Japan

Upon arriving in Tokyo, I looked at my ticket and saw I had a 12 hour layover between Japan and Dallas. FOCK! If you are ever travelling, do not be as unprepared as me, because you will waste a lot of time!

Anyways, I bought a train ticket to downtown Tokyo and my god, was it fucking awesome!!! Perhaps I got dropped off at the super exclusive area of the city but there were immaculate sky high buildings, statuesque golden-leaved trees, crisp weather, and somehow..no one in sight. It was weird. Like I was in some eerie beautiful modern high rise.

Old meets new: Imperial Palace with skyscrapers in the background

One of the few people I saw in downtown

I eventually saw a few more couples and joggers, but seriously, where the hell is everyone?

So then I took the train to the famous Shibuya district and Harajuku street. A local birdie told me that today was indeed the best day to visit this area of Tokyo and that I would get to see all the crazies in full form in their natural environment.

Nothing prepared me for what I saw. CRAZY AWESOME WICKED COOL GODDAMNNN. I never felt more far away from home. You could literally feel the electricity in the air and the adrenaline pumping in  your blood. Everything whizzing by so quickly…TOO MUCH STIMULATION.

Just one street in Harajuku...fucking mob!

Angsty teen and school children

Just a normal day in Shibuya

wtf?

This. Times 9999.

Christmas Eve in Japan is not a Christian family day, but rather a day where young people, especially couples, take to the streets to shop and fuck around. The 24^th is much more important than actual Christmas day. This explains why no one was in the fancy shmancy part of town but rather in the super mega double extra extreme shopping district.

Famous shopping center. Everything was so biggg! :D

MUST BUY ALL THE THINGS

Seriously, the entire population of Tokyo in one place. It was a mob. Jesus Christ these people can shop!

Japanese restaurants usually have these little model dishes advertising outside their store....America needs to get on this! Also, Japanese food is FRIGGIN AMAZING!

The best fucking pork bun I've ever had. I even shed a little tear.

My god, the Japanese have a style all their own. Everyone was either dressed like billionaire Barbie or Marilyn Manson. Of course, as an Asian, I like browsing through the trends on the internet and seeing what the fashion Holy Grail of Asia is up to, but DAMN you’re not really prepared for seeing that much in real life.

Japanese Stitch

So many cute girls! why cant I be Japanese T_T

You know, nothing is quite like going into a traditional restaurant, opening up the elevator, and seeing two grown men in leopard costumes giggling past you on their way out, fluffing you with cat tails. Or visiting the supremely peaceful gardens of the Imperial Palace, walking past the Dojo and hearing blood curling screams from (what I presume) sumo wrestlers. Or taking a stroll through the lake in downtown behind a man jogging in bright pink tights, a business man in an Armani suit, and a woman in a gorgeous silk kimono scuttling behind in wooden clogs. Or how about the guy wearing nothing but black booty shorts with “Shhh” on the back standing half naked in the street trying on reindeer tiaras. Seriously, nowhere else.

There were so many cool things/people I was too intimidated to take pictures of. Most of the craziest stuff I saw will be missed digitally, but to sum up the kinds of people I saw hanging about...this is basically it.

In summary, JAPAN IS FUCKING AWESOME YO. My spontaneously short lived 12 hour day was probably better than any planned trip I’ve done this year. Seriously, if you want to go, fucking go because it will blow your mind. It’s not a rarity for someone to visit for a few days and end up staying there for years :D

*sniff sniff* good bye Japan! I’ll see you in the spring for the cherry blossoms! <3

Back to good 'ole MERIKAH!!

I can't believe I'm leaving in less than a week to go back to the US for interviews. 3.5 months went by so, so fast but I know I've done so much. I feel like I'm beginning a new chapter of my life by doing these interviews...wherever I get accepted it will open up a new story for my future. It could go any which way...New York, San Fran, LA, Miami...all of these places are so different and the thought of leaving home is so daunting.

I can't wait to see my friends and family but the most important thing is going to HONEY PIG. How I've dreamed about you every night. Delicious tender spicy pig and brisket. Kimchi juices cascading down a sizzling iron grill covered in butter. I will fucking destroy you, you delectable son of a bitch.

Don't get me wrong. Vietnam is fantabulous and I could really see myself living in Saigon for an extended period of time. But there are just so many things about America that just make sense. Sometimes I just wish Vietnam could be more like America in many respects (many of which we will not go into for fear of the government), including:


1) Free water everywhere. Why do I have to pay to hydrate myself? I don't want hot tea with my piping hot noodles either. Nobody drinks H2O here!

2) Clean public restrooms. No, shut the fuck up. Do not complain to me about nasty gas station restrooms in the South crawling with herpes and drunken mule ass peelings. If you really wanna experience a donkey's asshole of a restroom, come to Asia where you have to squat to pee in a giant feast of turds. Be careful not to let that monstrous spider in the corner crawl up your flip flaps. Oh you accidentally went #2 and exploded into a giant asspile? Well fuck you, there's no toilet paper. You forgot to pay for it on the way in? That's your problem. Hope that's not your favorite shirt.

3) Gawdy decorations. Everywhere. On everyone. It will make you feel insecure and have you questioning your own sexuality.

4) Some days it can get hotter than a devil's ass crack in Saigon. I have AC but I feel so guilty for using it since everyone uses fans.

5) Being the nomadic heffer that I am, I've stayed in some pretty fucking nice hotels. 5-star even. Customer service? Doesn't exist. Not even in these places. Some companies and institutions in the US will bend over backwards to get you what you need seeing as customer service is usually one of their top priorities. If you wanna get shit done here, you gotta slip some dolla dolla bills under the table to get you ahead of the line. Nothing here is for free, to say the least.
Perfect story: I recently went to a nice restaurant recommended by the Lonely Planet and Trip Advisor in Da Lat about a week ago. I ordered 6 pcs buffalo chicken wings (exact wording) and asked for it to be extra spicy. I kid you not, they bought out ONE FUCKING CHICKEN WING. No sauce. No ketchup. Just a shitty little wing sitting on the porcelain. I looked at the waiter who was obviously missing a few chromosomes. "I ordered 6 pieces," I said incredulously. This cross eyed bitch had the nerve to reply, "Yes, OK, it's only one though but we can cut it up into 6 pieces for you." WTF!?!? Pretty fucking retarded right? Mind you, this meal of ONE was 5 bucks (pretty expensive for Vietnam) so the 6 pieces I got woulda been $30!? He refused to let me leave since I had already "bought and ordered it" and that I "misunderstood the menu." Ho, sit down, I'm from the ATL and I am a connoisseur of spicy poultry! Anywhore, so fuck it, I cut into the chicken and hit a bloody vein and red starts to seep out. At this point it's just a horrible joke. I request him to bring me some buffalo sauce and to re-fry so I won't die of fucking salmonella. He gave me the same der derr derrpp face and said, "Oh, you wanted it cooked well done?" Well just shit in my mouth and call me an armadillo cuz I must fucking look like a crazy little tit if you think raw chicken in any country is rainbows and unicorns. Granted, the owner did come out later and apologized for her mentally challenged staff and offered us free wine and whatever we wanted on the menu. I know I sound like a pompous d-bag but I couldn't help feeling that in America that shiz wouldn't fly. Raw chicken and misread menus are just things that don't need to be explained.

(excuse my french in this excessively sour rant. I really do love Vietnam <3) 

Can't find this in Atlanta...

Flowers and Silk

The central highlands of Vietnam has perfect weather for growing really pretty flowers. Reminds me a lot of Georgia in the fall because of the pine trees and crisp air. We visited a flower pagoda just right before sunset when all the tourists had left. Such a nice tranquil departure from the hustle and bustle of Saigon…

This pagoda is famous for its roses, which comes in all colors and sizes

Bonsai roots

Fat ass beetle. I thought it was fake until I saw it move *shudders*

No idea how they get these trees to intertwine

Genetic retard

Hydrangeas here are hugeeeee...bigger than my head!

This flower is so inappropriate

Apparently monks from all around the world come to this peaceful pagoda to train

Yesterday we rode motorbikes up the mountains through spectacular views on our way to the Cuong Hoan silk factory.

Silk worms spit out a fluffy cocoon over time...

They then get harvested and put into a boiling tub of water. This lady is fluffing them around with chopsticks up into a suction where their threads get pull off and spun

Making fabric

Here it comesssss

Ta da! Gorgeous silk

Used up silk worms. Local delicacy. Ew.

Highlands

I’m back in Da Lat for a meeting and my cousin’s 6^th birthday, which is today. I bought her a Barbie set that comes with like 10 dresses, makeup, shoes, etc. Her mom refuses to let her open it because, quote, it’s “too nice” and should be kept in the packaging for display purposes. This little girl has been walking around playing with just the box.

sad but kinda funny at the same time

Da Lat is pretty but so cold! I haven’t taken a shower in 2 days because there’s no warm water. I still smell the same cuz it’s chilly but it’s kinda gross, I know.

This was a roller coaster through a forest that you can control manually. Kinda kewl.

Da Lat is famous for its beautiful and exotic flowers, most of which I've never even seen before, like this one, blue tiger claw flower.

Cambodia

I can’t imagine why any foreign traveller would set foot in Cambodia without planning a stop at Angkor Wat, the famous ancient ruins. This place blew up in popularity after Angelina Jolie’s Tomb Raider, where I basically got all my previous knowledge of Angkor from. In the pictures, it looked so majestic and grand and beautiful. Be warned: if you ever want to visit, don’t. Or at least really think about it first. From a scale of 1 to disappointment, I was pretty let down.

Don’t get me wrong, the ruins themselves are BEAUTIFUL. Take a look at some of these:

Angkor Wat at sunrise

Angkor Thom

Inside the temples at dawn

Strangler fig growing all over the ruins

Sras Srang lake at sunrise

The people, however, were scumbags. This is only from my personal experience, but everywhere we went, there was a rip off waiting around the corner. Tourists were charged 10 times more for everything, and no one wanted to talk to you unless it was so sell you things. “Ladyyyy, you want to buy something? I give you for 5 dolla.” Their nagging voices will forever haunt me in my dreams. Women, men, children, disabled people, cats, dogs, you name it, they’re selling it.

I had to do this tourist trap though....fish massage! You put your foot (or whatever body parts you want) into this tank with these fish who will eat off your dead skin or fungus or AIDS leaving you feeling healthy and refreshed!

I know what it looks like, but it's more BA than a pedi

Some of the ruins were also under heavy construction. I hope it’ll get better and less unsightly in a few years.

Overall, I will never ever go back to Cambodia. Siem Reap is super touristy, and I heard Thailand is also pretty bad. Everyone thinks the Philippines is dangerous and thus it doesn’t get many visitors, but being far away from fellow travellers on a deserted beach is absolute paradise. The ruins, on the other hand, are just fucked.

The palace with the king's face emblazoned on the front. I aspire to be him one day.

They were selling Butto crackers everywhere. Kinda yummy.

Yippee!

Breast Milk Fruit

When I was like five years old, one of my earliest memories was drinking the creamy delicious nectar of vu sua (breast milk fruit). But like most early memories, I wasn't sure if it was for reallies or if I was just making it up. Hell, I could have been breastfeeding from a fruit for all I knew.

One day, I was walking down the street when this greenish pink fruit caught my eye. It's pretty unspectacular in appearance, but it intrigued me due to its unfamiliarity.

Too lazy to take my own pix...

This shiz was expensive as all hell, but believe me when I say it is the most delectable fruit ever. Forget liking passion fruit or dragon fruit, breast milk fruit is like sipping the finest, sweetest, most condensed of breast milks.

How can you look at this fruit and not wanna motorboat it

You basically poke a hole in the top, suck it to your heart's content, then cut and eat the rest of the gloppy insides.

oh YES.

Apparently, they're pretty hard to find in the city and they're only in season for a few months out of the year. This is probably why I thought I simply imagined it.

Breast. Hur hur.

Banaue

The last hurray of my Philippines trip was to the “Eighth Wonder of the World” – the famous rice steppes in Banaue.

The story goes that the people living in the Ifugao villages wanted to plant rice, but the rugged mountains in the province made it very difficult to do so. Thus, people got to work making these spectacular terraces right in the side of the mountains that provided flat steppes, each with its own little mud pool in which to plant the rice stalks. This was over 2,000 years ago and the people here are still planting rice in the mountains today!

Mud-walled rice terraces in Banaue, a grueling 10 hour bus ride from the capital city of Manila

The largest Philippine currency is the 1000 peso bill. On the back of it...

...is a picture of this very location where I am standing!

Mandatory jumping pic

A sweat inducing hike to the small village of Batad provided retardedly sweet views. Batad's amphitheater-like rice terraces are stone-walled and looked even more impressive than the ones in Banaue. The walk up and down hundreds of stone steps and rocky terrain was no joke though…

Woulda went by a lot quicker with some heavy sedatives and large velcro pad attaching me to someone's back...

Not sure if I was just deliriously exhausted or if this was indeed the best meal of my life. Awesome fried chicken in the middle of nowhere. Fresh garlic rice harvested from terraces nearby.

These people just look out their windows everyday and get see this view. What a life.

Back to Saigon now. Gotta catch up on work!