-hGIk6DdBXEUH7vCS5QPHVRDo/s640/IMG_1283.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
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As I was walking to my next destination, I just quickly looked to the right and manged to capture a glimpse of the Yasaka Pagoda. This brief moment of luck is just a testament to the fact that history is around every corner in Kyoto. When you first arrive, there is the temptation to be discouraged because you are surrounded by modern architecture and neon signs, but once you do a little exploring, Kyoto's rich history starts to slowly reveal itself. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgboEsqXmwtRv1JduqkDjBJjhaI_oPY1lpr2I31CidDpdo0rXyZlo9EDzZMNfFYsCHN-ymQTF9sGVhm0AyYA-1vhG64TVWU4FjQ4hFROD7XGKNyhkoZe3FJW-u3Kdj2eXfQZ33TOHpKfe0/s1600/IMG_1287.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="yasaka pagoda" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgboEsqXmwtRv1JduqkDjBJjhaI_oPY1lpr2I31CidDpdo0rXyZlo9EDzZMNfFYsCHN-ymQTF9sGVhm0AyYA-1vhG64TVWU4FjQ4hFROD7XGKNyhkoZe3FJW-u3Kdj2eXfQZ33TOHpKfe0/s640/IMG_1287.jpg" title="" width="426" /></a></div>
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The Yasaka Shrine, which is a Shinto shrine in the Gion district of Kyoto, was the next stop. This is definitely one of the more popular shrines in the city. The air was full of sounds of the bells ringing after many people paid their respects by making an offering (<i>saisen</i>) to the <i>kami</i>. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBZZl_AmkfRBdfl72IMAmrbni3y2OaXzLNToIdPcphR70m_R5SGV45SGwjM70plax3OYk8KhFFp2Jr_JFeIg42aOwGgQf9PzPoIIMRC45Moq95FTbh82GVFkIO8aEjWgFnDovgP-fmprs/s1600/IMG_1301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="yaska shrine" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBZZl_AmkfRBdfl72IMAmrbni3y2OaXzLNToIdPcphR70m_R5SGV45SGwjM70plax3OYk8KhFFp2Jr_JFeIg42aOwGgQf9PzPoIIMRC45Moq95FTbh82GVFkIO8aEjWgFnDovgP-fmprs/s640/IMG_1301.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: left;">The lanterns over the stage are the names of those who sponsor the festival every New Year.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTFI_KhFt2ahZG6DC7HCJdBir9sSjcjvfBIupNkxX0r11-jpT_VvzQLZJ934dEeDHBWXVXPANUbmdLhv9dkKJTsV_m8y0IAkaTOHkiJgUP_YsjaThz3d_TfgZBMTE1Lu6VC2x0S29KbWE/s1600/IMG_1305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="kyoto" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTFI_KhFt2ahZG6DC7HCJdBir9sSjcjvfBIupNkxX0r11-jpT_VvzQLZJ934dEeDHBWXVXPANUbmdLhv9dkKJTsV_m8y0IAkaTOHkiJgUP_YsjaThz3d_TfgZBMTE1Lu6VC2x0S29KbWE/s640/IMG_1305.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRFjPvzf8dGVWTj_XlefOhTDl6RGFPNVuyoR8fYIsidITCVFTSW6rSSJOKq4FE6kb87vkjjFdKq7X_KfPsekeDGyt-pbkx0jDOMaO_KVUF4xV7sYXKdBJKeTrfciNmnHVF_loPYM10vvc/s1600/IMG_1308.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="shinto shrine" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRFjPvzf8dGVWTj_XlefOhTDl6RGFPNVuyoR8fYIsidITCVFTSW6rSSJOKq4FE6kb87vkjjFdKq7X_KfPsekeDGyt-pbkx0jDOMaO_KVUF4xV7sYXKdBJKeTrfciNmnHVF_loPYM10vvc/s400/IMG_1308.jpg" title="" width="266" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxqVo8GTT23cICleXyuugW6qSe8pwngmyOrNn9hOO4SEFF_ZAijFCDZgSJGUwZBKbftra7-SI4nbfVwKnwRAixPNMAGgznZfccQCURpDXXefAOqu8PyuVOAIR_-KFwUngt3ouob4Mvxy0/s1600/IMG_1310.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="shinto shrine" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxqVo8GTT23cICleXyuugW6qSe8pwngmyOrNn9hOO4SEFF_ZAijFCDZgSJGUwZBKbftra7-SI4nbfVwKnwRAixPNMAGgznZfccQCURpDXXefAOqu8PyuVOAIR_-KFwUngt3ouob4Mvxy0/s400/IMG_1310.jpg" title="" width="266" /></a></div>
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Tonight is my last night in Kyoto and then it is back to the <a href="http://conradhotels3.hilton.com/en/hotels/japan/conrad-tokyo-TYOCICI/index.html">Conrad Hotel</a> in Tokyo for one final night in Japan before I head off to Seoul.</div>
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Gt the Look: Necklace, Pinkyotto // Tank, Forever 21 // Cropped Pants, <a href="http://www.shoptiques.com/products/bella-cropped-pants">Pinkyotto</a> // Belt, Pinkyotto // Shoes, Via Spiga</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00777993167381872005noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641455011190684247.post-56650466372896192352013-09-23T10:44:00.001-04:002013-09-23T19:39:52.725-04:00Clever in Kyoto<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Today, I journeyed on the <i>Shinkansen </i>super-express high speed railway line from Tokyo to Kyoto. I was sad to say farewell to Oto-san who took such great care of me at his apartment in Shinjuku, but excited to be moving on to a different part of Japan. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDq5Vbal0hTezBWvvDvmFDniNRNaFe3SX7Zsg4TZRCBgVqFHFIsUT4FiB-Sbi_3q276TG8JhHaxSeTGtCSRwzViswuV_FNuG6-cFeiUPW4MSdgpHFnnSDeywPJdZnFdRqrilvstQU9KR0/s1600/IMG_0985.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDq5Vbal0hTezBWvvDvmFDniNRNaFe3SX7Zsg4TZRCBgVqFHFIsUT4FiB-Sbi_3q276TG8JhHaxSeTGtCSRwzViswuV_FNuG6-cFeiUPW4MSdgpHFnnSDeywPJdZnFdRqrilvstQU9KR0/s640/IMG_0985.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Oto-san on the balcony in his Shinjuku apartment</span></td></tr>
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While I will miss breakfast in Oto-san's kitchen overlooking the Tokyo skyline, I am happy to have a change of pace and head over to a little bit of pampering at the <a href="http://www.princess-kyoto.co.jp/english/">Hotel Nikko Princess</a> in Kyoto. It is conveniently located, and the concierge services were super helpful when I arrived, setting me up with a great tour and giving delicious suggestions for the best ramen, sobu, and tempura in the city.</div>
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Because I arrived late in the day, I decided to put off seeing the shrines and temples until tomorrow. In the meantime, I headed towards Nishiki Market to check out some of today's eats. Nishki Market is a narrow, five block long shopping street lined by more than one hundred shops and restaurants, and more commonly known as "Kyoto's Kitchen". You can find everything from flowers, to sweets, to baby octopus on a stick. Lots of people just wander through, but it is also a good place to stop for lunch. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJhZCgHBBOeQuCxtuZ0dhywCY4ETy2Yl03Y-f8_A86I4utYLCKXq3HUk3hIBp51K55XloDX4KNrio2F682QSx8sPkwG-AT2cdGMymomThDZCW1RCwLfD2Gj6kWIYIiiA4Aij8LcxL0gPE/s1600/IMG_1003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJhZCgHBBOeQuCxtuZ0dhywCY4ETy2Yl03Y-f8_A86I4utYLCKXq3HUk3hIBp51K55XloDX4KNrio2F682QSx8sPkwG-AT2cdGMymomThDZCW1RCwLfD2Gj6kWIYIiiA4Aij8LcxL0gPE/s640/IMG_1003.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEINkn_CiwUFNaG-BTQEjwBDA_MDfk2chbvsNxRgM9c2xoMI41SKhXnKgO5xubnk_Bby50uv-IjBS4y61D7yFna9zKTW9t5IQf_t9rcYnHDUu2dhJYHuQSzT4uYZf2iKvJfqeOuQ5VWTg/s1600/IMG_0998.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEINkn_CiwUFNaG-BTQEjwBDA_MDfk2chbvsNxRgM9c2xoMI41SKhXnKgO5xubnk_Bby50uv-IjBS4y61D7yFna9zKTW9t5IQf_t9rcYnHDUu2dhJYHuQSzT4uYZf2iKvJfqeOuQ5VWTg/s640/IMG_0998.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEBKecC_vVvTsaDHlxqC5dVaDE4YWz_NXOtrXUzINHguDc1miV3ch81sKICIcArYMmZA0o2QXrLm1ZRlHv-wRU2wVJf8BeN2P_o3QEGJ_Hpr0l8Mq8rKsWUgdSJHfv1nanu-_YsoYq61Y/s1600/IMG_1008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEBKecC_vVvTsaDHlxqC5dVaDE4YWz_NXOtrXUzINHguDc1miV3ch81sKICIcArYMmZA0o2QXrLm1ZRlHv-wRU2wVJf8BeN2P_o3QEGJ_Hpr0l8Mq8rKsWUgdSJHfv1nanu-_YsoYq61Y/s640/IMG_1008.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Once at the end of the Nishiki Market, you will find one of the entrances to the Nishiki Tenmangu Shrine where many of the shop owners in the market will go to pray. As I understand it, all of these lanterns have names of the shop owners in the market.</div>
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When I finished strolling through the market, I headed over to Kitaza to meet up with the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WalkingKyoto">Gion Night Walk</a>. Gion is Kyoto's most traditional district where the culture of Kagai, the world of maiko and geiko (better known as geisha) are still very much alive and well. Mary was our tour guide and she was super informative. I never knew there were so few geikos, and how rare it was to see one! We managed to see one walking into one of the prominent tea houses, but alas, she was too quick for me to snag a photo of her.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTXQobehL39pS_VnMMp_JBFoDAX5rbfh8b16ERJghqYNN47RLROtnv8A_V2C6jD1ikC1GkjsML-wItUbki7pbbmOnXTGkIgQTLeJ-FArmtXg9mCwWuwd1XOV7L2cVZC0hf17XjYuhS6AQ/s1600/IMG_1052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTXQobehL39pS_VnMMp_JBFoDAX5rbfh8b16ERJghqYNN47RLROtnv8A_V2C6jD1ikC1GkjsML-wItUbki7pbbmOnXTGkIgQTLeJ-FArmtXg9mCwWuwd1XOV7L2cVZC0hf17XjYuhS6AQ/s640/IMG_1052.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Luckily, I did get to see two young girls walking out of a <i>okiya</i>,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">which is a boarding house for maikos. These two weren't in full make-up,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> which leads me to believe they were 'maiko-in-training'. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">View from Shijo bridge.</span></td></tr>
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Once the tour was over, I headed to dinner at <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g298564-d3867788-Reviews-Shunsai_Tempura_Arima-Kyoto_Kyoto_Prefecture_Kinki.html">Shunsai Tempura Arima</a>. This was definitely the best meal that I have had in Japan so far. I ordered the Ume set course meal. Arima, the <i>itame</i>, artfully prepared each dish himself and served it with a description of the ingredients and preparation, which I found to be charming and helpful. Arima's can only accommodate 16 people at most, so definitely book ahead if you plan to go.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Arima giving me the 'thumbs-up' after attempting to learn some Japanese cuisine jargon.</span></td></tr>
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Tomorrow it is off to the shrines!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00777993167381872005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641455011190684247.post-42770362688161659662013-09-22T19:31:00.002-04:002013-09-22T19:31:49.492-04:00Game, Set, Match<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Earlier this week I managed to make friends with a chair tennis umpire who I met in Tokyo. He is in town because of the <a href="http://www.wtatennis.com/tournaments/tournamentId/536">Toray Pan Pacific Open</a> happening all this week. Yesterday was the opening day of the tournament, so I figured before I head out of Tokyo today, I'll swing by for some of the first round matches. I managed to see the matches between Japan's own, Kurumi Nara, and the Ukranian, Elina Svitolina. It was a heartbreaking loss for Nara, as you always like to see someone win the first round in their home country. </div>
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The other match I saw was between Venus Williams and Mona Barthel, where Venus dominated the court. </div>
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My friend gifted me tickets with some pretty great seats. I was amongst some of the other athletes spectating, coaches, and a few other overseas guests. As a sports enthusiast, I always like to watch how athletes and coaches watch their competition. The parents and guests of players also gave me some interesting insight into some of the other players, which I couldn't have gotten elsewhere. </div>
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After those two matches, I decided to venture back into the city. In order to get to and from Ariake Colosseum, you take the Yurukamome Line, which allows for some of the best panoramic snapshots of the city. Even if you aren't going to a tennis match, it is worth the ride. You head over the Rainbow bridge and see some beautiful views of the bay. The whole loop around only takes about 45 minutes.</div>
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Today, I'm hopping on the bullet train to head south to the cultural center of Japan. Kyoto is loaded with countless shrines and temples, and is also host to some of the best traditional cuisine in the country. Can't wait to report back!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00777993167381872005noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641455011190684247.post-63346926167085738602013-09-21T07:22:00.005-04:002013-10-14T01:46:39.368-04:00Pop of Plaid<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It hardly feels like I have been in Japan for four days! Tokyo is so big I feel like I adventure into a new city every day. On the to-do list today, was to see Tokyo Station, the Imperial Palace and Shibuya crossing. This morning I started my day at a pretty leisurely pace. There were a lot of 'stop and smell the tempura' moments as I moseyed my way to Shinjuku station, rocking my plaid Rugby shirt around my waist. It was on the warmer side of things, so I wore my trusty jean shorts, and because of all of the walking planned for the day, I opted for my sneakers as opposed to my usual sandals.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I snagged this ring from my mother's jewelry box years ago and decided to string it up on a gold chain.<br />The other necklace is a sovereign gold coin (1925), gifted to me by my dad for my college graduation.</span></td></tr>
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At Shinjuku station, I had to activate my JR Pass by turning in my exchange order, which if you remember from one of my<a href="http://cherchezlaventure.blogspot.jp/2013/09/dont-fail-to-prepare-part-3.html"> previous posts</a>, I had to purchase in the States. Once I received my pass, I hopped on the Chuo Line, which is an express to Tokyo Station. Before even going outside, I decided to grab lunch at one of the restaurants, or better known as a <i>shokudo</i>, in the station. One thing that distinguishes a <i>shokudo</i> from another type of restaurant is that they display their food in a case outside of their restaurant. I ordered a <i>ranchi setto</i> (lunch set), which had sashimi, tempura, soup, eel and rice, steamed vegetables, and Japanese pickles, or <i>tsukemono</i>, which I have really grown to like in particular. The whole thing came out to 2,700 yen. Apparently, that is on the more expensive side, and you can get something similar for around 1,000 yen.<br />
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After lunch, I found my way outside. There are about 20 exits to the station, so be strategic in which one you pick. I chose the Marunouchi North exit as it is closest to the Imperial Palace. The station doesn't look like anything you would expect to see in Japan. The brick walls and Western style is an interesting juxtaposition to the modern background. Some have rumored that it is supposed to be modeled after the main station in Amsterdam, but I'm pretty sure that's just a rumor.</div>
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Before reaching the Imperial Palace, I stumbled upon the Wadakura Fountain Park, which was a nice reprieve from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo Station.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This little girl was so adorable. When she saw me taking pictures, she insisted on a photo shoot.</span></td></tr>
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After some time in the water park I took the ten minute walk to the entrance of the Imperial Palace. There is no charge to get in, but remember to grab a token before you head in, which needs to be returned when you leave. </div>
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While the actual palace isn't open to the public (it's only open two days out of the year), the most popular places that people go to are the East Gardens, which is a collection of several different types of landscapes. Tourists and locals alike come here to escape the flurry of activity in the city, either to enjoy lunch or just hang out.</div>
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I decided this would be a perfect time to break out my book. Note: if you feel like coming here for a late lunch and to read, remember the park closes at 4:30pm. The last thing you want is to feel rushed in a place like this, so give yourself plenty of time.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">For those wondering, I'm reading <i>Without Reservations</i> by Alice Steinbach. </span></td></tr>
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After relaxing for a while, I hopped back on the Yamanote line to Shibuya Station. From there it's a quick walk to Shibuya Crossing, which is famous for people constantly pouring across the street every day. All of the traffic lights turn red at once, so it is a bit of a free for all when the 'walk' signs light up. </div>
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Tomorrow, I am heading to the <a href="http://www.toray-ppo.co.jp/en/tournament/">Toray Pan Pacific Open</a> to watch some tennis, and then packing to get ready for my short trip down to Kyoto.<br />
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xoxo<br />
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Get the Look: Plaid Shirt, Rugby Ralph Lauren // Tee, H&M // Shorts, Hudson // Sneakers, Jimmy Choo // Blue Bag, 3.1 Phillip Lim // Red Bag, Marc by Marc Jacobs // Watch, Michael Kors // Sunglasses, Ray Ban // Necklaces, vintage</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00777993167381872005noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641455011190684247.post-34623161246629297212013-09-20T06:02:00.002-04:002013-09-24T08:13:38.606-04:00Romping through Roppongi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Around 2:30am this morning, I was woken up, or shaken up rather, by a not-so-pleasant surprise. A 5.3 magnitude earthquake hit Fukushima and subsequently made it's way up to Tokyo to scare the living crap out of me. While I envisioned myself waking up to the sunset in my apartment in Shinjuku, I was now sitting straight up in bed praying that the pictures on the wall didn't fall off, or worse the whole building didn't crumble underneath me. Luckily, neither of those things happened, and after taking a few deep breaths, counting to ten, and confirming with the Twitter world that it indeed was an earthquake, I managed to fall back asleep. </div>
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Not too terribly long after, I was woken up by the sun peaking through my shades. Much like I did in <a href="http://cherchezlaventure.blogspot.jp/2013/09/sunrise-city.html">Santa Barbara</a>, I quickly assembled my camera and made my way out to the balcony to capture the sunrise. It was a sign that I should put thoughts of my shaky morning in the past, and continue on to the beautiful day that lay ahead.</div>
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After breakfast, I journeyed towards Roppongi. Roppongi is known to be the least Japanese part of Tokyo, where most of the expats reside, but it is also home to the Tokyo Tower (technically in Minato, but right on the boarder) and some of the best sushi in town. After getting off at Roppongi Station, it is a bit of a walk to Tokyo Tower. You pass a lot of consulates along the way, heavily guarded by police men. Although in uniform, they always offered a nod and a smile. After about a 15 minute walk, I made it to Tokyo Tower. It was 820 yen to go to the main observation deck, where you could see just about everything.</div>
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For lunch, I headed back towards the center of Roppongi to <a href="http://www.roppongifukuzushi.com/e_fukuzushi/e_fukuzushi.html">Fukuzushi</a>, which is situated in an alley off of Gaien-higashi-dor. It was around 2,600 yen for a set nigiri lunch. Not too bad for the area. I sat at the bar and had a pleasant conversation with the <i>Itamae-san</i>. Between my sub-par Japanese and his broken English, I think we did a pretty good job. </div>
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The sushi was divine. This being my first official sushi in Japan, I had high expectations, and they were surpassed. I have never had <i>unagi</i> (eel) that melts in your mouth like it did. The <i>tako</i> (octopus) was so tender, and the <i>ebi (shrimp) </i>was the sweetest I have ever tasted. And not to be forgotten, the <i>akami</i> (lean tuna) was by far my favorite.</div>
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Afterwards, they lead you to a separate part of the restaurant for dessert and tea. The best way I can describe the dessert is something like 'coffee-jello' topped with a dab of chocolate sauce. I sat there and drank my tea and read for about an hour before heading back to Shinjuku to get ready for my first Friday night in Japan.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sunglasses: Kate Spade</span></td></tr>
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Tonight, I am planning on heading back to Omotesando to have a drink or two at <a href="http://www.gnavi.co.jp/myu/aquaroom.html">Den Aquaroom</a>. Here's to hoping there are no earthquakes that wake me up tomorrow morning. xoxo</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00777993167381872005noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641455011190684247.post-40737204964440442692013-09-19T07:48:00.000-04:002013-09-19T17:27:01.651-04:00Konnichiwa Tokyo!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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First stop on my tour around Asia: Tokyo! <i>Moshi, moshi ah no ne</i>. I honestly can't think of a better way to start the next three months. Customs and immigrations in Tokyo was a breeze. You truly experience the friendliness of the Japanese people the minute you step off of the plane. One of the not so great things about Narita Airport though, is that it is quite far outside of Tokyo, so you need to either take a train to the center of the city, or split a cab with 2 or 3 people. I picked up a Suica N'ex card to go from the airport to central Tokyo. This is a great option (roughly $50 round trip), and you get a Suica card pre-loaded with 2,000 yen, which is the card used for their subway system. I had to transfer at Shinjuku station, which was quite hectic. Luckily, a very nice young man offered to escort me to the Oedo line, in exchange for practicing English with him, which led me to where I will be staying for the next four days. After arriving at my apartment, I was out the door less than an hour later for dinner with two guys who I had met on <a href="https://www.asmallworld.com/login">A Small World</a>. We went to <a href="http://www.tworooms.jp/ja/">Two Rooms</a> for dinner and drinks. I recommend the Kiwi Mojito to start your night off; super refreshing. To eat, I had the Tsukiji fresh carpaccio of the day and the veal chops, which were both delicious. After being up for 30 hours and having a few cocktails, I headed back to my apartment and slept like a baby. </div>
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When I woke up today, I headed straight to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. This is one of the tallest buildings in Tokyo where you get a 360 view of the city at the top. It definitely puts the size of Tokyo in perspective. This place is huge! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSjB8gviRKcqMWhH-2A5c1viGU8eE62fBWHtE7pg2cAV0azKCa3wmmfRY8ohW6X7QMP56QogKjXWj9G_TEJjkPdCVzejvh7GllHuF0qBHbFskq2eqmGZPio7oFCC97O3hWbaNc5oz1kgE/s1600/IMG_0558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSjB8gviRKcqMWhH-2A5c1viGU8eE62fBWHtE7pg2cAV0azKCa3wmmfRY8ohW6X7QMP56QogKjXWj9G_TEJjkPdCVzejvh7GllHuF0qBHbFskq2eqmGZPio7oFCC97O3hWbaNc5oz1kgE/s640/IMG_0558.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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On the main floor of the TMG, there is a tourist center where you can pick up guides for different portions of the City in English. I picked up a few for Ginza, Roppongi, Shibuya and the Harajuku area. I have a feeling I'll be back for some other areas in a few days. I decided today I would do Harajuku. The self-guided tour has your start at Omotesando station, which is just a quick ride from the TMG. Before trekking through the streets, I grabbed a quick lunch at <a href="http://www.crayonhouse.co.jp/shop/pages/restaurant.aspx">Hiroba</a>. Hiroba does a lunch buffet for 1,260 yen until 2:30. The organic Japanese buffet includes primarily vegetarian options, but they have meat options as well; descriptions are only in Japanese, but signs for each dish include cute drawings of fish, chickens, or pigs to help you figure out if animal ingredients were used. Everything was super yummy, and I recommend the little quiche squares that they have. So good!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVLDefnR4G8FrLeIi1znXyowR78AU-qvGnF_OdnroWunEmaNOVqzDht2e2qzryQPL3qpLHU6GgBEnfpfbWDft8lJEtlN8_RJH4GptBL7WGu5yQPQjfSBFsnt1wXkp8-YTrYB_wIyP4Ucc/s1600/IMG_0566.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVLDefnR4G8FrLeIi1znXyowR78AU-qvGnF_OdnroWunEmaNOVqzDht2e2qzryQPL3qpLHU6GgBEnfpfbWDft8lJEtlN8_RJH4GptBL7WGu5yQPQjfSBFsnt1wXkp8-YTrYB_wIyP4Ucc/s640/IMG_0566.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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After lunch, I strolled down Omotesando street and browsed in the shops. There is everything from Prada to Laforet, where I managed to pick up some fashionable souvenirs. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPNpOJgzfvjviTKt_5AoxTaODOcHI3PhPgd2tpEbCFO0EUSmIi8rUDuyy1mVCn6ulrzDMkZwHpJLTk04rU4opX6TkpjkSrmEQ6sbXBsuDe2dUz2_-pSGATPmHbetnjGnqs9QrTYNzr9As/s1600/IMG_0574.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPNpOJgzfvjviTKt_5AoxTaODOcHI3PhPgd2tpEbCFO0EUSmIi8rUDuyy1mVCn6ulrzDMkZwHpJLTk04rU4opX6TkpjkSrmEQ6sbXBsuDe2dUz2_-pSGATPmHbetnjGnqs9QrTYNzr9As/s640/IMG_0574.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The corner of Omotesando and Meiji-dori</span></td></tr>
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After having a taste of the modern, fashionable world in Tokyo, I decided to switch it up and take in some of the more traditional sites. Just a 5 minute walk from the shops is the entrance to the Meiji-jingu shrine. This particular shrine is a Shinto shrine, which is the ancient original religion in Japan. After walking through the gate it is about a 10 minute walk to the shrine through a nice park. </div>
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Before reaching the shrine, you encounter a few more gates and barrels of sake wrapped in straw. These sake barrels are offered every year to the enshrined deities to show respect. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9tIT4-7zxUWS04y5XmiVPNXBQB1jUCOQ99RXOs7jq8pUbDMWuKGPLl1JuLEFTmjfdQMNpxxt0OV33HvKzSLIQYmRIr-L6Fend30haiGl418XHIeIh2rcXJsloY3KnwCg-eqSEIuTNXm8/s1600/IMG_0584.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9tIT4-7zxUWS04y5XmiVPNXBQB1jUCOQ99RXOs7jq8pUbDMWuKGPLl1JuLEFTmjfdQMNpxxt0OV33HvKzSLIQYmRIr-L6Fend30haiGl418XHIeIh2rcXJsloY3KnwCg-eqSEIuTNXm8/s400/IMG_0584.jpg" width="266" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0C5yjxacuUC7T0XisbDx_PKN1zC1Pt0LUyHaN4VPwxyoMKV8I0oa3gCqTh8ECKnXqkAf0b6Yh3H3m5s53SoaLUnwSh7Y2MWvadbXNT52adFpVoq1FNKTcwY9eKQMP9IL8K_xJ4eq8X3s/s1600/IMG_0598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0C5yjxacuUC7T0XisbDx_PKN1zC1Pt0LUyHaN4VPwxyoMKV8I0oa3gCqTh8ECKnXqkAf0b6Yh3H3m5s53SoaLUnwSh7Y2MWvadbXNT52adFpVoq1FNKTcwY9eKQMP9IL8K_xJ4eq8X3s/s400/IMG_0598.JPG" width="283" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGz2itYmqtReO3LLzmlZO8duXdYzwT7J6K7zOdijZlclNWGdNZTW8SdccIw-dA74oxXDg9G2nEH8EzStm_8_LVwJnTvcc3J1ZYbgIIkKnzMZn8zu10g1CZlD6igEqVethjQykVz3yLy54/s1600/IMG_0594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGz2itYmqtReO3LLzmlZO8duXdYzwT7J6K7zOdijZlclNWGdNZTW8SdccIw-dA74oxXDg9G2nEH8EzStm_8_LVwJnTvcc3J1ZYbgIIkKnzMZn8zu10g1CZlD6igEqVethjQykVz3yLy54/s640/IMG_0594.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Before entering the shrine it is customary to rinse your hands at the<i> temizuya</i>. One of the guides told me the very specific wash instructions: First wash your left hand, then your right hand. Then take a scoop of water and wash your mouth with your left hand. After your mouth has been washed, rinse your left hand again, and finally rinse the water dipper. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-8Jk7GrqAsOqPMkPoTigRPUogkd7x377krFe0hCMSd7QmAchAKTW0lVaD1TUsKnJsHwMiMGx1Y0VShGGn3Xg7erC7dWWVrf1jq6voWcHgyKZduncC6Uh8_17VhhcZH09J5BLlINJX-Sg/s1600/IMG_0632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-8Jk7GrqAsOqPMkPoTigRPUogkd7x377krFe0hCMSd7QmAchAKTW0lVaD1TUsKnJsHwMiMGx1Y0VShGGn3Xg7erC7dWWVrf1jq6voWcHgyKZduncC6Uh8_17VhhcZH09J5BLlINJX-Sg/s640/IMG_0632.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Once inside, it is frowned upon to take pictures of the area where all of the ceremonies are performed, but I managed to take a few shots of the surrounding architecture.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5YQ4X8-bpYZw8odhypoFo3EssObFBLWhIP_ecOXJ44-9xm9z8x0SEKItmEVQY2Zo4t2iN1RmZA-OE_u_SsTuTKdwt2tQxZhr30HCaWXxCin9BDqYiUF4cfuA9YNb22jmR8lpBdr2Vzz8/s1600/IMG_0611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5YQ4X8-bpYZw8odhypoFo3EssObFBLWhIP_ecOXJ44-9xm9z8x0SEKItmEVQY2Zo4t2iN1RmZA-OE_u_SsTuTKdwt2tQxZhr30HCaWXxCin9BDqYiUF4cfuA9YNb22jmR8lpBdr2Vzz8/s640/IMG_0611.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJhQfylpf4XuH4ZqyfBCYQhkTOTUKRmKnvIBhxL9Y9o-8zJxuPPFemr5chzCTTH43_ad4C8qeCs-GoHkxIN_pkL3cS22jzQ965-iAQkCLCG2qRUIhyphenhyphenrn_sTShqtp1xKsVFqnYJpdgm6EI/s1600/IMG_0616.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJhQfylpf4XuH4ZqyfBCYQhkTOTUKRmKnvIBhxL9Y9o-8zJxuPPFemr5chzCTTH43_ad4C8qeCs-GoHkxIN_pkL3cS22jzQ965-iAQkCLCG2qRUIhyphenhyphenrn_sTShqtp1xKsVFqnYJpdgm6EI/s640/IMG_0616.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">These are special votive tablets for personal prayers of gratitude toward the deities. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">They are hung around a divine tree with your wishes written on one side and then they are offered at <i>Mikesai</i>.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9f3AOFnntw0KXgcM9g31L5c-KLFlsBQPJ7SzQYp2xDR0N6N1W1MCKeIsxcS021OjDv8716u3Z4h3GPmp0zCgB43wn3lK3ESHXhp14nqYHqrzvERpNiJfMWqGSUVeawqo533yyy5LGhUs/s1600/IMG_0621.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9f3AOFnntw0KXgcM9g31L5c-KLFlsBQPJ7SzQYp2xDR0N6N1W1MCKeIsxcS021OjDv8716u3Z4h3GPmp0zCgB43wn3lK3ESHXhp14nqYHqrzvERpNiJfMWqGSUVeawqo533yyy5LGhUs/s640/IMG_0621.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVbDg4L0hiDUylE64oRUjmBACZ7w95svbJ5AMIM8kv9Zq736SFo7PQOtePneE6jlsPksccjLiGOsX_eZ_wAFXXfNpAJbzFaGJ9GV8bzbMgxgFz8jRAhrbUyEm69fLcADUQ1dK9xEcj2-s/s1600/IMG_0629.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVbDg4L0hiDUylE64oRUjmBACZ7w95svbJ5AMIM8kv9Zq736SFo7PQOtePneE6jlsPksccjLiGOsX_eZ_wAFXXfNpAJbzFaGJ9GV8bzbMgxgFz8jRAhrbUyEm69fLcADUQ1dK9xEcj2-s/s640/IMG_0629.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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That about wraps up day one. Tomorrow I'm going to be exploring Roppongi and Ginza! More to come, <i>mata atode ne</i>!</div>
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Tank: Rag & Bone</div>
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Skirt: H&M</div>
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Bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs</div>
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Sunglesses: Chanel</div>
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Sandals: H&M</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00777993167381872005noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641455011190684247.post-27177600460605939032013-09-16T17:33:00.001-04:002013-09-17T00:33:45.953-04:00Don't Fail to Prepare: Part 3<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Tomorrow is the big day. I will be hopping on my first international flight of my three month long Asia adventure. So, instead of playing tourist in California today, I am wrapping up some last minute details. Here are the last few steps in order to finalize your preparations for your big trip:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTy2CGyReIsKQv38ZTsnpgMQQQzWBpsnlv29p8yRPJ6wnOi3zkYoY6MrB9uffAgrR2PIkHSgDk6ralrIP6vFXBr48lCM3bsgBsL1acZMEoBImnnKQ276Ezduy2cgJqqy4OP6jwenyZ_JA/s1600/IMG_0548.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img alt="last minute travel, japan rail pass" border="0" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTy2CGyReIsKQv38ZTsnpgMQQQzWBpsnlv29p8yRPJ6wnOi3zkYoY6MrB9uffAgrR2PIkHSgDk6ralrIP6vFXBr48lCM3bsgBsL1acZMEoBImnnKQ276Ezduy2cgJqqy4OP6jwenyZ_JA/s640/IMG_0548.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Grab any last minute necessities</b>. After a few days in California, I noticed a few things I was missing: socks, converters for my electronics, and I also needed to pick up an exchange order for a Japanese Rail Pass. First stop, I snagged some climatecool socks from Adidas that are odor resistant; they will be perfect for those hot days hiking around Thailand and Vietnam, and Bali. Next, I went to RadioShack where I picked up a pack of travel adapters that hopefully work in every country I am going to over in Asia. Fingers crossed that I have them all covered. The Japanese Rail Pass exchange order is very important. As a U.S. Citizen you <u>cannot purchase an exchange order overseas</u>, so it must be procured in the U.S. I bought mine on <a href="http://www.jrpass.com/">http://www.jrpass.com</a>. They deliver it Priority Overnight via FedEx, so you get it quick and easy.<br />
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<b>Make copies.</b> One of the next things to do is to make copies of your passport photo page and all of your visas. Obviously, you aren't planning on losing your passport, but storing copies of your passport and visas through your luggage is helpful just in case. I also left a copy with my friend Malcolm. It is also important to take digital copies on your phone, and keep them on your computer as well. The more places you have them, and the more people who have access to them, the better off you are.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHH8qz_jaJIQ2qm2PbOOarpC_8bM2fECMfkXWfbLyHYuNt0xi5yuWjzCSF-MwMQtCz5mESsQQuUnQ-KZ76cFDggeqQeNuqWK5Lh099iNrdFZ1WQFq936Yf0YpifMH268G4gANrdW0f_ug/s1600/IMG_0549.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="passport, travel preparation, visas" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHH8qz_jaJIQ2qm2PbOOarpC_8bM2fECMfkXWfbLyHYuNt0xi5yuWjzCSF-MwMQtCz5mESsQQuUnQ-KZ76cFDggeqQeNuqWK5Lh099iNrdFZ1WQFq936Yf0YpifMH268G4gANrdW0f_ug/s640/IMG_0549.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Call your cell provider.</b> If you're like me, you'll want to make sure you can stay connected to friends and family to check in on the road. In addition to my dummy phone that I can insert different SIM cards into, I am bringing my iPhone. Even though you have a phone that works internationally, you still need to call your provider to tell them to activate your international antenna. Without doing so, you could be disconnected a little longer than you would like. Try to do this three days in advance of your trip.<br />
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<b>Purchase Travel Insurance.</b> Even if you are perfectly healthy and in good physical shape, travel insurance is a necessity. It's important to note that travel insurance is far beyond just medical coverage, it also covers cancellations, lost or stolen goods, legal expenses, and emergencies beyond medical emergencies, such as military conflict in the country you are in. The insurance provider I chose to go with is <a href="https://www.worldnomads.com/">World Nomads</a>. The great thing about World Nomads is that you can purchase your policy online in less than 5 minutes. Seriously! My 3-month coverage plan only cost me $187, and that covers up to $100,000 in medical expenses. Trust me when I say, this will be the best money you have spent on your trip. You never know what can happen, and it's always better to be prepared for the worst case scenario.<br />
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Can't wait to start posting abroad soon.<br />
See you on the flip side, xoxo.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00777993167381872005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641455011190684247.post-41804828793439269872013-09-16T13:22:00.000-04:002013-09-17T00:12:20.102-04:00La La Land<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Last night, I met up with my friend Jeremy, one of my former classmates from Northeastern, and we ended up going out to a club in Hollywood. One of his friends is a dead ringer for Macklemore, and somehow, he managed to get all of us in for free and landed us a table behind the DJ booth with 5 free bottles. Only in LA, right? Needless to say, it was good brunch conversation the next morning. We ended up putting ourselves on the wait list at Blu Jam and hopped over to <a href="http://theparlorca.com/">The Parlor</a> and <a href="http://www.darkroommelrose.com/">Dark Room</a> for a few drinks while catching up on another exciting weekend of football. Once we finally sat down at <a href="http://www.blujamcafe.com/">Blu Jam</a>, we were starving. So much so, that we ended up ordering their famous Crunchy French Toast to share between the three of us on top of our meals. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKwbkYF8CKNrXraB9bXL-64j3omh8Qko_DgOQhRabPuLE0AXBFskf_siJPNlydaOfJhy5KGcjxxvHoyqTqcIIgJHjVJ7uMNas3C8D80NmYaQ8DlVTdGiIrnUOrLbJnF1N4dKCRiXRv5Ts/s1600/IMG_0468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="crunchy french toast" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKwbkYF8CKNrXraB9bXL-64j3omh8Qko_DgOQhRabPuLE0AXBFskf_siJPNlydaOfJhy5KGcjxxvHoyqTqcIIgJHjVJ7uMNas3C8D80NmYaQ8DlVTdGiIrnUOrLbJnF1N4dKCRiXRv5Ts/s640/IMG_0468.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2FIkxV_839REc3hTeVIocMuuOslFqw7FcZe_PzD3U94G3R_m7o1zIsgSUeQOXXPgMuxITvetGgUe8Ql3gUklyPgaGXUbON1bmw4RzosMhZ1n3szVygyciWHbeK71StoQphwVu-vcLcPg/s1600/IMG_0469.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img alt="eggs benedict" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2FIkxV_839REc3hTeVIocMuuOslFqw7FcZe_PzD3U94G3R_m7o1zIsgSUeQOXXPgMuxITvetGgUe8Ql3gUklyPgaGXUbON1bmw4RzosMhZ1n3szVygyciWHbeK71StoQphwVu-vcLcPg/s640/IMG_0469.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
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The rest of the day was composed of strolling down Melrose, checking out Hollywood Blvd, and finishing the day at Santa Monica Pier before heading home to crash. It was definitely the best way to send me off before I head to the Far East on Tuesday.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv21eOlZoaghrPCwbR3LczLmzocDe32N4dY1BM6JueWXc3X1PjKFiw4zKeIFMkNoLmIiiQriwr5kDcjIO4wSV3MmXB10eeRKQklHhRRgO6fzB3RQLulfmeDPXThUxOLLcAvygOAn0tv3A/s1600/IMG_0474.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="style, outfit, bcbg" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv21eOlZoaghrPCwbR3LczLmzocDe32N4dY1BM6JueWXc3X1PjKFiw4zKeIFMkNoLmIiiQriwr5kDcjIO4wSV3MmXB10eeRKQklHhRRgO6fzB3RQLulfmeDPXThUxOLLcAvygOAn0tv3A/s640/IMG_0474.jpg" title="" width="426" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSAYHNraVmDvVVcLJgWlC0Myxx3ZuvRJu0aK3w88GXkgLrDvdgvMm9xxsgvXuEj0cDhaMfUJjo9671ND1Gt4LFjuTfHPHRcbkxsCpdSmkNxGDrrX2Bsw2px083kF7lrGvVwueTP0Ln5wI/s1600/IMG_0482.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="kate spade, style, fashion" border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSAYHNraVmDvVVcLJgWlC0Myxx3ZuvRJu0aK3w88GXkgLrDvdgvMm9xxsgvXuEj0cDhaMfUJjo9671ND1Gt4LFjuTfHPHRcbkxsCpdSmkNxGDrrX2Bsw2px083kF7lrGvVwueTP0Ln5wI/s640/IMG_0482.jpg" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMfFPji77SsmeZKtrF7AgK3PdtoW5_omhvlJVSb14Re4sReUPp3xp3v0FSqiFEkbtDVkr37v41EuPvhpBYqc0euAoIOI6wWaYzbot0r5M1E1a6t871Wqsn0Nn97olLULrBB3ouEVzek4I/s1600/IMG_0485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="where the wild things are" border="0" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMfFPji77SsmeZKtrF7AgK3PdtoW5_omhvlJVSb14Re4sReUPp3xp3v0FSqiFEkbtDVkr37v41EuPvhpBYqc0euAoIOI6wWaYzbot0r5M1E1a6t871Wqsn0Nn97olLULrBB3ouEVzek4I/s640/IMG_0485.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Awesome graffiti on Stanley Ave. LA is chock-full of incredible street art. </span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTTv-jzUl7zLOXqxNoXTG3oI6yyK-y6HzEb61VmF_bsvKbqZlUKkM_YPAXtV6jgSioYRL1gr2VYaOXiRUtTX6xFkZ31QfccQn5nmF2lQpxXSjQoBQwhewuHKvUFAGsFbvkNQHR0rstc-k/s1600/IMG_0490.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img alt="johnny cash" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTTv-jzUl7zLOXqxNoXTG3oI6yyK-y6HzEb61VmF_bsvKbqZlUKkM_YPAXtV6jgSioYRL1gr2VYaOXiRUtTX6xFkZ31QfccQn5nmF2lQpxXSjQoBQwhewuHKvUFAGsFbvkNQHR0rstc-k/s640/IMG_0490.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoCfp-f0ffUhPiJc5iRtJMSa_5dWuTd_GBVyKvkQ63uzA8Yu3NG5IUmuAz0OBVw32rT7xjpojRZjzyeHpk8QotH0grYYkqQcu4sHoRDRxHltY_H8-vo5Y2CIK9JgDzGR02ZIZYtwmgUPU/s1600/IMG_0493.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="hollywood" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoCfp-f0ffUhPiJc5iRtJMSa_5dWuTd_GBVyKvkQ63uzA8Yu3NG5IUmuAz0OBVw32rT7xjpojRZjzyeHpk8QotH0grYYkqQcu4sHoRDRxHltY_H8-vo5Y2CIK9JgDzGR02ZIZYtwmgUPU/s640/IMG_0493.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Walk of Fame was surprisingly run down and underwhelming, but I found charm in some of the old theatre signs.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcYv1hP6yTisHhBj2NN8nmytxcq9ASdOI340Bwm8c5PKu75fNV9Rm_MORjF-ewWDzUKlUUv2L_j0JKj7IRbpS646c1jqtLhUvDwSrJlLf9vnBN3BabD418d3CiRwt7CGvigVIB4DkGBm0/s1600/IMG_0494.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="grace kelly" border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcYv1hP6yTisHhBj2NN8nmytxcq9ASdOI340Bwm8c5PKu75fNV9Rm_MORjF-ewWDzUKlUUv2L_j0JKj7IRbpS646c1jqtLhUvDwSrJlLf9vnBN3BabD418d3CiRwt7CGvigVIB4DkGBm0/s640/IMG_0494.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_JhWzGYadOgUUh7KRt8k_J2AOXEZh9QXvthNAvJ_03EpUG82drI7290LVrQMMYnhscJK9eRLayWN8oAskldD_nEZnaKuI4BRZGVu9uyKASTzVZVNlyYv8zpgBWO4cdo7YL_3f1a-8MdU/s1600/IMG_0510.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="pacific park, santa monica pier" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_JhWzGYadOgUUh7KRt8k_J2AOXEZh9QXvthNAvJ_03EpUG82drI7290LVrQMMYnhscJK9eRLayWN8oAskldD_nEZnaKuI4BRZGVu9uyKASTzVZVNlyYv8zpgBWO4cdo7YL_3f1a-8MdU/s640/IMG_0510.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguwPCjJ-kxT9vM8Yr8fQJlB4l4tfuT7CMKUlShCxHaJEoabz_F4sS4Vs0hy6TQxzmFBsNVIu3Bdj9VNp-3bosvJmz2uyvnCih0OBfm66PUNGO0-lw2diqUjmgPWy32Dti6GnE9Kdqq6rk/s1600/IMG_0521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguwPCjJ-kxT9vM8Yr8fQJlB4l4tfuT7CMKUlShCxHaJEoabz_F4sS4Vs0hy6TQxzmFBsNVIu3Bdj9VNp-3bosvJmz2uyvnCih0OBfm66PUNGO0-lw2diqUjmgPWy32Dti6GnE9Kdqq6rk/s400/IMG_0521.jpg" width="266" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcTylEY2Hw7BXCYToQH0ff3-yvzdWZa-zvZ_9fUA2o3xMY7o5402NmssTUQjWsuCs3kBgaxU-uKkNUmPSv9cX3_pCOhUgnHF0iBISdy0uu9O2QVdpJQZ6SrHH8_bVldJPs7-qEUxFE4JY/s1600/IMG_0506.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcTylEY2Hw7BXCYToQH0ff3-yvzdWZa-zvZ_9fUA2o3xMY7o5402NmssTUQjWsuCs3kBgaxU-uKkNUmPSv9cX3_pCOhUgnHF0iBISdy0uu9O2QVdpJQZ6SrHH8_bVldJPs7-qEUxFE4JY/s400/IMG_0506.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ3vi4mUbcZKXUI5nvdFCX3WgQ1tMdhb7xLap7PyLCVm3wxh-rVgPZPm27-iFONdkosGja-3g826Ss9P6K8D_JTriDmg5Dq7y68wBzIUIuGVumtKstp-BKpnoT6mwWY2xfAxRcOvACTDY/s1600/IMG_0541.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="santa monica pier" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ3vi4mUbcZKXUI5nvdFCX3WgQ1tMdhb7xLap7PyLCVm3wxh-rVgPZPm27-iFONdkosGja-3g826Ss9P6K8D_JTriDmg5Dq7y68wBzIUIuGVumtKstp-BKpnoT6mwWY2xfAxRcOvACTDY/s640/IMG_0541.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
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Top: H&M</div>
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Shorts: BCBG Max Azria</div>
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Sunglasses: Ray Ban</div>
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Bag: Kate Spade</div>
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Watch: Michael Kors</div>
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Shoes: TOMS</div>
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Jewlery: Vintage</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00777993167381872005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641455011190684247.post-52131546997650477112013-09-14T23:09:00.000-04:002013-09-16T18:44:57.825-04:00Rome Meets Malibu<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Today, we departed Santa Barbara and headed south to beautiful Malibu. Aside from having jaw-dropping scenery, Malibu is also known to host one of two locations of the J. Paul Getty Museum, which houses more than 44,000 Greek and Roman antiquities on a gorgeous 64-acre compound.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI2oZpH7SDhDKPvKBlz3YKphqfib7GtiJiThc8_Zw9fSwqm1dsewGwNrXTpGym5EyicmWnfWQIChODx1k40l-yRuq4clkn7YmKYo0hApmgeFFrbhVc5uWQhY33-PboPYy9eb_jR7FfD9E/s1600/IMG_0294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI2oZpH7SDhDKPvKBlz3YKphqfib7GtiJiThc8_Zw9fSwqm1dsewGwNrXTpGym5EyicmWnfWQIChODx1k40l-yRuq4clkn7YmKYo0hApmgeFFrbhVc5uWQhY33-PboPYy9eb_jR7FfD9E/s640/IMG_0294.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglLWYpnzqylz1I-zaONY5LtlMgP1YCNsymWDd4K5OnyVSnZL16X3YTl98hxhvTZd96qvp3KI7qAynrOgwNXjH_4ko40m6Met7atSkyr7yFC1bwNMnV_QsKomxLmuH4iKmlG8W-utoQ1lw/s1600/IMG_0308.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglLWYpnzqylz1I-zaONY5LtlMgP1YCNsymWDd4K5OnyVSnZL16X3YTl98hxhvTZd96qvp3KI7qAynrOgwNXjH_4ko40m6Met7atSkyr7yFC1bwNMnV_QsKomxLmuH4iKmlG8W-utoQ1lw/s640/IMG_0308.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Prometheus Wheel</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWWi1J84GeBfGeClLCxK6EAgjLZiZIiIc80T8lyV0JgYPIe7AZuDM2l1FFzODmsADWIWTvVF57GvIOAoGP9Evyio2QeWYvQ0Sf7qCXI8AfMhGoOqb-LBBvLNdquaFBLcGtxMzdmpnDTw8/s1600/IMG_0315.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWWi1J84GeBfGeClLCxK6EAgjLZiZIiIc80T8lyV0JgYPIe7AZuDM2l1FFzODmsADWIWTvVF57GvIOAoGP9Evyio2QeWYvQ0Sf7qCXI8AfMhGoOqb-LBBvLNdquaFBLcGtxMzdmpnDTw8/s400/IMG_0315.jpg" width="265" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAoacwtlNYKVUe7Lw97mlBqJkhXxIBwcZv0-17Vnj1ORxOOfPtHE5mf0eVfIQwOlihQxWFhwkNGUbXb6VSX3eaLSihzBZ47v4DFbSxQOCUAMdxkqTEC6w8YPUy-Ufl-hHiatdx_zBnr_w/s1600/IMG_0339.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAoacwtlNYKVUe7Lw97mlBqJkhXxIBwcZv0-17Vnj1ORxOOfPtHE5mf0eVfIQwOlihQxWFhwkNGUbXb6VSX3eaLSihzBZ47v4DFbSxQOCUAMdxkqTEC6w8YPUy-Ufl-hHiatdx_zBnr_w/s400/IMG_0339.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinGQJTut7B2g2oQrsuLmFt53hDEm9Uja_D5p-IVwxdDhRpXJQHlvg18rR2RYIYr4RTcxzRs5vmPyUnBB_d4aYDriPYbt2NtuBRr6W6sqQiqrYlMPBSX1PWF-SeVDJpuUov5SnSoDBMF3k/s1600/IMG_0343.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinGQJTut7B2g2oQrsuLmFt53hDEm9Uja_D5p-IVwxdDhRpXJQHlvg18rR2RYIYr4RTcxzRs5vmPyUnBB_d4aYDriPYbt2NtuBRr6W6sqQiqrYlMPBSX1PWF-SeVDJpuUov5SnSoDBMF3k/s640/IMG_0343.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsL4F4jbVG3cp8DwVQ1Ga9VmR5UxkqOdtz-rnCFS8_1ycO2VXU_5ylzN_h4V08eILo7XMM3vEuKgGHXcjjpbppy7rwGpmMLOyeSm1c4X1KmnfOorjkBOyaHAh0nHFjlqfpfAOrcy4-L88/s1600/IMG_0362.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsL4F4jbVG3cp8DwVQ1Ga9VmR5UxkqOdtz-rnCFS8_1ycO2VXU_5ylzN_h4V08eILo7XMM3vEuKgGHXcjjpbppy7rwGpmMLOyeSm1c4X1KmnfOorjkBOyaHAh0nHFjlqfpfAOrcy4-L88/s640/IMG_0362.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx3zqsyKvYRaMfaovc6tYf3FZlFDowd2cqmIIi4hgGwrl-OVdPwfQh_je0ZJDnhZej8twjf5V8Hoz68yv5lld0l5wtYgQjkKAkMayEw9l5wTdEC_ecDrqPpUakeMC9AWApU7shhMDdFj8/s1600/IMG_0377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx3zqsyKvYRaMfaovc6tYf3FZlFDowd2cqmIIi4hgGwrl-OVdPwfQh_je0ZJDnhZej8twjf5V8Hoz68yv5lld0l5wtYgQjkKAkMayEw9l5wTdEC_ecDrqPpUakeMC9AWApU7shhMDdFj8/s640/IMG_0377.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ancient Roman jewlery</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9YoKnCaLKEzwHBn4ZybDmSkoEOhQuKZk48ZjDd0RFjFIt2D2r6HlsqLZEloURjPA-hLGV9YiFsZ1aIQCmC9OVmoAfvSJIXQRerxiB-j95DhZOFgMStM87xCPYIH2cKTwvGDxwX5tw8Bk/s1600/IMG_0364.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9YoKnCaLKEzwHBn4ZybDmSkoEOhQuKZk48ZjDd0RFjFIt2D2r6HlsqLZEloURjPA-hLGV9YiFsZ1aIQCmC9OVmoAfvSJIXQRerxiB-j95DhZOFgMStM87xCPYIH2cKTwvGDxwX5tw8Bk/s640/IMG_0364.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDrzNM-E4oLoWln76Azd9_knaJL-DyqqgYsdY4dQaA1qFXH-XizBpxkpaf3fJKqDs7QqI-dCTk3M8Lg2DQ3T0l06uCNymTTAZhELhaQf2f1tPOKSGZJbFKHx7IbUFcSWqH2szbmy0tcCw/s1600/IMG_0388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDrzNM-E4oLoWln76Azd9_knaJL-DyqqgYsdY4dQaA1qFXH-XizBpxkpaf3fJKqDs7QqI-dCTk3M8Lg2DQ3T0l06uCNymTTAZhELhaQf2f1tPOKSGZJbFKHx7IbUFcSWqH2szbmy0tcCw/s640/IMG_0388.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Tank: AllSaints</div>
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Jacket: ecote</div>
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Skirt: H&M</div>
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Sandals: H&M</div>
Sunglasses: Chanel</div>
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Bag: 3.1 Phillip Lim</div>
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Watch: Michael Kors</div>
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Bracelet: Handmade in Kenya</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00777993167381872005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641455011190684247.post-61635745864318741492013-09-13T16:15:00.002-04:002013-09-13T18:24:34.124-04:00Sunrise City<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Last night I decided to leave the shades open in hopes of the sunrise waking me up. Unfortunately, the sun was no match for my jet lag, but good news is, Malcolm was there to wake me up! We headed across the street from out hotel, to Stern's Wharf, and walked the foot path while reading the paper. I managed to capture some great shots with the sun peaking over the horizon. We munched on some yummy breakfast at this quaint little place right next to our hotel and then hopped in the car for a few more early morning views.</div>
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First, we headed to Santa Barbara City College stadium. At the top of the stairs you get some of the best views! Considering running stairs here tomorrow morning... Then we headed to the County Courthouse where we climbed up to the top of the tower and took in the scenery.</div>
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Pants: Sanctuary</div>
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Shirt: H&M</div>
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Shoes: TOMS</div>
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Sunglasses: Fendi</div>
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Necklaces: Vintage</div>
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