I've been watching the finale of America's Got Talent, and I love the modern dance group, Silhouettes. They didn't win, but my favorite performance was when they danced with LeAnn Rimes singing "Give." I'll post a link to that video once it's uploaded to youtube. Until then, here was one of their prior dances to "Imagine Me":
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Monday, September 12, 2011
Miss Universe 2011
I just caught the end of the Miss Universe 2011 pageant, and Miss Angola, Leila Lopes, won. She's so pretty! Congrats, girl!
Monday, August 22, 2011
Valencia
After our stay in Madrid, we took a 2-hour train ride to Valencia, which is located on the eastern coast of Spain. This city is more of a relaxing vacation place rather than a tourist attraction site. There seemed to be fewer foreigners here, but the people here were probably the friendliest people we encountered on the whole trip.
We only stayed 3 days in Valencia, which was the perfect amount of time for this city. Below were my top 3 places to visit while there:
1) El Saler
El Saler is about a 30-minute bus ride south of Valencia's city center. There is a more frequented city beach called La Malvarrosa, but I much prefer taking the trip out to El Saler. It is a lot cleaner and quieter, and a perfect place to spend hours on the beach lying under an umbrella. (I'm not too keen on tanning since I don't want to increase the risk of getting skin cancer or burned.)
We only stayed 3 days in Valencia, which was the perfect amount of time for this city. Below were my top 3 places to visit while there:
1) El Saler
El Saler is about a 30-minute bus ride south of Valencia's city center. There is a more frequented city beach called La Malvarrosa, but I much prefer taking the trip out to El Saler. It is a lot cleaner and quieter, and a perfect place to spend hours on the beach lying under an umbrella. (I'm not too keen on tanning since I don't want to increase the risk of getting skin cancer or burned.)
We forgot our camera/batteries the day we went to El Saler, so this is actually a picture of La Malvarrosa. It was a little overcast, but it's prettier on a sunny day.
El Saler
2) City of Arts and Sciences / Turia River Bed Gardens
I group these two sites together because the Turia River Bed Gardens leads right to the City of Arts and Sciences. The Turia was an old river that dried up, and the city has revitalized it to make it into a 7 km long park. Each section has it's own theme, and there are a lot of people just running or biking along it. We only walked 1/3 to 1/2 of the garden towards the south end because there wasn't much to see in the other half.
The City of Arts and Sciences is cool to walk around. The futuristic looking architecture was unique, and I think it would fun to go there for New Year's or outdoor concerts. It was pretty expensive to go into the aquarium and museum, and we weren't too interested in going to the planetarium, so we just took pictures from the outside.
3) Walking Tour
We did a walking tour of La Lonja, Mercado Central, Cathedral and Miguelete, Plaza de la Virgen, and the Torres de Serranos one of the days. I hit most of the top sites listed on this website, which I think was
La Lonja - Old Silk Exchange
Cathedral and Miguelete
Plaza de la Virgen - I loved the marble tiles outdoors. It gave the city extra finesse.
Torres de Serranos - Climbed the towers for €1.25 student price
Sunday, August 21, 2011
The Real Madrid
One of my favorite shows that I used to watch in high school was Globe Trekker. I always liked hearing that boingy noise at the beginning of every episode, and my favorite traveler was Megan McCormick. That would be a pretty sweet job to have. No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain would also be a cool job to have, but I digress.
The first stop of my 20-day Eurotrip was Madrid. My friend X and I did a lot, but my top 5 places to visit were as follows:
1) Palacio Real de Madrid (Royal Palace of Madrid)
We weren't allowed to take pictures inside the palace, but the artwork and grandness were stunning. It's unlike any place I've ever seen in the US, and there is a lot of culture and history behind the site.
2) Toledo / Cathedral of Toledo
3) Real Madrid C.F.'s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
I'm not a big futbol fan, which is probably akin to saying someone doesn't like puppies (How can you NOT like puppies? They're so cute). However, we visited Santiago Bernabéu, and I thought the self-guided tour was great. Seeing the field, taking pictures with pictures of players, pretending to be sitting in club seats...it's pretty cool.
5) Retiro Park
This park sits to the east of the center of the city and it is huge. There are not many flowers in this park, but the water areas are nice to look at. We rested our feet for at least an hour in front of fountain because it was so peaceful. There is also a glass house structure that has a slide inside of it. We didn't try it out, but if I had not been wearing a dress, I might have.
Other Notable Sites
The first stop of my 20-day Eurotrip was Madrid. My friend X and I did a lot, but my top 5 places to visit were as follows:
1) Palacio Real de Madrid (Royal Palace of Madrid)
We weren't allowed to take pictures inside the palace, but the artwork and grandness were stunning. It's unlike any place I've ever seen in the US, and there is a lot of culture and history behind the site.
2) Toledo / Cathedral of Toledo
Toledo is a World Heritage City that is a 30 minute train ride away from Madrid. It was the old capital of Spain before Madrid. The quaint old city is built so closely together that you can walk the winding streets and visit most of the sites within a day.
My favorite site in Toledo was the Cathedral of Toledo. Of all of the churches I visited in Spain and Paris, this Cathedral was at the top of that list, too. Don't be deceived by the picture of the outside of the building. Inside is huge! The altar is ornate, and sometimes you just don't know where to look because there are so many things going on with all the decorations. It is truly a site to see.
3) Real Madrid C.F.'s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
I'm not a big futbol fan, which is probably akin to saying someone doesn't like puppies (How can you NOT like puppies? They're so cute). However, we visited Santiago Bernabéu, and I thought the self-guided tour was great. Seeing the field, taking pictures with pictures of players, pretending to be sitting in club seats...it's pretty cool.
4) Museo Reina Sophia
Aside from the Reina Sophia, there is the Prado Museum which is the largest and most famous art museum in Spain. I chose to list the Reina Sophia here, though, because I enjoyed the collections and exhibits on display more than the ones I saw at the Prado. My opinion may differ next time I go. People should try to visit both museums if possible.
Aside from the Reina Sophia, there is the Prado Museum which is the largest and most famous art museum in Spain. I chose to list the Reina Sophia here, though, because I enjoyed the collections and exhibits on display more than the ones I saw at the Prado. My opinion may differ next time I go. People should try to visit both museums if possible.
5) Retiro Park
This park sits to the east of the center of the city and it is huge. There are not many flowers in this park, but the water areas are nice to look at. We rested our feet for at least an hour in front of fountain because it was so peaceful. There is also a glass house structure that has a slide inside of it. We didn't try it out, but if I had not been wearing a dress, I might have.
Other Notable Sites
- Plaza Mayor
- Templo de Debod (Egyptian Ruins)
- Bull Fight
- Puerta del Sol - Street performances at night
X and I spent 5 days in Madrid, including the day trip to Toledo, which I think was long enough to do everything we wanted to do. What struck me about the city was that the streets were so clean, the metro system is extremely well-kept (the nicest I've seen so far) and fast, and most of the dogs were off their leashes and were well-behaved. Although many people visit Madrid, it doesn't feel overrun with tourists. Madrid is very culturally rich, the people are pretty friendly, and it's a city I would recommend for others to visit if they ever find themselves in Europe.
A Teardrop
How many emotions are stored in a single teardrop? The love for a person. The heartache for missing someone. The hope that that person is in a happier place. Ba Noi, today, your children and grandchildren say goodbye to you. I pray that you are smiling down in Heaven with Ong Noi at your side once again, and I send my love to you.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
I'm Baaaaaaaaaaaack!
So much has happened this past month. As a quick update, I came back last week after a 3 week vacation to Spain and France, and I just started a new job this week. It's been pretty busy, and I've been tired from adjusting to my new schedule. Hopefully, I'll get into a routine soon.
For this next month, I plan to blog about my trip to Europe and travel related thoughts. This next week is going to be hectic, so my posts will be sporadic. But it's nice to be back!
As always, here is a video that I just can't get enough of:
For this next month, I plan to blog about my trip to Europe and travel related thoughts. This next week is going to be hectic, so my posts will be sporadic. But it's nice to be back!
As always, here is a video that I just can't get enough of:
Monday, July 4, 2011
The 4th
I'll be headed off to Spain and France in a few days! I've been a bit busy lately, but there's nothing like living in the moment! Before I take off for the next few weeks, I wanted to leave a link to The Best Obnoxious Responses to Misspellings on Facebook, which is good for about an hour worth of chuckles.
And in the spirit of 4th of July, here is one of my favorite music videos, Katy Perry's Firework!
And in the spirit of 4th of July, here is one of my favorite music videos, Katy Perry's Firework!
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Snapshots in Vietnam
After the one-week trip to Phu Yen, the group traveled an additional week to Hoi An, Da Nang, and back to Saigon. Below is the rest of my trip in photos:
Phu Yen: Sunset at the beach
Cricket made from a palm leaf
Cham Tower in Phu Yen
Ghenh Da Dia in Phu Yen
Private beach in Phu Yen
Lunch stop on the way to Hoi An
Hoi An: Ancient town lit in lantern lights
Floating paper lanterns
Lantern making
Da Nang: Marble Mountains (Ngũ Hành Sơn)
Stairway to Heaven
Ba Na Hills Cable Car
View from cable car
Buddha Statue
1487 meters above sea level
View from the top
Saigon at Night
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Vietnam: A World Apart
I recently came back from my trip to Vietnam with Sunflower Mission, and it was beyond all my expectations (including not getting sick!). Away from the noise and chaos of the city, the countryside looked so vibrant, peaceful, and pristine. The locals and the kids I met had very full hearts and warm greetings. And for the first time, I saw the Vietnam that my parents grew up with and loved.
The first week of the trip was spent in the coastal town of Phu Yen, where the site of the school was located. Everyday, the group would take an hour long bus ride past miles of rice fields to get to the school. We would spend the day painting the walls, windows, and doors of the 4-room building before trekking back to where we stayed. In the afternoons, we would usually play with the little kids who would run around and pop their heads in to see what we were doing.
In the US, we keep our doors closed for fear of strangers or for fear of letting the cool air out of our air conditioned houses. In Vietnam, where A/C is a luxury, doors are always opened, and floors must be swept daily to chase out the dust that constantly makes its way inside. Without the walls and gates and luxuries of computers and video games to keep them isolated from one another, children in Vietnam are constantly outside running around with one another. Though they have little, their smiles and laughs are full of happiness.
The people of Phu Yen work very hard to live day by day. Agriculture is the main livelihood of the province, and as I see the farmers out in the rice paddies, I think about their backs and how they must feel stooping over the fields all day. Then, I think about the little kids that I just met. How many of them will become farmers in the future just like their parents? 50 percent? 90 percent? The thought saddens me because I see so many possibilities for these youth to live an easier life if they were given the opportunity to work towards it. I understood then, that the mission of this organization to build schools was to help give future generations in these underdeveloped areas a chance to reach a little further outside of the everyday life that they know. It is but a small step, though. To make a leap to the competitive standards in today's world, a school also needs computers, more avenues to higher learning, dedicated teachers and continuous support. This goal is bigger than any one person, but in my lifetime, I would like to help work towards this future.
On the last day of the trip, our group leader left us with a few words that stuck with me: "Most people's favorite part of the trip was getting to interact with the kids at the school. Remember that they are just like you. The only difference between you and them is that you were given an opportunity. In the future, share a little of what you have with those who are less fortunate than you." Although we may be a world apart, I love the people in Vietnam, and I won't ever forget them.
To read other people's thoughts about the trip, visit the blog we kept during our stay in Vietnam (www.sunflower-mission.blogspot.com).
The people of Phu Yen work very hard to live day by day. Agriculture is the main livelihood of the province, and as I see the farmers out in the rice paddies, I think about their backs and how they must feel stooping over the fields all day. Then, I think about the little kids that I just met. How many of them will become farmers in the future just like their parents? 50 percent? 90 percent? The thought saddens me because I see so many possibilities for these youth to live an easier life if they were given the opportunity to work towards it. I understood then, that the mission of this organization to build schools was to help give future generations in these underdeveloped areas a chance to reach a little further outside of the everyday life that they know. It is but a small step, though. To make a leap to the competitive standards in today's world, a school also needs computers, more avenues to higher learning, dedicated teachers and continuous support. This goal is bigger than any one person, but in my lifetime, I would like to help work towards this future.
On the last day of the trip, our group leader left us with a few words that stuck with me: "Most people's favorite part of the trip was getting to interact with the kids at the school. Remember that they are just like you. The only difference between you and them is that you were given an opportunity. In the future, share a little of what you have with those who are less fortunate than you." Although we may be a world apart, I love the people in Vietnam, and I won't ever forget them.
To read other people's thoughts about the trip, visit the blog we kept during our stay in Vietnam (www.sunflower-mission.blogspot.com).
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Vacation Time
It's another month, and time for something new. I have a lot of ideas/themes that I want to write about and try out, but I'm going to be leaving in a few days for a trip to Vietnam. Thus, I plan to hold off on those, and I'll be gone for a while from blogging :( I'll write about my trip when I get back at the end of this month, though, so turn that frown upside down :) hehe
Regarding the trip, I'm going with a nonprofit organization, Sunflower Mission, to help build a school in one of the coastal towns of Vietnam. It's a good cause, and I've heard great things about this program. Everyone keeps telling me to bring Pepto Bismol, so evidently I have something to look forward to...but my immune system will probably be stronger after this trip! I hope!
Because I'll be away for so long, I will leave not one, but two, youtube clips that made me smile:
Regarding the trip, I'm going with a nonprofit organization, Sunflower Mission, to help build a school in one of the coastal towns of Vietnam. It's a good cause, and I've heard great things about this program. Everyone keeps telling me to bring Pepto Bismol, so evidently I have something to look forward to...but my immune system will probably be stronger after this trip! I hope!
Because I'll be away for so long, I will leave not one, but two, youtube clips that made me smile:
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