Okinawa, Japan!

Always a good time with my solid chingu! "I dare you to wear a Michael Jackson mask on the way back to Seoul"

-"So, we have a three day weekend coming up."

-"Awesome. Where are we going?"

This is a typical conversation at the House of Glitter. These conversations are the reason why I am having so much fun. This is also the reason why payday cannot get here fast enough.

Kristen and I tossed around different places to go to during Easter weekend and we decided on Okinawa because, well, why not?

We left Incheon airport on the afternoon of April 5th and after a scary flight and a layover in Fukuoka  we finally landed in Okinawa at night.

After we landed, we headed over to our hostel. Yes you read that right. This was my FIRST. TIME. EVER in a hostel---in TWO different ones actually-- and I survived. K is a pro at this whole hostel thing. I am more of a hotel with a pool and jacuzzi type-of-person, but I figured I could add this and scratch this from my bucket list. I'm not gonna lie--the diva within  was a bit nervous but it actually wasn't all that bad and it was fun--camp style!

The long weekend included geting lost and getting lost again, riding bikes, buying funny souvenirs and of course, lots of pictures. Have I mentioned that I love my life?!?!

Traveling Kristen style

Sporting our Guam accessories

Just doing a little bit of pampering in the Fukuoka airport--I love daring Kristen to do silly stuff with me

And of course the documentation

"Do you like Japanese men?"

"You will be safe" is what they announced. Then, lightning! AH!

TAADAA

My favorite part of travel=the food

Starting K's birthMONTH right

Am I really at a hostel?!

Riding bikes!

And more

Eeek...what's that nasty thing on the wall?

Themed Cafes

I've blogged in the past about the café culture in Seoul but I have not yet mentioned the bizarre/cutesy/themed café culture that has sucked me in.

Seoul is full of cafes. Some popular chains are Paris Baguette, Paris Croissant, Cafe Bené, Tous les Jours, Angel-in-Us-Coffee, A Twosome Place and so many others.





These cafés are all great but my favorite ones are the cheesy, themed cafés.


Hello Kitty: no explanation needed!

Travel Café:  Lots of Lonely Planet books, postcards from around the globe, and receipts in the form of a boarding pass. 

Charlie Brown Café

Post-it

These are just some of the many themed cafes. There are also dog cafes, cat cafes, bird cafes and many others. Only in Korea! 

Spring Break 2012: Italia!

"Picture this: Sicily 1912." If you are a Golden Girls fan, then you know that all of Sophia Petrillo's hilarious stories start off this way. My favorite ladies and I are major fans of these cute, old ladies and we can quote this show like it's our job. (If you've never watched this show, then shame on you). Sophia (my favorite Golden Girl) refers to her native Italy all the time.

Life talks over cheesecake.

So, Picture this: Spring Break 2012: ITALY! My two favorite travel buddies and I had been discussing a trip to Italy for the past few years and it finally happened last week. After months of planning, my mom, sis and I met up at Fiumicino airport in Rome for an incredible week of sightseeing, picture-taking and jaw-dropping moments.
(last year's Spring Break was awesome, too!)


A few of the many highlights of the trip included:
- Hearing some of our favorite artists on the radio (Laura Pausini, Eros Ramazzoti, Gianluca Grignani). (These artists are super popular all over the Spanish-speaking world because they sing in both Italian and Spanish)
-Having conversations with the locals in their Italian and my Spanish
-Understanding Italian! (Fluency in this language may have to be added to the Bucket List. )
-"So where are you all from?"moments:  A lot of the locals thought we were Italian. Then we'd talk to them in Spanish. And then English. And then broken Italian. So then we would basically have to answer the "where are you from" question which is complicated and must be done over coffee.
-Taking the train to Florence
-Picking random streets in Florence to explore
-Stuffing my face
-And of course, being reunited with my two "bestests" friends.

Here are a few of the many pictures I took.

Let the obnoxious pictures begin

Hello Europe...it's been a while!

Hop on/hop off bus--super tourists

Moder

No introduction needed

Music and lunch....just as I had pictured it

When in Rome

The Vatican City---wow