Taipei- Don't Go There Right After Hong Kong

I think I did Taipei incorrectly. I didn't like it that much. I saw a protester. I saw lots of dogs. I got some nice cardigans and and enjoyed a great night market. It was fun. But it was no Hong Kong.

*** The style with the kids in Taipei was long fake eyelashes and glasses without frames so that the eyelashes would come through the glasses. I wish I got some pictures. It was strange-ee.

Love Letter to Hong Kong

sidenote: If any of my many, many readers know any bankers in Hong Kong that want to marry me, bring me there, and give me money for dresses, please let me know.

The last week in July was our summer vacation. I ad an exciting, jammed packed week. My first day of vacation, I went to a Botero exhibit, here in Korea, which was excellent. For what I've seen in Korea, it was pretty extensive and impressive. I loved it. Then, I went to HONG KONG!!! I only spent a few days there but my impressions came quickly. I LOVE HONG KONG! As soon as sunset on my first night there, I was wishing that I were moving there rather than visiting.

Hong Kong by day is a wonderful enough place. If I thought I were going to any sort of heaven, I would assume it would be similar to the H&M in Central Hong Kong (thats right, I had to specify because they have MORE THAN 1 H&M!!!). The abundance of western foods and items (and fashions!) and the use of the English language were exciting, particularly coming from Korea, where they mostly seem to have embraced the western stuff I dont care about or like (WHY would you put sugar on garlic bread?!?!?). I felt a little overwhelmed and didnt end up buying that much. My goal of 7 dresses was not met but that just means that I have to go back. Soon. Most of my days were spent roaming the Central and Wan Chai areas, popping into shops and looking at everything. I heard British accents from Chinese people. I enjoyed the old street markets as well as the modern, contained markets and department stores. I used red phone booths. I rode in red taxicabs. I took (red) pictures.

One day, though, I went to the island of Lamma and it is why I think Hong Kong is perfect. Hong Kong is a city. There is public transportation, there are lots of people, places to go and things to do. It is busy and active and lights. But a short ferry ride brings you to Lamma, a lush, green, beautiful island with huts and hiking and beaches and banana trees. This is what they mean by the best of both worlds. Not far from that wonderful city was this wonderful island. My day on Lamma was perfect (despite the "Family Trail" which was actually a mountain that Lonely Planet tricked me into climbing- I probably would have done it anyway but Lonely Planet is the liar).

Night is Hong Kong is amazing. All of the buildings light up. And its not just lights so you can see them. They are A LIGHT SHOW. I also went on the Victoria Peak Tram one night and got a great night view of the city. Hong Kong is FANTASTIC!!!

Okay... I have about a billion photos I want to share so I started uploading them but I think I am going to try to make a slideshow or something and I will edit this post and add it in later.

Poor Toby

This is Toby. He is a very emotional and highly excitable boy in his last year of Kindergarten. Toby plays air guitar, needs to be first at everything, and only really wants to use the blue crayons. He has an unhealthy obsession with puzzles and is known for his very own special brand of "Toby" fits and tantrums. He sometimes yells "Who likes Toby?" and raises his hand. Then when none of the other children raise their hands, he cries and wants to know "Why no one like Toby?" Clearly, he will already be needing lots of therapy if he ever wants to be a productive member of society. Toby does not need any new obstacles to be sent his way. So, the question is- WHY WOULD YOU PERM THIS CHILD?!?!?!?!?



I am of the opinion that perms don't look good on anyone. ESPECIALLY MEN (or boys as it were). To borrow some phrasing from my friend Adam (with whom I share an apparent shoe shopping bond)- I'm against them. I am really against them. I've never seen a perm I liked. Perms are bad. Mee Teacher said that maybe I just don't like that style. That is true. I don't like that style because it is ugly and looks bad.

So, to recap: A perm is a bad idea. A perm on Toby is Tragic.

Dr. Fish!

Have you ever wanted to stick your feet into a tub of water containing a bunch of fish that wanted to bite at them? I have!

Sometimes you've been wanting to do something for a long time but then your best friend said he wants to do it with you and then could never seem to find the time. Then you get tired of waiting and you decide to go with your other good friend, Kate, and your other friend Stacy. Except then the place where you wanted to do it has closed down. So then you try one somewhere else but that one is closed too. So then you are angry because you waited so long and its closed. But then there is another one and you go the next weekend with your good friend Kate and its fun. But it probably would have been more fun to go to the original one because that one didn't have a time limit and this one does.

Happy Birthday, USA! From, Korea

Haunted House at the Wolmido Boardwalk- It was scary!

I spent the 4th of July- one of my favorite holidays- in Incheon. Conclusion: Walking around with a beer in your hand, lighting off fireworks wherever you want is exactly the freedom our forefathers were fighting for. Some people ate hot dogs. Some people hit baseballs. It was all very American. We also went to the boardwalk. I rode the Viking twice. It was scary and fun. I won a bear key chain for throwing darts at balloons (all my dart throwing practice has really paid off). Some of the pictures are cool. I think they look like war zone photos.

Best Friends Style