China!

I dont think I will have a chance to blog anymore before I go on vacation (YAY vacation), but in case you want to stalk me and know where I am for the next two weeks, here is my itinerary for Chizina! I am too lazy to edit out the random squigglies that appear in it, so you can just deal with it!

Dec 21st Beijing Arrival stay at Tiantan Hotel ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï
Arrival in Beijing, met and transferred to Tiantan Hotel or same class. The rest of the day is free.
Dec 22nd Beijing ( B L ) stay at Tiantan Hotel ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï
Beginning the day with a visit to Tiananmen Square, the world largest. Then move on to the imperial palace, also known as the ¡°Forbidden City ¡° that symbolizes the imperial and traditional China. After lunch go on with the visit to Temple of Heaven, the place where the emperors of Ming and Qing Dynasties worshipped heaven and prayed for peace and harvest. Back to hotel
Dec 23rd Beijing ( B L D ) stay at Tiantan Hotel ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï
Today's highlight is to visit the Great wall , symbol of Chinese civilization. After lunch, continue a visit to Dingling , one of the Ming Tombs, where 13 emperors were buried in Ming Dynasty. Peking Duck dinner and Peking Opera Show in the evening.
Dec 24th Beijing -- Xi'an by air stay at Xian Hotel Or Tangcheng Hotel¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï ( B L )
Take a morning flight to Xi'an. After lunch, city tour begins with a visit to the Shanxi Museum, the Bell Tower and City Wall. Stay at Xian Hotel or Tangcheng Hotel
Dec 25th Xian Stay at Xian Hotel Or Tangcheng Hotel¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï ( B L D )
Beginning the day with a once-in-a lifetime viewing of the extraordinary 2200-year-old terra-cotta Army of China's First Emperor-Qin Shihuang. Three exhibition halls house the continuing excavation of am army of 7,000 terracotta soldiers and horses that guard the tomb of the the First Emperor. After lunch visit Huaqing Hot Spring and Big Goode Pagoda .Local flavor dinner--dumpling . Tang Dynasty Show in the evening.
Dec 26th Xian ¡ªGuilin by air stay at Park Hotel ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï ( B L)
Take morning flight from Xian to Guilin. Arrival in Guilin, met and transferred to Guilin Park Hotel. After lunch, visit to Fubo Hill ,Seven Star Park.Back to your hotel.
Dec 27th Guilin stay at Park Hotel ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï ( B L D )
Enjoy a morning cruise down the winding Li River to Yangshou. Return to Guilin. Dinner and Minority Performance in the evening.
Dec 28th Guilin ¡ªShanghai by air and stay at Golden River-view Hotel Shanghai ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï or Shanghai Ocean Hotel ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï ( B L D )
Half day City tour of Reed Flute Cave, Elephant Trunk Hill. Afternoon flight to Shanghai. Stay at Golden River-view Hotel Shanghai or Shanghai Ocean Hotel In the evening dinner will be served. After dinner, you will be arrange d to watch the fantastic acrobatic show
Dec 29th Shanghai ( B L )
Today's highlight is your visit to Yuyuan Garden and Bazar. After lunch, move on to the¡± Pedestrians only ¡° Nanjing Road and the Bund. Take one hour cruising on Huang Pu River.
Dec 30th Shanghai Exit ( B )
Transfer to airport for departure

That last part isnt right, tho, as Cindy and I have extended our stay in Shanghai until January 2nd. I am excited for that, as it is the city I am most looking forward to seeing, plus it is the best city of all of them to have New Years in! Yay! So, ittekimasu....I hope I survive the cold hell known as Beijing! ;)

Have a great Christmas and New Years...hope everyone is eating TONS of holiday food and drinking eggnog and whatnot for me!!!

The Time Traveler's Wife

I just finished reading The Time Traveler's Wife and it was SUCH a good book, I LOVED it. I haven't loved a book like this in a long time! I was purposely reading it slowly so that it wouldn't end! I highly recommend checking it out, I loved it loved it loved it! Thanks to Holly for forcing it down my throat, btw :) Hee hee.

A random quote from the author in an interview, which I found interesting:

"I do not quite understand why people are so suspicious of fiction. Nonfiction is every bit as managed and shaped as fiction is and has the disadvantage of being too much like real life."

Keitai Pictures

So I have been far too lazy to blog about what I have been up to lately, so instead I will just post random keitai pics, and they sorta say things about where I have been, so there ya go!



Plate #1 of the 3,765 servings I had at the Thanksgiving dinner in Maebashi. Oh my god, it was SO good and I literally ate at least 6,000 calories and loved every minute of it! Of course, it wasn't as good as my Grandma's, but what is?



My parents and grandma ROCK because they sent me my favorite thing in the world....my grandma's Thanksgiving rolls! ONLY my family would spend the time and money to express me rolls, but they are fucking AMAZING! Pure butter! They are my favorite part of the meal! MMMM!


So, I have heard nothing but incredible things about Beer Lao from everyone that goes to Laos (yes, people actually go to Laos!). I have heard it is the best beer in the world, but that they don't export it for unknown reasons (hello, you'd think they would want to make MONEY in that country?!). Anyway, I seriously was pondering going to Laos just to try the beer, but fortunately I found it at a sketchy Thai restaurant in Tokyo! Of course I don't think any beer could meet up to such expectations, but it was good!


The Christmas tree at Disneyland! It was huge! I LOVE DISNEYLAND CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS!!!!


A moving Christmas tree in the Christmas parade (I was Japanese and actually watched the parade...usually I take advantage of the no-lines for rides during that time!).


This is currently my keitai wallpaper to get me in the Christmas spirit! So cute!


Is this not the cutest picture EVER?! Kawaii! Thanks to Ann for sending this!


I finally got to ride the Buzz Lightyear game for the first time ever! There is usually a huuuuuuuuuuuuge line. You ride around and shoot shit with your laser. Dude, apparently I should be in the military because I kicked fucking ASS at that game! I don't know if that is a good thing or not!


Mami is a genius and had us leave the park for lunch, and we went to a Hawaiian burger place. HOLY SHIT, I had the biggest and best avocado burger ever! I had been craving one for a month and it more than made up for it! I didn't know how to eat it, it was dekaiyo.


What can I say, I can fit big things in my mouth ;)


This is my AWESOME present I gave to a very lucky ALT for the gift exchange for the ALT Christmas enkai in Haruna. Is it not BEAUTIFUL?! ;)


Yes, only the best presents come from the conbini!