Photo Sunday: Sunsets in the Country

Hello all!

This Photo Sunday comes to you from a farm near my house. I was driving home the other day and there was the most cotton candy sunset. I watched it the whole way home and kept stopping to try to get a good picture.

I think this shot with the silhouette of a barn turned out the best. It was near the end of the sunset and the colors are just so lovely. No matter how many sunsets I see, or how many pictures I take, the view always takes my breathe away. I think sunsets are by far my favorite thing to photograph.

Anyone else a sunset nut? Quick question: who thinks irregardless is a word? The internet seems to agree with me that is a word, albeit an informal one. My stepdad refuses to believe me or the internet. Who hear also votes that irregardless is a word? (Psst. The correct answer is yes. Agreeing with me is always correct ;P)

-Alisa

Photo Sunday: D.C., A Bracelet, and a Review

Hello loves!

Look! A Photo Sunday on Sunday! Quel suprise! (I'm pretty sure that is what a surprise in French)

This one comes to you from the Cherry Blossom Festival in D.C.

I love pictures with bracelets or hands in focus with something scenic in the background. For this picture we have a blurry Washington Monument behind my hand and my El Camino bracelet.

Since I have already written a full post on the Cherry Blossom Festival in D.C., this Photo Sunday will talk about my El Camino instead.

Firstly, I do love my bracelet. El Camino bracelets are handmade travel bracelets. Every one is handcrafted in England. They are a tad pricey, but I am willing to pay a bit more for things that are handmade. The company is also super friendly and helpful, so I'm willing to pay a bit more for that as well. After I ordered it, the company sent me an email asking for my opinion. That's costumer service right there. Also, when I tag them on Instagram they always comment; they're pretty cool.

The bracelet consists of a band you can get in multiple sizes and colors, being American I messed up the size a bit since I only know inches and mine is a tad too big. Then you pick what to put on it. There are the wooden spacers, country steps, small steps, and region beads. I don't have any region beads or small steps, yet. I have almost every country I've been too, though not the United States.

Though they're a bit expensive, I am definitely planning on buying more steps, including some small steps that have personal significance to me, and I hope to fill multiple bracelets. It is a fashionable way to commemorate your travels.

Plus it is such a bragging right. :P


I first heard about El Camino bracelets from a wonderful blogger I follow This Battered Suitcase. If you're interested in her blog, or the original article I read about El Camino, follow the link.

If you want a bracelet, or to just check them out, click this link El Camino.

Anyone have an El Camino? What do you think?

-Alisa

P.S. This post was in no way sponsored by El Camino. I bought the bracelet after reading the above post and loving the idea of them. Like I said, they are a bit pricey but I think it is worth it.

Photo Sunday: Jumping in the Rockies

For this Photo Sunday I bring you a lovely picture of Hope and I jumping for joy in the Rockies!

Look at all that plaid. I loved Colorado, it is one of the prettiest places I've been. Hiking around the Rocky Mountains was worth the altitude sickness.

Altitude sickness does suck though.

Anyone else been to Colorado? Has anyone else ever had altitude sickness? Did you think you were dying too?

-Alisa

Adventures in the city of bubble tea and dumplings : Taipei

Sunset at a beach just outside of Taipei

We recently had a 5 day weekend and my friends and I decided to capitalize on it with a trip to Taipei. All in all I only ended up having about 3 1/2 days in Taipei but I loved every minute of it! Taipei was a wonderful refresher from Korea. First of all, it was way more green. Now, don't get me wrong, Busan is a pretty green city, but that is primarily because we are surrounded by mountains, not that the city itself houses a lot of greenery. In Taipei it was like walking into Princess Mononoke, anywhere there wasn't a building, there was the jungle. I also saw a lot more house plants decorating balconies, roof-tops and shops than I do in Korea. I hadn't realized how much I missed that. Taipei also had a more international feel about it than Busan does. There were more foreigners scattered about town and the general populations level of English seemed to be higher. The aspect I found most refreshing however, was how much more socially progressive Taipei seemed. Our hostel was situated in an openly gay community, something Korea doesn't even seem close to. Scratch that, if I am being completely honest, their transportation system might have been what I loved best. They had proper queuing lines for the subway, here you are lucky if you get off the train before people start pushing there way in. The sides of the escalator were also respected, one side for walking, one for standing. Loved it! It is amazing how much little things like that can influence your trip or overall impression of a country. Oh, and of course the people were incredibly friendly. I'm not even kidding when I say you just have to put on your puzzled face for a second before someone will offer to help you!

I am lazy and also don't wish to bog you down with a ton of information so I will save the sights for another post. I would be curious to hear what has impressed you most about countries you visited. What are some turn-offs?

-Hope

Photo Sunday....Thursday....Sorry: Old Car and Hat Day!

I am so sorry! I know it's been ages since I've posted and this Photo Sunday is so late it is practically next Sunday. My bad guys.

Here are my excuses: It is nearly the end of the school year and it is insane at work. Secondly, my car had to get inspected and I didn't have it for five days, and I didn't have my computer. So sorry, but look at those excuses! Forgiveness please.

Car and I have been reunited and it feels so good! I missed my silly old car, and being able to actually drive myself to work.

Today was hat day at work! I rocked a hat my abuela (grandma in Spanish) crocheted for me. I think I looked pretty darn adorable. Plus it kept me warm in the cave we went to on a field trip.

Hopefully I'll have some more exciting posts coming up. I'm planning to go into why I never got to go to Korea in the near future. Prepare for a tell all. I'm waiting until Hope comes home, so look for it after that.

How's everyone liking the warmer weather? Anyone else super busy with summer coming up? Just me, or do other teachers/paras hate field trips?

-Alisa

Photo Sunday: Harry Potter Party!

Hello all!

For this Photo Sunday you have the privilege of a glimpse of my cousin's Harry Potter party!
It was quite the big shebang and everyone was all dressed up. My cousin who hosted the whole thing dressed as insane Gilderoy Lockhart, which was quite epic. I forgot to actually snap a picture of him though, so you just get me, YC, and my brother.

Here you see a lovely Cho Chang, a Luna Lovegood, and some random Harry Potter clothes. My brother just borrowed some of my cousin's stuff.

YC was such a good sport wearing one of my skirts to dress up as Cho Chang. We figured since she is the only Asian character in Harry Potter, he might as well go for it. I think he made quite the pretty Cho.

He wasn't the only person cross-dressing to be a character by far.

We had a grand time and the decorations were adorable. They really went all out.

Anyone else ever been to a Harry Potter themed party? Anyone ever heard of my cousin? If you google World's Biggest Harry Potter Fan the first youtube video is my cousin. Here's a link for your viewing pleasure.

-Alisa