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Anime Expo 2019
Anime Expo 2019 is done and over with but I still have a few things to say about the event. The event was a hot mess. If you heard it was bad in 2017, well, 2019 definitely outdid Anime Expo 2017 in the crap department. I think it’s safe to say that many attendees thought AX2019 would at least be like AX2018 or better. 2018 was the year AX decided to implement a new badge system where you “clock in” and “clock out” of AX related buildings. Bag checks existed and yes, the lines were long but there were multiple lines so it wasn’t too bad. If I managed to visit the JW Marriot AND the LA Convention Center, it really wasn’t all that bad when you think how this year, I couldn’t even imagine to visit a non-LA Convention Center building simply out of fear that I’d have to get in a ginormous line yet again only to get into another line to attend a panel or whatever it is that I want to attend. This year sucked and I knew beforehand based on people’s rants on social media on how they had to wait at least 3 hours before they could get inside the LA Convention Center. Others waited 4-5 hours on Day 1 and all I can say is that is insanity.
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Overrated Nikko
Of all the places I was looking forward to visit in Japan, it was Tochigi’s Nikko. I was drawn to Nikko due to my images of nature and its many world heritage sites.
Unfortunately, Nikko couldn’t meet my expectations (whatever they were) and left me with much bitter disappointment. A part of the negative experience could very well in part be due to my travel companion being a major pain since the morning of the trip. She was just bitchy AF and for the life of me, I could not comprehend why especially when she didn’t do any of the planning for this trip. (I kid you not unless you want to call a calendar showcasing our departure and arrival date as planning… Begin the eye rolling, folks.)
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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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San Gabriel Lunar New Year Festival
The dragon at San Gabriel Lunar New Year Festival If there’s anyone that likes free things, it’s got to be me.
As a freebie lover, I attended the San Gabriel Lunar New Year Festival, a free event held at the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse.
Parking wasn’t an issue as I was able to park on the street for free. Their event parking lot was also for free but already full by the time I had gotten there and I actually had gotten there before the start time of the festival. Meh. So, even though I had arrived early, by the time I decided on a parking spot, the festival had already begun.
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What I Don’t Miss About Japan
Vegetarian options at Tokyo Disney Sea Lack of Vegetarian Food 🥕
You can live off of convenience store onigiris but you can’t live off of them for too long. Besides, the likelihood of your onigiri being available at all times is slim. (I managed to survive off of seasoned seaweed onigiris, inari sushi and junk, like fries.) Vegetarianism is a joke in Japan but I knew that before coming to the land of the rising sun and somehow made it work for me despite going hungry here and there during my trip.