tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32321143845136594632024-02-08T06:28:53.691-05:00Flights of FancyMental meanderings that probably don't mean muchKarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877013222075908943noreply@blogger.comBlogger79125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232114384513659463.post-90785300859169038112010-02-12T14:14:00.003-05:002010-02-12T14:22:16.987-05:00Bye-bye, blogConsidering how little I update this blog, I've decided to call it quits here. I've decided that one blog is enough, and I will shift everything over to the blog I share with a good friend of mine, <a href="http://www.yarnforbrains.blogspot.com/">Yarn for Brains</a>. Given the title of the blog, you can tell that a lot of our posts will be about knitting. However, I've decided I'm going to post about other stuff too. I think having just one blog will be easier to manage, and will result in me updating more often.<br /><br />Thanks, and hope to see you over at Yarn for Brains!Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877013222075908943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232114384513659463.post-83917313928766210032009-07-21T11:08:00.001-05:002009-07-21T11:09:53.683-05:00Desserts!<a title="IMG_2701 by hweishien, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/3741244792/" _fcksavedurl="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/3741244792/"><img alt="IMG_2701" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2632/3741244792_8ba6e7d7d0.jpg" _fcksavedurl="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2632/3741244792_8ba6e7d7d0.jpg" width="400" height="300" /></a><br /><br />So, here's my little experiment with something called cookie cake pie that I tried out for a housewarming BBQ I had with friends this past weekend. I saw the idea on a website, and thought what a great idea it was. I mean, I love cake, I love cookies, and I love pie, so why not have a pie where the filling is made up of cookie and cake? Someone out there is truly a genius!<br /><br />The cookie base that I used was my usual chocolate chip cookie dough, but minus the chocolate chips. One of my friends who would be partaking of the pie is allergic to caffeine. I frosted it with a cream cheese icing, and the whole thing was a huge sugar rush when eaten. You wind up with a lot of left over cookie dough and cake batter, so I ended up making some cupcakes and cookies with those. I added chocolate chips to the cookies since the hubby likes them better that way.<br /><img _fcksavedurl="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2528/3741243332_b2fac3c611.jpg" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2528/3741243332_b2fac3c611.jpg" width="400" height="300" /><br /><br />Our house is shoved full of sweets now though. A friend of mine brought at 5lb strawberry rhubarb pie to the party too. I love strawberry rhubarb pie, but sometimes there really IS such a thing as too much of a good thing.Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877013222075908943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232114384513659463.post-72093267604868183462009-07-16T12:00:00.002-05:002009-07-16T12:07:31.417-05:00Thwarted!I think I mentioned in previous posts that the lady we bought the house from left us a lot of furniture. Some of it has been very useful, and some of it we really just had to get rid of. One such item that we were originally planning to get rid of was a plaid couch that looked like it was right out of the 70's. As an added touch, the lady left a mangy stuffed lion on the couch for us as well, and that was bound for the trash heap too.<br /><br />That is, until our cats discovered them. Within a few days of us moving in, they had adopted the couch, and the lion, as their own. When there were boxes filling the office, only one cat could get on the couch at a time - but no longer! Behold!<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/3714416564/" title="DSC01781 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2596/3714416564_be9946709e.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="DSC01781" /></a><br /><br />And so, there go our plans of ditching the couch and the lion. We'll probably get the couch reupholstered in the days to come.Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877013222075908943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232114384513659463.post-12106548572295137622009-07-08T22:34:00.003-05:002009-07-08T22:45:20.385-05:00Enforced Sick DaysOn Tuesday, I woke up feeling under the weather. I had a bit of a fever, a cough, and body aches. Figuring that I work in a hospital with lots of not-so-healthy people around, I decided not to go to work. I thought I could just rest lots, drink plenty of fluids, and then report back to work on Wednesday. Turns out, it's not that simple. I showed up to work today and was told that because my symptoms were flu-like, I had to go check in with Occupational Health to get the all-clear from them to return to work. I was thinking "I'm feeling mostly fine, they'll just take my temperature and then I can just get back to work".<br /><br />Wrong.<br /><br />Thanks to H1N1, the rules for what they send you home for have changed. Before, it was just fever WITH vomiting or diarrhea. Now, they can send you home for just a fever, cough, or any sort of respiratory problem. I told the nurse that, while I did have a fever on Tuesday, it was gone that evening. She even took my temperature right there, and I was fine. But, the rules are that I can't be at work until 48 hours have passed since my fever ended. She also had to take some swabs to send for testing. Let me tell you, nose swabs hurt! I had no idea they had to go so deep with them.<br /><br />So, the conclusion of this story is that I am now not allowed to go to work until they phone me with the results of my tests - even though I feel fine now. The nurse suspected that will probably be Monday.<br /><br />Extra long weekend!!Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877013222075908943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232114384513659463.post-6216484145783506262009-06-28T19:58:00.003-05:002009-06-28T20:07:26.422-05:00Dance, dance dance!Last night, PushPULL finished it's 2-week run of Soul Lifter. I have to say that it was seriously the most fun show I've done to date. I think it was a combination of the super fun choreography, combined with the awesome people I got to hang out with night after night. When we initially announced that we'd be doing a 2-week run, I was really worried; mostly about how my body would handle the extra demands put on it. Admittedly, it was tough - especially the days where we had two shows in one day. We did that twice. 24-hours after closing night, I have to say that my feet ache, my knees hurt, and my calves are like jelly. I think my body is trying to tell me "Just how old do you think you are?! You aren't 20 anymore!!" I should probably listen.<div><br /></div><div>And yet, it was seriously so much fun. I can't believe how much more relaxed I was about the dancing when we hit the second week. I was comfortable with our places on stage, where all the lights were, and all the costume changes. Each night, it was easier to get into whatever character I needed for each piece, and I felt that I got better at transmitting it to the audience too. Now that the season is over, we're probably going to have to take some time to think about what we'd like for next year, but for now, I'm content to bask in the feeling of finishing a great show.</div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks to all the great dancers and volunteers that made the 2009 season for PushPULL Dance so magical. Every minute of rehearsal and planning was totally worth it!</div>Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877013222075908943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232114384513659463.post-42276831677619879792009-05-15T10:34:00.003-05:002009-07-16T12:09:04.341-05:00Moved in!The past little while has been really busy for us. We moved out of our condo, and into our house! Yay! Instead of talking about it, I took some video instead.<br /><br />First floor tour<br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/dlqPUAYcOcE&hl=" fs="1&rel=" color1="0x3a3a3a&color2=" border="1" width="445" height="364" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed><br /><br />Second floor tour<br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/PfIZsZA4vXM&hl=" fs="1&rel=" color1="0x3a3a3a&color2=" border="1" width="445" height="364" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed><br /><br />Basement tour<br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7veNGpX21So&hl=" fs="1&rel=" color1="0x3a3a3a&color2=" border="1" width="445" height="364" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed><br /><br />We totally love the area, and have been indulging in getting nice new appliances to update the home a bit. My friends Celine and Steve are coming on Sunday to help us paint the guest room and the master bedroom. After that, we're going to set up the rooms. Can't wait to get the place BBQ ready and start inviting friends over!Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877013222075908943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232114384513659463.post-82743341076608245272009-04-01T17:59:00.002-05:002009-04-01T18:10:16.985-05:00Yikes! It's been a while!Okay...so a lot has happened since I last wrote!<br /><br />Biggest thing is that we bought a house and sold our condo. Closing on the house is May 7, and closing on the condo is May 14. There's lots to do, but it's pretty exciting. I can't believe I'm growing up! Haha! Actually, having a house and mortgage doesn't mean my maturity level has gone up at all ^_~<br /><br />Going to Kim's baby shower next weekend in Ottawa. The whole baby thing is also very exciting! I can't wait to see her, and how she's doing.<br /><br />Jamie got picked for jury duty this week. He was so mad about being selected, but now he seems okay with it. They've finished closing arguments, and will begin deliberations tomorrow.<br /><br />Still doing lots of dancing. Mme Fong is coming back on April 13th, so I need to get myself ready for the onslaught of work to come. PushPULL is going to be performing at some pretty public events in April too, so I'll be sure to post about that too.<br /><br />Hope everyone is doing well!!Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877013222075908943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232114384513659463.post-42614430172839504642008-12-03T15:18:00.002-05:002008-12-03T15:22:13.882-05:00Canadian politicsIs anyone else other than me really interested by what's going on right now? For the first time in a while, it feels like the whole country is gripped by what is happening in Ottawa. Even the election didn't seem to stir this much buzz!<br /><br />I think it's quite fascinating that our Governor General, a post which is largely supposed to be ceremonial, is about to be launched into a setting where she could decide the fate of the nation. Could you even imagine what it must be like to be her right now?! Talk about pressure situation. The most likely scenario is that Parliament will be suspended and we'll wait until the New Year to see what happens, but still!<br /><br />No matter what happens, you can't say it's not exciting!!Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877013222075908943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232114384513659463.post-66153210413787387582008-09-30T13:41:00.004-05:002008-09-30T13:56:50.395-05:00House huntingSo, Jamie and I are now starting our little journey into house hunting. We're easing ourselves into it, and taking our time. Our agent has been sending us listings that meet our (rather loose) criteria, and we're starting to go see some that look interesting on paper.<br /><br />A couple weeks ago, we went to an open house for a place on Larchmount, which is in Leslieville. Pros: Lovely hardwood floors, nice design, lots of storage in the kitchen, close to the Purple Purl. Cons: Main floor was too much like a condo, no stairs to basement, almost no storage space outside the kitchen, would need lots of work to convert apartment basement back to a regular basement. It was also right next to a school, and when I say right next to, I mean sharing the chain link fence type of right next to.<br /><br />Last weekend, we checked out two houses in the west end: one at Runnymede and Bloor, the other close to Keele and Bloor. Both of them were older houses, and would need some work. The one at Runnymede had some weirdness happening in the basement with the drains, and we didn't like the kitchen. Also, somehow their realtor had failed to mention to the owners that we'd be coming to see the house, so it was all awkward because they were still at home. Made it really hard to say much about the place. The other house was really nice -- liked the kitchen, loved the front and backyard, nice layout, super location. Except it had one really major thing against it. It was crooked. The house is built on a hill, and you could feel the incline of it in various rooms in the house. Crossing a room, it felt very much like walking on the deck of a ship. Our agent said he'd never seen anything like it. We all had a good laugh walking through the place, and boy was it a good thing that no one was home.<br /><br />The listings keep coming though, so I'm sure you'll hear more about our house hunting adventures!Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877013222075908943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232114384513659463.post-6959732129866202102008-09-17T15:24:00.003-05:002008-09-17T15:41:43.819-05:00Dancing the nights awaySo, I thought I'd write a little bit about some dance happenings going on for me right now. I suppose this is mainly for Carolyn so I can keep her up to date on what's going on with CDW. As some of you might already know, CDW (Chinese Dance Workshop) is planning to put on a show in the fall of 2009. Because our teacher is heading back to Hong Kong at the end of October, we have a lot of things we need to do before she leaves, most of which being LEARNING NEW DANCES!!<br /><br />Last Friday, we already started a new dance, and I'm super excited about it. It's a Dai peacock dance done to music from the movie Kong Que Gong Zhou (The Peacock Princess). It turns out that Mme Fong choreographed the dances in that movie! She was even telling us a story of how she was the dance double for the lead actress during all the spinning required. Pretty cool, huh? Anyway, we've only just started this dance, but I'm already loving it.<br /><br />Mme Fong has also asked that we add a rehearsal on Saturday in order to pack a few more things in. Do you remember the Xing Jiang teens dance that opened the 2002 show? It was called Dance of the Flowers. Well, we're going to be re-vamping that one for the senior girls (though they're now called the youth class) and young adults<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span>. The other old dance that she's thinking of having the young adults do again is the cape one. Either that, or some Mongolian one - she hasn't decided yet. Anyway, after we're done practicing that Flowers dance, the other adults are going to come, and we're going to learn yet another new dance. I don't know what it is just yet, but I guess I'll find out!Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877013222075908943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232114384513659463.post-52170100865874188502008-09-10T20:24:00.002-05:002008-09-10T20:28:22.513-05:00Fastest cold everI think I must have caught the fastest clearing cold virus ever. Monday I woke up feeling rotten, so I decided that going to work wasn't happening. You know how a cold seems to migrate, and you have symptoms in different places over time? Well, I took naps on and off that day, and every time I woke up, it seemed like my cold had migrated to a different place. First it was sore throat, then headache and congestion, then runny nose and coughing, and then mild laryngitis. By the time I woke up on Tuesday, it seemed to have made the run though all the symptoms, and was feeling fine again.<br /><br />Weird, huh?Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877013222075908943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232114384513659463.post-17171979123962593322008-09-04T21:46:00.003-05:002008-09-04T21:55:50.350-05:00StressedWork is stressful right now. In fact, this is possibly the first time I've felt that I may not actually finish what I need to in time. Actually, I take that back. When I was in school, I felt that way all the time, but it was okay because the only thing riding on it were my own marks. The fact that my work affects other people is what adds the stress factor. Oh well. I'm sure that with sufficient overtime, things'll pull through<div><br /></div><div>In other news, another season of PushPULL is underway! Tonight was the first night of auditions, and it was lots of fun. I can't wait to go on Sunday. This weekend is really, really busy. I'm teaching a kids dance class, performing, then going to a bachelorette party on Saturday. On Sunday, I'm helping to clean out some CDW props at Cecil, going to Lorraine's baby shower, and then heading to auditions part II. Somewhere in there, I need to find time to do laundry and figure out what we're going to eat next week. Time to put on the productive hat!!</div><div><div><br /></div></div>Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877013222075908943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232114384513659463.post-32975456845088610882008-08-30T09:25:00.002-05:002008-08-30T09:40:57.195-05:00Chocolate and friendsSince we were on break from dance class, and I had a Friday off for the first time in a while, I decided to invite some friends over for some take-out Thai (thank you, Salad King), and hanging out. Flush with success from the chocolate class with Becky, I decided to get some supplies of my own and try my hand at making some chocolate-covered strawberries.<br /><br />Here's the 'before' shot.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2811301808/" title="IMG_1938 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3224/2811301808_7e439018f9.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1938" /></a><br /><br />And now the 'after' shot.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2811302852/" title="IMG_1942 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3132/2811302852_4253ac5d5f_b.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1942" /></a><br /><br />Things I learned:<br />1) Strawberries that are too ripe are not good to use for this purpose. They get extremely hard to handle.<br />2) The digital thermometer that I use when roasting meat is not good for chocolate. I don't think the chocolate I used for the strawberries was tempered quite properly, and that proved to be the case when I found some blooming on the chocolate after I chilled the finished berries.<br /><br />With the left-over chocolate, I decided to melt it again, and re-temper it. This time, I did it without the thermometer, and tried to go on what I remembered about how the chocolate felt when we had our class. I don't think I got it quite right, but it was better than the stuff I used on the berries. I used this chocolate to make chili pepper bark. Yum!<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2810458679/" title="IMG_1946 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3019/2810458679_9c1f0b81a2.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1946" /></a><br /><br />What would a party be without party games? Greg's gift of Rock Band has been great.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2811307244/" title="IMG_1949 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3155/2811307244_87cd0bd591.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1949" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2810463387/" title="IMG_1950 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3126/2810463387_8fd439c848.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1950" /></a><br />I think Richard wins the 'Best Rocker Face' award. Aaron got pretty creative, playing the drums like tom-toms. He and Jia were a pretty good team, playing the drums together.<br /><br />A super fun evening! Thank everyone!!Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877013222075908943noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232114384513659463.post-60017940245596499182008-08-21T18:11:00.004-05:002008-08-21T18:49:36.476-05:00Last little bit of Japan, and cooking with beetsSo, I apologize for not quite wrapping up my travels properly. Jamie's now put all the photos from the last leg of our trip onto his laptop, and I didn't get a chance to get at them before he took them off his camera. I'll try to upload them to my Flickr account eventually, but no promises as to when that will happen. In summary, I met up with some friends of mine (Josh and Dan) on the Monday for some city fun. We went to the Ghibli Museum first. For those of you who are fans of movies like Princess Mononoke and Spirited away, you'll recognize the name of the studio. For those of you who aren't, it's considered the Japanese version of Disney. The museum is about 40 minutes away from Tokyo, and well worth the trip if you're a fan of animation. We got there a little early, so took a walk around and stumbled upon a local school festival, which was quite an amusing slice of Japanese life. After the museum, we had lunch before heading to a yarn store that I was looking for in particular (yes, I specifially went shopping for yarn in Japan). After that, we hit a karaoke place, because you can't go to Japan and not karaoke. Last stop was all-you-can-eat yakiniku (Korean BBQ). Yum! The next day, we went to the town where Josh lives and works, Tochigi. It's about an hour and half away from Tokyo by train. Josh picked us up there in his new car (a Vitz, which is what they call the Yaris in Japan), and we were off to Nikko. First stop, a fabulous nature walk. After that, we visited a whole series of fantastic waterfalls before being treated to a <span style="font-style: italic;">yuba </span>croquette. <span style="font-style: italic;">Yuba</span> is tofu skin and really yummy. We tried to go to the Toshogu Shrine, but because it was the day after a national holiday, we discovered that it was closed when we got there. Oh well! Yummy dinner at a traditional Japanese restaurant, and then on the train to head back to Tokyo. The next day we were on our way to Izunokuni for some soaking in hot springs, and enjoying some quiet time outside the bustling city. Nice views of Mt Fuji, relaxing baths, and great food. After that, it was home to Toronto!<br /><br />Today, I tried cooking with beets for the first time.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2785568044/" title="DSC01637 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3016/2785568044_0fdd27d69f.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="DSC01637" /></a><br />As you an tell, it's not exactly a success. The beets dyed the sausage red (it looks more red in real life than the photo shows). It doesn't taste <span style="font-style: italic;">that</span> bad, but it's just not the best combination I've ever thought of. Oh well. Jamie opted to have instant noodles though. Haha!Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877013222075908943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232114384513659463.post-29029857223991054682008-07-20T07:51:00.006-05:002008-08-21T18:51:59.713-05:00A few chill-out daysAfter the excitement of Disney, Jamie and I needed a few days to kick back and relax. On the Wednesday after Disney Sea, we just walked around to check the Shinjuku area, which is where our hotel is.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2684466647/" title="IMG_1616 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3005/2684466647_75f532f97f.jpg" alt="IMG_1616" height="400" width="300" /></a><br />We aren't sure what this building is just yet. It was just built, and it's still empty inside.<br /><br />Not far from us is the Metropolitan building, which is like city hall. There are free elevators that you can ride up to the top of each of the north and south towers.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2684467473/" title="IMG_1618 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3206/2684467473_72ed9ca9f7.jpg" alt="IMG_1618" height="400" width="300" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2684468023/" title="IMG_1623 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3097/2684468023_3b987cddb5.jpg" alt="IMG_1623" height="300" width="400" /></a><br /><br />That night, we took it easy, and just strolled around Akihabara, the renowned electronics paradise. No buying though, just some scoping out.<br /><br />On Thursday, we went out to Yokohama for the day.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2685303444/" title="IMG_1645 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3057/2685303444_8252e33b70.jpg" alt="IMG_1645" height="300" width="400" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2685303974/" title="IMG_1646 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3083/2685303974_becdcbeceb.jpg" alt="IMG_1646" height="400" width="300" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2685304466/" title="IMG_1647 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3211/2685304466_bfcd8983e6.jpg" alt="IMG_1647" height="300" width="400" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2684489369/" title="IMG_1652 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3172/2684489369_c40e1768d6.jpg" alt="IMG_1652" height="300" width="400" /></a><br />That little water taxi is called the Sea Bass here. We're sure that what they actually meant was Sea BUS, but got the translation from Japanese phonetic to English wrong.<br /><br />On Saturday, we went to this amazing spa park near Hakone. No photos, but here's a <a href="http://www.yunessun.com/english/yunessun.html">link</a> to the place we went to. We had a super relaxing time!<br /><br />Sunday, I met up with my friend Jamie, and enjoyed a trip to a chocolate cafe! So yummy!<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2684489935/" title="DSC01621 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2031/2684489935_646c88023b.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="DSC01621" /></a><br />We then trolled through Akihabara, down the back alleys looking for good deals. We bought a new 4GB USB drive, and an R4 chip for our Nintendo DS.<br />We had a great time hanging out together!<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2685307770/" title="IMG_1674 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3055/2685307770_c611ee5bf4.jpg" alt="IMG_1674" height="300" width="400" /></a><br /><br />Tomorrow, we're off to the Ghibli Museum! Yay!Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877013222075908943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232114384513659463.post-20557931122117768832008-07-17T06:06:00.002-05:002008-07-17T06:50:35.192-05:00Disney Sea - the real postOkay, here's my post for real. First off, I gotta say that I loved, loved, LOVED Disney Sea. The park is absolute beautiful.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2674251772/" title="IMG_1421 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3125/2674251772_33fab12c70.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1421" /></a><br />Mediterranean Harbour<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2674254830/" title="IMG_1426 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3259/2674254830_de94597c41.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1426" /></a><br />Mystery Island, which is pretty much a replica of Vulcania from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2673436407/" title="IMG_1438 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3026/2673436407_acba9d9c49.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1438" /></a><br />Arabian Coast, which is patterned after Agrabah from Aladdin<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2673440091/" title="IMG_1455 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3018/2673440091_cd8d4ab986.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1455" /></a><br />Mermaid Lagoon, with the impressive castle from The Little Mermaid<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2673445103/" title="IMG_1473 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3273/2673445103_24ca8aeee0.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1473" /></a><br />Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Crystal Skull, the adventure ride (super fun!)<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2674257888/" title="IMG_1445 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3211/2674257888_3468086085.jpg" width="500" height="300" alt="IMG_1445" /></a><br />This ride is unique to Disney Sea considering Disney never made a Sinbad cartoon. I totally loved this ride thanks to its insane cuteness.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2674258484/" title="IMG_1447 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3290/2674258484_fff77c4b2a.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1447" /></a><br />This ride comes complete with an Alan Menken composed song that plays through the ride quite the same way It's A Small World does for the ride of its namesake. The song is really catchy, and after riding Sinbad twice, I had it quite stuck in my head - and still do!<br /><br />They even have some really impressive water shows in the middle of the harbour. We got some photos of The Legend of Mythica, but not of the evening BraviSEAmo show (too dark for good photos).<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2673469585/" title="IMG_1532 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3275/2673469585_37b1d0740e.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1532" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2673487319/" title="IMG_1556 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3260/2673487319_93f3e61308.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1556" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2673491979/" title="IMG_1566 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3254/2673491979_75b1c126d9.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1566" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2674316420/" title="IMG_1575 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3226/2674316420_eb5e631abe.jpg" width="300" height="400" alt="IMG_1575" /></a><br />And wow, were those jet-ski riders impressive!<br /><br />The Explorers Fortress was super fun - there were all sort of Da Vinci replicas around for us to play with!<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2673453357/" title="IMG_1499 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3219/2673453357_9cd5744650.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1499" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2673511869/" title="IMG_1612 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3102/2673511869_d3490f9872.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1612" /></a><br />A huge Foucalt's Pendulum<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2674329196/" title="IMG_1610 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2336/2674329196_1054336eac.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1610" /></a><br />Jamie's personal favourite: an orrery!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2673433757/" title="IMG_1425 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2382/2673433757_531a221617.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1425" /></a><br />As you can see, this version of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is quite different from the US version. You can even control little spotlights to put attention on all sorts of different things. Super fun!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2673435553/" title="IMG_1433 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3025/2673435553_5d9e978558.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1433" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2673449525/" title="IMG_1490 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3158/2673449525_473fec077e.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1490" /></a><br />The front of quite possibly our favourite ride in the park - Storm Rider!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2674323678/" title="IMG_1585 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3064/2674323678_46ae3130f2.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1585" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2673505477/" title="IMG_1586 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3039/2673505477_578beb13ab.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1586" /></a><br /><br />Bye-bye, Tokyo Disney! We had a super-duper time!!Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877013222075908943noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232114384513659463.post-41141481359760316782008-07-16T07:07:00.002-05:002008-07-16T08:33:37.667-05:00Disney SeaSorry folks, but I'm feeling lazy right now. Disney Sea was completely amazing, with some of the best theme-ing I've ever seen in a park (and no, it's not a Marineland type of place). I'm going to direct you to my Flickr photostream of the photos we took there. I'll write a bit more about it another time. It really was an amazing place, with lots of fun and unique rides, and I highly recommend it to everyone.<br /><br />Click <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/sets/72157606202012989/">here to see our photos</a>.Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877013222075908943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232114384513659463.post-62645014790611173642008-07-16T06:05:00.004-05:002008-07-16T07:04:16.242-05:00Tokyo Disneyland!!Okay. I love Disney stuff. And when I say love it, I mean I LOVE it. Considering the crowds we saw, I'd have to say that lots of Japanese (and Korean and Chinese) people love Disney too. This year is the 25th anniversary of Tokyo Disneyland, and there was a lot around to remind us of it.<br /><br />We got a two-day pass, one day at Tokyo Disneyland, and one day at Disney Sea. We spent our first day at Disneyland, which is pretty much made up of Fantasyland and Tomorrowland from Disney World. Lots of familiar things, and some new things too. Click <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/sets/72157606197078468/">this link</a> to see my entire Flickr photostream for Disneyland. Here's the "highlight reel".<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2674121646/" title="IMG_1122 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3291/2674121646_46d603479f.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1122" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2673303549/" title="IMG_1129 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3275/2673303549_40dd0f228e.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1129" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2674124538/" title="IMG_1144 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3200/2674124538_9c21dc5150.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1144" /></a><br />(Our awesome river guide on the Jungle Cruise)<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2674127460/" title="IMG_1160 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3290/2674127460_07c4d390ba.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1160" /></a><br />(This car drives around spraying people with water to keep them cool)<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2674128238/" title="IMG_1163 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3108/2674128238_a532e9ab1d.jpg" width="300" height="400" alt="IMG_1163" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2673310141/" title="IMG_1170 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3055/2673310141_c43b8711c1.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1170" /></a><br />(The front of It's a Small World)<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2674130362/" title="IMG_1177 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3138/2674130362_029a54afb5.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1177" /></a><br />(Me buying some of the most awesome dessert in the park - frozen mango)<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2674135644/" title="IMG_1224 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3108/2674135644_980fb53dcd.jpg" width="300" height="400" alt="IMG_1224" /></a><br />(Pooh's Hunny Hunt is one of the unique rides to Disney Tokyo. They don't allow pictures inside, unlike other rides. This ride is INCREDIBLY popular - you honestly won't believe it. It was seriously the longest line in the entire two parks that we experienced. We learned later that of all the rides, this is the one that they recommend getting a Fast Pass for. Pooh is a super, super popular character here. I think Stitch comes second.)<br /><br />There was also a lot of different headgear available that was really just super adorable.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2674153656/" title="IMG_1286 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3277/2674153656_b999833b82.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1286" /></a><br />(Pooh ears)<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2673334617/" title="IMG_1291 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3240/2673334617_d9164d4a64.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1291" /></a><br />(Haunted Mansion Minnie)<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2674154950/" title="IMG_1292 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3095/2674154950_0b96957f4d.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1292" /></a><br />(Pirates of the Caribbean)<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2674156792/" title="IMG_1302 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3046/2674156792_43979a26bd.jpg" width="300" height="400" alt="IMG_1302" /></a><br />(Waiting for the night show to start by the castle. They have a neat system here for how they decide where you can sit for the show. You enter a lottery where you can get seats in the reserved area, a spot in the reserved standing area, or nothing, in which case you have to fend for yourself. We were lucky enough to get seats in the centre front section!!)<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2673339475/" title="IMG_1331 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3122/2673339475_96b7d8a45e.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1331" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2674160494/" title="IMG_1341 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3128/2674160494_3eb0e1d0cb.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1341" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2674164798/" title="IMG_1407 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3202/2674164798_8999714867.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1407" /></a><br /><br />Next post, Disney Sea!!Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877013222075908943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232114384513659463.post-14703900280157423062008-07-13T08:17:00.002-05:002008-07-13T08:54:51.653-05:00New and OldOn Saturday, Jamie and I headed over to Odaiba, which is made completely out of reclaimed land. It's a mecca of shopping and entertainment, and attracts both tourists and locals alike. To get there, you take an unmanned train that runs on rubber tires, and not a regular track.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2663256139/" title="IMG_0883 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3131/2663256139_7777a36540.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_0883" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2663257191/" title="IMG_0893 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3052/2663257191_bfc92a6314.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_0893" /></a><br /><br />Some scenes from Odaiba...<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2663260109/" title="IMG_0915 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3025/2663260109_4b7bc78ef7.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_0915" /></a><br />(Beach volleyball anyone? As you can probably tell, it was a super hot day)<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2664086258/" title="IMG_0919 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3041/2664086258_aa2b2f3c60.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_0919" /></a><br /><br />Being a super hot day, we decided that we needed some refuge from the sun and humidity. Good thing we weren't too far from Decks and Aqua City (two really big malls).<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2664086870/" title="IMG_0920 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3288/2664086870_92cf0a1184.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_0920" /></a><br />As you can see from the photo, the Sega Joypolis was just waiting for us to visit, so who were we to say no? After all, what trip to Japan is complete without a plethora of video games?<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2663261933/" title="IMG_0927 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3200/2663261933_ba776a0a53.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_0927" /></a><br />Joypolis actually had a lot more than just video games; it also had some really great simulator rides which I enjoyed a lot.<br /><br />Odaiba is also the home of Fuji TV, a really big ferris wheel, and something called The Big Sight.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2663262741/" title="IMG_0937 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3091/2663262741_e2a16dba48.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_0937" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2663265969/" title="IMG_0955 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2092/2663265969_fc107739ef.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_0955" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2664092812/" title="IMG_0958 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3070/2664092812_d70d9f2f16.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_0958" /></a><br /><br />Today, we took a 3.5 hour Shinkansen (aka Bullet Train) ride to Himeji so we could see the Himeji Castle, which is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2664094762/" title="IMG_0983 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3189/2664094762_827d134598.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_0983" /></a><br />Originally built in the 1300's, it was demolished then rebuilt in 1580 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. It remained in use until 1868, then restored in 1956 to its current condition. With its white walls and unique architecture, the castle is supposed to give one the impression of a white heron in flight. Visitors are allowed to walk around the grounds, as well as in the main tower, and a few other satellite buildings, though be prepared to remove your shoes upon entering.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2663270001/" title="IMG_1000 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3204/2663270001_87539d60e0.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1000" /></a><br />Guess they weren't that tall back then.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2664096820/" title="IMG_1021 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3026/2664096820_5ac8a0e42e.jpg" width="300" height="400" alt="IMG_1021" /></a><br />Some of the various family crests adorning the castle.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2664100300/" title="IMG_1038 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3077/2664100300_54af7c047a.jpg" width="300" height="400" alt="IMG_1038" /></a><br />Jamie and the Main Tower.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2663275575/" title="IMG_1066 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3252/2663275575_427f5cf190.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1066" /></a><br />A small door leading to a hidden room where soliders could lie in wait for any invaders who might have made it that far, or where supplies could be stored.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2664102992/" title="IMG_1079 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3123/2664102992_2e36e964c1.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1079" /></a><br />A view from the top.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2663279419/" title="IMG_1083 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3096/2663279419_28418a2163.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_1083" /></a><br />The entranceway to the castle complex.<br /><br />Tomorrow and Tuesday - Disneyland and Disney Sea!!Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877013222075908943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232114384513659463.post-11395264813803677372008-07-11T09:07:00.003-05:002008-07-11T09:36:17.318-05:00Shopping and walkingI'm not sure if the past two days have much to blog about, but here goes anyway.<br />On Thursday (July 10), we went shopping. Not too many photos there, but we took a few that might be somewhat interesting.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2654944291/" title="IMG_0753 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3108/2654944291_35530cc471.jpg" alt="IMG_0753" height="300" width="400" /></a><br />A kitty playhouse where you can pay to play with some cats.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2655771088/" title="IMG_0755 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3193/2655771088_cf29bec51e.jpg" alt="IMG_0755" height="300" width="400" /></a><br />Sunshine City is a really huge mall/entertainment complex. It even has an aquarium with sea otters and live shows up on the roof of one of the buildings, and a planetarium too.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2655772158/" title="IMG_0764 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3078/2655772158_9525a8926b.jpg" alt="IMG_0764" height="400" width="300" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2655773636/" title="IMG_0773 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3194/2655773636_5fe2a25412.jpg" alt="IMG_0773" height="300" width="400" /></a><br />Yebisu Garden Place - where we had dinner up on the 38th floor.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2655773974/" title="IMG_0777 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3269/2655773974_3f80fbb3f9.jpg" alt="IMG_0777" height="300" width="400" /></a><br />A driving school that we saw from our window seat at the restaurant.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2654948985/" title="IMG_0780 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3094/2654948985_f2e070e7e8.jpg" alt="IMG_0780" height="300" width="400" /></a><br />Our waiter showering our okonomiyaki with mayonnaise. You can't tell from the photo, but he's holding the bottle from quite a ways away.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2655775706/" title="IMG_0787 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2023/2655775706_63f26b42e8.jpg" alt="IMG_0787" height="400" width="300" /></a><br />Shibuya at night<br /><br />On Friday (July 11), we head out for a walk around the Imperial Palace.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2658733074/" title="IMG_0807 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3227/2658733074_7f70679715.jpg" alt="IMG_0807" height="300" width="400" /></a><br />That's Tokyo Station, getting a face-lift.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2657906969/" title="IMG_0809 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2331/2657906969_50bba74187.jpg" alt="IMG_0809" height="300" width="400" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2657907551/" title="IMG_0813 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3017/2657907551_fe1f59d51c.jpg" alt="IMG_0813" height="300" width="400" /></a><br />Some neat things we saw in the castle moat.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2657908399/" title="IMG_0821 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3205/2657908399_74c9f089cb.jpg" alt="IMG_0821" height="300" width="400" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2658735626/" title="IMG_0826 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3164/2658735626_3390bd7b7f.jpg" alt="IMG_0826" height="300" width="400" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2657910139/" title="IMG_0828 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3086/2657910139_023a642288.jpg" alt="IMG_0828" height="300" width="400" /></a><br />Outside the castle grounds. The public isn't actually allowed onto the palace grounds.<br /><br />After walking out in the heat, we decided that we needed some time in an air conditioned building. We headed over to Ginza to visit the Sony Building, and drool over all the high tech toys they have.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2657912619/" title="IMG_0868 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3094/2657912619_0ba4f6c631.jpg" alt="IMG_0868" height="300" width="400" /></a><br />We aren't sure what the heck that is. According to the text, it moves and lights up, and 'dances' to music.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2657912935/" title="IMG_0869 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3278/2657912935_b60d937008.jpg" alt="IMG_0869" height="300" width="400" /></a><br />Cellphones in Japan are bigger than in North America, and I like them better.<br /><br />We had dinner with my friend Saori at a Japanese style bar. We had some really nice sashimi, yakitori (BBQ chicken on skewers), tempura, and beer.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2658739962/" title="IMG_0880 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3099/2658739962_e0e5103724.jpg" alt="IMG_0880" height="300" width="400" /></a><br /><br />Tomorrow, we're heading to Odaiba and then to Himeji Castle on Sunday.Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877013222075908943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232114384513659463.post-14486123423205647132008-07-09T07:27:00.002-05:002008-07-09T08:11:19.057-05:00On to Japan!So, we left Vancouver for Japan on Monday (July 8). The Vancouver Airport is really nice - they even have an aquarium for you to look at while waiting to board.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2651934453/" title="DSC01602 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3206/2651934453_9162719afd.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="DSC01602" /></a><br />Forgive the bad picture!<br /><br />After a nice long flight, we arrived in Tokyo. Our first night, I was too tired to take many pictures. I did take a picture of our hotel/apartment though.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2652762462/" title="DSC01608 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3264/2652762462_3c4799b638.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="DSC01608" /></a><br />It's smaller than we thought - we misunderstood what 'Standard Double' meant, but it has all the things that we need: kitchen, very nice bathroom, comfy bed, TV, and internet!<br /><br />After a good night's sleep, we set out to explore some areas of Tokyo that we hadn't seen yet.<br />Here's a link to all the photos in my Flickr (click <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/sets/72157606066036954/">here</a>); but here's a few that I thought would be nice to share.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2651941309/" title="IMG_0636 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3275/2651941309_f889996a08.jpg" width="300" height="400" alt="IMG_0636" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2652770484/" title="IMG_0652 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3215/2652770484_5c16befc80.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_0652" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2652772200/" title="IMG_0670 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3072/2652772200_a73ff11de9.jpg" width="300" height="400" alt="IMG_0670" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2651945259/" title="IMG_0675 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3130/2651945259_6a5b1b6fd6.jpg" width="300" height="400" alt="IMG_0675" /></a><br />This sandal is actually huge, and covers about half the height of the gate.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2652774706/" title="IMG_0692 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3254/2652774706_b0a4fddea0.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_0692" /></a><br />And just what am I pointing at?<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2651947255/" title="IMG_0693 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3166/2651947255_24a3ff364e.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_0693" /></a><br /><br />It seems like there was some sort of Festival going on at Shinsoji Temple (which is where that big gate is, so there was lots of festival food around.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2652775434/" title="IMG_0702 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3088/2652775434_f3f547b394.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_0702" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2652775742/" title="IMG_0703 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3006/2652775742_4632acb8be.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_0703" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2651948253/" title="IMG_0706 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3201/2651948253_2eb37b587d.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="IMG_0706" /></a><br /><br />All that left us kinda craving veggies, so we bought some food t the grocery store nearby our place, and had a nice simple dinner (salad with egg, and fruit). I'm really enjoying the idea of being able to cook sometimes instead of having to go out all the time. I also went and got a massage today, and the lady who did it told me that my shoulders were really hard. She did a great job though, and got a lot of the knots out.<br /><br />Tomorrow, we're planning to do some shopping for CDs, books, and stuff like that that we can only get here. I think I'm gonna relax in the tub now!Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877013222075908943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232114384513659463.post-91529157642752305752008-07-09T07:04:00.002-05:002008-07-09T07:27:08.952-05:00Finishing up Vancouver visitI'm already a little behind with this updating! Just going to summarize our last two days in Vancouver.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">July 5, 2008</span><br />Joyce's Wedding! Went early with Joe and Patty to go and help Joyce set up.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2651915527/" title="DSC01591 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3179/2651915527_9919a32a47.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="DSC01591" /></a><br />That's us grabbing breakfast at the White Spot before heading over to Granville Island.<br /><br />We set up really fast, so Jamie and I had some time to walk arond the island a bit.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2652742866/" title="DSC01592 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3282/2652742866_b85cfaa522.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="DSC01592" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2651915113/" title="DSC01593 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3076/2651915113_c063812809.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="DSC01593" /></a><br /><br />Jamie took a lot of wedding pictures, but we haven't had time to sort them yet so I'll put them up later. Suffice it to say that we all had a good time.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">July 6, 2008</span><br />Joyce and Dave hosted a BBQ a Kitsilano Beach, and we had great weather for it.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2652741934/" title="DSC01598 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2184/2652741934_9116e6d45b.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="DSC01598" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2652741740/" title="DSC01601 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3050/2652741740_250de2eeae.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="DSC01601" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2652741612/" title="DSC01600 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3083/2652741612_868ddbe469.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="DSC01600" /></a><br />After that, head out for dinner with the whole family, then to Grace's for cake for Auntie Jolie's birthday.<br /><br />And that concludes our quick stop in Vancouver! Next post, the start of Japan!Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877013222075908943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232114384513659463.post-62936428729509118012008-07-05T11:07:00.003-05:002008-07-05T11:30:22.056-05:00Vacation - start!Jamie and I arrived in Vancouver early on Friday morning, and were picked up by my cousin Joe and his wife Patty. Next stop was for some food and coffee. Patty had gone to work at 4am before coming to get us! We went to Moxie's for brunch, and were served served portions that felt like way too much.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2639539802/" title="DSC01588 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3066/2639539802_e0377a7074.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="DSC01588" /></a><br />I think Mr. Pancake was upset that I couldn't finish my plate.<br /><br />After that, we went back to their place to drop off our luggage, played a few rounds of Rock Band, and then head out to meet my other cousin Grace (Joe's younger sister) so that us girls could go and get our nails and toes done. Joyce (cousin getting married, youngest sister to Joe and Grace) met us there and we had our nails soaked, filed, shaped, and painted. The boys joked that they were sad that we hadn't asked them to see if they wanted their nails done.<br /><br />Went to the mall to walk around a bit and pick up some last minute things (batteries, make-up, etc). I saw this fun little ride, and it was a nice little flash from the past.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15473216@N07/2638707867/" title="DSC01589 by hweishien, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3039/2638707867_618cd6ce11.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="DSC01589" /></a><br />Baby Kermit is so cute!!<br /><br />Went out for dinner with Joe, Patty, Grace, Greg, and Sophia, and were joined by Joyce and Dave afterward. It was a great time!<br /><br />Today is the wedding, so I'll update again soon!Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877013222075908943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232114384513659463.post-6483123904743363622008-06-23T09:30:00.003-05:002008-06-23T09:41:46.426-05:00There goes another season!And yesterday, PushPULL's fourth season came to a close as we played to a packed matinee audience. Doing 5 shows in 4 days is pretty demanding, and I have a whole new respect for those who perform night after night, and have to give the best performance ever each and every night.<br /><br />Our show this year was more technically demanding than our previous shows, and everyone seriously brought their level up. On Saturday night, after doing a matinee show earlier that day, I thought I was out of gas and wasn't going to make it, but with everyone around me all excited, and then hearing the buzz of the audience; we were all somehow able to dance our hearts out.<br /><br />My body is seriously tired now though. The theatre isn't designed for dance shows, so the changerooms are about 3 flights of stairs up from the stage. I've probably run up and down more stairs this past week than I usually do in a month. My legs hurt. A lot. But it was all totally worth it! Thanks to all the dancers - I had an amazing time and I can't wait until next season!Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877013222075908943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232114384513659463.post-53047394074858203072008-06-16T21:39:00.003-05:002008-06-16T21:45:40.221-05:00Showtime!It's show week! 'After Hours' is now supposed to be ready to go. Or rather, we have two more tries before it has to be truly ready to go. Tomorrow is going to be dress/tech, and then Wednesday will be our full dress rehearsal, and Thursday is opening night! Exciting times, huh? This year, I have to admit to feeling a little un-ready. The degree of difficulty of the pieces has gone up from last year, but the amount of time for us to get things right hasn't, so I feel like I'm missing a lot of nuances to certain pieces. I'm not forgetting any steps anymore, but there are little tiny details that I wish I could get just right every time.<br /><br />And after the show is over, I'll have about a week and a half before Jamie and I are off to Japan! I'm going to try and blog here while I'm traveling and show you all the places that we visit. Yes, I know this is going to be my third trip to Japan, but I just really like going there. Besides, there were still places that Jamie and I wanted to go to, or other foods that we wanted to try. Plus I get to practice my Japanese, which is something that I hardly ever get to do.<br /><br />Tick, tick, tick....Can anyone else hear the countdown to showtime?!Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877013222075908943noreply@blogger.com0