Travel
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Kameyama Shachu

I adore Nagasaki’s signs that are in Japanese, Korean, English and Chinese. Because I couldn’t read Japanese back when I first visited Japan, I found Korean, in addition to English to be quite helpful. (Things made a lot of sense to me whenever I read something written in Korean that didn’t have an actual meaning in Korean. And for that, I’m thankful I was able to read Korean.) These signs I liked so much led me to temples and eventually to the site of the former Kameyama Shachu.
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Nagasaki’s Dejima Wharf

I looked forward to visiting Japan’s Nagaski for two main reasons:
#1. Back when Japan closed itself from the outside world, Nagasaki was the only place that remained open to foreigners. (Most likely for selective trading reasons, but still…)
#2. Ninja Shadow. I want to say enough said but I realize that some of you may not know what I’m talking about. It’s a game/app that takes place in NAGASAKI! Because I’ve played Ninja Shadow (I don’t care if you judge.), a big part of me wanted to see exactly how legit their history and imagery of Nagasaki was. I want to say it was on point but then again, I didn’t exactly have the opportunity to see every nook and cranny of Nagasaki.
The area around Nagasaki’s Dejima Wharf was a pleasant place to take a stroll. While it wasn’t much of a walk, I found much joy in the ambiance. The fresh air. The people, here and there. The hilly backdrop. And the ships.
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Hsi Lai Temple

With 2018 coming to a close, I felt it was necessary for me to do something spiritual.
I ended up visiting Fo Guang Shan Hsi Lai Temple. Got there early enough and was able to get a nice parking spot easily. It wasn’t crowded and I was free to roam the grounds of the temple.
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The Jaded Traveler

As of May 13, 2018, I’ve officially become jaded with traveling.
Whatever excitement I’d feel from traveling has disappeared. It’s like I no longer have a desire to travel. When I think of traveling, I now just think “whatever”. It’s like I don’t really care anymore.
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The Orange County Zoo

A goat at the OC Zoo If you’re looking to get your zoo fix but are short on time and money, the Orange County Zoo would be the perfect place to visit, provided that you’re already in the Irvine area, that is. I say this because it’s not a zoo I recommend visiting from afar as it’s a very small zoo and the zoo grounds can easily be visited in it’s entirety in less than an hour. The good thing about this zoo, though is that it’s not very well known and thus not very crowded, even on a weekend.