tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65130434573136708602024-03-05T10:48:00.846-08:00Normandy AdventuresFollow Norman and Mandy's sexy adventures around the world!Normandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382577662564834616noreply@blogger.comBlogger97125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513043457313670860.post-5919298317045088052015-11-15T19:54:00.002-08:002015-11-15T19:54:30.331-08:00Last Day in HawaiiOf course, on our last day in Honolulu, we started our day off with, you guessed it, Musubi Cafe! I'm sure spam sushi is not good for you but it's too yummy to resist. I regretfully booked a 10:30pm flight thinking that we would have an extra day in Honolulu to explore. However, I didn't realize that almost anything we do in Honolulu results in lots of sweat and since we wouldn't have access to a shower, we had to avoid getting too dirty. The only thing we could think of was to leave our luggage at front desk and find a cafe to chill at and to blog. We couldn't find a cafe with air conditioning and available seating so we settled with two comfy seats at the Royal Hawaiian Center. After an hour of blogging, we made our way to Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin for lunch. Again, the restaurant had two $$ in Yelp but the meal ended up costing so much money for so little food :( (I let Norm eat most of the food.) Luckily, as we were walking to a nearby Starbucks, we stumbled upon a famous mom and pop ice cream shop. The day was pretty uneventful, followed by our last visit to Marukame Udon. I stuck to my fave udon dish while Norm tried almost every item on the menu. <div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making our own sauce</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Working</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kurobuta Pork Loin Katsu Set</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tasted exactly like the fruit</td></tr>
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Hawaii and Vancouver have been amazing to us. My sister got married, I have more siblings, made new friends, and saw old friends. We tried amazing food and checked a couple things off our bucket list (i.e. surfing and scuba diving). Norm and I are ready to go back to Toronto and sleep on our luxurious king size bed!! :)</div>
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Normandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382577662564834616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513043457313670860.post-59246290846713371302015-11-15T19:33:00.000-08:002015-11-15T19:33:03.467-08:00Scuba ScubaOn our second last day in Honolulu we decided to be super active and hike Diamond Head in the morning and go scuba diving in the afternoon. Our bodies will pay for it tomorrow but we got to live in the now =P We had breakfast at Musubi Cafe and tried to get to Diamond Head early to beat the heat but there was no way to avoid the Hawaiian sun. The hike was quite easy but the heat made it a tad more challenging. The view at the top was very beautiful but we didn't stick around for too long since it was super crowded and hot hot hot.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We're going to miss our breakfast spot</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo before the sweat</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diamond Head<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikbVjvZwpxCcmbAETAoruxgmqJsCJ8SSWCF9zJOgIEpOuTLVhESwWMUXtxSolFCQc3DRQi9u0QURW_10LMkR5Nijb1cfrUigubO0Wi2k0pe94fVHlT8clkwX2_on2ZTMUDUjcqPUJrIHI/s1600/IMG_1263.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikbVjvZwpxCcmbAETAoruxgmqJsCJ8SSWCF9zJOgIEpOuTLVhESwWMUXtxSolFCQc3DRQi9u0QURW_10LMkR5Nijb1cfrUigubO0Wi2k0pe94fVHlT8clkwX2_on2ZTMUDUjcqPUJrIHI/s320/IMG_1263.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starting line</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge3K7elJB2lDQY3xDdyYvT1paWZVElhPY6D0xAbU6v2r7b6otkKbW06L1TfcVr_vmCXPLDzWzmORxbE9M97W3nG4pEbeGqrjF-5nzFKWX6yc0MfcxeYv5xkQ3WnznHmXMHkJSvprZMTXI/s1600/IMG_1264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge3K7elJB2lDQY3xDdyYvT1paWZVElhPY6D0xAbU6v2r7b6otkKbW06L1TfcVr_vmCXPLDzWzmORxbE9M97W3nG4pEbeGqrjF-5nzFKWX6yc0MfcxeYv5xkQ3WnznHmXMHkJSvprZMTXI/s320/IMG_1264.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieTLSrhIswPJpkb8BGfp6U6WVMp2Gp7xRsUZ2EodJhswCnNjmHTb4Apz7m5KHDRgfCHk7Nwc62VblAmNxoln-piDIxqIPszWYZOWbKQjO99zb3tw-zGp2lWpesgerCoYb1U-N-d-Ie_oI/s1600/IMG_1273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieTLSrhIswPJpkb8BGfp6U6WVMp2Gp7xRsUZ2EodJhswCnNjmHTb4Apz7m5KHDRgfCHk7Nwc62VblAmNxoln-piDIxqIPszWYZOWbKQjO99zb3tw-zGp2lWpesgerCoYb1U-N-d-Ie_oI/s320/IMG_1273.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mid-point photo</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waikiki area</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pondering life</td></tr>
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When we were trying to leave Diamond Head, we realized we didn't have any cash and taxis only take cash. We even tried to negotiate with a nice taxi driver for a cheap fare but he wouldn't take our Canadian bills. Thankfully he said he would take us to an ATM along the way back to our hotel and we were able to get back. We booked a scuba diving lesson with Oahu Diving and consciously planned a light lunch to minimize the risk of vomiting =\ We journeyed to the nearby Rainbow Drive-In to try a classic Hawaiian dish, the loco moco which consists white rice, topped with a hamburger patty, a fried egg, and brown gravy.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking everywhere</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirgj_C6kKh8y7WGH4r2ZqM_HUjbMQNVt3p8-n91ot-Nj6u35KZz-Pzs5kIMhyphenhyphenJWWizVK55YCJf2FtNIGf37yTZUyi7PyCYLXS3iSowjod5vOqAoHDVKWzNGptsKlze2Bq54lTPQMzf20Q/s1600/IMG_1318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirgj_C6kKh8y7WGH4r2ZqM_HUjbMQNVt3p8-n91ot-Nj6u35KZz-Pzs5kIMhyphenhyphenJWWizVK55YCJf2FtNIGf37yTZUyi7PyCYLXS3iSowjod5vOqAoHDVKWzNGptsKlze2Bq54lTPQMzf20Q/s320/IMG_1318.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loco Moco</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Iconic Hawaiian restaurant</td></tr>
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The scuba diving meet up was way back towards our cruise port so the taxi ride ended up being pretty pricey but at least we finally got one! (We were running late and taxis were no where to be found outside of our hotel.) Our "lesson" included our instructor teaching us the essentials during our boat ride out to our dive spot. The class was small, around 8 people of which 6 were first time divers. We learned how to equalize our ears, clear water from our goggles, reset our mouth piece if it gets knocked out of our mouth, etc. It all made sense when we were doing it above the water but of course it was a million times harder in the water. The oxygen tank was also heavier than expected and they add more weights around our waist to make sure we sink. (They gave Norm and I too much weight during our first dive so it was hard to swim upwards.) When we finally got into the water, I was one of the first ones to descend. Everything was new and very scary. I kept thinking my goggles were going to fly off and it was difficult to equalize my ears (those masks are not made for Asian noses!). I kept going up above the water and the instructor kept calming me down to keep trying. It got to a point where I was going to give up but the instructor talked me into doing it. Another motivating factor was that a fobby girl was in the water so if she could do it, so can I! (She ended up going back on the boat and vomiting the whole time.) I am SOOO glad I went back into the water because once I got over the fear, scuba diving was amazing!! The second dive was much more enjoyable since we knew exactly what to expect. It was one of the highlights of my trip to Hawaii :) I'm not sure if I would do it again since it took a few weeks for my ears to get back to normal but I definitely recommend everyone to try!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiypkIB-Y9szlo5d1Fcci8W9HJdcqYX0gijkHjD1Q9ZEgjXqIUtoMoIqh1n9fXEKbvosliG2nsUguUG1r9S1EC9fAjCYzOhz1vMGMA4adtWXSzfzXLHMOi4DmNC2zciwtGLoG1jYBqFUwE/s1600/017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiypkIB-Y9szlo5d1Fcci8W9HJdcqYX0gijkHjD1Q9ZEgjXqIUtoMoIqh1n9fXEKbvosliG2nsUguUG1r9S1EC9fAjCYzOhz1vMGMA4adtWXSzfzXLHMOi4DmNC2zciwtGLoG1jYBqFUwE/s320/017.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hardest part! (Equalizing ears)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf3roIytYEMaiGQZ8P6zrmZBg44-iRQ8owswb2cs1nwdRvx7KSeJaltlRkki1o8ZRxTwo6JKbTSJFKaM3Z_QQ7iDk-EFOmn-u-PuY34TKhiSC1U3gLVK2LD7yUL2kHrostvuMPVQyvp5g/s1600/035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf3roIytYEMaiGQZ8P6zrmZBg44-iRQ8owswb2cs1nwdRvx7KSeJaltlRkki1o8ZRxTwo6JKbTSJFKaM3Z_QQ7iDk-EFOmn-u-PuY34TKhiSC1U3gLVK2LD7yUL2kHrostvuMPVQyvp5g/s320/035.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exploring underwater, 30-40 feet</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTU8aYCICcmoyKLNICjBTFK7i657B8OHle44TCmIQCBT6jYuYvBgQ74_gMs75U1ZGY5zMcfHdOZ71RlhUdwdeDq3qn3By93ob0JX9ZcsNPpy4g5w6ob2MXTFf8UCoD2nvxxZWvgy9cD0Y/s1600/056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTU8aYCICcmoyKLNICjBTFK7i657B8OHle44TCmIQCBT6jYuYvBgQ74_gMs75U1ZGY5zMcfHdOZ71RlhUdwdeDq3qn3By93ob0JX9ZcsNPpy4g5w6ob2MXTFf8UCoD2nvxxZWvgy9cD0Y/s320/056.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The amazing sea turtles</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipst6uL2U1RIcFDUjjom7x2XySFdO6fBbyAD-cvQWibL5ita-QlgaCUx2Rnk2ublC2JLiJ5XDRBECbcs8GIfFsiTh7FKudlMtsx-ImWrqtfgUyFXs1wemGxCMIjeZQiGv92IYo7OB-MKg/s1600/073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipst6uL2U1RIcFDUjjom7x2XySFdO6fBbyAD-cvQWibL5ita-QlgaCUx2Rnk2ublC2JLiJ5XDRBECbcs8GIfFsiTh7FKudlMtsx-ImWrqtfgUyFXs1wemGxCMIjeZQiGv92IYo7OB-MKg/s320/073.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Admiring my turtle friend</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_4oIFXjqp_qDGCsmvH6UScgbuN_caCNwMIFxxwnOnG7asKUflVbMi8mcqV9w2dG9iqLpBI52Zm-iknyH1icEgmgJfJf_vE8N0tUghvvUCWcgf4qAX2APn_ZhiExfjrPdbF4C16ZX4CYc/s1600/110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_4oIFXjqp_qDGCsmvH6UScgbuN_caCNwMIFxxwnOnG7asKUflVbMi8mcqV9w2dG9iqLpBI52Zm-iknyH1icEgmgJfJf_vE8N0tUghvvUCWcgf4qAX2APn_ZhiExfjrPdbF4C16ZX4CYc/s320/110.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Norm makes it look so easy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSP3E2AYcynroI4V-aLZvu5vAtbwSn9vJQaWNcfMFD5An_ezLjzy6hNHLJ5QsswKkTZNhxryh3l-xV5z8tbM8T1sEbCon9JRQCDcwNOKaNFPGJy8LttN4_OxJv6Wk2Ix_kuKxRWOcyajA/s1600/158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSP3E2AYcynroI4V-aLZvu5vAtbwSn9vJQaWNcfMFD5An_ezLjzy6hNHLJ5QsswKkTZNhxryh3l-xV5z8tbM8T1sEbCon9JRQCDcwNOKaNFPGJy8LttN4_OxJv6Wk2Ix_kuKxRWOcyajA/s320/158.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby shark</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHA0wCctBQSzL8rSJsi5S-sPO_N5MvQqzWtEyhP7YCAcj56tw1SVj6mTDc0p8fXAN0Q67ZMfIBCra0p9y-8nF8Qg7JZlWxoFJ7vYL0ZVfVGYgUIxd4i1qe0wGQc0XsAMGnPIKpNR29uE0/s1600/197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHA0wCctBQSzL8rSJsi5S-sPO_N5MvQqzWtEyhP7YCAcj56tw1SVj6mTDc0p8fXAN0Q67ZMfIBCra0p9y-8nF8Qg7JZlWxoFJ7vYL0ZVfVGYgUIxd4i1qe0wGQc0XsAMGnPIKpNR29uE0/s320/197.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pillow starfish</td></tr>
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For dinner we went to Marukame Udon again. Can't beat a delicious meal for ~$20 USD.Normandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382577662564834616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513043457313670860.post-8719316262038378832015-11-15T17:07:00.001-08:002015-11-15T17:07:41.499-08:00Surf's UpToday we try surfing for the first time! Woooo! We got a recommendation for a surfing lesson and managed to buy a groupon with Kai Sallas' Pro Surf School Hawaii. We're glad we went with them because our instructor was very patient and learning the basics was definitely a must. It took me a while to get the hang of standing up on the surf board and I kept forgetting to breathe out when I slammed into the water :( (Salt water going up the nose and mouth is unpleasant.) Norm picked up surfing way faster than I did. Even our instructor asked if he does other board sports on the regular which he doesn't but maybe he should! Anyway, there weren't too many waves that day so we spent a lot of time just waiting for our turn and then waiting for a wave. Nonetheless it was really fun and a great full body workout. The most tiring part was paddling back to shore, lol. Another good thing about the company we went with is that we went to a secluded part of Waikiki beach so there was no pressure and we didn't have to feel embarrassed since we weren't very good. (We later saw young kids killing it and put us to shame.)<div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGEWeXzMgQK3rQopgBAZCcQlEvrxDeyFkifpHm_aWOYSOLc5U48lNd_ZuDKYcSIoQOUhBfUIQesyB-e5AZ3Xj03xWRquyZ2j0dfT836BabJntEmwr9hCkAKXyI3XSlRvxSufI6Jwy3Jl8/s1600/G0340330.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGEWeXzMgQK3rQopgBAZCcQlEvrxDeyFkifpHm_aWOYSOLc5U48lNd_ZuDKYcSIoQOUhBfUIQesyB-e5AZ3Xj03xWRquyZ2j0dfT836BabJntEmwr9hCkAKXyI3XSlRvxSufI6Jwy3Jl8/s320/G0340330.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pre-surfing</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw3jJZm9W9tiVk_BKR6rBFRJVsajMkMx4RLm0mfHkYCcu797pGUZEoLLG3X1OHgx6upnwkQ2h4QfimW6auvvYuAHxJvRbEJmfyT9TfPurZbmR3XbwPsxubCXYcGK-W1wG3jIuUFRb-AwU/s1600/G0350341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw3jJZm9W9tiVk_BKR6rBFRJVsajMkMx4RLm0mfHkYCcu797pGUZEoLLG3X1OHgx6upnwkQ2h4QfimW6auvvYuAHxJvRbEJmfyT9TfPurZbmR3XbwPsxubCXYcGK-W1wG3jIuUFRb-AwU/s320/G0350341.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Really nice day for surfing!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkuELV44-EuCFg0lnaY2FEG0urgf_Px03Sgol5vSFbritouY5I8CNMaqOlRqzkB1zJYBLsNE7Q3NKRdxzVDI9Uy93Dbv_AfkTH3F2R0cuFFlU9xl0GlSat6jaWoU4twzHbs7eQKrLLPKA/s1600/G0370497.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkuELV44-EuCFg0lnaY2FEG0urgf_Px03Sgol5vSFbritouY5I8CNMaqOlRqzkB1zJYBLsNE7Q3NKRdxzVDI9Uy93Dbv_AfkTH3F2R0cuFFlU9xl0GlSat6jaWoU4twzHbs7eQKrLLPKA/s320/G0370497.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting for our turn </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL1ySE4HZkGhCL5lyDhR2YGD8LNO29lTAKxKWl9MyxRMmL2N0TVxyUWVUYHCCkGob3wOsllJ0Su8YZXC84QXsV6hAGgx4jxKM4T8Z6GhA-Z9xiF0la9ouDYKZfC3wkeYj6u9shFloKjKI/s1600/G0380510.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL1ySE4HZkGhCL5lyDhR2YGD8LNO29lTAKxKWl9MyxRMmL2N0TVxyUWVUYHCCkGob3wOsllJ0Su8YZXC84QXsV6hAGgx4jxKM4T8Z6GhA-Z9xiF0la9ouDYKZfC3wkeYj6u9shFloKjKI/s320/G0380510.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chilling out</td></tr>
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After a quick shower, we made our way to a nearby ramen restaurant. There was a short wait which is usually a good sign that the place is yummy. Norm had the Tokyo ramen (classic shoyu flavour) and I had the special tomato with cheese ramen. The tomato ramen was different and very tasty but the strong flavour got very lao. After lunch we walked around the Waikiki board walk, got some delicious mochi, and chilled at the beach for a few minutes (in the shade). We were planning to hike Diamond Head that afternoon but there was an issue with our Airbnb which took 4 hours to sort out and we ended up relocating to a nearby hotel. We weren't going to make that affect our vacation though! For dinner we went to the trusty Marukame Udon to cheer ourselves up. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv9d0pgsvu1w52HZkmTbFWf1jKBQQtqGisGAI2dBfP3MlnKgmeHmIfyrEawAZKGsg5ce4kzodVBGhycS-dvljHf-x4tNAXb3BkM3dzRGLrAfEgVCYmYheZ_xPsWEGLSNRaah-Ti6pgbA8/s1600/IMG_1229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv9d0pgsvu1w52HZkmTbFWf1jKBQQtqGisGAI2dBfP3MlnKgmeHmIfyrEawAZKGsg5ce4kzodVBGhycS-dvljHf-x4tNAXb3BkM3dzRGLrAfEgVCYmYheZ_xPsWEGLSNRaah-Ti6pgbA8/s320/IMG_1229.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tomato + cheese ramen</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7PA66tKmoxssSidoaCIQQWIRLEj_WakR8tFTXBto4ycfn6Im0flEHfUz_jmaH82cUSdUcsUrMqnSy69IkhSAPfxYX21YwLOWFDlHTcEqCAjfr4kamn62hDX660FzO8xbp8cI5YU8sVmY/s1600/IMG_1230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7PA66tKmoxssSidoaCIQQWIRLEj_WakR8tFTXBto4ycfn6Im0flEHfUz_jmaH82cUSdUcsUrMqnSy69IkhSAPfxYX21YwLOWFDlHTcEqCAjfr4kamn62hDX660FzO8xbp8cI5YU8sVmY/s320/IMG_1230.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying the soup base</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvoBVAGR5mfrXiZ3DNbtaAwnJHW-trRyqIJacipptNIBgIN4-ycE-nkCBP-SsyM1dXYaL8mlFI6EVJY5rxiR3gwXB9tRefqbE-YUh8rIXaKpCqMMmQTTp31LEnk8uz2yAUJEQHIA8JUjY/s1600/IMG_1235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvoBVAGR5mfrXiZ3DNbtaAwnJHW-trRyqIJacipptNIBgIN4-ycE-nkCBP-SsyM1dXYaL8mlFI6EVJY5rxiR3gwXB9tRefqbE-YUh8rIXaKpCqMMmQTTp31LEnk8uz2yAUJEQHIA8JUjY/s320/IMG_1235.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mochi!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQXxTO-qXfnkp2N6dlSMyFFTzOIn2x66KyraZN843OpkYneTksOl7b1yOsM8sY0Z9_uEZ5l1CGuk7NMwRZ48rzK0aUwRO3supIocLjWCfcGNiBXkZDtOIZ1quPkDTMka24xsKXnqWg8lw/s1600/IMG_1239.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQXxTO-qXfnkp2N6dlSMyFFTzOIn2x66KyraZN843OpkYneTksOl7b1yOsM8sY0Z9_uEZ5l1CGuk7NMwRZ48rzK0aUwRO3supIocLjWCfcGNiBXkZDtOIZ1quPkDTMka24xsKXnqWg8lw/s320/IMG_1239.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chilling at the beach (in the shade)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGfIsUMr9SQNorXUHtZohXXxtO43id9FdTOusITDNKwCfbL7t7xNNaxkYVWX0cemUqn7IS8A7acuiqCOc4RfW_z2FCPJPWkoP5tYrCPm2siR36uLcRKYsbNS2PIQel9gOAaAbLOT6rlqg/s1600/IMG_1252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGfIsUMr9SQNorXUHtZohXXxtO43id9FdTOusITDNKwCfbL7t7xNNaxkYVWX0cemUqn7IS8A7acuiqCOc4RfW_z2FCPJPWkoP5tYrCPm2siR36uLcRKYsbNS2PIQel9gOAaAbLOT6rlqg/s320/IMG_1252.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Famous Waikiki beach</td></tr>
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Normandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382577662564834616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513043457313670860.post-9244887256718450142015-11-14T22:48:00.001-08:002015-11-14T22:48:56.126-08:00North Shore<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
We rented our car for 2
nights so today we’re going to the North Shore where the beaches are nicer,
they have good food (including shaved ice), and a different side of Oahu. For
breakfast, Norm bought spam musubi from Musubi Café Iyasume and it was delicious!! The best was the egg and cucumber spam :) After a quick breakfast we headed to the North Shore! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjegP9BCZAuNFIhnxaSt3Zj5NPCV7AL-OmeObqROlMNel6swynYbit0H-p_jc7jg43rInW7wU551GksRx6uDOnfGmJEJrgt1T2i2HrVJVZxbNu_ATyFHbJtb7Gdk7EVz5j3-cly7BUTEvw/s1600/IMG_1102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjegP9BCZAuNFIhnxaSt3Zj5NPCV7AL-OmeObqROlMNel6swynYbit0H-p_jc7jg43rInW7wU551GksRx6uDOnfGmJEJrgt1T2i2HrVJVZxbNu_ATyFHbJtb7Gdk7EVz5j3-cly7BUTEvw/s320/IMG_1102.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our breakfast everyday</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYYCHcBOJO3HG2FB2UNvpmlEfybamjPTMbMe8-3u4T6k8a0N7Hy6jH77sUFRQQoXEvIGOypepi_mM-zNT7oPSW3bNbW27txNbWOk60KAIG0XGzZ6-Zxv24aFu8bm0-TxDeIOLXU4Hw8f4/s1600/IMG_1104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYYCHcBOJO3HG2FB2UNvpmlEfybamjPTMbMe8-3u4T6k8a0N7Hy6jH77sUFRQQoXEvIGOypepi_mM-zNT7oPSW3bNbW27txNbWOk60KAIG0XGzZ6-Zxv24aFu8bm0-TxDeIOLXU4Hw8f4/s320/IMG_1104.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Get in my mouthhhhh</td></tr>
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We initially thought the North Shore would be less touristy but of course, by the time we got there, we were surrounded by Japanese tourists =P Our first stop was to find some wifi to find a beach and a washroom. Luckily, the first place we stopped had both and Matsumoto's shave ice! The shave ice is reasonably priced (~$3.50) plus we added condensed milk on top which sounds very sweet but it actually adds such an interesting texture and flavour to the shave ice. Before we left the plaza, Norm bought a spam t-shirt for himself and his brother. In a nearby surf shop, Surf N Sea, we bought a set of good quality snorkeling gear which makes a world of difference when snorkeling. Norm was stuck with the crappy snorkeling gear we bought for $12.99 at an ABC store since he's a way better swimmer than me =P</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Long lines</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfmGc8zBesa9ms5bghk_WKS1SuBj6en0GSxgDR5PWyNnG51vnuIKAYIRPMB7_-DqHGz_OW8tDAJ5dhvMOcGqdNYXfdC8vsTkkYmvobU9J2VauQRMtyKgXzcLcGT8b_s7jGDkmR1SqmEGE/s1600/IMG_1107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfmGc8zBesa9ms5bghk_WKS1SuBj6en0GSxgDR5PWyNnG51vnuIKAYIRPMB7_-DqHGz_OW8tDAJ5dhvMOcGqdNYXfdC8vsTkkYmvobU9J2VauQRMtyKgXzcLcGT8b_s7jGDkmR1SqmEGE/s320/IMG_1107.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matsumotoooo</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJB7x02jbb5FhEZ3m7ZKTkw8drKTzqGvj74ym18-88gDJSnw5vIKr4HHpkmgXX7f87rmS4ZVvN0GfPfDA7eqzx83g8latQc3elsmAiidLH67X742w8jpmEyN0THJ3G7zpcJn45Bq0Foak/s1600/IMG_1110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJB7x02jbb5FhEZ3m7ZKTkw8drKTzqGvj74ym18-88gDJSnw5vIKr4HHpkmgXX7f87rmS4ZVvN0GfPfDA7eqzx83g8latQc3elsmAiidLH67X742w8jpmEyN0THJ3G7zpcJn45Bq0Foak/s320/IMG_1110.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making our shave ice</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi33pOeRhmW-gFg2lC4gYO_Hz3GwbPKK6KxMjJnzh2TNfeDEen3cORMV7m_zwY4BKXBtaG5gmYP0_Ez5Q_IV11UGM5RRUAFCMQ4UYY7vzT9GFcJCr79wSKJMwogMsXk8KhvFVEDcgr6zSo/s1600/IMG_1112.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi33pOeRhmW-gFg2lC4gYO_Hz3GwbPKK6KxMjJnzh2TNfeDEen3cORMV7m_zwY4BKXBtaG5gmYP0_Ez5Q_IV11UGM5RRUAFCMQ4UYY7vzT9GFcJCr79wSKJMwogMsXk8KhvFVEDcgr6zSo/s320/IMG_1112.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Condensed milk topping...mmmMMMM</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE9ELrkKGAdCNb426OoSxDK9p-ysc99DpC1gzZLxb2aQ84qeNMOE-gXFwsLiWPE0ujxW4C0RfuseAnxKmCZuw6NUc47tUhfq7ACtYggvLdMbC8KoOfwfOnMIbmAnOVpTbtoK4QHXUNjE4/s1600/IMG_1120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE9ELrkKGAdCNb426OoSxDK9p-ysc99DpC1gzZLxb2aQ84qeNMOE-gXFwsLiWPE0ujxW4C0RfuseAnxKmCZuw6NUc47tUhfq7ACtYggvLdMbC8KoOfwfOnMIbmAnOVpTbtoK4QHXUNjE4/s320/IMG_1120.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aloha</td></tr>
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With our new snorkeling gear, we made our way to Turtle Bay and the name did not disappoint! There were so many huge turtles by the shore and in the water. For a while, we were snorkeling in the water and didn't see any turtles but then from the corner of my eye I saw something moving and it turned out to be a giant turtle! It was very startling and I almost panicked but good thing Norm was there. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWLaxh2gxZzFKa1QjzLVHrpo9GvOQ9BxAm5wrQZ2_25_obSU40qDZAlTcn-WjeMz83FWjEr2vXgtOBn4jIqlkXJGWmS1f8rcPzOo4JPeXefrMNEzKx-3q2OEcoWrvyM4wIW52_WEbTXvM/s1600/G0260232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWLaxh2gxZzFKa1QjzLVHrpo9GvOQ9BxAm5wrQZ2_25_obSU40qDZAlTcn-WjeMz83FWjEr2vXgtOBn4jIqlkXJGWmS1f8rcPzOo4JPeXefrMNEzKx-3q2OEcoWrvyM4wIW52_WEbTXvM/s320/G0260232.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chilling out by the shore</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG7QLAPtcmE1f5BgOVBycqtYp31rGVlN7Ghu6LLiKNp8joKxGV8Trja_8DtFAiTj0JGGz6FmcSQdoOQ1yC5RpTTbo3aw-CrVF73FENXRQuNRBJHBd_bPLEiBbPCpol2soaqkrBjL-4WqI/s1600/G0270256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG7QLAPtcmE1f5BgOVBycqtYp31rGVlN7Ghu6LLiKNp8joKxGV8Trja_8DtFAiTj0JGGz6FmcSQdoOQ1yC5RpTTbo3aw-CrVF73FENXRQuNRBJHBd_bPLEiBbPCpol2soaqkrBjL-4WqI/s320/G0270256.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Say cheese!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuJnqjsQck18zQ6iGjZkFiysmf47vok8Fe_bBUUqnAsXU2NH_aMH7e5jHOQ_UX10xfwvIJBLrNzs1XZSTqTB7TeS-_yaAnJpIGqmaYfAzxVLd93qEH-APrrPYMGwQoKkiDOxtqdsTewBQ/s1600/GOPR0312.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuJnqjsQck18zQ6iGjZkFiysmf47vok8Fe_bBUUqnAsXU2NH_aMH7e5jHOQ_UX10xfwvIJBLrNzs1XZSTqTB7TeS-_yaAnJpIGqmaYfAzxVLd93qEH-APrrPYMGwQoKkiDOxtqdsTewBQ/s320/GOPR0312.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panicking... Getting too close....!</td></tr>
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After swimming with the turtles, we drove around the North Shore to see if there was anything else to see. It was all very beautiful and scenic but it was mostly beach after beach after beach. We had our share of the beach so we made our way back to where we came from. On the way back we stopped at Waimea Valley, which we didn't pay to enter but it is a historical nature park. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRax-ZVFgQeAj6UR4zxBZ4coeV0VsMJIQFX13FD64TRE_gHHQEcftVhZrH641WFF2EnEjvy91zyoWQL9C0VH1IfoIOaT7kzbY8KXn359BkxcYD63P_YCylHhAbz8qP29MXv-h0KT_EUZI/s1600/IMG_1129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRax-ZVFgQeAj6UR4zxBZ4coeV0VsMJIQFX13FD64TRE_gHHQEcftVhZrH641WFF2EnEjvy91zyoWQL9C0VH1IfoIOaT7kzbY8KXn359BkxcYD63P_YCylHhAbz8qP29MXv-h0KT_EUZI/s320/IMG_1129.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Run Mandy Run</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH8XjTL3eaIhP2P6Rwc_GGScaVhMOn5aXIJZqc3_CGnWWVJ07j7aFS-FMw0eKxZbW8VYJYxb5lGEE8xmJgT0RKkPwrEoFo0jVcSyVrC5YhYom4c6nuQytC0BBcK_hVhkmcePD6O6fh314/s1600/IMG_1145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH8XjTL3eaIhP2P6Rwc_GGScaVhMOn5aXIJZqc3_CGnWWVJ07j7aFS-FMw0eKxZbW8VYJYxb5lGEE8xmJgT0RKkPwrEoFo0jVcSyVrC5YhYom4c6nuQytC0BBcK_hVhkmcePD6O6fh314/s320/IMG_1145.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What we saw without paying</td></tr>
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Before we left the North Shore, I debated getting another shave ice but instead we got some grub from Giovanni's Shrimp Truck which is located in a parking lot with a couple of other food trucks. The truck is eclectically decorated and the shrimp scampi was deeeelicious! Definitely worth the garlic breath after =P</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoC_PBamNoZYKFiyZgspo_umFgbkUpSjCssmrDix44dWZMHgFUeaI9eDdv8yoxy_JqOCNApNzgT6RzEz1RN21TGgwc2ysPFeEfmIik5fNDWGYP-WghYUT-uuS2RNSWmqZQH0iN2YvPbJQ/s1600/IMG_1158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoC_PBamNoZYKFiyZgspo_umFgbkUpSjCssmrDix44dWZMHgFUeaI9eDdv8yoxy_JqOCNApNzgT6RzEz1RN21TGgwc2ysPFeEfmIik5fNDWGYP-WghYUT-uuS2RNSWmqZQH0iN2YvPbJQ/s320/IMG_1158.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giovanni's eclectic food truck</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBDgfX_W7LZae_Btu84_vfKgJJ-sRH_GlTu8Pl_9zMDK8PMjI-OkWmUo3YrP5A5g1u9ZuWIZZUq1FnZT4nHockerKe__0R1GOK7NSIj2zDqpcWoUtsKmxL8FshWEREvDWz_jzwIfsrvnU/s1600/IMG_1161.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBDgfX_W7LZae_Btu84_vfKgJJ-sRH_GlTu8Pl_9zMDK8PMjI-OkWmUo3YrP5A5g1u9ZuWIZZUq1FnZT4nHockerKe__0R1GOK7NSIj2zDqpcWoUtsKmxL8FshWEREvDWz_jzwIfsrvnU/s320/IMG_1161.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shrimp scampi (hot hot sauce for Norm)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig1-YgIPC_GgkTBDACwszAD66O3lAbEmWDpk1d4LY6PmoHJUA4CikPWDxQpNUJV2jQSaC5XpItbsi0pX-t7OkZeu4RUY0uF21u_sin1UzKD5Z7TWYghBWNibppn7Kv84Z5qmpWI_qdhTM/s1600/IMG_1162.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig1-YgIPC_GgkTBDACwszAD66O3lAbEmWDpk1d4LY6PmoHJUA4CikPWDxQpNUJV2jQSaC5XpItbsi0pX-t7OkZeu4RUY0uF21u_sin1UzKD5Z7TWYghBWNibppn7Kv84Z5qmpWI_qdhTM/s320/IMG_1162.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pre-dinner</td></tr>
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By the time we got back to Honolulu, we dropped off our car and went to dinner at the Doraku Sushi located in the Royal Hawaiian Center. We realized that restaurants with two $$ on Yelp are actually $$$$$ :( The food was mediocre and pricey. At least before dinner we caught the end of a luau dance and after dinner I got a souped up shave ice :D</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdPcZlcaa71D8zNoRQxifjNfYs6sGrpLLOLMjejvZhoA6agY35cIK5M7FyGwQd11MlYQfBfjiBVufVWvKbf75ppuTV4POycF7dEj6oCA0NKHWyIbbajNjT-TJW4_BCIoA7gT_g5WGoM_Q/s1600/IMG_1176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdPcZlcaa71D8zNoRQxifjNfYs6sGrpLLOLMjejvZhoA6agY35cIK5M7FyGwQd11MlYQfBfjiBVufVWvKbf75ppuTV4POycF7dEj6oCA0NKHWyIbbajNjT-TJW4_BCIoA7gT_g5WGoM_Q/s320/IMG_1176.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our taste of a luau</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhFJdsKOXFlg2qekeb1Z2u6KBh2ljLLMEsrzdn1RNVrnRO6_hIi4l6gEC41RtlhlbKGCW3wIiZqBrv-1h1COZVFjwHqAQ-viYoKKDFeqzBFnJulZ-UjLsgnTLBiImVzZeKRzr3n3DZaTw/s1600/IMG_1180.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhFJdsKOXFlg2qekeb1Z2u6KBh2ljLLMEsrzdn1RNVrnRO6_hIi4l6gEC41RtlhlbKGCW3wIiZqBrv-1h1COZVFjwHqAQ-viYoKKDFeqzBFnJulZ-UjLsgnTLBiImVzZeKRzr3n3DZaTw/s320/IMG_1180.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Royal Hawaiian Center</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYr1k6u6ilFYhXsn5ZBhF6fI84DvIb4Pi0QL37AIxsHSDAU5ahcZ4rkwGMarpRkrGwZh7H9IQJmQ5RwLidJ7goafBXDfey8QdhX5MeVM2IVzfRgJ4iNFiFZto2tSJALurACZ27F8xMcXI/s1600/IMG_1188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYr1k6u6ilFYhXsn5ZBhF6fI84DvIb4Pi0QL37AIxsHSDAU5ahcZ4rkwGMarpRkrGwZh7H9IQJmQ5RwLidJ7goafBXDfey8QdhX5MeVM2IVzfRgJ4iNFiFZto2tSJALurACZ27F8xMcXI/s320/IMG_1188.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of a few photos we took together in Honolulu</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfZmS_bRCDuKuttt7FCl98zV1AlSUEF3XzzG3VXmpGHa8hpYi_i8F9pFQ31fgr9cuthYW3a6IpX25uvMYQo6H3tPKWgyI3gw-I46OchhxZ3yTB2fTWggNY4pXWuTDxhkhs0vGU9zWIS-4/s1600/IMG_1190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfZmS_bRCDuKuttt7FCl98zV1AlSUEF3XzzG3VXmpGHa8hpYi_i8F9pFQ31fgr9cuthYW3a6IpX25uvMYQo6H3tPKWgyI3gw-I46OchhxZ3yTB2fTWggNY4pXWuTDxhkhs0vGU9zWIS-4/s320/IMG_1190.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chirashi Don (looks better than it tastes)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3On-3jP_j2sMoXS3GJvGVl1MsFgOFvv6C1b9gmQ_vqTnqOR0FQmPTXtMe7XDUL7eENgQFOqWFnSrdumLeQ5bSUQyqPXQ3N2nn_HMuUMLPpsohQnT4aByClhsCN0Kti9Nk-zN6rnTmK4Y/s1600/IMG_1194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3On-3jP_j2sMoXS3GJvGVl1MsFgOFvv6C1b9gmQ_vqTnqOR0FQmPTXtMe7XDUL7eENgQFOqWFnSrdumLeQ5bSUQyqPXQ3N2nn_HMuUMLPpsohQnT4aByClhsCN0Kti9Nk-zN6rnTmK4Y/s320/IMG_1194.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shave ice with frozen yogurt, red beans, and mochi... :D</td></tr>
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Normandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382577662564834616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513043457313670860.post-61694629073094279642015-10-23T20:48:00.001-07:002015-10-23T20:48:56.174-07:00Honolulu: Pearl Harbour Day<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Our 10 day cruise has
finally come to an end. We had an amazing time getting to know Rony’s family
and Frony’s friends. We will definitely miss getting our room cleaned twice a
day, going to Windjammer/Park Café/Cascade for food, playing games with
everybody, enjoying new experiences with my family, and overall just travelling
with a big group of friends and family. On the other hand, Norm and I are
really looking forward to doing our own thing <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span>
<o:p></o:p></div>
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Everybody woke up around
7-8am to pack up their suitcases, grab a quick breakfast and make it off the
ship. My parents had a flight out of Honolulu back to Toronto that night at
10pm so Norm and I spent one more day with them. We got off the ship and walked
to the nearby Enterprise where we made a car rental reservation. Since a lot of
people made reservations at that Enterprise, it took over an hour to pick up
our car. Luckily we told my parents to wait at the cruise terminal and Frony,
Irene, and Jeff were with them for most of the time. For some reason, the
rental policy in Honolulu is that you bring the car back at the same gas level
you got it with. Our car had almost 0 gas so we had to visit the gas station
before picking up my parents. (How strange!) <o:p></o:p></div>
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The first stop after
picking up my parents was to drop off our luggage at our Airbnb. I read online
that there’s free parking on the street so we parked our car and nobody seemed
to have paid the parking meter and there were no signs. (We later got a parking
ticket and I realized we parked on the wrong street <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">L</span>) We rested for a few minutes
and we went to Marukame Udon for lunch. It was sweltering hot outside and it
wasn’t that comfortable eating hot noodle soup but the udon was delicious!! We
went before the lunch rush so we got our food with the quickness and slurped it
all down. My parents really liked it too since it was tasty and affordable.
After lunch we went back to our Airbnb (saw our parking ticket) and drove to
pearl harbour for a history lesson. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NlLyb7ECYaYwZ3kdBn2GxyXBjdiSxjfyWOnAuK6FLiUliClgxPO5rUtowQ11atG236rE_H1Rj8qQSeaN7jgyH2axXuaZepl3c_sDOWwDPqOeeOzi0nH4XPm7ygSzwGU29aLD0H8wU_E/s1600/IMG_8892.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NlLyb7ECYaYwZ3kdBn2GxyXBjdiSxjfyWOnAuK6FLiUliClgxPO5rUtowQ11atG236rE_H1Rj8qQSeaN7jgyH2axXuaZepl3c_sDOWwDPqOeeOzi0nH4XPm7ygSzwGU29aLD0H8wU_E/s320/IMG_8892.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fried chicken was def the best side</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS-NJhDfyOM5wRyGO1gc5aHlexYP222GTwJoheD3v7nZI0EA2Q_d_X_EGtpmj0jmZCSHC11f80vXk6D9d1eJzfyaAzwbvM_KXlSNErlbbWJPw9HnQDZRK6a3hJUqIMMHjJuxO_JeSB7Yc/s1600/IMG_8893.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS-NJhDfyOM5wRyGO1gc5aHlexYP222GTwJoheD3v7nZI0EA2Q_d_X_EGtpmj0jmZCSHC11f80vXk6D9d1eJzfyaAzwbvM_KXlSNErlbbWJPw9HnQDZRK6a3hJUqIMMHjJuxO_JeSB7Yc/s320/IMG_8893.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Niku is the bomb</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlwsj5XTQ70rsh6SOEXJJIKvw6mKTn3gkN9t8LGueN-LGZHkzPQGQYI6SMGbjh0fn9ccKMH9ISt8Jdv3fixfD4_5Cu2MEXKyv2Q0AYwVyyQAZ4U1-UV8VYXUIzUHxest7pbMz5Qv2Z4Ps/s1600/IMG_8894.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlwsj5XTQ70rsh6SOEXJJIKvw6mKTn3gkN9t8LGueN-LGZHkzPQGQYI6SMGbjh0fn9ccKMH9ISt8Jdv3fixfD4_5Cu2MEXKyv2Q0AYwVyyQAZ4U1-UV8VYXUIzUHxest7pbMz5Qv2Z4Ps/s320/IMG_8894.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy parents :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEges1c2kVl_y5o_ZIgVl-pHqnRAvUNufqcWPzv_KqW7HZnzK9bpWUAerTNr42DGtzlnm-kx74kjkDfVJJnqLc_0Y8PoTGftO9Rny0HniUuCkYGv7oiaqCFDIfw47c8guVhmg_oR2s7LnYQ/s1600/IMG_8895.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEges1c2kVl_y5o_ZIgVl-pHqnRAvUNufqcWPzv_KqW7HZnzK9bpWUAerTNr42DGtzlnm-kx74kjkDfVJJnqLc_0Y8PoTGftO9Rny0HniUuCkYGv7oiaqCFDIfw47c8guVhmg_oR2s7LnYQ/s320/IMG_8895.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Niku udon with shrimp tempura</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgff3WvV65GebCa6dr7LGXkUsxS8fA7K8gPqmUKKXVoVYh3cj5zt_cL_qLMIvlCgEhHb-hGO_UTyN9cDy_RJJ-M5_-O_Ig_JQJl9J289BPoiFuBSb4XiCIlUwEEZFNI4VbOXlKiZ_oa_o4/s1600/IMG_8896.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgff3WvV65GebCa6dr7LGXkUsxS8fA7K8gPqmUKKXVoVYh3cj5zt_cL_qLMIvlCgEhHb-hGO_UTyN9cDy_RJJ-M5_-O_Ig_JQJl9J289BPoiFuBSb4XiCIlUwEEZFNI4VbOXlKiZ_oa_o4/s320/IMG_8896.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Curry udon + spam mutsubi for Norm</td></tr>
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<o:p> </o:p>The Pearl Harbour
memorial site commemorates the 1941 Pearl Harbor Attack with a free 20-minute video
recap of what happened that day and a visit to the USS Arizona Memorial which
is built on top of the sunken USS Arizona ship. Similar to other memorial sites all over the world, Pearl Harbour
was very quaint and calm. We aren’t allowed to bring any bags or purses onto
the site but just a camera and whatever we can fit in our pocket. I pre-booked
tickets online with a $1.50 admin fee and we were supposed to meet with May to
give her the ticket. However, she was running late and I only got to see her
for a second before I ran back in line to watch the scheduled video. We also
ran into Susan and Ben with Rony’s parents there.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNTElMNMNes_2qS3DZ3qkzf85M26B1F6AypZq9ixm5gZRyi2FQ-WSnpZvYNkhMwWJKfOdkKbv2RW-FeZ7D_onIHEGx0cW3aaDZGg88c2A2TtlGGFpYcbfHBZwVNzZrb-n9carQe-Arheg/s1600/IMG_1085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNTElMNMNes_2qS3DZ3qkzf85M26B1F6AypZq9ixm5gZRyi2FQ-WSnpZvYNkhMwWJKfOdkKbv2RW-FeZ7D_onIHEGx0cW3aaDZGg88c2A2TtlGGFpYcbfHBZwVNzZrb-n9carQe-Arheg/s320/IMG_1085.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rare venture into the sun (it was hot!)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiism6d80EFhad8SheaJjwt-N0wPrF3flHBtpxPqg0hyphenhyphenp1MzEBR3igTXc0i6r-CPTDOCmkHFp0pUe8B6ym5FLbxnrUdu7QYE3DG7aJWGfLQI_eLI3HlJdlqD6sO1zMviM-QzZd5_ljXa-U/s1600/IMG_1088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiism6d80EFhad8SheaJjwt-N0wPrF3flHBtpxPqg0hyphenhyphenp1MzEBR3igTXc0i6r-CPTDOCmkHFp0pUe8B6ym5FLbxnrUdu7QYE3DG7aJWGfLQI_eLI3HlJdlqD6sO1zMviM-QzZd5_ljXa-U/s320/IMG_1088.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Facing the USS Arizona stern (back of the ship)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKYeMmw2dda2ar6bBNFxACpHH4ETW36elJCD5iSypprffMXXMLq1_L0xvJt4divInslYSw3nZbuYWrsxbI2v2g9BX1gWnjKgM_hgAWrtBFRe68nsmWwqaM2YSgFgEgBHNSDpN0kNfKcgk/s1600/IMG_1089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKYeMmw2dda2ar6bBNFxACpHH4ETW36elJCD5iSypprffMXXMLq1_L0xvJt4divInslYSw3nZbuYWrsxbI2v2g9BX1gWnjKgM_hgAWrtBFRe68nsmWwqaM2YSgFgEgBHNSDpN0kNfKcgk/s320/IMG_1089.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Memorial</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoGJP5FNIauZ4o02mk-XVYV70oQFz4BYiA_keZxiPlud4kS3ich9bYp7fyeiEJHkbIqGZ1636xgdtC8xbTIaNFaFuafOK1oi1ebXGgR27Qz5BMa7X6vGSVGuv9sSMF07tEkjDtEYR_0t0/s1600/IMG_1090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoGJP5FNIauZ4o02mk-XVYV70oQFz4BYiA_keZxiPlud4kS3ich9bYp7fyeiEJHkbIqGZ1636xgdtC8xbTIaNFaFuafOK1oi1ebXGgR27Qz5BMa7X6vGSVGuv9sSMF07tEkjDtEYR_0t0/s320/IMG_1090.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from the USS Arizona Memorial</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIraguK-niMzposr-oYkyXFF5tkDlD_jfJYpcJHqbsz1L0ElOtfJYOF_sityLvKBAC6cVomOOIUwAok6TyHrtkKdeEOJQpTvfiElxJgg5Ox-E4mqXCXOBGrVpvBcp6U1hwLtKhI7pSRhI/s1600/IMG_1092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIraguK-niMzposr-oYkyXFF5tkDlD_jfJYpcJHqbsz1L0ElOtfJYOF_sityLvKBAC6cVomOOIUwAok6TyHrtkKdeEOJQpTvfiElxJgg5Ox-E4mqXCXOBGrVpvBcp6U1hwLtKhI7pSRhI/s320/IMG_1092.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful day</td></tr>
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After spending a few
hours at the memorial site, sweating like crazy, we went to the Ala Moana
Centre for some air conditioning! Ala Moana is the largest mall in Hawaii but
we realized that it’s an open mall shopping centre which means it wasn’t as
cool as we would like it to be. My parents grabbed some food from the foodcourt
which was just as expensive as Marukame but definitely not as good. At the mall
we bumped into May, Jen, Chi, and Freeman. Most people were flying out that
night so we were bound to see them at all the touristy spots. Before we left
the mall, Norm and I found a Japanese food court which looked 1000 times better
than the food court my parents ate at <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">L</span>
We didn’t end up buy anything other than these green tea bread cubes. We picked
up my parents luggage from our Airbnb and off to the airport we went. Finally we’re
freeeee! =P We stopped by a Walmart on our way back to buy some macadamia nuts
as souvenirs and some KFC for a quick late night dinner. Tomorrow we’re off to
the North Shore for a different side of Honolulu!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Normandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382577662564834616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513043457313670860.post-35961341626171984962015-10-21T19:21:00.003-07:002015-10-21T19:21:33.355-07:00Land Day 3: Maui Maui<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Unfortunately today was our most uneventful day on land <span style="font-family: Wingdings;">L</span> We were originally
planning to join the Irene tour – renting a scooter and riding it around town
but the rental places didn’t have 32 scooters for us =P Instead we decided to
walk around town but there wasn’t much to see. We took a trolley into a nearby
“mall” which was had maybe 5 stores open and nothing worth seeing. We quickly
took the trolley back to our ship and waited for next bus into another strip
mall. This one was better but still nothing really worth seeing/doing. We had a
quick lunch at McDonald’s, checked out the Costco, had some more poke and went
back onto the ship. Some others took a taxi to a beach, we kind of wanted to go
but also didn’t mind going back on the boat since we still had almost another
week in Hawaii. We kind of regretted not going to the beach but we got to spend
some time in the main outdoor pool and sauna with Fannie.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQpj1qET-_eQGwtCXDg4OVf_6UH3ZzgzsMeaBrGPv5k-Y_wwM5HJSe4bnbMu6Nbw_nBYFmyLvUsuMytJlYpVAf8JPfDpNLxTlYR-PXnUdS3phqzqMiGazl69SF-G0IMUeGR5hO0B0WUFA/s1600/IMG_1070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQpj1qET-_eQGwtCXDg4OVf_6UH3ZzgzsMeaBrGPv5k-Y_wwM5HJSe4bnbMu6Nbw_nBYFmyLvUsuMytJlYpVAf8JPfDpNLxTlYR-PXnUdS3phqzqMiGazl69SF-G0IMUeGR5hO0B0WUFA/s320/IMG_1070.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trolley ride</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU_41FsxkZoxQiNG8CGN7Y8qlLaggqUuizI__pFbk4otsEXm70DG2pWlLsyoqb1xU8SYs70-RqTysmzy3PWHgkallQfNF_TK8VXwtDEUseXCIGl91TNzEozKxxNBNbRJ4YxGp98rIH9Ks/s1600/IMG_1072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU_41FsxkZoxQiNG8CGN7Y8qlLaggqUuizI__pFbk4otsEXm70DG2pWlLsyoqb1xU8SYs70-RqTysmzy3PWHgkallQfNF_TK8VXwtDEUseXCIGl91TNzEozKxxNBNbRJ4YxGp98rIH9Ks/s320/IMG_1072.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The parents</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpPef70uIBMzwnUwyJK0O2wlYAVSowguXbDkoUXXNQx1KtVPgzbtp9WwWXe9YPE1_iDQZsPTlB0xosNnvAuSOPa0Cm1C99Vz_I99OTxkUPo7Thlds9Im1onTG7GENNLzSFQOsChGfyaU4/s1600/IMG_1075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpPef70uIBMzwnUwyJK0O2wlYAVSowguXbDkoUXXNQx1KtVPgzbtp9WwWXe9YPE1_iDQZsPTlB0xosNnvAuSOPa0Cm1C99Vz_I99OTxkUPo7Thlds9Im1onTG7GENNLzSFQOsChGfyaU4/s320/IMG_1075.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Follow the tour guide!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoobbdFomkVlQk_rQXt8UchpOWLywH_jeLjsMKfyE9wu5hN3JGcH4wX_OgWhjbI17ZOAH0nOTfFxQ9MZKkBpev2AljGBNYGzuFJwgtWESvqcwhSChL34zd9hntLtxmNxOlRJphON4YS_s/s1600/IMG_1079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoobbdFomkVlQk_rQXt8UchpOWLywH_jeLjsMKfyE9wu5hN3JGcH4wX_OgWhjbI17ZOAH0nOTfFxQ9MZKkBpev2AljGBNYGzuFJwgtWESvqcwhSChL34zd9hntLtxmNxOlRJphON4YS_s/s320/IMG_1079.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We take over spaces everywhere we go</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
After that we had a light snack at Windjammer and off to
Cascade for our last dinner!! Yesterday the food for dinner at Windjammer
included a yummy yummy oxtail dish which we ate so much that the kitchen staff
had to make another batch immediately (oops!). Since we ate so much at
Windjammer we didn’t order too much at Cascade and our waiters were a bit
surprised (maybe even offended?). We made sure we didn’t eat as much as last
night because tonight’s dinner is our last meal with everyone!</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Usually after dinner we all do our own thing but a group
of us hang out and play games at Windjammer.
I joined a couple of nights (I would’ve joined more if Norm wasn’t
falling asleep every day at 11pm =P) and we made sure we stayed up late on our
last night. Even Norm stayed up! Everyone was awake so we played the werewolf
game and 2 rooms and a boom. Around 2-3am we all headed to bed. A couple of the
groomsmen tried having an after party in our room but we managed to kick them
out <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J </span>The cruise has been a fun, but long, 10 days and Norm and I are definitely looking forward to spending some alone time together.</div>
Normandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382577662564834616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513043457313670860.post-48412694871241176642015-10-14T19:39:00.000-07:002015-10-14T19:39:59.680-07:00Land Day #2: Kailua Kona, Big Island<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
We started the day off
early, especially Norm and Irene who woke up early to get tender tickets for
everybody. The port at Kailua Kona is too shallow for our cruise ship to dock
so we need to take small tender boats that can take up to 100 passengers to
shore. Tender days are definitely not ideal but at least the tender boat takes
us to a port to an area with lots of shops and restaurants! Poke round 2 here
we come!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA1PYErz4QDZXlI1oa_BUz0zJD4DvfinAe2mZKfprFpawng_PVwg0t7Xu063RL4ip3DQatNmh5Mh9xcGEPaPpJOnViprUfiKo0HOPh9sgZBETQqtcZ9w_RBxbSewBl3Gnw-veYTvX1pJ0/s1600/IMG_0998.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA1PYErz4QDZXlI1oa_BUz0zJD4DvfinAe2mZKfprFpawng_PVwg0t7Xu063RL4ip3DQatNmh5Mh9xcGEPaPpJOnViprUfiKo0HOPh9sgZBETQqtcZ9w_RBxbSewBl3Gnw-veYTvX1pJ0/s320/IMG_0998.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">May trying to survive the tender ride</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
We decided to join the
Irene tour again with my parents and a bunch of other people. The plan was to
take it easy, walk around old town, grab some food, and then relax on a beach.
Kailua Kona, or Kona for short, is on the west side of the Big Island. Because of
the large mountains on Big Island, the weather in Kona is mostly sunny and very
little rain while in Hilo, which is on the east side of Big Island, it is
mostly rainy. We definitely felt the difference; when we were walking in town,
we kept looking for shade or air conditioning. Luckily, we realized ABC
convenience stores are all over Hawaii and the air conditioning is always
blasting <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span>
We wandered to a farmers market and was able to buy some fresh fruit. We really
wanted to try Maui pineapple but we had to wait until Maui for that. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM4W7kqnPBG64o9aumhwrQTshi_0CPh9FQTKbgmI5xmxO3FdN3-raHZQqWbydZEN5W6fK4s7IRsPc4XPy6E7U9sR3kOplIorVi8DhB3ggAGIvqC62N_hCmq0-2CpJ7h-059spVEKlNHKI/s1600/IMG_1006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM4W7kqnPBG64o9aumhwrQTshi_0CPh9FQTKbgmI5xmxO3FdN3-raHZQqWbydZEN5W6fK4s7IRsPc4XPy6E7U9sR3kOplIorVi8DhB3ggAGIvqC62N_hCmq0-2CpJ7h-059spVEKlNHKI/s320/IMG_1006.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So hottttt</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmxqFzJIqU8cH83Afyy7THOWuBlpsUzQ3nrDaVdwG-4dh0d0j7Ui5l_Dxi5HdgJBIJpQqikmi4QSLhJa5d1FzGmolCWo2cAmakvFKBba2MTIz571tKszRmcRXI5gNpQ0Zi2sp2gywEf0/s1600/IMG_1015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmxqFzJIqU8cH83Afyy7THOWuBlpsUzQ3nrDaVdwG-4dh0d0j7Ui5l_Dxi5HdgJBIJpQqikmi4QSLhJa5d1FzGmolCWo2cAmakvFKBba2MTIz571tKszRmcRXI5gNpQ0Zi2sp2gywEf0/s320/IMG_1015.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our cruise ship</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR7jZ5WMUbY5Z57_WnDaKMM9LYLYVfXhnHLnSMuY0CB4hSG3ewDspxa4Gm4ztJT49VjJLNfd6Xd6UGFQ8QtZCMeHOu4yabit60Rqu6RXr_FjwJ35KWChAI2U_AG8OblO0RFVtoFA1MTxw/s1600/IMG_1020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR7jZ5WMUbY5Z57_WnDaKMM9LYLYVfXhnHLnSMuY0CB4hSG3ewDspxa4Gm4ztJT49VjJLNfd6Xd6UGFQ8QtZCMeHOu4yabit60Rqu6RXr_FjwJ35KWChAI2U_AG8OblO0RFVtoFA1MTxw/s320/IMG_1020.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rambutan</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkYEw8XUzWLwDkacl8WLqCmWe1FANHuTO7-Ju3i0vKtk1eovabGe0NQOzkw1M27jZdUlUP0qTilr2oerA5ocjWFMOQSVGdTpFd7jZttHQUnnDj4zmwv_8Tqb5vb0qZE8HMiIa26IxJcKw/s1600/IMG_1061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkYEw8XUzWLwDkacl8WLqCmWe1FANHuTO7-Ju3i0vKtk1eovabGe0NQOzkw1M27jZdUlUP0qTilr2oerA5ocjWFMOQSVGdTpFd7jZttHQUnnDj4zmwv_8Tqb5vb0qZE8HMiIa26IxJcKw/s320/IMG_1061.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bananas in pajamas.....</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Our next stop was a local
poke shop just 5 minutes away from the farmers market. (So glad some of us are
American and have data to use Yelp!) The line-up was quite long for the
restaurant but it was definitely worth it! Even though the poke was very
delicious, most of us thought the poke we ate the day before was even more delicious.
Might be because we were starving when we ate it yesterday but either way,
yesterday’s was definitely more bang for our buck.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNQIPiYQSDcn1XOtel3jZ0NoDboR1ukIhcA573S48N4QOyfkKZhyMeSsyCsPJm5QAS85ulUmB1Vkx9MiFm_HnGVitD-QQHi6Alyoy6hzM4llNMAaqsJzw4zWnVX7REqjOgaRO71WqTQGw/s1600/IMG_1021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNQIPiYQSDcn1XOtel3jZ0NoDboR1ukIhcA573S48N4QOyfkKZhyMeSsyCsPJm5QAS85ulUmB1Vkx9MiFm_HnGVitD-QQHi6Alyoy6hzM4llNMAaqsJzw4zWnVX7REqjOgaRO71WqTQGw/s320/IMG_1021.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kombucha (not bad)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNsfSmLwpYneEUyuswWf-NdlpOfGu1w_ijln68PT4IpxpbSYha8z49eD0sa6T3bcmzFbX2atGI7vm5XfAALw0rPo-fUqkEed04vj7-LL1NnFoAwfPrEQ9qoR-OQPEPakn0T49Qg8eLw5k/s1600/IMG_1024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNsfSmLwpYneEUyuswWf-NdlpOfGu1w_ijln68PT4IpxpbSYha8z49eD0sa6T3bcmzFbX2atGI7vm5XfAALw0rPo-fUqkEed04vj7-LL1NnFoAwfPrEQ9qoR-OQPEPakn0T49Qg8eLw5k/s320/IMG_1024.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poke from Umekes Ali'i Plaza</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzak-_CpgkusRJFEse9rFQ_7T75teFbQ4YBcGdJHihX1X26BrLGEylI8ttG7a0Ep4NPxMeY5xpdDObntFhpZ4caiH5ON919mcG_LqsPY8uwq1cUGzJLIt2vYjl1uYw6JKzqE9U7SUan2U/s1600/IMG_1026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzak-_CpgkusRJFEse9rFQ_7T75teFbQ4YBcGdJHihX1X26BrLGEylI8ttG7a0Ep4NPxMeY5xpdDObntFhpZ4caiH5ON919mcG_LqsPY8uwq1cUGzJLIt2vYjl1uYw6JKzqE9U7SUan2U/s320/IMG_1026.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hungry and hot</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3ZlO2tGBcGE7A-B0yd8EOK883_4u83hV7TdmZVIul4iwcvSmE-PDBEYqjkjW67lxX3pxPUIBD0IPsFZepGGjMx59i6210p0GZXlKoHk7MnAAiUAsznTTE4XvTkghBerW0QsJDkohvAA/s1600/IMG_1034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3ZlO2tGBcGE7A-B0yd8EOK883_4u83hV7TdmZVIul4iwcvSmE-PDBEYqjkjW67lxX3pxPUIBD0IPsFZepGGjMx59i6210p0GZXlKoHk7MnAAiUAsznTTE4XvTkghBerW0QsJDkohvAA/s320/IMG_1034.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fish for the next batch of poke</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
After lunch the parents
decided to slowly head back to the ship and we grabbed taxis to check out a
beach. The beach was not particularly beautiful compared to the other beaches
we’ve been to but the water was nice to snorkel in. I always had a little bit
of trouble snorkeling for a long time because I feel claustrophobic and fear
that I’m going to drown but on this vacation I got over the fear! I think
because I was using Irene’s fancy snorkel gear which makes a world of a
difference. We were able to see small and big sea turtles while snorkeling but
they were really close to shore and the current knocked us into the rocks and
we got cut up pretty bad <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">L</span>
Remember to wear water shoes kids! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2SQa90R_njTxrZeF64z5U6E9PQUu_EnrM45p3bK6EblTsLxvLe1E0-JgIJnMOO2rokPxhrpMlnqoYC-k3sCb-09E5F_oeavYuKL0rW8yXlZaHhsHgs8A1XY5mKJ_nHflmbmvFdVlrwME/s1600/IMG_1041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2SQa90R_njTxrZeF64z5U6E9PQUu_EnrM45p3bK6EblTsLxvLe1E0-JgIJnMOO2rokPxhrpMlnqoYC-k3sCb-09E5F_oeavYuKL0rW8yXlZaHhsHgs8A1XY5mKJ_nHflmbmvFdVlrwME/s320/IMG_1041.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who's that cutie</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWEXsn4Z0ADywnLikrYsQkifPK6InH-eLtlVjJcQzoo2ai3dc_C0HYzCCt6PFc5LlMiNVKmYBAMZhTLqNhCDWCZcZ8_zGfEAFMq_CGAS8X7TdnB0z2EK-Z1PnXoosCIs8UI8DuZJwxaY4/s1600/IMG_1048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWEXsn4Z0ADywnLikrYsQkifPK6InH-eLtlVjJcQzoo2ai3dc_C0HYzCCt6PFc5LlMiNVKmYBAMZhTLqNhCDWCZcZ8_zGfEAFMq_CGAS8X7TdnB0z2EK-Z1PnXoosCIs8UI8DuZJwxaY4/s320/IMG_1048.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heyyyy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5YZ9vq3CPS6FOakKRTDCqEjRnZqlx3ZOpAZGg2Q_aKhbGLQ0rIem10-SMrQsME36-YmpfyzLu7hU17Yge9RdZ32HM_1BQ7YH2FrF_YmDmMkEAIHH6mLkqEanmK0u1Q91Gg1C8XJYSHjE/s1600/IMG_1058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5YZ9vq3CPS6FOakKRTDCqEjRnZqlx3ZOpAZGg2Q_aKhbGLQ0rIem10-SMrQsME36-YmpfyzLu7hU17Yge9RdZ32HM_1BQ7YH2FrF_YmDmMkEAIHH6mLkqEanmK0u1Q91Gg1C8XJYSHjE/s320/IMG_1058.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first Hawaiian shaved ice</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
While waiting four our
taxi van to get to the beach, I tried my first Hawaiian shaved ice. For a
shaved ice from a truck, it was really refreshing and delicious. Our taxi
finally arrived and we were on our way back to old town. On our way back, we
saw Will T. playing beach volleyball and then when we were walking around old
town, we saw him again on an electric bike! I guess when a 2000+ cruise ship
goes to a small town, you’re bound to bump into friends. Our last stop was
another ABC store to buy some famous Kona coffee to bring back home. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbqQPmhWnWUOq4w7B1eFHzRUGmBoNPfPMpozM4SCemjAIiHXwG11D1wKb4EsKIapaxzGodNckTEuE4k9rmCyxxkFBBUwpmXIOZl_f3SVZsa9lpKHLYPmKDXXyf1cSfKorfu6WWIcXdVSw/s1600/IMG_1063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbqQPmhWnWUOq4w7B1eFHzRUGmBoNPfPMpozM4SCemjAIiHXwG11D1wKb4EsKIapaxzGodNckTEuE4k9rmCyxxkFBBUwpmXIOZl_f3SVZsa9lpKHLYPmKDXXyf1cSfKorfu6WWIcXdVSw/s320/IMG_1063.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hey Will!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWbmxta_m73jWXc3dpHNOKvqC7zlZYBJUJrzOrRSqiaoS3WQ5NOfp-zRAJDJYsEhDQpGzxcpaSVd4QBYE41b6iLEP8T4ZXvYRg5hFT0uf42er3Z31nJuYSZFRYcbgU6pKg8477tgarS2M/s1600/IMG_1065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWbmxta_m73jWXc3dpHNOKvqC7zlZYBJUJrzOrRSqiaoS3WQ5NOfp-zRAJDJYsEhDQpGzxcpaSVd4QBYE41b6iLEP8T4ZXvYRg5hFT0uf42er3Z31nJuYSZFRYcbgU6pKg8477tgarS2M/s320/IMG_1065.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bye Kona!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
That night we went to
Cascade for dinner and either played games, went to the casino or chilled in
our stateroom until bed. It’s tiring to have so many land days back to back.... <o:p></o:p></div>
Normandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382577662564834616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513043457313670860.post-65996160677083367742015-10-12T16:59:00.002-07:002015-10-14T18:42:55.468-07:00Yay for Land - Hilo, Big Island<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
After six long days at
sea, everyone was super happy to touch down on solid land. Though the floor was
no longer rocking, as soon as we got off, we were in for a rude awakening
regarding how hot Hawaii is. Rather than following an excursion from the cruise
(most of which were overpriced), we decided to piggy back Rony’s sister’s (Irene's) car
rental. We rented a van and visited the Hilo volcano, which is located in
a national park. It was cool to see an
active volcano and all the strange terrain that comes along with it.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgudNvF4oytx_kfCSClQkN9cuBdTmL6tf38bVMVZ3P-ixh4VIP1F5ocgWvXdiWYXLu7Hl8XRg6hZ33A-HEaERtHi7kmDND7p8kyKgyBSNhDNydHfcEvF2dluyEACNehXOn0mlngO08mvto/s1600/IMG_0726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgudNvF4oytx_kfCSClQkN9cuBdTmL6tf38bVMVZ3P-ixh4VIP1F5ocgWvXdiWYXLu7Hl8XRg6hZ33A-HEaERtHi7kmDND7p8kyKgyBSNhDNydHfcEvF2dluyEACNehXOn0mlngO08mvto/s320/IMG_0726.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Landdddddd</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
When we first arrived, we
checked out the sulfur plains, which were tinged yellow from the sulfur
escaping underneath cracks in the floor. There was a wooden bridge/trail for us
to walk on and we followed it closely, knowing that if you ventured off the
path, there was a chance that you could fall through the floor and be scalded
by the steam escaping. From then, we drove out to a lookout to get a vantage
point of the volcano. It was a large crater, with steam escaping in the middle
– quite a sight to see. From then, we checked out some underground caves that
were created from the volcano. It was dark and quite wet in those caves, but
overall, nothing super special to see. We also continually bumped into Fannie,
Rony and their family as their tour group remained right on our tails behind
us. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAuwmextByLaFZK6kV9canfeW77FSJKWA0j8I48DbfSrdMH-JkRiFlhNnJ_tU_UC9Hm4SONgCVUvnwDcSd7BgINztCkKrsvsoZ6WXg-_jG3jvAiAwSbNKqHtWDpzx3BfAkyMHnx4TcyNM/s1600/IMG_0740.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAuwmextByLaFZK6kV9canfeW77FSJKWA0j8I48DbfSrdMH-JkRiFlhNnJ_tU_UC9Hm4SONgCVUvnwDcSd7BgINztCkKrsvsoZ6WXg-_jG3jvAiAwSbNKqHtWDpzx3BfAkyMHnx4TcyNM/s320/IMG_0740.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The weather in Hilo was cold and then hot....</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipA25YpgaZF0ScwJmlxwRURXVYgwGov8Rvjrq8ALKKhquQ8igCjanF6q0kQdIFvZ3kj5b5ulgIX4YOIrD9db6IyJoKqB6ioQ9k59o_wdtNeC2F8x73YlDxrBqbd6aRmA0kN6gE7rlVZB0/s1600/IMG_0749.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipA25YpgaZF0ScwJmlxwRURXVYgwGov8Rvjrq8ALKKhquQ8igCjanF6q0kQdIFvZ3kj5b5ulgIX4YOIrD9db6IyJoKqB6ioQ9k59o_wdtNeC2F8x73YlDxrBqbd6aRmA0kN6gE7rlVZB0/s320/IMG_0749.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Did somebody fart?! =P</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx4u4i3ZeKHbAyulfYOOgnt74T1wFJhhNSIXIwmFaYr-fIqQLdh9JF-Da11n8Eo_wIMQdZHh0liRTWpsxIaE6j6xYs6sLO0ckSkmpGa6Zk4Evw0k1sSgQgRSZ1WDZsJsYrTUVncZIngWI/s1600/IMG_0758.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx4u4i3ZeKHbAyulfYOOgnt74T1wFJhhNSIXIwmFaYr-fIqQLdh9JF-Da11n8Eo_wIMQdZHh0liRTWpsxIaE6j6xYs6sLO0ckSkmpGa6Zk4Evw0k1sSgQgRSZ1WDZsJsYrTUVncZIngWI/s320/IMG_0758.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The crew minus 1</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAerUg9FVEf-zyS0hFZsmBpSUp5VSQhULfePfk5rHWKJbyoyjavtEZ3iLAx-a8jaWGgB40JC49qH9IDBXheWeJaJOc7MhlaQZx2k9n4YoujF5JZMuBupOxzO1lgWCiaGidzAOzqP5MLys/s1600/IMG_0766.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAerUg9FVEf-zyS0hFZsmBpSUp5VSQhULfePfk5rHWKJbyoyjavtEZ3iLAx-a8jaWGgB40JC49qH9IDBXheWeJaJOc7MhlaQZx2k9n4YoujF5JZMuBupOxzO1lgWCiaGidzAOzqP5MLys/s320/IMG_0766.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reunited for 5 minutes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmlKqJTGMkm5G-a8RniY9Weibqt0dBhYggy_SRIUJAkP_wnv5fjTCxlOt8jVDg0IFMsq3jNNNw981ILH4tIRR5eeaH14rva2BktmpPJajQ9sJGtghjWS5_3zBJFl86vTic_w5apSdKFa0/s1600/IMG_0818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmlKqJTGMkm5G-a8RniY9Weibqt0dBhYggy_SRIUJAkP_wnv5fjTCxlOt8jVDg0IFMsq3jNNNw981ILH4tIRR5eeaH14rva2BktmpPJajQ9sJGtghjWS5_3zBJFl86vTic_w5apSdKFa0/s320/IMG_0818.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hilo known for its active volcanoes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPUuhaO5YiNaSwxeJbpZ6gRr6cLwDRCaAoH5QZmc81MYgqx3pKq9pPI97US9pO608WrDadPjhuEi0zmbfmW6_K3uqyDtYqFe5RwUSk5EuIhFMipFEaRwMjdeLlyLx_ED97PJWu8XrpMzY/s1600/IMG_0849.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPUuhaO5YiNaSwxeJbpZ6gRr6cLwDRCaAoH5QZmc81MYgqx3pKq9pPI97US9pO608WrDadPjhuEi0zmbfmW6_K3uqyDtYqFe5RwUSk5EuIhFMipFEaRwMjdeLlyLx_ED97PJWu8XrpMzY/s320/IMG_0849.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cave hiking</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
From then, we initially planned on seeing the black sand
beach at the edge of the plain, but while we were stopping by, we drove through
Devastation Plains, a valley of black, scorched volcano earth with little else
to see. It was really unique to see that kind of terrain, and we got out of our
car to see. The rock was sharp, jagged, and black, the colour of molten lava
after it has cooled. However, the heat and pressure create several uniquely
colour rocks and cool, folded patterns in the ground. We saw lava formations
after they have covered trees (‘lava trees’). However, even in this wasteland,
we saw plants growing out of the ground. Life has a way of existing, it looks
like. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkNWwgzprJXedsX6m5zeO1J40A1zw600hCXH5xndFuQEaNqv4LcpU04zWxvFCWP65mTgjEsE6G8DnJ5zTBM2Y6G8NSMhRh2TgBoG52JmAyo4J9jdp5hBpKoXPJrCNUCgwuXr1lUYPG5Sw/s1600/IMG_0890.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkNWwgzprJXedsX6m5zeO1J40A1zw600hCXH5xndFuQEaNqv4LcpU04zWxvFCWP65mTgjEsE6G8DnJ5zTBM2Y6G8NSMhRh2TgBoG52JmAyo4J9jdp5hBpKoXPJrCNUCgwuXr1lUYPG5Sw/s320/IMG_0890.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at all the black stuff...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiV1sWSgPsbdmQFdWu0z8hxQ3jhZx2-5TqVoNcpA6zimo-gKu4C6eBD3oxRMk4pTbJPPUGhNF0nIzDZjSDp2cv8BHuW241yke_XG2Ws-1XRpjHUn2T9siD-aGoCUD1e3ps3gDvNeYGLLU/s1600/IMG_0903.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiV1sWSgPsbdmQFdWu0z8hxQ3jhZx2-5TqVoNcpA6zimo-gKu4C6eBD3oxRMk4pTbJPPUGhNF0nIzDZjSDp2cv8BHuW241yke_XG2Ws-1XRpjHUn2T9siD-aGoCUD1e3ps3gDvNeYGLLU/s320/IMG_0903.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...and more black stuff!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Afterwards, we continued
our drive to the edge of the island. We had to stop, as the road was closed and
our plans to check out the black sand beach was cut short, as we were informed
that it would be a 11 mile hike to and from to check out the beach. However, we
were not disappointed, as the drive and landscapes to the beach were
breathtaking. Blue skies, clear water, rolling hills of black volcano rock
interspersed with green Hawaiian vegetation, it was beautiful. But rather than
describing it, here are some photos:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkuizkwDGoJI8vvf6EH1dtxZnrnA_fUq8-WFYeezVVkR9JsvxIlSo6OZ9-6nC2W18FP5FDDFpT2XcwcS_JPQcXV6ShuMe8T1bea5er-EVhy5denZ2Cfn9SIw93D3oJapzlGDTof2W3ruU/s1600/IMG_0950.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkuizkwDGoJI8vvf6EH1dtxZnrnA_fUq8-WFYeezVVkR9JsvxIlSo6OZ9-6nC2W18FP5FDDFpT2XcwcS_JPQcXV6ShuMe8T1bea5er-EVhy5denZ2Cfn9SIw93D3oJapzlGDTof2W3ruU/s320/IMG_0950.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Hilo is so scenic</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnmPODQJJRsvUIh4H_c8-a_NVjoQ-s3qVUmIFMODAzVVm_R7dzACpxhyphenhyphenEZWlqI7W17qE4kpdr4UtKFm4WgbpFzkclLEUhF0y5iHiT2Np7wL1Pkmv0kMsp-5dZ2m6NvjgdWATZlT9gnX0U/s1600/IMG_0980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnmPODQJJRsvUIh4H_c8-a_NVjoQ-s3qVUmIFMODAzVVm_R7dzACpxhyphenhyphenEZWlqI7W17qE4kpdr4UtKFm4WgbpFzkclLEUhF0y5iHiT2Np7wL1Pkmv0kMsp-5dZ2m6NvjgdWATZlT9gnX0U/s320/IMG_0980.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">"Is it worth it??"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Lastly, we got back into
the car and realized we haven’t eaten since breakfast on the boat. Eager to try
some Hawaiian dishes, we quickly yelped a hole-in-the-wall poke shop. Though
the interior was quite poor, many locals were coming in to order food. Maybe
because we were so hungry, but that poke was delicious and was a good
introduction to Hawaiian cuisine. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZf0ac_uwd8MQLQfXQtmb32rfxetYe1ozdRL2AonDI0d_VJu78xAM93XabuUoEmAV_NevXlOkrbRIS_ZcR1qxGRrttnU9b1XmxFxQNWuPPeXJspt1H0DWX_ZDyH_TKIkWK3SyY1AFw09w/s1600/IMG_0988.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZf0ac_uwd8MQLQfXQtmb32rfxetYe1ozdRL2AonDI0d_VJu78xAM93XabuUoEmAV_NevXlOkrbRIS_ZcR1qxGRrttnU9b1XmxFxQNWuPPeXJspt1H0DWX_ZDyH_TKIkWK3SyY1AFw09w/s320/IMG_0988.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first poke bowl</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7veeOgi-7_9cfac2n4glp8sDisLEEbKhoz0M-hX1Gy-GdMwhY87SVOEOuzCsAD10nT_izJCKTsXetJTAg5trmWS3Y1N8-R0REEqObb1sU1sCu2K85Z9iJMIaZs9qelmFyin4yR5DF9pU/s1600/IMG_0989.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7veeOgi-7_9cfac2n4glp8sDisLEEbKhoz0M-hX1Gy-GdMwhY87SVOEOuzCsAD10nT_izJCKTsXetJTAg5trmWS3Y1N8-R0REEqObb1sU1sCu2K85Z9iJMIaZs9qelmFyin4yR5DF9pU/s320/IMG_0989.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So hungryyyyy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
We spent our last hour on
land checking out another nearby black sand beach, where sea turtles are known
to frolic. We were really short on time, and the rocks were extremely jagged.
Mandy and I snorkeled for about 10 minutes before we were ushered to get back
to the car. I had cut the heel of my foot, which would end up annoying me for
the following several days of walking. We made it back to the boat and enjoy
the rest of the day just chillaxing. Pre-diner, then regular dinner, then sleep
for me!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUPoiBseoR5nwZeUXJwKq3QQ26H7sHumVNov_AsfjFIFWtM9kgl6UstJBkCHuWp8hJECbtuQw9QuKfYj9i3Fvw_DgSZDeG_gxPVdQDvH9D7lurO6hd5GxGVTJDsqDUaengqk4qMHN9jww/s1600/IMG_0992.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUPoiBseoR5nwZeUXJwKq3QQ26H7sHumVNov_AsfjFIFWtM9kgl6UstJBkCHuWp8hJECbtuQw9QuKfYj9i3Fvw_DgSZDeG_gxPVdQDvH9D7lurO6hd5GxGVTJDsqDUaengqk4qMHN9jww/s320/IMG_0992.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black sand beach</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwiwYcNOjgRfg3ncrGlqwO9HtBs9WzVsioHSygLFV7t1Dt5mIW9IUH25knUu1fVjqtj7_KXk0KYFkONq0PbxW4HhnFeUS_frUUSD3uILBIwnDqJRQHF3VTq-dk3Pc6C1kAfJKDxALaZw/s1600/IMG_0995.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwiwYcNOjgRfg3ncrGlqwO9HtBs9WzVsioHSygLFV7t1Dt5mIW9IUH25knUu1fVjqtj7_KXk0KYFkONq0PbxW4HhnFeUS_frUUSD3uILBIwnDqJRQHF3VTq-dk3Pc6C1kAfJKDxALaZw/s320/IMG_0995.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The last of the black stuff</td></tr>
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Normandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382577662564834616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513043457313670860.post-7144899743372832802015-10-12T16:37:00.000-07:002015-10-12T16:37:00.225-07:00Frony 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Today is the fourth day at sea and it is also the day
where Fannie and Rony are getting married. We have been early anticipating this
day, and it was a hectic one. Fannie and her bridesmaids (including Mandy)
started off with a spa day. I spent the morning playing video games on my phone
but then helped with the preparations at the restaurant, including making a
photo wall, putting up the decorations and setting up a photo booth where
people can take pictures and hang them up. I was also designated
backup-to-the-backup photographer in case the two photographers ahead of me
took bad pictures. It was a good way to work on my photography skills and I
actually ended up with quite a few good shots. After the girls finished at the
spa, they started getting ready and I was busy taking pictures of them getting
ready for the big moment. I then took some pictures of the groom and his
groomsmen as we headed off to the helipad of the boat. I must say, it was a
beautiful sunny day and it is very easy to take good pictures when you have
such amazing light.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif_CNLzVLXtQVGvUbJ0jy-4qVmlLD50IBg3-0YGrkUCBHpWmGYZDO80N-xrSKBAEm0TcgvZL-v0ROAXynwjs7T5zQf1s_cDmXdLZ7cWgDmPwYOPEH_VuBgLPrqNYssqgTmd7hZSmM-brw/s1600/IMG_0133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif_CNLzVLXtQVGvUbJ0jy-4qVmlLD50IBg3-0YGrkUCBHpWmGYZDO80N-xrSKBAEm0TcgvZL-v0ROAXynwjs7T5zQf1s_cDmXdLZ7cWgDmPwYOPEH_VuBgLPrqNYssqgTmd7hZSmM-brw/s320/IMG_0133.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting ready for the big day the night before</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-HigpiRTsunXpGCPCpkAPzr6exD4qevN-_MN1fRdM3HmbS7kbicnno2qGWFP9P7k_G7VAK5NpIyhRuCLOvRQP0Zr01X_Z8ADbk6VZRHBz87ZzjgSMkTccl2Ihbzq65N01OobA5hirdWA/s1600/IMG_0153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-HigpiRTsunXpGCPCpkAPzr6exD4qevN-_MN1fRdM3HmbS7kbicnno2qGWFP9P7k_G7VAK5NpIyhRuCLOvRQP0Zr01X_Z8ADbk6VZRHBz87ZzjgSMkTccl2Ihbzq65N01OobA5hirdWA/s320/IMG_0153.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The personal notes for everyone</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_iZLbKsLoKPq8b2y22ZZI61Je6JIu2jiibsHfWGaCeNVCnVYN2XckKEBTaPlnU4STahg5-yiZROj-FLtWmtDRte5ZsGMfnQM7K1ts3Obc1HKHuEv4DHeexksgJQ9aSYp-x4XKz01JfbM/s1600/IMG_0168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_iZLbKsLoKPq8b2y22ZZI61Je6JIu2jiibsHfWGaCeNVCnVYN2XckKEBTaPlnU4STahg5-yiZROj-FLtWmtDRte5ZsGMfnQM7K1ts3Obc1HKHuEv4DHeexksgJQ9aSYp-x4XKz01JfbM/s320/IMG_0168.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The excited bride to be</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKJdZhFKwOOtd-09kvejuWZhc2gaROar_uCez38xGifrUkLPPmpfmW9hmzeawqvN39GONJ-bANucLNIsCcoq0VNbStTEwoZ3S2PZaX4y0Pg8hUOb3WQ0Bn_xqXGeMFejg563GuMV0pCY8/s1600/IMG_0212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKJdZhFKwOOtd-09kvejuWZhc2gaROar_uCez38xGifrUkLPPmpfmW9hmzeawqvN39GONJ-bANucLNIsCcoq0VNbStTEwoZ3S2PZaX4y0Pg8hUOb3WQ0Bn_xqXGeMFejg563GuMV0pCY8/s320/IMG_0212.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breakfast with the bridesmaids</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNPpys_fygKDlsClxeT-MBJEUeYHaMvS-DB7PXOcGEiLlW4lJ0N1XEUa1aKx3VbAn3HC-tsnVsW5XBEvoenDpCvFtMbhiAP-eUYxNyljlEN8YzsVlIGaYlC85LI9MxQKJ_5-eq7Vi4NXQ/s1600/IMG_0213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNPpys_fygKDlsClxeT-MBJEUeYHaMvS-DB7PXOcGEiLlW4lJ0N1XEUa1aKx3VbAn3HC-tsnVsW5XBEvoenDpCvFtMbhiAP-eUYxNyljlEN8YzsVlIGaYlC85LI9MxQKJ_5-eq7Vi4NXQ/s320/IMG_0213.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bride + MOH :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaEZ1KZANS0gVdgtidQ4xFJVJxXxZgtmxGShhY3QHuTzQ7j0-eAOL9538xsup-m9gnA2YJsI5NT16q0OdK3BxIvIEg-zypr9QWdycpO9O5N1ttKBm-CwpCTeIUcD09h2n2LkHRfOlwBW4/s1600/IMG_0250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaEZ1KZANS0gVdgtidQ4xFJVJxXxZgtmxGShhY3QHuTzQ7j0-eAOL9538xsup-m9gnA2YJsI5NT16q0OdK3BxIvIEg-zypr9QWdycpO9O5N1ttKBm-CwpCTeIUcD09h2n2LkHRfOlwBW4/s320/IMG_0250.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More prepping</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUFSpbLtQBnpwFt-8RwmC6FSq_pCgFf9xH7DlggvU1W-ClUG5Qjo4NJWcsWOpoRY1S4EKGVyYeVjeLva1Zp2JgFk6RbqvKxhUYCJtJ4PvCLrL6qgIFKsIMkwOgO7gvjso2QpWe2_3dL6I/s1600/IMG_0267.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUFSpbLtQBnpwFt-8RwmC6FSq_pCgFf9xH7DlggvU1W-ClUG5Qjo4NJWcsWOpoRY1S4EKGVyYeVjeLva1Zp2JgFk6RbqvKxhUYCJtJ4PvCLrL6qgIFKsIMkwOgO7gvjso2QpWe2_3dL6I/s320/IMG_0267.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting our hair done</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVx8B3agxuohYDDc2huleaYCj9xDVIZ6YI2oTIGvjjPirM2MJWXL8h3yOivEUrJFV9GsT9dl2ym1HQjjtkGtiwaQlY8KwikO3blJMCq3JicQkefTxNRvoiblJnRy37wy5Q28YtZWFNL_o/s1600/IMG_0385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVx8B3agxuohYDDc2huleaYCj9xDVIZ6YI2oTIGvjjPirM2MJWXL8h3yOivEUrJFV9GsT9dl2ym1HQjjtkGtiwaQlY8KwikO3blJMCq3JicQkefTxNRvoiblJnRy37wy5Q28YtZWFNL_o/s320/IMG_0385.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boys being silly</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9afv9eVCt2CAm8L-7hJoAWT8EzMR0Ydsx8z_UC815kNWcPJZ5-ip3x62OsRV52ZkFlwVnNfew9YzsGnbMi0Gy4xkp9nYG3gdzbaKfXcPBXtfjsV1jeR-YwDT94w-2zGxtaf5prYUK1Qg/s1600/IMG_0422.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9afv9eVCt2CAm8L-7hJoAWT8EzMR0Ydsx8z_UC815kNWcPJZ5-ip3x62OsRV52ZkFlwVnNfew9YzsGnbMi0Gy4xkp9nYG3gdzbaKfXcPBXtfjsV1jeR-YwDT94w-2zGxtaf5prYUK1Qg/s320/IMG_0422.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So prettyyy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
The wedding ceremony
began at the 13<sup>th</sup> floor of the boat at Starquest. There, the
nuptials were performed and the ceremony took place. Fannie and Rony traded
vows and a lot of people in the room were holding back tears. From then, we
headed out to the helipad again for yet more photos. After literally thousands
of pictures later between the three photographers, it was time for dinner.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_0DN32TnrFIPJHLba5ybWbR0qKwNJTF9MbiX-tiw-kthBYGhOP3dlnw9-RGkBvY-gF0SqaAMcwCEyiy5TlLK0kKo3lTxuZYfmnbI8B2Caq7DlalDqDP1qnV-tYs8EqZB8d13g3FMbWKs/s1600/IMG_0513.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_0DN32TnrFIPJHLba5ybWbR0qKwNJTF9MbiX-tiw-kthBYGhOP3dlnw9-RGkBvY-gF0SqaAMcwCEyiy5TlLK0kKo3lTxuZYfmnbI8B2Caq7DlalDqDP1qnV-tYs8EqZB8d13g3FMbWKs/s320/IMG_0513.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happily married couple <3 td=""></3></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD_5VfW7-NoRL58xY5iLWdxWwCMBgzwtKevV4V27bpHCbBzJi8LcvVPY4clqIPxJIxsmTYmjdUQvHdSC14E7FcVKBzLZC_clFVDqcPOLWklSIlR0PLRqJNna_0VfO2Vvicf-Q_JUURwok/s1600/IMG_0551.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD_5VfW7-NoRL58xY5iLWdxWwCMBgzwtKevV4V27bpHCbBzJi8LcvVPY4clqIPxJIxsmTYmjdUQvHdSC14E7FcVKBzLZC_clFVDqcPOLWklSIlR0PLRqJNna_0VfO2Vvicf-Q_JUURwok/s320/IMG_0551.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small but excited crowd</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRUnBlK1YMh9SDrVbohW57SBYOArCM1dlEMZ0Hhc1LR-tUdG6jddeGvBF-sd6mFBaIpvBiqAn7wCE-tQrl2XQfWw34z3QSPdkAc8zkbUH4ASmrq0ncbIprDiXKm6S7OqRgwDVVvEgk9bU/s1600/IMG_0698.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRUnBlK1YMh9SDrVbohW57SBYOArCM1dlEMZ0Hhc1LR-tUdG6jddeGvBF-sd6mFBaIpvBiqAn7wCE-tQrl2XQfWw34z3QSPdkAc8zkbUH4ASmrq0ncbIprDiXKm6S7OqRgwDVVvEgk9bU/s320/IMG_0698.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perfect weather</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Rather than eating at the
typical Cascades restaurant, we booked out Giovanni’s restaurant on the boat.
There, the food and wine flowed non-stop. Antipasti, pasta, gnocchi, lamb
chops, shrimp came out in large quantities. People were already full after
appetizers! However, the most popular food item was the <b>bread</b>, in anticipation for all the drinking that was to take place
that evening. Rony made this silly vow that the groom has to vomit at every
wedding, and now that vow has caught up to him. He had his groomsmen to help to take drinks on his behalf and even
enlisted me to take on one of his family members, who was intent on getting
Rony super drunk. To do that, I chugged nearly a bottle of wine against his
Ben, who is Rony’s cousin’s husband. We also played a lot of funny games, where
Rony would have to feel volunteers’ hands while blindfolded to see whether he
could identify Fannie’s hand. Fannie did the same game, but instead of feeling
and identifying hands, she had to correctly identify Rony’s butt while
blindfolded. The maid-of-honour (Mandy) and the best man (Mendy) also gave out
riveting wedding speeches.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqj15n66D5mEH4laLQsVYH-4j64v1hh66HwK_gettOLo-xAz-xlYKCtfPHDP5vQXu66u8k6D0WYiX7IYxUYA8o6Z4i3FM4oPE9uqCAZyE89yKGJHEB6Sg3weGsTavW-0G5FUQcZVWk7GM/s1600/IMG_0704.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqj15n66D5mEH4laLQsVYH-4j64v1hh66HwK_gettOLo-xAz-xlYKCtfPHDP5vQXu66u8k6D0WYiX7IYxUYA8o6Z4i3FM4oPE9uqCAZyE89yKGJHEB6Sg3weGsTavW-0G5FUQcZVWk7GM/s320/IMG_0704.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First dance</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
After all the food came
to a close, we headed up to the 13<sup>th</sup> floor for a night of open bar
and dancing. There were many dance moves made immortal (pew pew pew), servers
that wouldn’t serve us 30 shots at once, many people getting sick and just
overall a good time. But most importantly, Rony and Fannie are now married!
Congrats to the married couple!</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p></o:p></div>
Normandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382577662564834616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513043457313670860.post-46025226630946257682015-10-12T15:51:00.000-07:002015-10-12T15:51:24.020-07:00Cruising <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
To simplify the entries for our sea days (since they are
by-and-large very similar), we decided to consolidate our sea days into one
entry, with the one exception being Fannie and Rony’s wedding day. Essentially,
our days would consist of waking up, and heading either to Windjammer (the
ship’s buffet) or Cascades (the dining room) to start breakfast. From then, we
began to do various activities. Our first few days, we were actually very
active, spending several hours playing soccer. Our massive Asian group also
took part in the table tennis tournament, where we were easily half of the all
the participants. We also played in several on ship sports competitions. Norman
won 2<sup>nd</sup> place in the 3vs3 basketball tournament, and Mandy won 2<sup>nd</sup>
place in the volleyball tournament. We also spent some time on the rock
climbing wall and Mandy and I even did a 7 am gym session on the first day. We
didn’t do it by choice, we believed Mendy was going to be there to train us and
he subsequently just slept in (Mendy!!). We also
spent some time playing some board games, including my first time playing
Avalon. I was also dutifully reading a book on China in preparation for work,
which took up a lot of my time. I’ve also been playing a lot of video games on
my iPhone and we hit up the video arcade a few times for some gun games and
Guitar Hero (I am very rusty at that game). It is strange not to have access to
internet and I can’t wait to be reconnected back to the world.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo14RZgbY5vFVjcDrhACKSgcsIXzt_NGIYS8pjVXoMD1eUtdbb8d7F1HkZXHEXfXalcSxFv-bZ86aICli_OjSMfLjMnIvQ-ffB2EphvtnJ8OnYoAwlkLgUbbETKIs1X0fGZX2uUIrR-kg/s1600/IMG_6559.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo14RZgbY5vFVjcDrhACKSgcsIXzt_NGIYS8pjVXoMD1eUtdbb8d7F1HkZXHEXfXalcSxFv-bZ86aICli_OjSMfLjMnIvQ-ffB2EphvtnJ8OnYoAwlkLgUbbETKIs1X0fGZX2uUIrR-kg/s320/IMG_6559.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bride to be hanging out in May and Will's fancy window suite</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC3myd2ZdkZP51kwO0T7pSj0m5XzjK07-74oejh4k6IDPL7fNYX-G8S_dOj-8wdtQjOz3CPXOF12-GH8U1okHSNQUt61bxb73l2pwkgSi7XFaG4e9L3m8IfjF0UR1vdBZlM39cJOMmj1U/s1600/IMG_8790.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC3myd2ZdkZP51kwO0T7pSj0m5XzjK07-74oejh4k6IDPL7fNYX-G8S_dOj-8wdtQjOz3CPXOF12-GH8U1okHSNQUt61bxb73l2pwkgSi7XFaG4e9L3m8IfjF0UR1vdBZlM39cJOMmj1U/s320/IMG_8790.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What you lookin at</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDgCH9fuRAx8sAUzo40_fm-z6m3pAF46gU7MUTTiLY53LEBFV9IDuigGvpeNOuIicc2W_4INMeTIWk4h3u4VF1Psn_kZzJglahe09cFrIZ5Cs2t1uf-yBKcu7Awa-URMLz9lGbULqfOxM/s1600/IMG_8792.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDgCH9fuRAx8sAUzo40_fm-z6m3pAF46gU7MUTTiLY53LEBFV9IDuigGvpeNOuIicc2W_4INMeTIWk4h3u4VF1Psn_kZzJglahe09cFrIZ5Cs2t1uf-yBKcu7Awa-URMLz9lGbULqfOxM/s320/IMG_8792.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cheers! (One of the few dinners May attended)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidZmCn4Km5ZwgbjEWmO1xqH3WakJqqJSid10GCxL8geXQICpEwwglO73I7Retli9rXl9qdSgL3-BsqhuGFa9yIw-waqCSer-x1DA-YF846mBE30fr10hG5IMN20cvWqS6l2h5p6DuD7OM/s1600/IMG_1434.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidZmCn4Km5ZwgbjEWmO1xqH3WakJqqJSid10GCxL8geXQICpEwwglO73I7Retli9rXl9qdSgL3-BsqhuGFa9yIw-waqCSer-x1DA-YF846mBE30fr10hG5IMN20cvWqS6l2h5p6DuD7OM/s320/IMG_1434.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">The old man schooled me in ping pong</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtoJS5iFpHTKz6fkPV5eJka2HWvcu-9E1FT2LV73M6wQvGj56dh7F4T6B570oTKGIYIW4jhHtFtjtNBwz5Oy-7TyKilsdZZSHLX6UBNjCCCbbsLuT8yrbf4qABPIXowu_cKZ-jt01FCis/s1600/IMG_1438.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtoJS5iFpHTKz6fkPV5eJka2HWvcu-9E1FT2LV73M6wQvGj56dh7F4T6B570oTKGIYIW4jhHtFtjtNBwz5Oy-7TyKilsdZZSHLX6UBNjCCCbbsLuT8yrbf4qABPIXowu_cKZ-jt01FCis/s320/IMG_1438.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Go Norm go!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5zUE-eOUCILMY1M-iRLH9qLfbcy4JoVM6Gt8zL1Sak9EJ095dGgUaex0s1G9geEFpEMHu0nHh0jWsJb435x4AqL9h0AqT_A95SlePN7cMuFyqGdM4KBgL1kE03yLP7oYCUs3UWlJLNMo/s1600/IMG_8795.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5zUE-eOUCILMY1M-iRLH9qLfbcy4JoVM6Gt8zL1Sak9EJ095dGgUaex0s1G9geEFpEMHu0nHh0jWsJb435x4AqL9h0AqT_A95SlePN7cMuFyqGdM4KBgL1kE03yLP7oYCUs3UWlJLNMo/s320/IMG_8795.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the few photos of us in the Cascade dining room</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtWi2au_HBvUDsLJWYl3fKymx2a-1YB567yyBccpq834MIjyzR4MAFACUJA1a2zwXlXH6OODu6-FdxPo5ohzyQ0CnC6pxz4zs62maWKSoSMDkp7_V7_SLQM7B2MZrBIaItxe4n-4f7OTg/s1600/IMG_8798.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtWi2au_HBvUDsLJWYl3fKymx2a-1YB567yyBccpq834MIjyzR4MAFACUJA1a2zwXlXH6OODu6-FdxPo5ohzyQ0CnC6pxz4zs62maWKSoSMDkp7_V7_SLQM7B2MZrBIaItxe4n-4f7OTg/s320/IMG_8798.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Suited up for rock climbing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIup0jy8WVcRBow0NpXLV2oljU9fF3ZyKGovlsXDbF7C8GOCCQr-cS8aq-VDgJFvavt41ke6JS0MJ04zs-QauDNiztx5eP03cwLB2jkm1V0xCkL4uVrpk9kQ0DdeC0dGnV1biKMQQ3UL4/s1600/IMG_8813.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIup0jy8WVcRBow0NpXLV2oljU9fF3ZyKGovlsXDbF7C8GOCCQr-cS8aq-VDgJFvavt41ke6JS0MJ04zs-QauDNiztx5eP03cwLB2jkm1V0xCkL4uVrpk9kQ0DdeC0dGnV1biKMQQ3UL4/s320/IMG_8813.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Repelling down</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOR4DRLLgZhKmRDS8mOoSdA-5rYwTcDABFEM2TiKU4z4IBC7T401Sh1b_-bdWARF6gO6X1fEaOVV8iiHzSDvReaFMSEnejftQk5sewMeiHwUeUKW08-mh-RNluHYlnICuXaY_-ClZZ50/s1600/IMG_8819.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOR4DRLLgZhKmRDS8mOoSdA-5rYwTcDABFEM2TiKU4z4IBC7T401Sh1b_-bdWARF6gO6X1fEaOVV8iiHzSDvReaFMSEnejftQk5sewMeiHwUeUKW08-mh-RNluHYlnICuXaY_-ClZZ50/s320/IMG_8819.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wohoo reached the top!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn9AxbOc0NdDlbh1d2gP1y4YJsHDEPqWWdXjd0A0V78Oj4jtsZEevYGu38cZe-8j-pvcognqA9ovsMGG_x-oA9VlYGzVsrWJb76gj0Rrt6vvCAJ2ijByfFhyphenhyphenVz3vquARI4-wEb0CWHGSc/s1600/IMG_8843.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn9AxbOc0NdDlbh1d2gP1y4YJsHDEPqWWdXjd0A0V78Oj4jtsZEevYGu38cZe-8j-pvcognqA9ovsMGG_x-oA9VlYGzVsrWJb76gj0Rrt6vvCAJ2ijByfFhyphenhyphenVz3vquARI4-wEb0CWHGSc/s320/IMG_8843.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rainbow in the background!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimmAvKnjtFuchgD8EMikTikVfQjJ52xRhqdOIqnp5kFblTkvTaNtci0PICsIcdYng97Yf7oFnWSTFjlLqyLoNw7hgH0tskds0mzfL1AbGvrnTi5TbxITFfhJskDQL8V0K0S5TTkRFnatM/s1600/IMG_8845.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimmAvKnjtFuchgD8EMikTikVfQjJ52xRhqdOIqnp5kFblTkvTaNtci0PICsIcdYng97Yf7oFnWSTFjlLqyLoNw7hgH0tskds0mzfL1AbGvrnTi5TbxITFfhJskDQL8V0K0S5TTkRFnatM/s320/IMG_8845.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rock climbing round 2 with Mandy's mom!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Of course, cruising is all about the copious amount of
food available. After breakfast, we would typically have a lunch, followed by a
pre-dinner and then actual dinner at the Cascades restaurant. On the first
several days, we would have a couple glasses of wine, along with several
appetizers, entrees and desserts. Overall, the food here is acceptable, not
great, but not terrible. It does really depend on the day and what the dishes
of the day are. However, I have noticed that the staff has a lot of
Indian/Pakistani workers and I feel that the Indian food is considerably better
than the other types of cuisine. At breakfast, they offer congee, and it is
quite possibly the saltiest and unconventional congee there was.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVhob-5Kpt_TQfP-1GZ0FolzuS4IlImewYWRYk_iRMHyoZj772D1DwYDiPag7ECTMgglMSweJ-ijQwvPTyaXUDLMYAL3esfxTkl35NrxAxCxJDoL7MFaN2YohbiftL71WOB7meGxu_V4I/s1600/IMG_8872.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVhob-5Kpt_TQfP-1GZ0FolzuS4IlImewYWRYk_iRMHyoZj772D1DwYDiPag7ECTMgglMSweJ-ijQwvPTyaXUDLMYAL3esfxTkl35NrxAxCxJDoL7MFaN2YohbiftL71WOB7meGxu_V4I/s320/IMG_8872.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Formal night</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp6r3kuPvhAGl5JP6sP6586skiNB3-JbkkdvMPrX3kyDMqRFXDYyOyQar_urGQ6v11sp22Rnwxqs5Yb9kr7cNh7YqwkC7yfUvH8l6GgNGQlDn3SRscmIoYHQFZLC_hlsT-9LxZKjb8ruY/s1600/IMG_8881.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp6r3kuPvhAGl5JP6sP6586skiNB3-JbkkdvMPrX3kyDMqRFXDYyOyQar_urGQ6v11sp22Rnwxqs5Yb9kr7cNh7YqwkC7yfUvH8l6GgNGQlDn3SRscmIoYHQFZLC_hlsT-9LxZKjb8ruY/s320/IMG_8881.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Special napkin rolled for the couple</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
All in all, 6 days at sea is a tough pill to swallow.
Some days, particularly the first day, was extremely rocky and there were many
that were sick and could not sleep due to the incessant rocking. And the days
do get progressively longer. Especially since every other day we gained an hour due to the change in time zones. Though there are things to do (casino, catching
shows, or watching movies), but it does get a little boring eventually. We did
see a magic show that was quite good and it is always entertaining to see Rony
and his friends lose money at the Roulette table. Though, I must say, after so
long at the ocean, I am looking forward to being on solid land again! </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p></o:p></div>
Normandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382577662564834616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513043457313670860.post-43183272726818533552015-09-25T20:45:00.000-07:002015-09-25T20:45:14.454-07:00Last day on land<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Today is the last day on solid land as we dock our cruise
ship, Radiance of the Sea! We checked out of our AirBnB and of course, spent
our last meal eating Vancouver sushi! We went to Miku, which is a sister
restaurant of Minami and we were told that the sushi is the best in the city.
We went there early and had a good spot on the patio, where we were able to see
our cruise ship. Though people were raving about the sushi at Miku, we ordered
the same “Premium Sushi Lunch” and felt that the food at Minami was better
(though still very good). We then went to a renowned gelato place called Bella
Gelateria, where it won several international competitions for best gelato in
the world. I had an affogato with Matcha vanilla cookie dough gelato and Mandy
had a cone with a massive scoop of lavendar and earl grey gelato. Though I am far from a
gelato-afficianado, I thought it was decent and Mandy enjoyed her dessert very
much. We were so impressed about the food that we recommended Mandy’s family do
the exact same thing. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSzh1HF8KRIUD-zgKL0u1LhkFMEYe83QvdWjn7GDIC18h8HziHcgPyvOSdo27Vq_8ssikzO-PhjxALkKU8aGEd4caWeJghayssFmqfcjeLEAuyyR0u9Jmu8OFUpZ6p-CF6JiVGpPQ5B0s/s1600/IMG_6557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSzh1HF8KRIUD-zgKL0u1LhkFMEYe83QvdWjn7GDIC18h8HziHcgPyvOSdo27Vq_8ssikzO-PhjxALkKU8aGEd4caWeJghayssFmqfcjeLEAuyyR0u9Jmu8OFUpZ6p-CF6JiVGpPQ5B0s/s320/IMG_6557.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They even scoop it differently in the cone</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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From then, we boarded the ship. Of course, boarding 2400
people in a cruise ship does take quite a while and we were standing in line
for several hours before we were able to board. Looking ahead, we are at sea
for 6 days, followed by 4 port days, finally ending off at Honolulu. Fannie’s
wedding will be on the 5<sup>th</sup> sea day and we are eagerly awaiting it!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjODrF38NIITw4C7Pq_400k7KSIY6MW11Pxqb2sXs_nIG8TGLWjo8OS1zTo0sEoPxuIVz41JPLqdM9qdolnXiFXAfaWGBKnJKjV9zyERlawP7SI2tBFjaN-daxAhPt28XmESGqldRF_IIM/s1600/IMG_8777.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjODrF38NIITw4C7Pq_400k7KSIY6MW11Pxqb2sXs_nIG8TGLWjo8OS1zTo0sEoPxuIVz41JPLqdM9qdolnXiFXAfaWGBKnJKjV9zyERlawP7SI2tBFjaN-daxAhPt28XmESGqldRF_IIM/s320/IMG_8777.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good sushi with a great view</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRMqOS0xHyve7amOKohB8a3DsnMdx7ybfW_CDBShAMPm0x8WA5gFM85ef7rK8qErLNTKWZJpIxttiJCPvk1xadpj0J2qH7WAa6l1GPzsObMCuwjyb8t0YdItNUArzkBkQPtdGLvOwdFLI/s1600/IMG_8778.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRMqOS0xHyve7amOKohB8a3DsnMdx7ybfW_CDBShAMPm0x8WA5gFM85ef7rK8qErLNTKWZJpIxttiJCPvk1xadpj0J2qH7WAa6l1GPzsObMCuwjyb8t0YdItNUArzkBkQPtdGLvOwdFLI/s320/IMG_8778.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nom nom nom</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Normandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382577662564834616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513043457313670860.post-90308519083688161472015-09-25T20:34:00.001-07:002015-09-25T20:34:35.599-07:00The Yu's arrive...<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Today is the day that Mandy’s family finally arrives in
Vancouver from Toronto! To start the morning, we went to a very popular brunch
place called Café Medina. We went there earlier to avoid the crazy lineups that
we heard about. This restaurant is well known for its waffles and its brunch
fuses typical brunch food with a middle eastern flair. We had a waffle, a
paella and beef short-rib skillet. I also had the lavender coffee (decent, but
not really aligned to my personal palette) and Mandy had a recent healthy apple
smoothie. Overall, this place was quite delicious and we were very full
afterwards. (Mandy: It was also entertaining sitting beside a couple that was trying to quietly argue but eventually made up at the end of their meal.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLSiOZWEhnYjdDBVOw-m9kwCffZqavMFR9Ymj_J0-jSvagCwj5yTRCHppWN0YFSd0tRqgRywUO9hCkbw70pvpfBqELgQTjFqQdsjEAOnQb64lewbuls6Th-9D88Mt2s8BzjjoPZnKd3IM/s1600/IMG_8738.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLSiOZWEhnYjdDBVOw-m9kwCffZqavMFR9Ymj_J0-jSvagCwj5yTRCHppWN0YFSd0tRqgRywUO9hCkbw70pvpfBqELgQTjFqQdsjEAOnQb64lewbuls6Th-9D88Mt2s8BzjjoPZnKd3IM/s320/IMG_8738.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Norm inspecting the food very carefully</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXVqdU18fPoeClSm6et18O99OZklBT7uxZnm7zgq1UNjz9GLKsvM5GrIlJatZB5R6D4lSoZoALjddLiJgLCI1jaXCdYin1feR3IdBHz5IxKc9DRIM3pOd8NqaocopAtoCVUlKEE7dmeQ0/s1600/IMG_8739.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXVqdU18fPoeClSm6et18O99OZklBT7uxZnm7zgq1UNjz9GLKsvM5GrIlJatZB5R6D4lSoZoALjddLiJgLCI1jaXCdYin1feR3IdBHz5IxKc9DRIM3pOd8NqaocopAtoCVUlKEE7dmeQ0/s320/IMG_8739.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cafe Medina!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
From then, we did some light shopping and walked through Chinatown. Mandy’s friend
Tina recommended we check out the Nordic clothing brand called Fjallraven. They
were actually having very good sales and I picked up two rain jackets (one
orange and one blue) and Mandy picked up an army green rain jackets. The cool
thing about Fjallraven is that they wax the jackets so that they are
waterproof, and it comes with a lifetime service of waxing. However, they
currently don’t have a location in Toronto, so we waited a few hours to get them
waxed before we picked them up. To kill the time, we followed Tina’s suggestion
of checking out<b><i> </i></b>33 Acres Brewery and have a drink. Shortly after, Mandy’s
family joined us at the bar and we headed back to Fjallraven to pick up our
jackets.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAY9jgeugJIZgNQSUXpMJFl2Q5Itye_r8BVMRDFU5bvUE34DjouCoWWhRcPgZ3F3pRPJ_bTDowMQy2SHERLHnsBPZbNanc0es7pZNudKsNBV60vdGk0-KuJdjCYXBME1-bYBj1a-DGxtk/s1600/IMG_6539.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAY9jgeugJIZgNQSUXpMJFl2Q5Itye_r8BVMRDFU5bvUE34DjouCoWWhRcPgZ3F3pRPJ_bTDowMQy2SHERLHnsBPZbNanc0es7pZNudKsNBV60vdGk0-KuJdjCYXBME1-bYBj1a-DGxtk/s320/IMG_6539.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vancouver's Chinatown</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9jJiOXwb3AES_l8zWhgjHCzkpX8McuiGxXOp9tylfFBpvSDuyePoQVX4SCKyPyYuz-Dxx9MEZYTwMf15WaJXkJ-gisGkGmFXWSZzBLlt72vabJwknb48fmDpv9aUlkoiwHNqr6EIvuWs/s1600/IMG_6541.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9jJiOXwb3AES_l8zWhgjHCzkpX8McuiGxXOp9tylfFBpvSDuyePoQVX4SCKyPyYuz-Dxx9MEZYTwMf15WaJXkJ-gisGkGmFXWSZzBLlt72vabJwknb48fmDpv9aUlkoiwHNqr6EIvuWs/s320/IMG_6541.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apple cider beer (not very good) and some amber beer (good)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p> </o:p>We then went in search of food. Originally, we wanted to
return to Yaletown and eat delicious sushi at Minami again as well, but we
realized that they were only serving their “Bar Eats” menu during the
afternoon, so we decided opted to eat elsewhere. We eventually ate a pre-dinner
at a Korean BBQ restaurant called Gyu near our AirBnB. We just had some light
snacks and Rony and I had a massive Sapporo again. From then, we went back home
and changed and headed back to our actual dinner at 8pm.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zUt3bj2kMP-ZFu7bKy5Gjsei-mBS-G4xV-KMTqpZ4H7CtjBtqFg-xBM68dP2wZ7_YK-BOl7zp008KPGT7ML2ZlZ5gQ8TUfnqxqntwi2xxt_XbbkADaMAVkP1B0zM3t7_91pGgjG7Cfo/s1600/IMG_6548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zUt3bj2kMP-ZFu7bKy5Gjsei-mBS-G4xV-KMTqpZ4H7CtjBtqFg-xBM68dP2wZ7_YK-BOl7zp008KPGT7ML2ZlZ5gQ8TUfnqxqntwi2xxt_XbbkADaMAVkP1B0zM3t7_91pGgjG7Cfo/s320/IMG_6548.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At least we saw the farmer's market in Yaletown</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikBBatlnhrM5_RVD51vm5mrNm5OTcVGJiSxAx9DYut9mUz3Z6Tw6buQziosVUTQuf5GI5-pdvNp3DHgOSzjczHq3Lm3oXt_zupqfOsyLc4GRMpiyst9zGUWyAKYhfrypDMAp7oBlRnWmQ/s1600/IMG_8744.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikBBatlnhrM5_RVD51vm5mrNm5OTcVGJiSxAx9DYut9mUz3Z6Tw6buQziosVUTQuf5GI5-pdvNp3DHgOSzjczHq3Lm3oXt_zupqfOsyLc4GRMpiyst9zGUWyAKYhfrypDMAp7oBlRnWmQ/s320/IMG_8744.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My mom downing some beer too</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlNMDA5me7G05dZTte4rm9ldpGqab8lZ0K25PkWHpWXL4QWEho44C_R9H5KJHpu3Tlddo-LUEyrXpSpmwlctydKgRk5f-L96pbif9TdAnW8ask1Dv73FRZ7Gm4qjEGShCGMqfHMev1Wls/s1600/IMG_8749.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlNMDA5me7G05dZTte4rm9ldpGqab8lZ0K25PkWHpWXL4QWEho44C_R9H5KJHpu3Tlddo-LUEyrXpSpmwlctydKgRk5f-L96pbif9TdAnW8ask1Dv73FRZ7Gm4qjEGShCGMqfHMev1Wls/s320/IMG_8749.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reunited!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEO6UJi_Xc7cOQcoejqANPVR7qIBKeUlH2r5i-qY1nohOHvYRycTujW5DSYy6-W2r4zEfHGjZqKBXI5qJRJ7KU4wAoSXBmjHAN-sm90dvBue_dpIE-TdM9z-07FVQb8CdpFf4ZfaqyMFw/s1600/IMG_8752.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEO6UJi_Xc7cOQcoejqANPVR7qIBKeUlH2r5i-qY1nohOHvYRycTujW5DSYy6-W2r4zEfHGjZqKBXI5qJRJ7KU4wAoSXBmjHAN-sm90dvBue_dpIE-TdM9z-07FVQb8CdpFf4ZfaqyMFw/s320/IMG_8752.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pre-dinnering</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT8UyRwwIZ-3x5OA0VV7q6BqCkC3JH3WNCms-jDTHWv4fO5fsa5hO_yKKNa89E3WhXsekNGYAiA2KaI3vbvg5gurEhmQNrirPkYS3BO5BrmwL2j3SzJ3dMHCYSoOvkhOuo0ushK6c0wjE/s1600/IMG_8753.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT8UyRwwIZ-3x5OA0VV7q6BqCkC3JH3WNCms-jDTHWv4fO5fsa5hO_yKKNa89E3WhXsekNGYAiA2KaI3vbvg5gurEhmQNrirPkYS3BO5BrmwL2j3SzJ3dMHCYSoOvkhOuo0ushK6c0wjE/s320/IMG_8753.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cook for me!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
We ate at Stanley Park Teahouse Café with Mandy’s and
Rony’s family. It was good to see Charles’s kids again and food there was quite
good. I had to the Sablefish and Mandy had the seafood pasta. The view at the
restaurant was breathtaking and we were there just in time for sunset. Tomorrow
will be the docking day. I haven’t been on a cruise since I was 18, so I am
looking forward to the experience! Hawaii, here we come!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK0hoDSp0tA3xCIkNXfDy1yuYSQxaYMXRD9LrWF7W-VdsqngKyWFMllkH7hxVaqC7fib9h8OcT29K0JUVhc7Y8h4c1kYwpv8l4IUanlbWIT2W_uss0yUPoFwK4RLCTigWUsbLAa2oMmzY/s1600/IMG_8758.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK0hoDSp0tA3xCIkNXfDy1yuYSQxaYMXRD9LrWF7W-VdsqngKyWFMllkH7hxVaqC7fib9h8OcT29K0JUVhc7Y8h4c1kYwpv8l4IUanlbWIT2W_uss0yUPoFwK4RLCTigWUsbLAa2oMmzY/s320/IMG_8758.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amazing view by the restaurant</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjrp24FMjLMQhVyz24VAVyt0oC9iyiy7BxFlKp-UD9tgnp9WXKtRVyUqFleOh-RnMW2HQ38M_ek8kcqZvletyS3ipDSudBWRjwErfi-cSsg9Vu1LNj7J_lieKTMkp6iheOPLIm-zXmFus/s1600/IMG_8762.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjrp24FMjLMQhVyz24VAVyt0oC9iyiy7BxFlKp-UD9tgnp9WXKtRVyUqFleOh-RnMW2HQ38M_ek8kcqZvletyS3ipDSudBWRjwErfi-cSsg9Vu1LNj7J_lieKTMkp6iheOPLIm-zXmFus/s320/IMG_8762.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family dinner</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGcjzAsrDFRPQR3Ywg8wKMp2SAfbuURCc6iDWpQWc42w4cun4j2aW0mWBgfJ1-OSk1jHCvXeRT4nw9H9KEjXl4fHXzF-3vG60T54HDg546nGQVevHHCOhKgcbpkP3aCNK9YozORTGyFfg/s1600/IMG_8768.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGcjzAsrDFRPQR3Ywg8wKMp2SAfbuURCc6iDWpQWc42w4cun4j2aW0mWBgfJ1-OSk1jHCvXeRT4nw9H9KEjXl4fHXzF-3vG60T54HDg546nGQVevHHCOhKgcbpkP3aCNK9YozORTGyFfg/s320/IMG_8768.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almost married!</td></tr>
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Normandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382577662564834616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513043457313670860.post-64900191853784264022015-09-25T20:21:00.000-07:002015-09-25T20:21:30.790-07:00Victoria Day Trip<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Today is our day trip to Vancouver Island and Victoria!
Doug, being such a gracious host, took us on a day trip to Victoria so we can
check out another different lifestyle than in Vancouver. We started the day off
early and Doug (along with his friend Steph) picked us from our place and
started driving to the port. It was a good thing we reserved a spot on the
boat, as the line-up to Victoria was sizeable. After stopping by for a quick
Starbucks coffee, we drove onto the ship and got ready for a 1.5 hour journey
to Vancouver island. As the boat was leaving, we had some pretty amazing views
of Vancouver as we were leaving. Plus, we chose a great sunny day for us to go
to Victoria. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZv4NppY2JXgnoQckY-vIyvgxrkqFpBl4s7YoQlXsP04iXLtLZoJNRPnQEiTHLjvFHd-pjm8fTc8kHTyBTmoNnnjBjN6fnutgpppWPlzSWdnqQT1Y1avxCAcRRK8hUTWXxl5qEHOjzooI/s1600/IMG_6533.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZv4NppY2JXgnoQckY-vIyvgxrkqFpBl4s7YoQlXsP04iXLtLZoJNRPnQEiTHLjvFHd-pjm8fTc8kHTyBTmoNnnjBjN6fnutgpppWPlzSWdnqQT1Y1avxCAcRRK8hUTWXxl5qEHOjzooI/s320/IMG_6533.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wooo Canada!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHumTxZdhgXbsyqHUW1G9Z-sXjowuv_1pssQP-BPd-5tBSW1io5O9OSiBKb0vzhna_1zVp7sF6kOeslXtdpP0efc2_o4DKIjYzN456SrkvlQzF60buvkxCEjS9nSwSnWhmTbbdmzHELs/s1600/IMG_9900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHumTxZdhgXbsyqHUW1G9Z-sXjowuv_1pssQP-BPd-5tBSW1io5O9OSiBKb0vzhna_1zVp7sF6kOeslXtdpP0efc2_o4DKIjYzN456SrkvlQzF60buvkxCEjS9nSwSnWhmTbbdmzHELs/s320/IMG_9900.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quick coffee break</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFrxv9-S1emqH6A2AQuKk5rSig19EMBo3wy2x9um9U5fjivFhzMFZG14KVFFGnTuB5GtBTvTaHtRlgCt307vFLFLFAweBjLm9AFjPkmvxwVKBdUdhi3Wl3hPuvP-JU4x_WoFAkzGCfBH8/s1600/IMG_9902.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFrxv9-S1emqH6A2AQuKk5rSig19EMBo3wy2x9um9U5fjivFhzMFZG14KVFFGnTuB5GtBTvTaHtRlgCt307vFLFLFAweBjLm9AFjPkmvxwVKBdUdhi3Wl3hPuvP-JU4x_WoFAkzGCfBH8/s320/IMG_9902.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We're in the VIP line ;)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibEtAIgepV56LK_Hc0vcWE6Ed4bwm4VMJCi5CWHm2SLAfDUex5iraDk55ESxin6QL9-AvI3_IDnXhILZtkNmmJK3HPqywPn2bTtpPjf-eAD5M9QTHgft-p7hGd3204P1axNk0MpjQIvug/s1600/IMG_9905.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibEtAIgepV56LK_Hc0vcWE6Ed4bwm4VMJCi5CWHm2SLAfDUex5iraDk55ESxin6QL9-AvI3_IDnXhILZtkNmmJK3HPqywPn2bTtpPjf-eAD5M9QTHgft-p7hGd3204P1axNk0MpjQIvug/s320/IMG_9905.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The crew</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr7R_re-vNhbL6iIgRcjvJmDGFcHGtXpzAW6pRn3OwXdZsRHAWrAAPx2JqxQntrHyJh9oVSx_hbO7UGuAjGyaVF5hcYkwPk_-HM0qolDXJbpGBZY1_Yk68q55tV9c24sHrwlKjv_O_vVA/s1600/IMG_9916.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr7R_re-vNhbL6iIgRcjvJmDGFcHGtXpzAW6pRn3OwXdZsRHAWrAAPx2JqxQntrHyJh9oVSx_hbO7UGuAjGyaVF5hcYkwPk_-HM0qolDXJbpGBZY1_Yk68q55tV9c24sHrwlKjv_O_vVA/s320/IMG_9916.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perfect weather :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
We had lunch on the boat at Whitespot, which is
apparently a BC-staple serving up burgers and sandwiches. After killing some
time, we eagerly began our trip to Victoria. We originally considered going to Butchard
Gardens, but it was $30 dollars per person, so we opted not to. We continued on
our journey to Victoria and ended up at the beautiful downtown, right by the
ocean. We quickly checked out the Victoria parliament and the popular Empress
Hotel before settling in at a restaurant right on the water called “the Flying
Otter”. The mussels there were massive and the calamari was quite good. And of
course, being by the ocean, Norm had to order the fish and chips.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUXNMDASmM7VDYuAutLUXdpeBH1SINmIzRkUENsz-cRoLRisdlFnLDMTXtiEwwbVtXJwFewKi5DgjTyXVZKUXqfw1Ftgt7xntc8j57AByfSq0NG_0UaVocL8RM6KVj8D5osUO_tAj6qt8/s1600/IMG_9955.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUXNMDASmM7VDYuAutLUXdpeBH1SINmIzRkUENsz-cRoLRisdlFnLDMTXtiEwwbVtXJwFewKi5DgjTyXVZKUXqfw1Ftgt7xntc8j57AByfSq0NG_0UaVocL8RM6KVj8D5osUO_tAj6qt8/s320/IMG_9955.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In front of the parliament building</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrtQpVS6ZZvQ5-WU9csY8iqCiy-pqLkH2DIVlcyIr49cRFMxmWsrwORyu2XbYobVpVe7PppjzaivfF5ICCsYiyx6Tebp18F3cTqwfMi7k-uyhjXKmWGGP1l8OX9hfMMxlectVqDuaAY0o/s1600/IMG_9960.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrtQpVS6ZZvQ5-WU9csY8iqCiy-pqLkH2DIVlcyIr49cRFMxmWsrwORyu2XbYobVpVe7PppjzaivfF5ICCsYiyx6Tebp18F3cTqwfMi7k-uyhjXKmWGGP1l8OX9hfMMxlectVqDuaAY0o/s320/IMG_9960.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doug: Let's go that way!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1fdW6vK0aJhKAx5dO3dUI3nEFLZvheQwGWEei4R4__QWmUAQ_eAxGBUXeYaYdaEdrsuOgPSev2hWzcwh98F9VGfqN6yzXHDCUC_s9J5pC-8mpsBccmztpKnJ9fp9ueCt-DgKJjQwlvMI/s1600/IMG_9965.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1fdW6vK0aJhKAx5dO3dUI3nEFLZvheQwGWEei4R4__QWmUAQ_eAxGBUXeYaYdaEdrsuOgPSev2hWzcwh98F9VGfqN6yzXHDCUC_s9J5pC-8mpsBccmztpKnJ9fp9ueCt-DgKJjQwlvMI/s320/IMG_9965.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scenic Victoria stroll</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-GK6AReuWK1jXabVALbkx4InkT-1DrGJ6HDQw8hTP1Hpkmgm20PJ08r8fHd0OrktxhQhdHbxaKE7V3VKc3riWLXOaDUh_vvYpHJ2ntKxW6W-rWzDfqkcHRPcfN-ANhf_36jPA_6u02Cc/s1600/IMG_9970.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-GK6AReuWK1jXabVALbkx4InkT-1DrGJ6HDQw8hTP1Hpkmgm20PJ08r8fHd0OrktxhQhdHbxaKE7V3VKc3riWLXOaDUh_vvYpHJ2ntKxW6W-rWzDfqkcHRPcfN-ANhf_36jPA_6u02Cc/s320/IMG_9970.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chilling out</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcZaWKNUMapG1hQtAwLOShSUwrcKtvq0xH_ijav_3GNCrbpGT-nXgoVp0ov3iKfwEJP2d42_daFFt4AuNw24d_bontX5QhYvUFzd_Hyy93VK1dKNmen6xcKBTOkW4qVOgnaG4TsTEkq4M/s1600/IMG_9987.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcZaWKNUMapG1hQtAwLOShSUwrcKtvq0xH_ijav_3GNCrbpGT-nXgoVp0ov3iKfwEJP2d42_daFFt4AuNw24d_bontX5QhYvUFzd_Hyy93VK1dKNmen6xcKBTOkW4qVOgnaG4TsTEkq4M/s320/IMG_9987.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Empress Hotel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikFoRnbmvBRHVym0r-RTt881Juy5cBL2F_GZY8-xWEnPjBgOmCQmB1sIWmnGlzSu_BbX_KV2ar1fc4ac8_z4G1ma6w2FC53iUKbLI9_HmPWGRVar9I2xaYshv9_3HmiF79ZMF1kmPDxnw/s1600/IMG_9995.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikFoRnbmvBRHVym0r-RTt881Juy5cBL2F_GZY8-xWEnPjBgOmCQmB1sIWmnGlzSu_BbX_KV2ar1fc4ac8_z4G1ma6w2FC53iUKbLI9_HmPWGRVar9I2xaYshv9_3HmiF79ZMF1kmPDxnw/s320/IMG_9995.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flying Otter seafood lunch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVKD0hW1xHDklEhCPWDIDcrxTU-z_WSD87JVXgyJMfd0QMxs4tjnOS_MvHbfc0B-zY_UGfz8iiSZtvdUqwhPJ5rMDPInObZygBm2PMvZeDKKvobUrxVO75wTWhGfo8kDPqqvAYLKJXTxo/s1600/IMG_9997.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVKD0hW1xHDklEhCPWDIDcrxTU-z_WSD87JVXgyJMfd0QMxs4tjnOS_MvHbfc0B-zY_UGfz8iiSZtvdUqwhPJ5rMDPInObZygBm2PMvZeDKKvobUrxVO75wTWhGfo8kDPqqvAYLKJXTxo/s320/IMG_9997.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our amazing tour guides</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
After a long lunch, we went to hang out at a fancy
neighbourhood with a quiet residential beach. There, we truly see how the
Victorian lifestyle was. The vibe there was very chill and there were several
beach bummers and their families just
chilling out. Seems like an amazing place to retire.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmWpP7KUJCC-ZbjlK0rMkAYs1mR9BUMeyvdlz0x8yCNy4ugzXcmRVAFQq7GKIi9DpEAQax-nGe-n1tKuNbfDLcTBo3W1DrDQjcXvYUsZPp-MbLxaLtTOm5iv2vqOyXpsTdGYbUq7zg-mM/s1600/IMG_0026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmWpP7KUJCC-ZbjlK0rMkAYs1mR9BUMeyvdlz0x8yCNy4ugzXcmRVAFQq7GKIi9DpEAQax-nGe-n1tKuNbfDLcTBo3W1DrDQjcXvYUsZPp-MbLxaLtTOm5iv2vqOyXpsTdGYbUq7zg-mM/s320/IMG_0026.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playing with a stick</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdRtJlbvp5JDdfxc_aR8wEzFSdyHGGYt2OxikJjR1E0R77TKisumFg5zimzZs8aPHh6Z3MTig6-ZfEUGiD3yYXonfR2J6voLhT_FRxxrEwQ8BHpasTkbbSsfrDmzRUJoB2tUCw1qL4J-I/s1600/IMG_0031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdRtJlbvp5JDdfxc_aR8wEzFSdyHGGYt2OxikJjR1E0R77TKisumFg5zimzZs8aPHh6Z3MTig6-ZfEUGiD3yYXonfR2J6voLhT_FRxxrEwQ8BHpasTkbbSsfrDmzRUJoB2tUCw1qL4J-I/s320/IMG_0031.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cool hangout spot</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE5dVX6ml0eYD4Tm2DoehPtBF3WwwN36yl6cm6KGuRc_Iqk8VN_x5H3h1jsrMtUku8xNxMv3FTvZ3BerLBlC8Ylq_87ZVWh-eHjeaK3S83LArrQRqq86HYlQAad4kEr8OLB81B07fQt_E/s1600/IMG_0040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE5dVX6ml0eYD4Tm2DoehPtBF3WwwN36yl6cm6KGuRc_Iqk8VN_x5H3h1jsrMtUku8xNxMv3FTvZ3BerLBlC8Ylq_87ZVWh-eHjeaK3S83LArrQRqq86HYlQAad4kEr8OLB81B07fQt_E/s320/IMG_0040.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our contribution to the smashed bottle cap stump</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
From then, we grabbed a quick dinner at a pub downtown
and then had a long journey back to Vancouver. We caught the 9pm ferry back to
Vancouver and we didn’t get back home until after 11. This was the last day
that we saw Doug and we were very happy to see him again. Until next time!<o:p></o:p></div>
Normandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382577662564834616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513043457313670860.post-82368284601769674122015-09-25T20:03:00.000-07:002015-09-25T20:03:16.230-07:00Rain, rain, go away?<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
We anticipated a lot of rain for the day so we planned a
day of staying indoors. We started off the day by going to Minami for lunch in
Yaletown which reminded us of the Distillery District. Minami is a sister
restaurant of Miku which is also opening a restaurant in Toronto soon! Minami
and Miku are known for aburi sushi so of course that’s what we ordered! Lunch
was amazingggg! We decided to order one premium lunch which had a couple of
aburi sushi paired with a couple or regular sushi and an order of a regular
maki roll which was not as good. Of course the best piece of sushi was the
scallop sushi… mmmmMMMmmm…. It was definitely the best sushi we had during our
entire stay in Vancouver <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDS13mrEZb-GOajKaNZisC6BrdwrIiWuYhDbavPKzweaUbUEB-kHjzSaGe7aUJ9c3AJaDeMsvIcfX451xx4aei89n2ZoGo7qfPnciGufX2616HZPaEc1RU3KVsK49w5I9gc4W6hYwRfYw/s1600/IMG_8714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDS13mrEZb-GOajKaNZisC6BrdwrIiWuYhDbavPKzweaUbUEB-kHjzSaGe7aUJ9c3AJaDeMsvIcfX451xx4aei89n2ZoGo7qfPnciGufX2616HZPaEc1RU3KVsK49w5I9gc4W6hYwRfYw/s320/IMG_8714.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nom nom nom</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsF1P2Gv8JpYTGn_vitgnvIF8chHA-iHucee5lLb6zgJ1prr0wNhCn4nhzhAzehkcqzWpuuKi29woSF-CmNVdKd95Tt0FB4hPiXt2AmCVo-wznuDj7k1IwPcqJQJr32CS_RSRsWnZ4vVU/s1600/IMG_8716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsF1P2Gv8JpYTGn_vitgnvIF8chHA-iHucee5lLb6zgJ1prr0wNhCn4nhzhAzehkcqzWpuuKi29woSF-CmNVdKd95Tt0FB4hPiXt2AmCVo-wznuDj7k1IwPcqJQJr32CS_RSRsWnZ4vVU/s320/IMG_8716.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yaletown</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4h47BkgWJAh2tgLXo3Y6IBpkpseo0RGkIsngHXwLASMTXctOV-Iwmt2VtfQkH4-GJ6C1Fq-vhDleduOHnfNtCIA68cpuwuHxMpWua3UFPYmR67ImBdIGfYHTGIxmVr-H4tbpwbwc56U/s1600/IMG_8723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4h47BkgWJAh2tgLXo3Y6IBpkpseo0RGkIsngHXwLASMTXctOV-Iwmt2VtfQkH4-GJ6C1Fq-vhDleduOHnfNtCIA68cpuwuHxMpWua3UFPYmR67ImBdIGfYHTGIxmVr-H4tbpwbwc56U/s320/IMG_8723.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quick pic stop</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><br /></span></div>
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After lunch we decided to take the Skytrain to Aberdeen
Centre which is Vancouver’s equivalent of Pacific Mall. I decided to take
charge of giving the directions and I accidentally took the wrong train and
ended up at the airport <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">L</span>
With some assistance we made it to the biggest Chinese shopping mall in
Richmond! Aberdeen Centre is much more modern, cleaner, and the shops are much
bigger than the ones in Pacific Mall. We went straight to the food court and
everything looked yummy! I got the house special mango smoothie from 8 Juice,
green tea gai danh jai, and curry fish balls <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span>
We walked around the mall and spent the majority of our time in Daiso ($2
store) where I bought lots of Japanese candy and chips. I wish we had one in
Toronto!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT_99hLd-V7eyIXUGNCvYgLUmxV8SmpevhZv9x2wOEnn9E0Tk1HgNfhQVqaPNK6NNwp4m55cupx3i9Q723D4r7dLDnmb4RHnUkBcPIHv5oIoalp9FpD0rG4sZ7vuPlWa8NXQnkHsP8Fxg/s1600/IMG_8727.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT_99hLd-V7eyIXUGNCvYgLUmxV8SmpevhZv9x2wOEnn9E0Tk1HgNfhQVqaPNK6NNwp4m55cupx3i9Q723D4r7dLDnmb4RHnUkBcPIHv5oIoalp9FpD0rG4sZ7vuPlWa8NXQnkHsP8Fxg/s320/IMG_8727.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aberdeen food court > Pacific Mall food court</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2tbKZC05r6pLM5x8fV67rKEyr64rr8Nkv3bICicsQfAu3rPpVt0rJwVq-5VvHrLXUaXz4toM_lczxNPM7bPPCcIjzOBnamWHj2cP6cOmZclN0EQeiSCFRQaOm_FAoUvesXSgkJgllm0k/s1600/IMG_8730.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2tbKZC05r6pLM5x8fV67rKEyr64rr8Nkv3bICicsQfAu3rPpVt0rJwVq-5VvHrLXUaXz4toM_lczxNPM7bPPCcIjzOBnamWHj2cP6cOmZclN0EQeiSCFRQaOm_FAoUvesXSgkJgllm0k/s320/IMG_8730.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aberdeen Centre</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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We made our way back to downtown Vancouver in time for
happy hour at Joe Fortes. Our friend Doug recommended we catch the buck-a-shuck
oysters, but because of some bacterial infection affecting west coast oysters,
the restaurant didn’t have that special. However, the other happy hours were
specials were especially delicious. We had the deep fried oysters (lightly
battered with mayonnaise reminiscent of McDonalds Fillet-o-Fish), the
lobster/shrimp sandwich (buttery and delicious) and the creamy steamed clams (clams were actually
quite large). Joe Fortes also won several awards for its wine and, as drinks
were $5 each, even Mandy enjoyed her glass of white wine. I enjoyed the alcohol
quite a bit more, with several vodka sodas and two glasses of wine (white and
red).</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiU_o-y9WzZsssGbMkPDxpjpM0-vgSDTX3u-ZEM7TOhn-WLg2M4_F0H4Hh8p_rGCN-NGwYdJzOLAdhgYTBEW1c85aS1loy5MjULRpvAY6pV7bn3IM06ElRUZJZA6muuIXROwM4ukco4fc/s1600/IMG_8732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiU_o-y9WzZsssGbMkPDxpjpM0-vgSDTX3u-ZEM7TOhn-WLg2M4_F0H4Hh8p_rGCN-NGwYdJzOLAdhgYTBEW1c85aS1loy5MjULRpvAY6pV7bn3IM06ElRUZJZA6muuIXROwM4ukco4fc/s320/IMG_8732.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deep fried oysters</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNg3l84R5n_k2LXu3JMSPlmgn-pQ_5mESDCluoC5ac7KaKK_iKzcFrKAmiOT1keC6xRogX6neWTkv70eU-3-N_bCdQ-pOOr0eZIQO0GNGBv94hYlglEbyHP5y2O7opazpqslrgjUonjQE/s1600/IMG_8733.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNg3l84R5n_k2LXu3JMSPlmgn-pQ_5mESDCluoC5ac7KaKK_iKzcFrKAmiOT1keC6xRogX6neWTkv70eU-3-N_bCdQ-pOOr0eZIQO0GNGBv94hYlglEbyHP5y2O7opazpqslrgjUonjQE/s320/IMG_8733.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steamed clams</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeAMhISpgO5ID8VdxBcI9uhNka9nJDS0TjcB7ZRdLjQHyX9C5s7UT8tj5AKm06S0MirgmnEoh-ichs3PRxkreNParwkp15XXw1q5EkH4ULOOcWQ4Rm74fOqBczKR4RkQi5Oqw36sIEDG4/s1600/IMG_8734.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeAMhISpgO5ID8VdxBcI9uhNka9nJDS0TjcB7ZRdLjQHyX9C5s7UT8tj5AKm06S0MirgmnEoh-ichs3PRxkreNParwkp15XXw1q5EkH4ULOOcWQ4Rm74fOqBczKR4RkQi5Oqw36sIEDG4/s320/IMG_8734.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lobster/shrimp rolls</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
From then, we took a brief shopping trip down Thurlow
street, but we didn’t end up buying anything. From then, we went to dinner with
Rimoun and Tina (Mandy’s high school friend). We went to eat dinner at a very
popular restaurant called “Phnom Penh”, which served very high quality
Cambodian and Vietnamese food. We had the butter beef, the chicken wings (a
table favourite) and the beef luc lac (Norm’s personal favourite). From then,
we went out to a couple of nearby bars and got slightly tipsy before we headed
home. Tomorrow will be a day trip to Victoria! </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5K88KJkVE3POx0sImyGXKeClcqNswK543EunEbJmw-UUuxeU5Fg1VnIyTFagp1ou4i0BNPOOcTUJSps8O98iyrEpmdnRIF-FCY055poMVtvBHiUtpkTUX-ImwI1rgewb8ZSHfRxrhXJw/s1600/IMG_6514.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5K88KJkVE3POx0sImyGXKeClcqNswK543EunEbJmw-UUuxeU5Fg1VnIyTFagp1ou4i0BNPOOcTUJSps8O98iyrEpmdnRIF-FCY055poMVtvBHiUtpkTUX-ImwI1rgewb8ZSHfRxrhXJw/s320/IMG_6514.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Butter beef... so goood</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgii4hGNd2I49TLYX6-Rx-4aN8o0A3I1yjtfP0jGN91BtEsQPWNRjqEsNtesadJcLUjpyjTnKRvom6elayyeOn9bORL2ai4ULj_Dqe7jocrXdebJ-Eo7pJm3W9vpAusKTH5-k0qX0GD7CM/s1600/IMG_6521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgii4hGNd2I49TLYX6-Rx-4aN8o0A3I1yjtfP0jGN91BtEsQPWNRjqEsNtesadJcLUjpyjTnKRvom6elayyeOn9bORL2ai4ULj_Dqe7jocrXdebJ-Eo7pJm3W9vpAusKTH5-k0qX0GD7CM/s320/IMG_6521.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reunited after ~6 years</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZsgAJVpc7FNfxYj57zm2HDOpB6ICLE3jypMXWJ38jYzhF7oqT-YD7MKCksc2v2Qt9fr8AEO1Av3JV8e6JQ5FP8Hf8phBLdWbss3uQ2kIhBwyZO1P0CNoX4QAzhL3g6RwaqY9JcUP_IGQ/s1600/IMG_6523.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZsgAJVpc7FNfxYj57zm2HDOpB6ICLE3jypMXWJ38jYzhF7oqT-YD7MKCksc2v2Qt9fr8AEO1Av3JV8e6JQ5FP8Hf8phBLdWbss3uQ2kIhBwyZO1P0CNoX4QAzhL3g6RwaqY9JcUP_IGQ/s320/IMG_6523.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rimoun is in all our travel pics</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfUfu9rihinyoxCwnsFOOu35mFSeCghf1fsPoCARo1eGXjdfKizTiFhWf1pr01gFoLHOI_cPaSQNU3MrzqDOXirG4n2x1MIdxzAl86qum-LZV9qKTtg40TF6KO13JyoxD8mE_hwsmrMY8/s1600/IMG_6525.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfUfu9rihinyoxCwnsFOOu35mFSeCghf1fsPoCARo1eGXjdfKizTiFhWf1pr01gFoLHOI_cPaSQNU3MrzqDOXirG4n2x1MIdxzAl86qum-LZV9qKTtg40TF6KO13JyoxD8mE_hwsmrMY8/s320/IMG_6525.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beef luclac</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSTkBtqXJgez278fgp6l1CQqWZpvSpXe-ou02Et3Soi3eB0CGdk-Qvcslit_q7uMSgvLteVxdDaPJ0LLEWlrObfyek894ccp9lBmaukiYYnsvaVxttBWEM2vxcci9yqZCSgJlscbSBq84/s1600/IMG_6528.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSTkBtqXJgez278fgp6l1CQqWZpvSpXe-ou02Et3Soi3eB0CGdk-Qvcslit_q7uMSgvLteVxdDaPJ0LLEWlrObfyek894ccp9lBmaukiYYnsvaVxttBWEM2vxcci9yqZCSgJlscbSBq84/s320/IMG_6528.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chicken wings + special sauce</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieL3nc6lpZJqYngrtPQvNlBFWCTpptSuLzk_ekoeTxlczsv5YXV_2AmsVJMQ4tmKD1C1_YBCZmt1ow32GCxl3MR8_fY3M9tczXqYM1M76TXJ5PpqO1OZqEnpbKMqSSB71EIMauCfGFpAw/s1600/IMG_6529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieL3nc6lpZJqYngrtPQvNlBFWCTpptSuLzk_ekoeTxlczsv5YXV_2AmsVJMQ4tmKD1C1_YBCZmt1ow32GCxl3MR8_fY3M9tczXqYM1M76TXJ5PpqO1OZqEnpbKMqSSB71EIMauCfGFpAw/s320/IMG_6529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rimoun get out of our photos! =P</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
Normandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382577662564834616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513043457313670860.post-26045972078414217412015-09-25T19:52:00.000-07:002015-09-25T19:52:02.157-07:00Dim summing it upOn the docket for the day was to have dim sum with Norm's cousin Flora's family. She has two kids; an older daughter and a son who are just a few years older than Addy and Reid. Eunice and Isaac are two very bright kids who were asking us who we thought were going to win the upcoming Canadian federal election. They picked us up from our airbnb and took us to a suburban Chinese restaurant for some yummy dim sum. We heard Kirin is the best dim sum in town but ours was pretty good too!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmMFmmlGIQ1jc8tyJCjhEF836PkP2CZTuUP-tYZK16q9DCwHQSPElzsUJ2oRajv59fF1Y8s2_AOqvpPh9UQk1jg1DcWeAElXuRQfVim9eA1Vpi0Kfx7mynKmYkG3s23KpYkkC8DErLk8w/s1600/IMG_8607.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmMFmmlGIQ1jc8tyJCjhEF836PkP2CZTuUP-tYZK16q9DCwHQSPElzsUJ2oRajv59fF1Y8s2_AOqvpPh9UQk1jg1DcWeAElXuRQfVim9eA1Vpi0Kfx7mynKmYkG3s23KpYkkC8DErLk8w/s320/IMG_8607.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They're our kids now!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
After dim sum we went to North Vancouver to Lynn Canyon for a hike. It was labour day so the park was pretty busy but like everything in Van, not as busy as Toronto. Nonetheless, the park was amazing! The air was so fresh and it was a fantastic day to hike; not too warm and not too cold. Around the hike were big rocks and waterfalls so we jumped from rock to rock to get away from the normal trail for a bit. We also walked to a waterfall that is infamous for taking several lives a year because people keep jumping off into the water not knowing that the water is shallow with lots of sharp rocks. Despite this, we saw some teenagers getting ready to jump (with a lot of hesitation).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwupRBdZwFRz8Fk0FXdK9-bohCzFHEMQxlWcnkocMjkclO5sBlX-70agOx7hHXQeTbAoeGWlTQeSi253TnuM6dRUFShE9Eyj4wp-wNQ0HJIYuRvP3rwhLjoJlyBEtrwMu_gZJ9Hxiwt88/s1600/IMG_8619.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwupRBdZwFRz8Fk0FXdK9-bohCzFHEMQxlWcnkocMjkclO5sBlX-70agOx7hHXQeTbAoeGWlTQeSi253TnuM6dRUFShE9Eyj4wp-wNQ0HJIYuRvP3rwhLjoJlyBEtrwMu_gZJ9Hxiwt88/s320/IMG_8619.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Suspension bridge by the waterfall</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDnZdh-JYLcyaIk6XIVRLaf9C4rrCtUdpGPzb5LlqcKdofZ6LBeRxB6sYSkyvmg7ACoZVHwas1WtAJ_NzxH4nBVBCa3r9uhHElzBxrCsl3pPeYoDY394Vos3Jjwc9KaMf_ix2ed1Im7Jc/s1600/IMG_8621.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDnZdh-JYLcyaIk6XIVRLaf9C4rrCtUdpGPzb5LlqcKdofZ6LBeRxB6sYSkyvmg7ACoZVHwas1WtAJ_NzxH4nBVBCa3r9uhHElzBxrCsl3pPeYoDY394Vos3Jjwc9KaMf_ix2ed1Im7Jc/s320/IMG_8621.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't fall off Normmmm</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgREcCeIuuZhnMwFR6G_U72oYKCR784z6TgjKzCba_VekFv-6qQl-ytJ6MOE6LlQuYEqJikmwirf_KdeXlU9T7rV1kGTXi95jwR9FyHU-mwWBFa8MateWMv0z-jZYDST_8oGjrCx4UOXC0/s1600/IMG_8626.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgREcCeIuuZhnMwFR6G_U72oYKCR784z6TgjKzCba_VekFv-6qQl-ytJ6MOE6LlQuYEqJikmwirf_KdeXlU9T7rV1kGTXi95jwR9FyHU-mwWBFa8MateWMv0z-jZYDST_8oGjrCx4UOXC0/s320/IMG_8626.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We're so taaaaall</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE-UNMwil6n0Qz783HjLxuRloawn4sgji-gJAb0hbL24Sm1YQ3uElBUJzINWhVITYdsegURYHXxjKM0c4BFPmRvJJjgj9KfUpJT1Wwp_tzHLhoDYpecjN4c0ro4Xu37uhjnmS2ZU4VZ1c/s1600/IMG_8627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE-UNMwil6n0Qz783HjLxuRloawn4sgji-gJAb0hbL24Sm1YQ3uElBUJzINWhVITYdsegURYHXxjKM0c4BFPmRvJJjgj9KfUpJT1Wwp_tzHLhoDYpecjN4c0ro4Xu37uhjnmS2ZU4VZ1c/s320/IMG_8627.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Norman = sloth</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jw70XE0sS7oQu4rmutfZbMJ7QvCs0fH4MtAReDPngOofXQlaBgSVnIFCGqIuAYB_AC5KffvwJIi0mtg1NQ6vxAGT24205IeTuSjbDIXaWRJcp_-4ueoJ0c4Cs4udIX1runsvunKLSJ4/s1600/IMG_8636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jw70XE0sS7oQu4rmutfZbMJ7QvCs0fH4MtAReDPngOofXQlaBgSVnIFCGqIuAYB_AC5KffvwJIi0mtg1NQ6vxAGT24205IeTuSjbDIXaWRJcp_-4ueoJ0c4Cs4udIX1runsvunKLSJ4/s320/IMG_8636.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rock hopping</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7W1Gp8V8xzeRPxRRu_LHX7jO2EtcMKxce2SAWpVa8-62L8ajm74Dj3boYdjAOusJEP-0BHpL0KbiE0_TAAxw-4IyeLphEl901_eILT51Vs81uz7zs3wGMOGIhXXtADbYOYg_3tq9XpQE/s1600/IMG_8644.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7W1Gp8V8xzeRPxRRu_LHX7jO2EtcMKxce2SAWpVa8-62L8ajm74Dj3boYdjAOusJEP-0BHpL0KbiE0_TAAxw-4IyeLphEl901_eILT51Vs81uz7zs3wGMOGIhXXtADbYOYg_3tq9XpQE/s320/IMG_8644.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">High school kids doing their thing</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitYJ6XZHJ9QkDm8JWgLgceoEL6ds8FmJP7QWLLULEDZcCtB8k0Fr4db4tRbpH5EU8YVSFlQIp8bJzJG0hB7XJrLBftJ6Ue3l1m7wiWN42xGxcQQRpxDmJe_C6Kj5wgeFD60k9Yo31FRd4/s1600/IMG_8649.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitYJ6XZHJ9QkDm8JWgLgceoEL6ds8FmJP7QWLLULEDZcCtB8k0Fr4db4tRbpH5EU8YVSFlQIp8bJzJG0hB7XJrLBftJ6Ue3l1m7wiWN42xGxcQQRpxDmJe_C6Kj5wgeFD60k9Yo31FRd4/s320/IMG_8649.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful Lynn Canyon</td></tr>
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After the scenic hike we did a quick pit stop at the salmon farming facility and then off to Granville Island. Granville Island is similar to St. Lawrence market in Toronto but much cleaner and with more street performers. We parted ways with Norm's family and explored the island ourselves. We had some really yummy ham and cheese croissant from a local organic bakery, raspberries and crab apples (yucky), and pepperoni sticks. I also got some colorful lollipops for Addy and Reid (and one for me!)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjN3P9w1_v3voLy4YfeYeHooUA9Ukk9LRzLH3lyfSvmQnNcad0pARFSOZzFW92hyeCYOe_phlJf-qQr8M3jPrC5-GW64I3upKagwIk-FqbJVpbMs4du_l_pz5uaHbbdVOkLuCbiw88bFY/s1600/IMG_8667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjN3P9w1_v3voLy4YfeYeHooUA9Ukk9LRzLH3lyfSvmQnNcad0pARFSOZzFW92hyeCYOe_phlJf-qQr8M3jPrC5-GW64I3upKagwIk-FqbJVpbMs4du_l_pz5uaHbbdVOkLuCbiw88bFY/s320/IMG_8667.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fam pic</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNHSW0I63Xvnqci6tw4z9lJUa9k394fg301-q6W_ezk3yWvYMoSZOV-cDFaY8aICrlO58Y38OA4iYPXmmSWYgs9oDkHX9mjWRWuzz7XLz2K2BabwT37WAAOywTlYVND2QH7VaHCeIh7sM/s1600/IMG_8673.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNHSW0I63Xvnqci6tw4z9lJUa9k394fg301-q6W_ezk3yWvYMoSZOV-cDFaY8aICrlO58Y38OA4iYPXmmSWYgs9oDkHX9mjWRWuzz7XLz2K2BabwT37WAAOywTlYVND2QH7VaHCeIh7sM/s320/IMG_8673.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lollies</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3xLB07u1Bk0uovw09SOqOMFw5F4aBxt_cjlenykjA6kXEA5kEBAQ4fdmzEkxBFFIZMOkyfqUTiEliifE3mKkNOyPZSZSczJHaKSJRTaHDNxvhRkLso5SK5koZaY6TzMd50C5pA-HaCUw/s1600/IMG_8676.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3xLB07u1Bk0uovw09SOqOMFw5F4aBxt_cjlenykjA6kXEA5kEBAQ4fdmzEkxBFFIZMOkyfqUTiEliifE3mKkNOyPZSZSczJHaKSJRTaHDNxvhRkLso5SK5koZaY6TzMd50C5pA-HaCUw/s320/IMG_8676.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crabapple</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCWWeNdSN6jO_TowMeq63GaabCFaFttqehkFjsSBxZHHT5onZ31IOxTf2-EyD73KjMHE0Nq2ZYlW6hzMWAn7f3FLhFjSYi4QwQ0U4C_9moaxAS329etFnDQ6tdeg56rVdOEEjVHrc5aMc/s1600/IMG_8684.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCWWeNdSN6jO_TowMeq63GaabCFaFttqehkFjsSBxZHHT5onZ31IOxTf2-EyD73KjMHE0Nq2ZYlW6hzMWAn7f3FLhFjSYi4QwQ0U4C_9moaxAS329etFnDQ6tdeg56rVdOEEjVHrc5aMc/s320/IMG_8684.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ham and cheese croissant from A Bread Affair</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA5NRUNXzw0-9QEMTGoumzWlrUrd6ujccTR08UX3cKo5jR91TPcu0yt3XjnHSpXdQktOnL10GvksR4WUUodow0YubLrYVin7EbgPMXIQlNMPDCmNJ4VNEJtei2oiokiRlC47QttC9QQZY/s1600/IMG_8685.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA5NRUNXzw0-9QEMTGoumzWlrUrd6ujccTR08UX3cKo5jR91TPcu0yt3XjnHSpXdQktOnL10GvksR4WUUodow0YubLrYVin7EbgPMXIQlNMPDCmNJ4VNEJtei2oiokiRlC47QttC9QQZY/s320/IMG_8685.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pepperoni stickssss</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPkOTo-sk1REMLM42NsDCaQ6j0sVvsDap7q5mZd8YRDcY-NaBr6m2WUDCkn2M-7bgex9nWd3pAZSXjPqTQjW2NH6GfTNg8MZosKILQ3wcTbp_9KWsayKVKxzP7J5pd81Nu7zp47coKQfQ/s1600/IMG_8687.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPkOTo-sk1REMLM42NsDCaQ6j0sVvsDap7q5mZd8YRDcY-NaBr6m2WUDCkn2M-7bgex9nWd3pAZSXjPqTQjW2NH6GfTNg8MZosKILQ3wcTbp_9KWsayKVKxzP7J5pd81Nu7zp47coKQfQ/s320/IMG_8687.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Granville Island > St. Lawrence Market ?</td></tr>
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After our bellies were semi-full, we made our way back home via seabus and met up with our Toronto friend, Rimoun and Vancouver friend, Doug for dinner. We took the skytrain to Burnaby to find suburban sushi. Unfortunately it was Labour Day and a lot of restos were closed :( We did eventually found a Korean owned sushi resto that was busy. The aburi was cheap and yummy but the sashimi was meh compared to the other restaurants in Van. While we were in Burnaby, Doug's hometown, we went to a local lookout point and visited Doug's family's house/mansion.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX2OFk8bEp6ByZbruhseTgF2RNd76Mb_DKPSI5Jxj2AZSFrcZqo9-d4i5yTx4WnIddGFNfoWAtbe_4SRKB6WSFNHBh4SJzuMkX8xp2dwGJ5Z4vdK5XeZqBTXWbJpEYtQG7u26chHENF8A/s1600/IMG_6508.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX2OFk8bEp6ByZbruhseTgF2RNd76Mb_DKPSI5Jxj2AZSFrcZqo9-d4i5yTx4WnIddGFNfoWAtbe_4SRKB6WSFNHBh4SJzuMkX8xp2dwGJ5Z4vdK5XeZqBTXWbJpEYtQG7u26chHENF8A/s320/IMG_6508.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rimoun!!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSqygImiyU2PTIdDjsuOwO0k3MMi3lRzV24JspxrTHiLoLVsp5bH9_OEYe6G4KvGejXU5hGF03OdiQYLdTF5vmDHFmaxVnVHeE0OJEF9YEYnkOrZlBRL39jMpGUExtFoycoZ2OOy0Y_qA/s1600/IMG_8696.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSqygImiyU2PTIdDjsuOwO0k3MMi3lRzV24JspxrTHiLoLVsp5bH9_OEYe6G4KvGejXU5hGF03OdiQYLdTF5vmDHFmaxVnVHeE0OJEF9YEYnkOrZlBRL39jMpGUExtFoycoZ2OOy0Y_qA/s320/IMG_8696.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Secret lookout point</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg53fmgiFIYJ0F_kFpOQUR-mfmkJfdoAIbzCiGV-7sWOkfOqj5WrHAh7IjKfGOl6O7PHRJ1FYKrZs9wSgdyixY-LMRlqKgWVqj__N2d_-wGte5a7G4IoBwYZQbBI2Q37aiA-4v0wY9Q9hk/s1600/IMG_8700.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg53fmgiFIYJ0F_kFpOQUR-mfmkJfdoAIbzCiGV-7sWOkfOqj5WrHAh7IjKfGOl6O7PHRJ1FYKrZs9wSgdyixY-LMRlqKgWVqj__N2d_-wGte5a7G4IoBwYZQbBI2Q37aiA-4v0wY9Q9hk/s320/IMG_8700.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vancouver house = Toronto Mansion</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiMxdNRm2MbTb-D_ssAk6gSoPvd3WCl-YFeQx1uefmoCyJxBy2rqa_t5tGM0BNsCTE5ETZ5QbwQ4V9skQL74gKYYybUx2GesgVJxZqMlvH0HDRaGzqGZIJ-T9rsg2K_8gyrGnfNW_wPgk/s1600/IMG_8704.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiMxdNRm2MbTb-D_ssAk6gSoPvd3WCl-YFeQx1uefmoCyJxBy2rqa_t5tGM0BNsCTE5ETZ5QbwQ4V9skQL74gKYYybUx2GesgVJxZqMlvH0HDRaGzqGZIJ-T9rsg2K_8gyrGnfNW_wPgk/s320/IMG_8704.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bro session by the koi pond</td></tr>
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<br />Normandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382577662564834616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513043457313670860.post-46232579764496008432015-09-25T19:32:00.002-07:002015-09-25T19:32:19.398-07:00Biking, walking, and lots of eating I started my first full day in Vancouver by waking up early and going to the aritzia warehouse sale! I was debating whether or not to go but Doug's friend from the night before convinced me that I should go. And because of the jetlag, it wasn't hard to wake up early. I decided to go myself and let Norm catch a bit more sleep. The sale was at the Vancouver Convention Centre which is a 15 mins walk from our airbnb and right by the seawall. I got there at 9:15pm, 15 mins after the sale started and waited 20 mins to get in. The wait wasn't long but the stuff inside wasn't that great either :( I managed to find two circle scarves (one for Fannie) and a tshirt.<br />
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Anyway, after doing some shopping I went back home to wake up Norm and we tried the original Japadog which is just around the corner from our place. It was way more expensive than I thought... $7 for the original and more for the rest. But I would say it's something you should try if you're coming to Van.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxQjC69uwT9jBSRTmRRXUAxFo9PV1w5jvDMeamv_mFPLGN21UKpTpWpOLeii8A30oeePCnFPwP7N7UluH67Kc12JK3erbCqKQm2oTALNqXfnRs27rN8lK5UOOtNuzeE-9-Ubptate2_y4/s1600/IMG_6496.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxQjC69uwT9jBSRTmRRXUAxFo9PV1w5jvDMeamv_mFPLGN21UKpTpWpOLeii8A30oeePCnFPwP7N7UluH67Kc12JK3erbCqKQm2oTALNqXfnRs27rN8lK5UOOtNuzeE-9-Ubptate2_y4/s320/IMG_6496.JPG" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beef Terimayo (left) and Oroshi (right)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDweRXy9nkUNS1j8H-zOTM_m7CxPz9Y7FomjuOTFxFLcCaFGSVfdHeRhU8A3JbhLbHoIxmdacE_PLw73WKlnZu76VHk0L5s_VdyJTxzrn9psAYRyNuBXP_37b4A94wVUBTang-s1-M6Hk/s1600/GOPR0082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDweRXy9nkUNS1j8H-zOTM_m7CxPz9Y7FomjuOTFxFLcCaFGSVfdHeRhU8A3JbhLbHoIxmdacE_PLw73WKlnZu76VHk0L5s_VdyJTxzrn9psAYRyNuBXP_37b4A94wVUBTang-s1-M6Hk/s320/GOPR0082.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Original Japadog stand right by our place</td></tr>
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<br />Since it was a nice day, we made our way to Stanley Park to rent bikes and bike around the perimeter of the park. It was a sunny day but in the shade it was still chilly. The wind in our face was refreshing but I definitely wish it was warmer. The park itself was really beautiful and almost as big as Van city. Vancouver is a very nature-loving, healthy city so there were lots of locals (and tourists) biking, running, and rollerblading the park. Even when I was walking to the sale in the morning, I saw lots of people preparing for a run. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice day for a bike ride :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Wait for me Normannnn!"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv8v5Lp63GQZzFKybXw5kUmlu7rhCTOXRuJBNCET73UZgaSU-etgKbsuwjki9PdWY3DW4G2h3rposKfh0F9uwlTxqNAQfCEEDrPPHY6mCuisQDRC3ZYNPnwXK3X6mIHt3SED_mX7JLXFc/s1600/GOPR0110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv8v5Lp63GQZzFKybXw5kUmlu7rhCTOXRuJBNCET73UZgaSU-etgKbsuwjki9PdWY3DW4G2h3rposKfh0F9uwlTxqNAQfCEEDrPPHY6mCuisQDRC3ZYNPnwXK3X6mIHt3SED_mX7JLXFc/s320/GOPR0110.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scenic ride around Stanley Park</td></tr>
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<br /><br />After an hour bike ride, we made our way back home to shower and squeezed in a walk to Gastown to try an organic soft serve ice cream joint called Soft Peaks. I had their signature Honeycomb Peak with real honeycomb topping! Soon after that we met with my cousin Charles and his family for dinner. Norm and I really wanted to eat sushi but it was a Sunday and lots of the sushi restos in the city were closed. We actually walked up and down a couple of major streets with lots of restaurants for 30-45 mins until we finally got a table at Bella Sushi. It was definitely worth the wait though. We got a sashmi platter to share and it was a-mazing!</div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfewGA6A_Jbaf8uh7x2JB6772jbmbny0cJ5sxwi2UxzcJM8mS0_AGUs2GAYMdL8VZe4E41kmrXYwSbIEQ1ILe2ekSWNc-EiHcNN58r3v8X0EB_Atsznfu07lS5q05WALGGn38kbXQxHBU/s1600/IMG_8601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfewGA6A_Jbaf8uh7x2JB6772jbmbny0cJ5sxwi2UxzcJM8mS0_AGUs2GAYMdL8VZe4E41kmrXYwSbIEQ1ILe2ekSWNc-EiHcNN58r3v8X0EB_Atsznfu07lS5q05WALGGn38kbXQxHBU/s320/IMG_8601.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Yumyum</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVVSeBFcwt9wHFqk5zyAZmnlOjG-7bPiXJ0cDfdFZPiJCF4ubwJFIDm1ug9aXgf4Zs7BFJgKc300N_rvPojhQwqOrNkW9bBnSzAH8Dl_Rg5ZH9vuPptIYTiMjZLPFB2ku9huQnwU888K4/s1600/IMG_6504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVVSeBFcwt9wHFqk5zyAZmnlOjG-7bPiXJ0cDfdFZPiJCF4ubwJFIDm1ug9aXgf4Zs7BFJgKc300N_rvPojhQwqOrNkW9bBnSzAH8Dl_Rg5ZH9vuPptIYTiMjZLPFB2ku9huQnwU888K4/s320/IMG_6504.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fam pic</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGoVIGhyphenhyphenib9qywU8dI3OmEVHklv3xfVgJAH0gkBhegau9YwKNjNDUY-jQIoxiN47PzW1vO7NTh08bP_j6dVqzfY9Z2O2atXNB68eu1uCz4vh_S8QzRLYXo-Egkuwc_s9Q3GPi2ncuyDi0/s1600/IMG_8604.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGoVIGhyphenhyphenib9qywU8dI3OmEVHklv3xfVgJAH0gkBhegau9YwKNjNDUY-jQIoxiN47PzW1vO7NTh08bP_j6dVqzfY9Z2O2atXNB68eu1uCz4vh_S8QzRLYXo-Egkuwc_s9Q3GPi2ncuyDi0/s320/IMG_8604.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vancouver sashimi > Toronto sashimi</td></tr>
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Addy and Reid are getting so big and it was great seeing them again. Addy is currently obsessed with Harry Potter and loves talking about every single minute. After dinner we were walking around downtown, getting cupcakes, japanese snacks, and going to wholefoods. It was so cute when Addy got comfortable with us and held my hand and then held Norms after :) I think eventually Addy preferred talking to Norm because he knows a lot more about Harry Potter than me and he has way more energy to keep up with kids. I got so tired of constantly talking and paying attention to what she was saying, lol. I totally understand when parents stop paying attention to what their kids are doing if it's not important, lol.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjve4MSEUqLuqzBEkeOagH39DYGzSQaYiSKKsSEnKKTowiYdU9hlkvBn0I3Uj2DEEB6ZkhDM-jUM2Aw8LjyW8Ns_wQdUMZ0xcFKqLASoOwvKXBEO3JgG81yh15dsPfyDPh_SEre7bZ3S98/s1600/IMG_6503.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjve4MSEUqLuqzBEkeOagH39DYGzSQaYiSKKsSEnKKTowiYdU9hlkvBn0I3Uj2DEEB6ZkhDM-jUM2Aw8LjyW8Ns_wQdUMZ0xcFKqLASoOwvKXBEO3JgG81yh15dsPfyDPh_SEre7bZ3S98/s320/IMG_6503.JPG" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Only have a snapchat photo lol</td></tr>
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Charles and his family eventually had to head home and we decided to chill at Norm's Ottawa friend's condo for a bit. Sandra just moved to Vancouver for post-grad school and lived right around the corner from us. </div>
Normandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382577662564834616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513043457313670860.post-76095892317018612232015-09-25T19:15:00.000-07:002015-09-25T19:15:14.647-07:00West Coast, Best Coast?........And we're back! Norm and I just started our newest adventure to the west coast after a long and grueling 14 vacation-less months!! We've finally made it to Vancouver and it's been amazing so far. We landed in the afternoon and Norm's LSE bff, Doug, picked us up from the airport and gave us a quick tour of the city. It's my first time here and basically Norm's first time here (he was here when he was 10 so it doesn't really count). We were most excited about seeing our friends and family who live in Van or just happen to be visiting Van at the same time and of course the FOOD =D Our friends gave us a lot of suggestions and we hope to go to at least a few but our biggest challenge is: too many amazing restaurants to try, too little time.<br />
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Our first pit stop was Guu in Gastown after a quick visit to Doug's place. It was early for dinner in Van but our stomachs were still running on Toronto time. The food at Guu was mostly okay only but the best dish was definitely the sashimi platter... mmmmMMM... (I'm so glad I started eating sashimi.) </div>
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We also found out that the Vancouver stereotype is true: blazing is <i>highly</i> accepted everywhere (wink wink).</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reunited with beer!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bad quality picture, great quality fish</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After dinner affogato</td></tr>
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Since we had such an early dinner (5:30pm), we had a lot of time before barhopping so we walked around Gastown. Gastown is a popular neighbourhood in Vancouver that is going through gentrification. The streets make us feel like we are in Covent Garden in London. There's even a clock<br />
tower! There's a ton of shops and restaurants so the area is very touristy but after dark, the locals come here to drink. And that's exactly what we did after a coffee and affagato break at Buro Cafe, a walk around the pier, and after a whiskey shot at a bar near the pier. We started at a bar called port side and then went to metropoli to finish the night. We met up with a few more of Doug's friends and Justin and Stacey who happen to be vacationing in Vancouver for the weekend too! We played some foozeball and got destroyed by a couple of strangers and did some dancing. We were a bit jet lagged so we didn't stay out too late. Nonetheless, it was an eventful first day!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vancouver Pier<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clock Tower in Gastown<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stacey and Justin!</td></tr>
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Normandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382577662564834616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513043457313670860.post-77656614782826729812014-06-29T14:06:00.006-07:002014-06-29T14:27:48.983-07:00Last day in Germany<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Norman:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unfortunately, this is the last day of our vacation in Germany, but I must say that even after two weeks, I am starting to look forward to going home. Mandy has been here for an additional week so I can imagine she misses home even more strongly. Today we decided to have a more chill day. We had breakfast at the hotel (another perk about staying at hotels), and then headed to the Natural History museum. It was actually quite cool - they had a lot of (replica) dinosaur bones, fossils from a bunch of different animals, minerals, rocks and all the other good stuff that you would expect from a Natural History museum. It was pretty cool, but it was unfortunate that almost all of the exhibits were in German, so we only had a surface appreciation of all the exhibits.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Comparing head sizes with the dinosaur. I think I win</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirTbXUmuECfIATHPu-NKD53Sh3S-QR94rpsAoDAysL4RCzgIN3v06iCRQ6c3uQdTy3-ljqfigee55twKiJ-flm0Jod3wdLVFb28Ufi7YMeQsFUYDHqsHAms0TMJb4aeUI5MD2-EP0hzHQ/s1600/IMG_9248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirTbXUmuECfIATHPu-NKD53Sh3S-QR94rpsAoDAysL4RCzgIN3v06iCRQ6c3uQdTy3-ljqfigee55twKiJ-flm0Jod3wdLVFb28Ufi7YMeQsFUYDHqsHAms0TMJb4aeUI5MD2-EP0hzHQ/s1600/IMG_9248.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mandy getting crushed by a brontosaurus leg </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqddxYWk6IdoWvcGB-rWTXY8HPkNcuq1cE-uSAXSPfVLGmuBqgSTZ2sx0CE4EQ_hiUsxlXAsWVse6iJtUAXTohZdTGHe5Bb6Xlcl8bll72rSAy_1xAbiVDgchyphenhyphen5P4xsmyZBinGJwp8CM8/s1600/IMG_9258.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqddxYWk6IdoWvcGB-rWTXY8HPkNcuq1cE-uSAXSPfVLGmuBqgSTZ2sx0CE4EQ_hiUsxlXAsWVse6iJtUAXTohZdTGHe5Bb6Xlcl8bll72rSAy_1xAbiVDgchyphenhyphen5P4xsmyZBinGJwp8CM8/s1600/IMG_9258.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Different kinds of elephants from history</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From then, we headed to Museum street, which had museums lined up right beside the river Rhein. We were starting to get really hungry, so we headed to Sachsenhausen, an area with a bunch of restaurants. Frankfurt is also known for apfelwein, which is an apple cider beer with an acquired taste. Significantly more different than what you would expect from a Strongbow, it was much more sour. I had a seafood pizza (quite good) and Mandy ordered a spaghetti carbonara with pig cheek.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbesHY8DamYJGl0FXYIKLeB-HUwqWaCu9oAR3KE0kN2wcVdakTeIKQSlGs8AAUnyEU2vaEuAIrb-OnOCUe0dMmXbXIg7WKOeep8Gy8DHBKWr_tPv8L9HLsK-v2zXEhgB9pm5j_oBK1zog/s1600/IMG_9264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbesHY8DamYJGl0FXYIKLeB-HUwqWaCu9oAR3KE0kN2wcVdakTeIKQSlGs8AAUnyEU2vaEuAIrb-OnOCUe0dMmXbXIg7WKOeep8Gy8DHBKWr_tPv8L9HLsK-v2zXEhgB9pm5j_oBK1zog/s1600/IMG_9264.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Very strange apfelwein</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIHaySCtXU-w6N3y05e59LfqOd55BG77uFpmy9YO6eyjY1JGKyTnke3oswMjjO1xHUqvSJJ33atMcrjMxuTceD6txzpvwGBDdUwpTF_huojqeNNsuyLc2hdMPtQLGzTx5f7GoUqWNdvWY/s1600/IMG_9270.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIHaySCtXU-w6N3y05e59LfqOd55BG77uFpmy9YO6eyjY1JGKyTnke3oswMjjO1xHUqvSJJ33atMcrjMxuTceD6txzpvwGBDdUwpTF_huojqeNNsuyLc2hdMPtQLGzTx5f7GoUqWNdvWY/s1600/IMG_9270.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mandy happy to see her pasta arrive</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOASGwd1q_jguSdcpkKDkO_o_w4VpKBQiK6K_03_TEWjV6K9FTDdhdkXGO3EfRTnChfcJF1fWKv-S5ZyWGt5rha6PrqRYp06tatHcd2wcXpk6M8u8dWI_xiGh3FypCk5BllP_vl_1uuaA/s1600/IMG_9272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOASGwd1q_jguSdcpkKDkO_o_w4VpKBQiK6K_03_TEWjV6K9FTDdhdkXGO3EfRTnChfcJF1fWKv-S5ZyWGt5rha6PrqRYp06tatHcd2wcXpk6M8u8dWI_xiGh3FypCk5BllP_vl_1uuaA/s1600/IMG_9272.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pizza with scallop, shrimps and imitation crab</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From then, we crossed the iron bridge and took a few photos. We were running out of things to do in Frankfurt, so we walked back to the hotel to chilax on our last day. We spent some time working up a sweat in the hotel sauna (3rd plus about staying at a hotel) and took a nap until dinner. We headed back to the opera house food festival for our last dinner in Germany. We ate a schnitzel sandwich and a chicken breast in a mushroom-cream sauce. Mandy also bought some chocolate covered strawberries which were delicious.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now we are back home and as I am completing the last blog entry for Europe, Mandy is busy packing up my suitcase. Canada, we'll be back tomorrow!!!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5l8mnrS9wu9feECR-otLK5wB5nAgmw_B9-l2YNwmLw_0KSx-Nz-ug6y1528TsQVOcbXUT4m9q12p170gP0h29MhIclNFC_B39XiX7-q1dZIL-J9aytuKx2Q9s8tddSFhL_lK53EW2-5Q/s1600/IMG_9279.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5l8mnrS9wu9feECR-otLK5wB5nAgmw_B9-l2YNwmLw_0KSx-Nz-ug6y1528TsQVOcbXUT4m9q12p170gP0h29MhIclNFC_B39XiX7-q1dZIL-J9aytuKx2Q9s8tddSFhL_lK53EW2-5Q/s1600/IMG_9279.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Iron bridge, with "New Frankfurt" in the horizon</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwn1ZWuFoB11O3QO4dJezZ_o0HNNi0_kBw1lsLYIo4pUkoCsk0egJ0RwEk_NdlB-l2CDJ7h_lnNSGgld6P-giv2IwifO9TgSoqlVyGZs6_16-Q7Ahaj2CA76hOrwE3SvIn5d1EY5V2Js8/s1600/IMG_9281.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwn1ZWuFoB11O3QO4dJezZ_o0HNNi0_kBw1lsLYIo4pUkoCsk0egJ0RwEk_NdlB-l2CDJ7h_lnNSGgld6P-giv2IwifO9TgSoqlVyGZs6_16-Q7Ahaj2CA76hOrwE3SvIn5d1EY5V2Js8/s1600/IMG_9281.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Iron bridge, with "Old Frankfurt" in the horizon</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixc_X2pvch0sGc7Qw5B9ErHkGlNXdMm0q7z1I_zt4esA6gcKIP0pLZ_epFCShX3LMT6nkMu_grIFzX8UabvcxWCXQQ4eUVlnETPVr911mjq7XxltL4rHEQLVcnJmd0O56qPf9fveG9C9k/s1600/IMG_9288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixc_X2pvch0sGc7Qw5B9ErHkGlNXdMm0q7z1I_zt4esA6gcKIP0pLZ_epFCShX3LMT6nkMu_grIFzX8UabvcxWCXQQ4eUVlnETPVr911mjq7XxltL4rHEQLVcnJmd0O56qPf9fveG9C9k/s1600/IMG_9288.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love locks, with the Dom cathedral in the backdrop</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVw02UmfdjHOfjoXs8gXOhkHB7c3RsruzCs8Ji93XNog3dipVxQJI7m7A6xLZAWGYxPM5inbf95dxKtjGerd9_laBDC2tBuVAFe0zCKAEvlTnZ5sR81LM8ETOnWv_xLKtQSqo327vlGyM/s1600/IMG_9293.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVw02UmfdjHOfjoXs8gXOhkHB7c3RsruzCs8Ji93XNog3dipVxQJI7m7A6xLZAWGYxPM5inbf95dxKtjGerd9_laBDC2tBuVAFe0zCKAEvlTnZ5sR81LM8ETOnWv_xLKtQSqo327vlGyM/s1600/IMG_9293.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Romer much better now that there are fewer people on the street</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK_6CD3CnFkj_ACTOyKRgr1NhhbTNe1DGcOs-hqLbWSLh2vm2bdill8p44Y6muLCKC_5i7W-Z9fsRngnbqN5k6IZ-rvCDSa8RT6UohOIv0v79MTx_vLkYb1xJ3XGYbdzh32hDwiJxrZI4/s1600/IMG_8215.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK_6CD3CnFkj_ACTOyKRgr1NhhbTNe1DGcOs-hqLbWSLh2vm2bdill8p44Y6muLCKC_5i7W-Z9fsRngnbqN5k6IZ-rvCDSa8RT6UohOIv0v79MTx_vLkYb1xJ3XGYbdzh32hDwiJxrZI4/s1600/IMG_8215.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jewish Memorial Wall we stumbled upon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrq7U7W-wM0XZOIVj1lAZS2DcpQ2DPcgX3isoyKdbYvjea22_hsGgmNwFkg0kpaK3ZIdxR7mpadUxNFWwLqEdWW2N1auITCKGE0ubiSI65qxthvQESwc1Y119iTwAy7Y3YxrlDjd-ZNY0/s1600/IMG_8217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrq7U7W-wM0XZOIVj1lAZS2DcpQ2DPcgX3isoyKdbYvjea22_hsGgmNwFkg0kpaK3ZIdxR7mpadUxNFWwLqEdWW2N1auITCKGE0ubiSI65qxthvQESwc1Y119iTwAy7Y3YxrlDjd-ZNY0/s1600/IMG_8217.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last German meal!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBw1OmOWCn9BU17xpIo7l5CN9-Q46_INOg3oDyg9yc6Ys3KL74G23qxfDzZgK43ukK-gbh6DWTQVWRohXpEQO5G5rx6161esB1afxgdNvMpnDGSaNsUMpvIgSIT4tUUNLbuD9s5klX4ro/s1600/IMG_8219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBw1OmOWCn9BU17xpIo7l5CN9-Q46_INOg3oDyg9yc6Ys3KL74G23qxfDzZgK43ukK-gbh6DWTQVWRohXpEQO5G5rx6161esB1afxgdNvMpnDGSaNsUMpvIgSIT4tUUNLbuD9s5klX4ro/s1600/IMG_8219.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Schnitzel in a bun</td></tr>
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Normandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382577662564834616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513043457313670860.post-52750465778125687542014-06-29T13:23:00.004-07:002014-06-29T14:14:21.138-07:00First day (and last city): Frankfurt!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Norman:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today we headed to our last destination of our journey: Frankfurt! Frankfurt is best known as the banking city of Germany, so I didn't expect it to be as "hip" as Berlin or as "German" as our experience in Munich. This was also one city that I wasn't able to meet up with any of my German friends so we were left to fend for ourselves when faced with German food menus and some subway stations.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After a fairly brief train ride (only about two hours), we arrived at Frankfurt and took the subway to the city. This was one place where we actually stayed in a hotel and after so many AirBnBs, it was quite nice to have a nice clean room, with a flexible check-in time and room service to clean and provide new towels every day. We dropped off our stuff and our plans were to check out nearby landmarks and may be do some last-chance shopping, since tomorrow (Sunday) all stores are closed (dammit Germany!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our first destination was the Romer (which is a set of medieval buildings in a square and also where the City Hall is located). On the walk there, we were lucky enough to find a food festival with a bunch of international foods being offered. From Greek, to Malaysian, to Indian, there were almost too many options. In addition, there were cultural shows and tourism promotions for these countries. We ended up eating some Greek souvlaki, Malaysian beef balls and Indonesian curry-puffs. We also found an old-style steam engine that actually carried passengers and only actually comes once a month!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1K6L8GGI_oJ9jOoVcp35k_Ur2r7K_MFoCK80u_lwTzHJsGrDv2d_0_fy6SQROiyusU7vIUGP-08SYkmdaVfBQGB8Gvzi4BFOcrtb4Xjy8-E5veu__cZxgpechsGrhI7dUQr2BUtK_J64/s1600/IMG_9220.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1K6L8GGI_oJ9jOoVcp35k_Ur2r7K_MFoCK80u_lwTzHJsGrDv2d_0_fy6SQROiyusU7vIUGP-08SYkmdaVfBQGB8Gvzi4BFOcrtb4Xjy8-E5veu__cZxgpechsGrhI7dUQr2BUtK_J64/s1600/IMG_9220.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mandy saved me from the speeding locomotive just in the nick of time</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioFGf5uBfdqb5NdDu9CHPNGHCmH6FFqVNeidzXjO4W-let9ZBzhrcpvusEgYSmJ3OqjjM1wkcKYpWCaKbXlyvnVHJsF_VpiYIdJ2daXdldlHkT7M9NAiZOPAy6MF8W7IaoN8GpzVS4Qig/s1600/IMG_9226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioFGf5uBfdqb5NdDu9CHPNGHCmH6FFqVNeidzXjO4W-let9ZBzhrcpvusEgYSmJ3OqjjM1wkcKYpWCaKbXlyvnVHJsF_VpiYIdJ2daXdldlHkT7M9NAiZOPAy6MF8W7IaoN8GpzVS4Qig/s1600/IMG_9226.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Soooo many people at the international food festival and traditional clothes from respective countries</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyPVFiHRVoG0TyoQNN6spnh1aGosBacd2wH9OOH9cQaXJpQMv_Zg3yFMDfJkhhg2XhBEGZQERUdHRY-OexATD-fQwSZbYyOU5VaVoVAQqclIHH7ycvtaD1ZmxN2c-qCP8j-cqO4RKQU9s/s1600/IMG_9227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyPVFiHRVoG0TyoQNN6spnh1aGosBacd2wH9OOH9cQaXJpQMv_Zg3yFMDfJkhhg2XhBEGZQERUdHRY-OexATD-fQwSZbYyOU5VaVoVAQqclIHH7ycvtaD1ZmxN2c-qCP8j-cqO4RKQU9s/s1600/IMG_9227.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mmm souvlaki with extra tzatziki sauce</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtkKZyFYf_-SKPMgeH5e0zbmpqe9C9OYYSIv8c_jKyE7h3ioWGBVxDc3T74XDLcYog5qOb9sbjMRFVDl0lxypgymeJuEOtOlLUSuomGF71E1jYuV4bejK8_mZOhfpU-Nrzeuq3m0Ffqhg/s1600/IMG_9231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtkKZyFYf_-SKPMgeH5e0zbmpqe9C9OYYSIv8c_jKyE7h3ioWGBVxDc3T74XDLcYog5qOb9sbjMRFVDl0lxypgymeJuEOtOlLUSuomGF71E1jYuV4bejK8_mZOhfpU-Nrzeuq3m0Ffqhg/s1600/IMG_9231.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mmm currypuffs straight out of the fryer</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmlqy8z7WFra6-IxktphZH6jKzjuwk9vFcn19pls20hEZkE1mpPUDC9Hzxn5XyF6MCFdJ9wFWnVIiJy4cBh88yMf2LmCpVwgErtiF_nn0BVhh81gjia55y4woeckwb8eURB4WJX1WGTyU/s1600/IMG_9233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmlqy8z7WFra6-IxktphZH6jKzjuwk9vFcn19pls20hEZkE1mpPUDC9Hzxn5XyF6MCFdJ9wFWnVIiJy4cBh88yMf2LmCpVwgErtiF_nn0BVhh81gjia55y4woeckwb8eURB4WJX1WGTyU/s1600/IMG_9233.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beef balls with spicy sauce (iron bridge in the background)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Afterwards, we headed a little north and checked out the Romer. The architecture was quite distinctive compared to all the other high-rises in Frankfurt and it was a really neat little square. However, the sheer number of people that were spilling over from the food festival made it difficult to navigate. We continued north to check out the Zeil shopping street. Given that the Germans only have Saturday to go shopping since everything is closed on Sunday, the streets and malls were crowded in full force. It felt like boxing day in Germany, except sales weren't as good and we didn't end up buying anything. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFszIvVPAnO1La2LL855QSFGRmC7AJJ6_1h7e7_SaOQlsQuggRPEavl0z0CsFEFLc3vvfmM0etYHgE99TR_AD4GkTnP-WBrPApj_mtOSB97IIwVTimnS23J4yoCWJyhzq6WiGRoXR2NoA/s1600/IMG_9236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFszIvVPAnO1La2LL855QSFGRmC7AJJ6_1h7e7_SaOQlsQuggRPEavl0z0CsFEFLc3vvfmM0etYHgE99TR_AD4GkTnP-WBrPApj_mtOSB97IIwVTimnS23J4yoCWJyhzq6WiGRoXR2NoA/s1600/IMG_9236.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cool facade in the Romer architecture</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After walking down Zeil, we headed towards the Dom cathedral, which is one classical building that stands atop the many skyscrapers in Frankfurt's landscape. We took a few quick photos and continued exploring the city. Interestingly, while we were walking around Frankfurt, we saw a bunch of Chinese shopping tourists going crazy and Zwilling Henckels kitchen store. There were people that literally bought an entire kitchen's worth of pots, pans, knives, and cutlery. $$$$$$$$$</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0D1qzef684pAcMMMOCwM5evoSGF19kuMTB76GCWbDEsB6h7gx_IGTZjUGRPVI1pbQmOAzgAZwF33N3MFor5aRBaxEhI5fHrV_4CP4gewqYke2syeOMUuUBeZ0B_tD9-7UqqG6YArG72A/s1600/IMG_9244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0D1qzef684pAcMMMOCwM5evoSGF19kuMTB76GCWbDEsB6h7gx_IGTZjUGRPVI1pbQmOAzgAZwF33N3MFor5aRBaxEhI5fHrV_4CP4gewqYke2syeOMUuUBeZ0B_tD9-7UqqG6YArG72A/s1600/IMG_9244.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dom cathedral from the inside (pretty sure we snuck in after it closed)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik2UdxmSEzjB9B-gStQiK4ysyCa7s-Vm5-ZJgVPXsNArj10qoVjYBCokMoPvP_94RvLclmGQ6MQ3GP8zKBs6r1ytOQRoOaRha42mZqRIg4dhhq7dI-9xIkRuVDHbTV0Awj3onWjOBStCc/s1600/IMG_9245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik2UdxmSEzjB9B-gStQiK4ysyCa7s-Vm5-ZJgVPXsNArj10qoVjYBCokMoPvP_94RvLclmGQ6MQ3GP8zKBs6r1ytOQRoOaRha42mZqRIg4dhhq7dI-9xIkRuVDHbTV0Awj3onWjOBStCc/s1600/IMG_9245.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dom cathedral (exterior)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While we were exploring the city, we missed out on some luxury shopping malls since everything closed at 6:00 pm. However the trek wasn't in vain; as we explored the new area we walked by the opera house and found a SECOND food festival. We stopped by there to have some mediocre paella (I was craving good paella since my parents recently visited Spain) and proceeded to head towards Haagen Daz for some dessert. Mandy had a cherry waffle with ice cream and I just had nice and simple Merlot, while watching the nail-biting football game of Brazil vs. Chile. To end off the night, we went to a grocery store to pick up some snacks and I had a second dinner with some doner.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha-gV-ZVNG28DlwxchpFnb1HSBNg2trEK1YBaJRVstSJPI-jypB0t0oZtaBQNUJDsuzqfltgxHEg0P9g4t_iXNrZb_hRIljWncdV0rUEsQmj56SBD9CYwsJNCfgSvc1T8CuY_vUMs1iZc/s1600/IMG_8206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha-gV-ZVNG28DlwxchpFnb1HSBNg2trEK1YBaJRVstSJPI-jypB0t0oZtaBQNUJDsuzqfltgxHEg0P9g4t_iXNrZb_hRIljWncdV0rUEsQmj56SBD9CYwsJNCfgSvc1T8CuY_vUMs1iZc/s1600/IMG_8206.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Paella in a big pot</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2SiV8SfTzVWgOjcYt3sKmH6_uga7NamHxEeSC7lOuEIFXx1kiQ04SYvq3XLFk_KU_Tn3zbDnnw-9aAzM9TmW_6bnn8XCgElCWtNlBTWK4e8BJBBA-k0EKLfrKRdOjMJ7opPOR8Uzf3QY/s1600/IMG_8209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2SiV8SfTzVWgOjcYt3sKmH6_uga7NamHxEeSC7lOuEIFXx1kiQ04SYvq3XLFk_KU_Tn3zbDnnw-9aAzM9TmW_6bnn8XCgElCWtNlBTWK4e8BJBBA-k0EKLfrKRdOjMJ7opPOR8Uzf3QY/s1600/IMG_8209.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Opera house with many food options. Too bad it was raining</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr-CqgvkPV-SFFEVsMFfDdRxUlQZ5E7xqliadlTBLDVzVD87RQ8rAAWWftwNnX1FU18T-v0WjiJnfN3u0K22mYAyMETJC7OHrNKgeiNP71tM5MpVfY2R8VtLxrX27htjKO8BF9k4Qfl9g/s1600/IMG_8212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr-CqgvkPV-SFFEVsMFfDdRxUlQZ5E7xqliadlTBLDVzVD87RQ8rAAWWftwNnX1FU18T-v0WjiJnfN3u0K22mYAyMETJC7OHrNKgeiNP71tM5MpVfY2R8VtLxrX27htjKO8BF9k4Qfl9g/s1600/IMG_8212.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Brazil vs Chile, with wine and dessert</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Normandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382577662564834616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513043457313670860.post-86371203906079843892014-06-28T15:30:00.000-07:002014-06-28T15:30:00.569-07:00Day Trip to Dusseldorf<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mandy:</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We soon found out that there is not too
much to do in Koln, especially since we didn't want to visit anymore
museums or memorials. After speaking to Christoph, we decided to take
a day trip to a nearby city called Dusseldorf. It was only a 25
minute train ride but it was a bit pricey (25 euros a person for a
round trip ticket). We chose to go to Dusseldorf because they have
one of the largest Japanese communities in Europe due to the large
number of Japanese companies with a European branch located there.
The first thing we did when we got to Dusseldorf was to find a
delicious Japanese restaurant for lunch in Japan Town! Norm looked up
a few restaurants on Trip Advisor the day before and they were all
located on one street so it was very easy to choose one.
We ended up choosing the one called Takumi with lots of Japanese
businessmen waiting outside for the restaurant to open at noon. It
was a ramen restaurant and it definitely did not disappoint. Norm got
the karage shoyu ramen lunch special and I got the regular miso
ramen. The karage was nicely deep fried and the chicken was still
moist and our ramens were delicious. After lunch we headed to the
“German Champ D'Elysee” street since Dusseldorf is also known for
being a great shopping city. Unsurprisingly, the shopping street is
in no way comparable to the one in Paris. We also checked out the old
town and Norm had the Dusseldorf local brewery beer which is a lot
darker than the one in Koln. Matthias told us that there is a big
rivalry between Koln and Dusseldorf because of the two distinct beers
they offer. (Make sure you don't order a kolsch in Dusseldorf!) Unfortunately, almost all of the historic buildings and monuments
were destroyed during WWII so there wasn't much to see in the old
town. We also didn't end up buying anything in Dusseldorf and decided
to have a second lunch before heading back to Koln. (Good thing we
didn't buy the return trip in advance because we initially thought we
would return to Koln around 10pm.) We went to Naniwa Sushi to try our
luck with finding good sushi in Germany. The sushi was expensive and
it wasn't as delicious as Toronto (surprise surprise =P). We made it
back in time to Koln for me to go to this store called Offermann that
had really good deals on Longchamp bags. I think I am officially a
big fan of Longchamp now that I own 6 of their bags =D We took the
rest of the afternoon to relax in our airbnb apartment since it was
raining outside anyway. We only left again to grab dinner at a nearby
Italian restaurant called L'Osteria. It was one of the largest
restaurants I have been to in Europe. We are off to Frankfurt
tomorrow for 2 nights and then we're on our way back to Canada!! </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-NlcEsxtJ1A6-K0jQfghYXPE6o8VcxkliBqidqCl5UMcEogrgsXquWf5wp0mV3koI558xcyXSz3GeTbO3767CsN2L1vj7SpQ1h6GtKuIrKOdiZgagh7_4kKx-glYm9f-EZy1yugsl2Y/s1600/IMG_8196.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-NlcEsxtJ1A6-K0jQfghYXPE6o8VcxkliBqidqCl5UMcEogrgsXquWf5wp0mV3koI558xcyXSz3GeTbO3767CsN2L1vj7SpQ1h6GtKuIrKOdiZgagh7_4kKx-glYm9f-EZy1yugsl2Y/s1600/IMG_8196.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Train rides are so much better without big luggage</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihnxppq-2by1vUKHxT6K5gSZ8OdScrhiG16nk_dcjdC_tlVB0Malg63avMx2VnccEoDK72WA3A-hq5LNeE9l45X5z6O42Qf73TaeYukJOs5iwKlUVdNLBrCbw3xu6nBUBJnc9cxoe4r2c/s1600/IMG_9185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihnxppq-2by1vUKHxT6K5gSZ8OdScrhiG16nk_dcjdC_tlVB0Malg63avMx2VnccEoDK72WA3A-hq5LNeE9l45X5z6O42Qf73TaeYukJOs5iwKlUVdNLBrCbw3xu6nBUBJnc9cxoe4r2c/s1600/IMG_9185.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Karage on rice</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4RZq576AAgbNp3MD46PCJoiX2DexzNVsb3EfQF2zytHPLK-4amOO1ku_5srfoxDZEdpvXdhur0gmeyC4YPxUg0SQ6h433wwSXvqEXjN8b1giFPE7ogyFd70YLs_pwEk_ZuTUAe1P_5M4/s1600/IMG_9186.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4RZq576AAgbNp3MD46PCJoiX2DexzNVsb3EfQF2zytHPLK-4amOO1ku_5srfoxDZEdpvXdhur0gmeyC4YPxUg0SQ6h433wwSXvqEXjN8b1giFPE7ogyFd70YLs_pwEk_ZuTUAe1P_5M4/s1600/IMG_9186.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ramennnn</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2KeiClWrN6n93n_Nv854k-K2mxp1RRSyrfL5Bidhyc5cSmu2BOVMcnybmKRd7vfor0szTIO6rQC8yPvAgNC4ON8Nq-OEdhcyaVOJnskSuMT2cct6KNVfGx5lRp8hEpv236flER4Ru9k/s1600/IMG_9189.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2KeiClWrN6n93n_Nv854k-K2mxp1RRSyrfL5Bidhyc5cSmu2BOVMcnybmKRd7vfor0szTIO6rQC8yPvAgNC4ON8Nq-OEdhcyaVOJnskSuMT2cct6KNVfGx5lRp8hEpv236flER4Ru9k/s1600/IMG_9189.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Big slurp</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNWxamVVPx8BpxcvYXSSabe9TE5jGaNKy_bof6byuBdP-4bHmfeWMyB_nQzSFU8B3dcts5di7R61x8UpsZ1AXVq3x1zetfHhYabKdIGYuaLlfArocKpPKFp0gwUBQzos25cUS3PZ7sX7E/s1600/IMG_9195.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNWxamVVPx8BpxcvYXSSabe9TE5jGaNKy_bof6byuBdP-4bHmfeWMyB_nQzSFU8B3dcts5di7R61x8UpsZ1AXVq3x1zetfHhYabKdIGYuaLlfArocKpPKFp0gwUBQzos25cUS3PZ7sX7E/s1600/IMG_9195.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shopping by the river</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMS_hlkR8udL8HkzfFdYms2_YwoAhFafzMfi8CJFAvXFw1gLTy2nAY-0-VuA4TeamhCJKXJh1m2oKM5hJPT0s3bBLWVmsG2hyphenhyphentEVX8P-fEQcJK4ZoSe8NlPiP6UtpYvrMam9lt0HomFgA/s1600/IMG_9196.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMS_hlkR8udL8HkzfFdYms2_YwoAhFafzMfi8CJFAvXFw1gLTy2nAY-0-VuA4TeamhCJKXJh1m2oKM5hJPT0s3bBLWVmsG2hyphenhyphentEVX8P-fEQcJK4ZoSe8NlPiP6UtpYvrMam9lt0HomFgA/s1600/IMG_9196.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What's left of old town</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRdprsAxABpBoZBMQAXk9b4IzaHtUGrqKL1rzYcMv0xuLJJfsvtr7tUR3KAbtSO6pbOh-M32XIBrA9JZaE0vzS6iyZ-qle0ppMZCks_o9Nt6Lnx84WO9KvT0WijuJJlVACH6MrnXvICk/s1600/IMG_9200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRdprsAxABpBoZBMQAXk9b4IzaHtUGrqKL1rzYcMv0xuLJJfsvtr7tUR3KAbtSO6pbOh-M32XIBrA9JZaE0vzS6iyZ-qle0ppMZCks_o9Nt6Lnx84WO9KvT0WijuJJlVACH6MrnXvICk/s1600/IMG_9200.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dusseldorf's tower</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKQnng_LxQMGY6Uvwsetc5WAT2loz1HB8sqSJKtA7uhCc8jfSscAGgOE3SVm6Bz6SM-FYwBkbqr9Ix5kHrlSOazpPqlPkvzfkrv1BjMq2w_tISH87ZBv0eJxIyYpfNDsr-n6JJGQytcnA/s1600/IMG_9210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKQnng_LxQMGY6Uvwsetc5WAT2loz1HB8sqSJKtA7uhCc8jfSscAGgOE3SVm6Bz6SM-FYwBkbqr9Ix5kHrlSOazpPqlPkvzfkrv1BjMq2w_tISH87ZBv0eJxIyYpfNDsr-n6JJGQytcnA/s1600/IMG_9210.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"What do you want?"</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDG5xyAdVaTti0IIyDeeGCRjdWuQer-RiIo2dwKXroR9YLkqDs1gKCj77r0CPYcydtf-vtBild6t6xZO6b2AcE33F2AB35qW2go4DIjcMNW-d5mjuoUzdjexQAQkOgoaVAqGcGooMBfyU/s1600/IMG_9214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDG5xyAdVaTti0IIyDeeGCRjdWuQer-RiIo2dwKXroR9YLkqDs1gKCj77r0CPYcydtf-vtBild6t6xZO6b2AcE33F2AB35qW2go4DIjcMNW-d5mjuoUzdjexQAQkOgoaVAqGcGooMBfyU/s1600/IMG_9214.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Craving sushi</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNa09Snz4iQ6oxaCPTFG1uUnw2HbxhF7YmvT9Isj573Bz48GXvruBteLd9E7QhGBJIQpF4t5gci2_i8rh6YAJXb6-MUn34hjZeOte2dbqsECdDP7kME77M3tfYjI50HMY70SVlAu4BDrw/s1600/IMG_8199.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNa09Snz4iQ6oxaCPTFG1uUnw2HbxhF7YmvT9Isj573Bz48GXvruBteLd9E7QhGBJIQpF4t5gci2_i8rh6YAJXb6-MUn34hjZeOte2dbqsECdDP7kME77M3tfYjI50HMY70SVlAu4BDrw/s1600/IMG_8199.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Uerige beer</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3AUjo0si4tWEhIUKVe4L6hL77mOxoCQX5E-BmxhFG34ak5yon4p9J_shN363ujppQ0dhvsJuWQwAs1lgPS02tChq8s6yulHog2owFKQPZz8iUF1opH_behVwrRCM10fnqwj0MwTuCtNo/s1600/IMG_8201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3AUjo0si4tWEhIUKVe4L6hL77mOxoCQX5E-BmxhFG34ak5yon4p9J_shN363ujppQ0dhvsJuWQwAs1lgPS02tChq8s6yulHog2owFKQPZz8iUF1opH_behVwrRCM10fnqwj0MwTuCtNo/s1600/IMG_8201.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Caprese salad was not as good as Al Forno</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih6SLB5Blb7Uvklo7tYBfw5lKsOkAjUGO0r1kjlF4NLpOHVxqzQxA3O-vNIzZ3ADVpDGkYhCdbA39PF8c2I12UXQt3Rxqz9YLMYa1ubdBRSKveufPo3aGFpx5flfGp_wjgMlvpkGsOgc0/s1600/IMG_8203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih6SLB5Blb7Uvklo7tYBfw5lKsOkAjUGO0r1kjlF4NLpOHVxqzQxA3O-vNIzZ3ADVpDGkYhCdbA39PF8c2I12UXQt3Rxqz9YLMYa1ubdBRSKveufPo3aGFpx5flfGp_wjgMlvpkGsOgc0/s1600/IMG_8203.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Squid ink pasta and penne</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjwU6Eq83uxTt4j5MSSbMpekzo5CTEeQPRgv5oR_2kQdrIVbD9ZA3ylBMJx7CI8wjqYELefYIk7LI2lWYbr1WWcEHUY4w6_IvACHvi6L5ipCTRBtWpqbdeVcJcvPSOiE_kwyc5M5UpkQc/s1600/IMG_8205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjwU6Eq83uxTt4j5MSSbMpekzo5CTEeQPRgv5oR_2kQdrIVbD9ZA3ylBMJx7CI8wjqYELefYIk7LI2lWYbr1WWcEHUY4w6_IvACHvi6L5ipCTRBtWpqbdeVcJcvPSOiE_kwyc5M5UpkQc/s1600/IMG_8205.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Instead of giving out breath mints they give out mini haribo gummies!</span></td></tr>
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Normandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382577662564834616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513043457313670860.post-11606624126287588262014-06-28T14:59:00.002-07:002014-06-28T14:59:52.897-07:00Koln Cathedral Climb & Shopping<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mandy:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As we are nearing my 3 week trip and
Norm's 2 week trip, we already visited many
museums/memorials/cathedrals so we aren't too interested in visiting
many more. However, the main attraction in Koln is their gigantic
cathedral that is right outside the Koln Hbf. The cathedral reminds
me of the one I saw in Strasbourg and Barcelona, darker and more
Gothic. We decided to climb the 300+ steps up to the top to have a
bird's eye view of the city. The warm weather and having one set of
spiraling stairs to go up and down the cathedral made the climb very
unpleasant. Also, other tourists seem to never wear deodorant =( When
we finally got to the top we snapped a few photos, cooled down for a
few minutes and headed back down. Since our trip is nearing the end,
it also meant it was time for more shopping! Koln is known for its
long shopping streets so that's where we headed. We also checked out
the Belgian Quarter which is named after the streets in that area
that have Belgian street names. We grabbed a quick bite to eat there
before we headed back to the area we ate dinner with Matthias the
night before to catch the Germany vs USA game. We ended up going back to
the same restaurant as the night before because their food was pretty
good and there were still tables with a good view open. Soon after we
sat down, the patio tables filled up with German football fans. Since we
had a very late lunch, I ended up only eating fries and a chocolate
sundae while Norm had a proper dinner. Germany won 1-0 by the way!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2le2UgoTbU1_ZsJihh7gTcinB3Xnuy_khz3NnAw9T66PHl4GZ2FSVls4uLxLWIdOKJt2wxGJQvPUk8gbg90S5by43D7cM__TVdcBAEyjng8nCqJsLEktURJFfN1tK6ynPliNGAvIlSs/s1600/IMG_9150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2le2UgoTbU1_ZsJihh7gTcinB3Xnuy_khz3NnAw9T66PHl4GZ2FSVls4uLxLWIdOKJt2wxGJQvPUk8gbg90S5by43D7cM__TVdcBAEyjng8nCqJsLEktURJFfN1tK6ynPliNGAvIlSs/s1600/IMG_9150.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">muah!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7lUIIB6ua0XdGnRb45SW0bLKJ0KkzIgv8lC1up_0aesJRMlRCDsqzVRKRawhwgldJm9b7ZOHZwjepx4CBHBefEjeaA9ndpCNdIY7Ha8PU2W2Sgr_2WhNAGTvaG9jXEbo0-Fz_WQnUWi4/s1600/IMG_9157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7lUIIB6ua0XdGnRb45SW0bLKJ0KkzIgv8lC1up_0aesJRMlRCDsqzVRKRawhwgldJm9b7ZOHZwjepx4CBHBefEjeaA9ndpCNdIY7Ha8PU2W2Sgr_2WhNAGTvaG9jXEbo0-Fz_WQnUWi4/s1600/IMG_9157.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">View of the cathedral from the top</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWGO4UHfqdXfi2JLRMz07ytILNobYvIMKWivZAOo_wwWUhkHETTl8Rov-zQGHL-pt1bokmU78ku072ad8gX8GsJFlBZsooDHyhmHBbE8ukMWp28glePdqz4EKGdzhGUELFEyzNM_IbccE/s1600/IMG_9176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWGO4UHfqdXfi2JLRMz07ytILNobYvIMKWivZAOo_wwWUhkHETTl8Rov-zQGHL-pt1bokmU78ku072ad8gX8GsJFlBZsooDHyhmHBbE8ukMWp28glePdqz4EKGdzhGUELFEyzNM_IbccE/s1600/IMG_9176.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Square right infront of the cathedral</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQPzC9ck5n1bt5niowJyQ9MF4Du0pRtL3iH4C2IrAdZ6JqIPR5HNQPPQ1vbXZAPrNI045SP5aCpLxKiucgJ2RiNoSzZ25Q1NmMRs3F6quvTkgYNvnEggTS54Bwp1iqyCX6EV1cg4z7PFM/s1600/IMG_9179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQPzC9ck5n1bt5niowJyQ9MF4Du0pRtL3iH4C2IrAdZ6JqIPR5HNQPPQ1vbXZAPrNI045SP5aCpLxKiucgJ2RiNoSzZ25Q1NmMRs3F6quvTkgYNvnEggTS54Bwp1iqyCX6EV1cg4z7PFM/s1600/IMG_9179.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Say cheese!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqmxFq6dBUeR9bPsMY8bcmUYscfNLj21kPoi6UHYY5RAfWtQdG303DYzX_cbdLnLRRYVUNIz2z0g0pxw_YwkiIL71bhQrcXXzz397wLZFnxCnuFAh9h2tYz2uYcIwsF43khfY8G9tWZN0/s1600/IMG_9180.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqmxFq6dBUeR9bPsMY8bcmUYscfNLj21kPoi6UHYY5RAfWtQdG303DYzX_cbdLnLRRYVUNIz2z0g0pxw_YwkiIL71bhQrcXXzz397wLZFnxCnuFAh9h2tYz2uYcIwsF43khfY8G9tWZN0/s1600/IMG_9180.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Massive cathedral<br /><br /></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZii-GI7CM_t1_klec3KUeIL6o2NQIM7DFpMbvMs2RZ0d5X4ZAOhOuL1lPjPbhHC3T6puvM5js6BsrU9BZ0y6VXZjvp3kY8LceZ8xFkW5Xa0Attc8iJZohXYS0jMNjb6maWmvkkeThV2c/s1600/IMG_8189.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZii-GI7CM_t1_klec3KUeIL6o2NQIM7DFpMbvMs2RZ0d5X4ZAOhOuL1lPjPbhHC3T6puvM5js6BsrU9BZ0y6VXZjvp3kY8LceZ8xFkW5Xa0Attc8iJZohXYS0jMNjb6maWmvkkeThV2c/s1600/IMG_8189.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pork knuckle</span></td></tr>
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Normandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382577662564834616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513043457313670860.post-56175949217961277732014-06-27T14:17:00.002-07:002014-06-27T14:17:51.792-07:00Vroom Vroom on the Autobahn<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mandy:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The day has finally arrived....We are driving on the autobahn!!! (Well Norm did) Berlin was fun but we wish we received better weather. It was chilly and rainy for most of the time and our very last hours there were no exception. We had to walk quite far to and from the metro stations to arrive at Sixt, our car rental company. Luckily picking up the car went smoothly and we got our VW Passat station wagon in a jiffy. Norm was not too fond of the station wagon at first but after driving for a few minutes in Berlin, he realized that most people drive station wagons. (We think that's because station wagons are the equivalent of minivans in North America.) We were surprised that it takes quite a long time from the Berlin city centre to get on the autobahn. Luckily the car had a GPS and finding our way was quite easy. (How did people have roadtrips without a GPS?!) The autobahn is famous for not having speed limits in some areas of the highway. The fastest Norm drove was 205km! Even at that speed, cars were speeding past him. Norm wanted to go a little faster but the car wouldn't let him (phew!). Our first stop on our journey was to visit Christoph in his hometown called Braunschweig. Christoph described Braunschweig as a typical German suburb, nothing exceptional, nothing terrible and that is exactly what it was. Christoph's parent's place is very cool though. His neighbourhood used to be houses given to Nazi's for their services but now that time has passed, the houses have been renovated. Their house is definitely not a cookie-cutter house and they even have a guest house. We also learned that in Germany, every house has the names of the inhabitants listed under the doorbell. Cool or strange? We had pizza for lunch from one of Christoph's fave pizzeria and he gave us a tour of his town including the city centre. After a short detour, we were back on the road to Koln. The rest of the drive went smoothly. Every driver was considerate and a good driver except for one person and he turned out to be an older asian guy -__- </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0G9bRPbIXwub3SVoclG0Ev3CiXn7CbH7Z-PPcNvBvccwHGdfHhTXJEJxv3AxtvsafUQ4LflgeTDL8481btHgib42ZrCS1MHHR-XcV2p_95bDR0Fu8BxyOiYDRlg8LbSPfUcYl2fUyiow/s1600/IMG_8161.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0G9bRPbIXwub3SVoclG0Ev3CiXn7CbH7Z-PPcNvBvccwHGdfHhTXJEJxv3AxtvsafUQ4LflgeTDL8481btHgib42ZrCS1MHHR-XcV2p_95bDR0Fu8BxyOiYDRlg8LbSPfUcYl2fUyiow/s1600/IMG_8161.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hi!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQdx7OTR6nZHM87vJH3cbzVlyDkyZAbCvLeiZ_t-lhouHU60dkQ_EzX_ltGLEAY5Sxkw563-hPP5hyphenhyphenu5G_faNYGIUMCK4H775Glv0ULwo0uPYhyFUZsP842KVNUaS1NCcysUQ6dcA4fJk/s1600/IMG_8166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQdx7OTR6nZHM87vJH3cbzVlyDkyZAbCvLeiZ_t-lhouHU60dkQ_EzX_ltGLEAY5Sxkw563-hPP5hyphenhyphenu5G_faNYGIUMCK4H775Glv0ULwo0uPYhyFUZsP842KVNUaS1NCcysUQ6dcA4fJk/s1600/IMG_8166.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At least we knew we had the right house!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm264EJ4DV-ikp_oQN8SnEKN11Hu3mTUsOTqUzfdbZska8s1JRJ82cnnjPY-55s_7Hdxlx_VQ0k_oBRwG9RVCA_Aggc-hX2JhVWQwHRiIg2MBq9oeLP1GCMsSVXM6vT6h87rLaWeVr6As/s1600/IMG_8168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm264EJ4DV-ikp_oQN8SnEKN11Hu3mTUsOTqUzfdbZska8s1JRJ82cnnjPY-55s_7Hdxlx_VQ0k_oBRwG9RVCA_Aggc-hX2JhVWQwHRiIg2MBq9oeLP1GCMsSVXM6vT6h87rLaWeVr6As/s1600/IMG_8168.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pizza lunch</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBCLX09CNcsS71ukR5CjUwopu4gmZx4BDn7mlLVoLmUb1qur-c48fo652WeZ9Bz9RqrAOayR2Ily7mZiIvs8vB-WC2cESDPlLPG9SWoVJrkFnTdNt11XPpaeSYM8T2xZwjGVijbSoNt0M/s1600/IMG_8169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBCLX09CNcsS71ukR5CjUwopu4gmZx4BDn7mlLVoLmUb1qur-c48fo652WeZ9Bz9RqrAOayR2Ily7mZiIvs8vB-WC2cESDPlLPG9SWoVJrkFnTdNt11XPpaeSYM8T2xZwjGVijbSoNt0M/s1600/IMG_8169.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Guided tour of Braunschweig</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrN-0KoYG8o6rtVcTStikGs8jm5uL4dR6RGOxB6QMFW5eGTKKmEM6u9WP5x-5cCNdbVVM8JHk3GxUXf8ps4A0ZkwMmlYzCVVYXZ51aguyvz6TbM-WllYiKl42AA_WkGDuX5j3uB0QMcVo/s1600/IMG_8171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrN-0KoYG8o6rtVcTStikGs8jm5uL4dR6RGOxB6QMFW5eGTKKmEM6u9WP5x-5cCNdbVVM8JHk3GxUXf8ps4A0ZkwMmlYzCVVYXZ51aguyvz6TbM-WllYiKl42AA_WkGDuX5j3uB0QMcVo/s1600/IMG_8171.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our baby for the day</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLOZho2oHkHkFQEwBTJlG7-lQIWMN48-z7uNLaxerpGDKhsZ5F3Afulkad0DMJaYtPH24Bj1kqoNDA9ci9b-j6ywFENsnBKgOnrmFtRGeIiEuMWo8__T7M-wzzoERPVWOPZDL7d3uu-2U/s1600/IMG_8174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLOZho2oHkHkFQEwBTJlG7-lQIWMN48-z7uNLaxerpGDKhsZ5F3Afulkad0DMJaYtPH24Bj1kqoNDA9ci9b-j6ywFENsnBKgOnrmFtRGeIiEuMWo8__T7M-wzzoERPVWOPZDL7d3uu-2U/s1600/IMG_8174.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Christoph's (parent's) pad</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh70bdcHlVQMTWCQWEdR9hZDd87Yhz3PWiaIw9o5jTIve85DqK4UwbF3Ei8T25YtCB2MEYBOmsQFV6LHgYgTfRpBwJfDJ82bbfuS1f_dieOXR-YjShpne011IGrH9ADPkEp_s0JbaLKNxU/s1600/IMG_8178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh70bdcHlVQMTWCQWEdR9hZDd87Yhz3PWiaIw9o5jTIve85DqK4UwbF3Ei8T25YtCB2MEYBOmsQFV6LHgYgTfRpBwJfDJ82bbfuS1f_dieOXR-YjShpne011IGrH9ADPkEp_s0JbaLKNxU/s1600/IMG_8178.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">vroom vroom!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When we finally arrived in Koln we met Matthias for dinner. He was in Koln for a meeting and luckily it was on the same day we arrived. He took us to a local German restaurant that serves the local Koln light beer called Gaffel Kolsch. Gaffel Kolsch is poured in 0.2L glasses and once your glass is empty the waitor will bring you a fresh glass without you even asking unless you put your coaster ontop of your glass. The waitor keeps track of how many glasses you had by ticking your coaster. First time seeing that system but it definitely makes sense!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1mH50yg49bE-KyyQrqYlczXKF3HB4eg8jEgom7oxW5x3OtSBoRGsfNQXGbamRejKfZQxtyEivknAB1tzK8ZmXdO5nEssR7VL7if8whaQm1LQqoWr9yu13zMJrbQfdCLaRxXtpHmGqbC8/s1600/IMG_8186.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1mH50yg49bE-KyyQrqYlczXKF3HB4eg8jEgom7oxW5x3OtSBoRGsfNQXGbamRejKfZQxtyEivknAB1tzK8ZmXdO5nEssR7VL7if8whaQm1LQqoWr9yu13zMJrbQfdCLaRxXtpHmGqbC8/s1600/IMG_8186.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My type of beer (light) and my size (0.2L)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-porZ72PGFZ5lU5SlM3lTogENT9psN_2Abs15e0z2OPPiWMv1iYOGWEppBucOqX3Nrb9dzFS0OVNPMfOXuV169bLm5bdWg84aN6vo31gAQAXwfrG7RyR3ebnZjlogpoKAOnxYGyYwccE/s1600/IMG_8187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-porZ72PGFZ5lU5SlM3lTogENT9psN_2Abs15e0z2OPPiWMv1iYOGWEppBucOqX3Nrb9dzFS0OVNPMfOXuV169bLm5bdWg84aN6vo31gAQAXwfrG7RyR3ebnZjlogpoKAOnxYGyYwccE/s1600/IMG_8187.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">LSE reunion continues</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjLAW0IWLwBtzElp6Ue1Td4WmZoz0IGWKjs62boX368TBCGx0xQsSKt8vHCm1YJ0ZGYIdzA-4pcEvpJG6IuoZZ7989D8BSrVoxOBXw_PeoiOldDL88waohKAqNpsWnE7xMK3rudMq4h0s/s1600/IMG_8188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjLAW0IWLwBtzElp6Ue1Td4WmZoz0IGWKjs62boX368TBCGx0xQsSKt8vHCm1YJ0ZGYIdzA-4pcEvpJG6IuoZZ7989D8BSrVoxOBXw_PeoiOldDL88waohKAqNpsWnE7xMK3rudMq4h0s/s1600/IMG_8188.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">German pasta</span></td></tr>
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Normandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382577662564834616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513043457313670860.post-68115534564540621472014-06-27T13:29:00.002-07:002014-06-27T13:29:53.058-07:00Berlin Day 4: Pergamon & Shopping!!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mandy:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On our last day in Berlin we purchased tickets to visit the Pergamon museum. We were very thankful we purchased our tickets in advance because the regular ticket purchase line and then the entrance line were quite long. Norm and I are not huge fans of art museums because we can't appreciate/understand most artwork. However, we were really excited for the Pergamon museum because we love learning about history! The museum houses re-constructed monuments from the Middle-East such as the Pergamon Altar, Ishtar Gate, and a Roman market gate. It was one of my favourite museums I have ever visited because it was the first museum that I have been to that has reconstructed entire massive monuments. Although only a small percentage of the re-constructed monuments are original, it provides a glimpse of how breath-taking the monuments once were. Also, we haven't been to many Middle-Eastern history museums so it was refreshing to learn about another aspect of our world history.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL2L61ggKj2LU_04a-ygqikxC53nHpmQ1M71fs0C3tTPy230aAXY9cSYIm064JGseTF44olElj7mVryqNbdnakhYUdeIWghah06yS_-D_y_tliGnAzCqvlClxc2VNCRRHqBl5_c4Wt9-Q/s1600/IMG_9092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL2L61ggKj2LU_04a-ygqikxC53nHpmQ1M71fs0C3tTPy230aAXY9cSYIm064JGseTF44olElj7mVryqNbdnakhYUdeIWghah06yS_-D_y_tliGnAzCqvlClxc2VNCRRHqBl5_c4Wt9-Q/s1600/IMG_9092.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Main entrance of the Ishtar Gate</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDnOL91sgmXfqC9z7ZZb1hKJVjIRvwoYjdHLwDQE3JU_k94zuzfnwXRV6mYhBMzi5vGVw30_bs0VoPS6sedWr1LJqABbkZr4_VYa-Ie-yVAxbMQPTueKWN9oflIvrqPx7mMgHRNn2_UAQ/s1600/IMG_9094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDnOL91sgmXfqC9z7ZZb1hKJVjIRvwoYjdHLwDQE3JU_k94zuzfnwXRV6mYhBMzi5vGVw30_bs0VoPS6sedWr1LJqABbkZr4_VYa-Ie-yVAxbMQPTueKWN9oflIvrqPx7mMgHRNn2_UAQ/s1600/IMG_9094.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hard to capture the entire gate</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtvOTFSgcPKWBorPTnq5DuOgvlkYMj6vdhwiyBft6mTocqmfytYDUiV88neUgn4QF8oI17sQB1YPTy_mkBsOeKGZQpqjwAU8xCNp58u5v9uGxrwu3dhYXduEs7fA55ZVMn3QgHNLRbhZ4/s1600/IMG_9095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtvOTFSgcPKWBorPTnq5DuOgvlkYMj6vdhwiyBft6mTocqmfytYDUiV88neUgn4QF8oI17sQB1YPTy_mkBsOeKGZQpqjwAU8xCNp58u5v9uGxrwu3dhYXduEs7fA55ZVMn3QgHNLRbhZ4/s1600/IMG_9095.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Roman Market Gate of Miletus (fancy entrance way to a market)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnb843mcsgwO80wlB9HaUdIV7x6tF9vdDGq3IRmTe_QWZT_kCJeZzLBdLQZoaWgXM3ogKb_9ax3uWNndQuVu2GiHc9H9GP1w-e40PNBx5if7L2twVf1ll0fwGBQGDsSwHeuJUq6ES5qUc/s1600/IMG_9100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnb843mcsgwO80wlB9HaUdIV7x6tF9vdDGq3IRmTe_QWZT_kCJeZzLBdLQZoaWgXM3ogKb_9ax3uWNndQuVu2GiHc9H9GP1w-e40PNBx5if7L2twVf1ll0fwGBQGDsSwHeuJUq6ES5qUc/s1600/IMG_9100.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pergamon Altar</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI948og6yI1bk_Zw5uxYVxi8KYukCnj4z7hObp42x4QfpP68lxd2y7UruVLE8aRuQWEbIa14R_Ucf5dUwz54JkoaCbPv5zWEqlx6_LBD3RpN4BmI6CbDnpWJjKHXfMd9D9RrfK35xrCyA/s1600/IMG_9105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI948og6yI1bk_Zw5uxYVxi8KYukCnj4z7hObp42x4QfpP68lxd2y7UruVLE8aRuQWEbIa14R_Ucf5dUwz54JkoaCbPv5zWEqlx6_LBD3RpN4BmI6CbDnpWJjKHXfMd9D9RrfK35xrCyA/s1600/IMG_9105.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trying to imagine what the Pergamon Altar really looked like</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Norm being silly</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After 2 hours at Pergamon, we (Mandy) was very excited to finally go shopping!! Unfortunately it started to rain pretty hard when we were walking to the metro to go to the shopping area but that did not prevent us from going! We arrived at Kurfurstendamm area where there are over 100 shops and where KaDeWe is located. KaDeWe is a well-known luxury department store that has a food floor on the 6th floor. We imagined it would be like the food floors we've experienced in Seoul and Bangkok but the one in Berlin was much more tame, smaller, and offered less diverse cuisines. Nonetheless the food we ate was pretty yummy. After our tummies were full we were off to Norm's fave store: Uniqlo! It is the largest Uniqlo in Europe. I noticed that it had a lot less people than other Uniqlo's we've visited. After some more shopping along Kurfurstendamm, we headed to another area to check out Galerie Lafayette (it is much smaller than the one in Paris). We were pretty tired after a very long day of walking. We went back to our area, Norm got 2 doners (his eyes were bigger than his stomach) and I got 2 slices of pizza from a very busy shop. We were too pooped and hungry to take a photo of our dinner *gasp*.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lunch on the 6th floor of KaDeWe (schnitzel was better than it looked)</span></td></tr>
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Normandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382577662564834616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513043457313670860.post-84744913125623726862014-06-26T13:09:00.000-07:002014-06-26T13:09:10.522-07:00Berlin Day 3: LSE Northumberland Reunion<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Norman:</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today was special in that we did not have any pressure to plan out our day. Rather, we were planning to meet up with some of my friends from my LSE residence. In the morning, we met up with Antonia at a nearby cafe. She took the time from work to come and meet us and it was good to catch up with her. My other friend Christoph was also supposed to meet us around 11:30 AM, but in typical Christoph nature, he arrived super late and we didn't meet him until 12:30 PM. He flew in from London in the morning and was tired, so I guess I will forgive him this time!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Hello Antonia!!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We headed to Chen Che, a nearby Vietnamese restaurant. I had a rice dish, Mandy had a chicken pho and Christoph had a sesame ball. It was good to catch up with Christoph and he acted as our guide for the rest of the day. It is always good to have a local show us around!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Hello Christoph! Food was also not bad</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We then went to <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.639999389648438px;">Hackesche Höfe, which is a outside market that is made of 8 or so different courtyards. The stores there were independent and quaint, and it was cool to see some of the stuff there. One store that I remember clearly is the Ampelmann Store, which is a store dedicated towards the cute traffic light man that signals that pedestrians can cross. Christoph also pointed out the tripping stones, which is purposely there to "trip" pedestrians and when they look down on what they tripped upon, there lies etched a message of previous Jewish people that died during World War II.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">One of the courtyards of the Hackesche Hoff Market</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Tripping stones detailing lives that were lost in Auschwitz</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16.639999389648438px;">From then, we started walking towards nearby landmarks, including the unsightly TV tower and the World Clock which is a clock that shows all the time in cities across the world. We also saw the first stop light ever made in Berlin, which also looks very inconspicuous. From then, we started heading back towards the Brandenburg Tor area to see the Holocaust Memorial, which is right beside the US Embassy. When the Holocaust Memorial was first made, there were fears that it could potentially be defaced by anti-Semitic messages, so the stones that make the Memorial are specially designed so that paint and graffiti can be washed off with simply water. It was also cool to see the stones start from such a low level and rise up above as stones get higher and the ground slopes downwards. Interestingly, the Holocaust Memorial was built over Hitler's World War II bunker.</span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Juxtaposition of the ugly new TV Tower and cool looking church</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">World Clock</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">First street light ever made in Berlin</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Not as easy to get atop of that stone as it appears to be</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.639999389648438px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next stop on Christoph's guided tour was Checkpoint Charlie, a part of the war in history where there was a standoff between Russian and US tanks. On the walk there, we saw several pieces of Berlin's street art and enjoyed cool graffiti that adorned Berlin walls. We ended off the journey by going to the new Topography of Terror, which covered the Secret Service Police of the Nazis. It was quite a thorough museum and we learnt much about the Gestapo, the SS, and the injustices that they committed during the war. Though a lot of them ended up being sentenced in international court, it is a shame that too many of them managed to go underground and assume a new alias and did not face justice.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Cool Berlin Art 1</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Cool Berlin Art 2</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Some graffiti on painted on a piece of the Berlin Wall</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Checkpoint Charlie, see if you can read the sign on the left</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Berlin wall beside the topography of terror</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.639999389648438px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We ended off the day by going to District Mot, which is the most popular Vietnamese restaurant in Berlin and sister restaurant to the place we went for lunch. The meal was quite delicious. Mandy decided to retire for the evening, but Christoph and I continued to the bar to catch up and reminisce about the good times in London. He has also promised that his next visit will be Canada!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Christoph and I being mysterious</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rice dish with spareribs and Vietnamese omelette</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deep fried sweet potatoes and shrimp</td></tr>
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Normandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382577662564834616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513043457313670860.post-65371217534685581882014-06-25T15:52:00.002-07:002014-06-25T15:52:30.257-07:00Berlin Day 2: German History Lesson<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Norman:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We started off the day taking part in a tour of the Berlin Underground. Our guided tour consisted of exploring an old World War 2 bunker that sheltered the German population during the bombings. The entrance to the bunker was basically a nondescript green door at the Gesundbrunnen subway station. There was a lot of interesting history there - walls were painted a (semi-dangerous) paint which glowed in the dark for when electricity was cut off. Though that particular shelter was meant to hold around 6000 people, often 3 to 4 times that many people were housed at time of the bombings. Because of such density, the biggest danger was lack of oxygen as many of the bunker rooms did not have ventilation in order to prevent poisonous gas from entering the bunker. Exploring the bunker felt like walking through a labyrinth, one we could easily get lost venturing through. There were also a lot of cool artifacts such as old bombs, weapons, World War II memorabilia and propaganda items. Unfortunately, we could not take photos there so there are no cool photos to show you except for this picture of the stairs which led to the secret underground bunker.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhju6VPhmcXR5oOC6ors4WMYpp2M2zKZeqBEKqW5jVvx3m1GETm4Jp4NwUnBEb-AEHG7DwpCYcqwfT9J-Lx_h5gtroZ-FmreOqp2UNH6C1DPylDc-BfPj_1TYQFOZQHxWmWLr4X-n7TUmw/s1600/IMG_8149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhju6VPhmcXR5oOC6ors4WMYpp2M2zKZeqBEKqW5jVvx3m1GETm4Jp4NwUnBEb-AEHG7DwpCYcqwfT9J-Lx_h5gtroZ-FmreOqp2UNH6C1DPylDc-BfPj_1TYQFOZQHxWmWLr4X-n7TUmw/s1600/IMG_8149.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Stairs with bunker door at the top</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next, we headed nearby to the Berlin Wall Memorial. Remnants of the wall along with some demolished houses were there, along with the Reconciliation Church that was ultimately demolished as it stood almost as a sign of defiance against the separation of the wall. Houses once snuck people across the border either through backdoors or windows. When those were boarded up, underground tunnels dug beneath the wall transported people into West Berlin. It is sometimes hard to imagine that the Berlin Wall came down relatively recently, and a major piece of history passed just within my lifetime.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Berlin Wall often separated lovers in the past: Mandy in the East, me in the West</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Famous Tunnel 57, which snuck 57 people past the wall</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trying to be cool</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Afterwards, we headed to Brandenburg Tor, the same place where we went to watch the Germany soccer game yesterday. Apparently, it is one of the oldest gates in Germany and is the ultimate Berlin landmark. We took some photos and (over)-indulged in some Currywurst. After several rounds of sausage, pommes (fries) and bread, we headed to the Reichstag building (German Federal Parliament). Passing through several security levels, we ultimately went to the top of the Parliament building. There were amazing opportunities to check out the sights and a massive glass dome that overlooked all of Berlin. Very cool.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Us in front of the Brandenburg Gate</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Delicious Currywurst</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Heading towards the Bundestag</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mandy in front of the German Flag. Black pants, red scarf, yellow... skin?</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM4hgt8HaoX-lue9thYnOFaBfoWf5AeEUyR_OO0zOB-L4lHcdjGoxZiJpR7jt63S_6rhB0MZjHZXbwUqxI97yzdBcI7Pm-vxbXl9GWqZVyvILQyn9vBY5cKKbFXq7If50ltCx3Un5Xuos/s1600/IMG_8973.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM4hgt8HaoX-lue9thYnOFaBfoWf5AeEUyR_OO0zOB-L4lHcdjGoxZiJpR7jt63S_6rhB0MZjHZXbwUqxI97yzdBcI7Pm-vxbXl9GWqZVyvILQyn9vBY5cKKbFXq7If50ltCx3Un5Xuos/s1600/IMG_8973.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Impressive glass dome</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiGt0w07lXBtgAOKKt1XsGzhVt7W8ZYGibaD4KHKkRafihvAGd56q8yjVJbBFF5AyNTah3vLCakwZM8SE6VUid0ETPyXEKFxSsRxk2jhxIg3aRlbvToMYQo_6mRVSxdOpqJkX1R44NUII/s1600/IMG_9013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiGt0w07lXBtgAOKKt1XsGzhVt7W8ZYGibaD4KHKkRafihvAGd56q8yjVJbBFF5AyNTah3vLCakwZM8SE6VUid0ETPyXEKFxSsRxk2jhxIg3aRlbvToMYQo_6mRVSxdOpqJkX1R44NUII/s1600/IMG_9013.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even more impressive on the inside</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Despite all the currywurst we had, followers of our blog know that food is upfront in centre in all we do. We went to Lon-Mein Noodle House, somewhat far from the centre of Berlin. It was a Taiwanese restaurant that received good reviews and the praise is well-deserved. The noodles were delicious and satisfied our noodle cravings (temporarily). Maybe next travel should just be pure eating in Taiwan, since the food is so damn good. Pictures speak louder than words. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Q7GgBras04LgVxUi_o25z97_CAm3-IU0gkH6QWZTcAjgg5MQ3lFKlrkT7y2tfPY0LgW8hZKSCT1cqxrjUfJORx4p-gwY8XOYdoW2xRj2vRMYQCqY4NYw4k6KEYMhnpWYCisQDFA-QsY/s1600/IMG_8152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Q7GgBras04LgVxUi_o25z97_CAm3-IU0gkH6QWZTcAjgg5MQ3lFKlrkT7y2tfPY0LgW8hZKSCT1cqxrjUfJORx4p-gwY8XOYdoW2xRj2vRMYQCqY4NYw4k6KEYMhnpWYCisQDFA-QsY/s1600/IMG_8152.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spicy won-ton noodles and spicy porkchop noodles</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tomorrow I will be meeting two of my good friends from LSE and letting them guide us around the city. Excited! </span><br />
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<br />Normandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17382577662564834616noreply@blogger.com0