knitting lemonade

As promised, Thailand pictures...

First there was Chiang Mai...

Oh man, can you handle the cuteness!

Yup, that's me and Erin riding an elephant. Don't we look natural?

Chiang Mai is famous for its temples. This is Wat Chedi Luang.


Then there was Bangkok...
Here we are shopping...again. This is the Chatuchak Weekend Market. There was thousands upon thousands of stalls. I felt like we visited each one. In reality, we barely scratched the surface.

Here my mom and I are at Jim Thompson's house. Mr. Thompson revitalized the Thai silk industry in the 60s. The story does not end there...oh no, Mr. Thompson mysteriously disapeared on a walk while on a trip to Malaysia in 1967. Crazy, no?

An unexpected event rocked our New Year's Eve.

New Year's day was spent at the Grand Palace. This place was just breathtaking. The detail just blows me away.

A great way to see Bangkok is by long-tail boat.

Of course, there was the Wat Pho Buddha. He was big and beautiful.

Thailand is a place like no other. So rich. It will be unforgettable, that's for sure.

As promised, here's a sampling of pics from my Hong Kong holidays. (Pictures galore ahead...)

Hong Kong and Star Ferry at night.

Dad, sister Bri, and me at Victoria Harbour. Who could pass up a laser light show?

Bri in the streets.

Do you think taking pictures on a subway immediately identifies us as tourists?

Me trying my hand at bartering. And yes, I got that jade ring, thank you very much.

Oooh, five dollar shoes!

Pauline is a master sales lady. I bought four jackets from her. Don't judge.

Wanna see Buddha? Just take a gondola ride.

Tian Tan Buddha and the girls.

Tea at the Peninsula, dahling. (By the way, if you want to feel really bad about your skills as a knitter, make sure you read Erin's post on Venezia. It is heart-breakingly beautiful.)

Erin and I on the Star Ferry. I think ferries are my most prefered form of transportation...ever.

Sisters in the heart of downtown. Speaking of hearts, Hong Kong definitely has mine.

Thailand pics to come soon...

And I'm back! (Okay, technically I got back a week ago, but the thought of doing a post was kinda overwhelming. Don't know why.) So, in order to ease back into the blogging lifestyle, I thought I would do my first meme. While I was on my trip Tienne tagged me for the "6 weird things about me" meme. So here it goes:

1) I have metal issues. When I see a huge pile of change, my skin crawls. Especially pennies. Pennies are the rats of currency. They are carriers of plague and pestilence. What's worse. WET metal. Ick. I am getting grossed out just thinking about it. Like when a baby puts a penny in their mouth, it sends me into hysterics (DISCLAIMER: I do make sure the baby's safety is ensured before having my episode). Or if my sister/roommate Erin happens to leave a silver ring on the bathroom sink, I start getting antsy. It's practically inches away from the faucet. You know what comes out of faucets? Water. (Shudder)
2) I like SPAM (the meat product). What can I say? It's the island girl in me.
3) I need to own complete sets. Once I buy something like a Gilmore Girls season on DVD, that's it. I need to own them all. I can't just own the first season and the third, maybe the fifth. Nope, I need to own all seasons in existence. What's more, my collections have to match. For example, I have read (and own) the first two books in the Jessica Darling series by Megan McCafferty (I am a Young Adult fiction nut!). The third one in the series is out, but I can't get it. You see, the third one was released in hardcover but the two books I own are in paperback. The paperback version comes out this April, which means I will have waited almost a year to get a "matching" book and finish the series.
4) Just like Erin, I cannot ride a bike. I physically can't. In fact, wheels and me just don't mix in general--rollerskates, skateboards, scooters...ain't gonna happen.
5) As I mentioned before, I LOVE Young Adult fiction. I can't get enough teenage angst. Crush drama? Bring it on. Homeroom notes run amok? The more the better. Graduation hi-jinx? Yes, please. I guess I'm working through some residual teenage issues.
6) I didn't go to my senior prom. (see number 5)

Trip pictures to come soon. (And then I promise I will get back to knitting. Alright?) Here's one for the road: