Goodbye Korea Series: Busan English Library

I don't know why it's taken me 10 months to post these pictures, but at least I'm posting them. Towards the end of my time in Korea, I have to admit that I was frustrated. Homesickness really got to me and I had to work with a really inconsiderate person. Due to this, I left Korea happily. Now, ten months out, I really miss it, especially the library. Sometimes, we get so caught up in how we're feeling at the moment.  Working at the library was really one of the best jobs I've ever had and I truly miss every single person there.

For my goodbye dinner, they took me to Korean BBQ, since it's my favorite. Afterward, we went to noreabang and sang to our hearts content. It was a great evening spent with my favorite co-workers.  I even received a few gifts, including shoes for my future baby! In the two years I worked at the library, I made so many good memories, too many to name. I'm so thankful for having the opportunity to work at the Busan English Library and it will always be a cherished time in my life!

Al's Cafe | Elgin, Illinois

Even though I dislike living all the way out in the burbs, there are still little pockets of awesomeness. Currently we live in Elgin, which is like an hour and a half from Chicago. It's torture, but we try to make the best of it. One thing Markus and I like to do is explore. When my brother and mommyo came to town, we were still new to the area. We found some really good places and one of those spots was Al's Cafe in downtown Elgin.

Al's is basically an institution in these parts and has been in business since the 80s. The building itself dates back to 1892. I love places like Al's that are full of history. I loved the look and feel of the place. The bottom floor had old pews for seating, which mommyo loved. The upstairs felt more intimate and homey with books lining a small portion of the wall. The food is typical Americana and quite good. Although, the real specialty are the malts and shakes. I've never had a malt before and I don't think I could ever go back to milkshakes.

Godzilla & Toho Studios | Tokyo, Japan

If there was one thing on this earth that Markus loves as much as me, it would be Godzilla. This kid is a fan of all things kaiju. I think it stems from his childhood and watching anything involving the Japanese monsters. I'm not joking. When he found out that Toho Studios was breaking Godzilla's ten year hibernation, he was ecstatic. All he talks about is this new Godzilla movie, it's quite funny. He owns almost every Godzilla movie and is constantly searching for the ones he's missing. The other night I walked into the bedroom and he was watching Gamera, the other famous Japanese kaiju. He even loves Ultraman, which has heaps and heaps of giant monsters. Personally, I think this obsession is adorable and unique. When we decided to travel to Japan, it was really his decision. The UK was my dream trip and Japan was his. In order to really make this an unforgettable trip, we had to trek to Toho Studios, the home of Godzilla.

Unfortunatley, Toho Studios does not offer tours. It totally stinks, but real diehard fans, still visit the exterior entrance.  Markus did all the research and figured out a way to get there. There isn't a direct way there and you have to walk through various suburban neighborhoods. To be honest, I really didn't want to go. It was out of the way and difficult to get there, but for Markus I relented. When we finally got to the exit after an hour, we walked for a bit and got lost a few times. I remember walking through this random gate and we finally found it. Toho is pretty brilliant, because the outside has a mini Godzilla and a huge wall homage to the Seven Samurai. It's enough to please any fan and Markus was more than pleased. I looked over at him as soon as the studio was in sight and he was more than happy. It's like he was a kid again. I've never seen him like that and it made all the trouble worth it.

Fushimi Inari Taisha | Kyoto, Japan | 1 of 2

One of the most iconic places in Japan is Fushimi Inari Taisha. If you've seen Memoirs of a Geisha, you'll remember when the young geisha runs through the bright orange tunnel. Ever since I saw that scene, I've wanted to walk through the orange gates. The shrine is for Inari, the god of foxes, rice, sake and a few other things. The shrine is comprised of thousands of torii or gates that have been donated by Japanese businesses. Fushimi is at the base of a mountain and you can follow the torii up the mountain through various trails.

Markus and I visited Fushimi on a sunny August day. It was the height of school holidays, so the place was packed full of visitors. The beginning portion of the shrine was so full of people, that it was impossible to get a photo without someone in them. In an attempt to see as much as possible, we decided to follow the trail until we were exhausted. I really enjoyed walking throughout the shrine. There was so much to see and experience. There are heaps of fox statues and my foxy shirt was a perfect homage to them. Fushimi Inari was unlike anything I've ever seen. Everything about it was beautiful and its probably one of my favorite places in Japan.

Markus & the Lonely Duck | Lake District, England 2012

The other day I was going through my photo folders and I found a plethora of unedited UK photos. It was kind of amazing because Markus and I won't be able to go on an international trip this year. It really stinks considering we've traveled somewhere every year for the past nine years. I really shouldn't complain, we've been to some amazing places. I'm really thankful for all the places we've been and hopeful for the places we'll go! So finding these pictures was great because it's like going on a trip to the UK all over again.

As I was editing the photos, I realized something awesome. I had Markus do all sorts of poses and I realized that there was a lone duck in every photo. I couldn't help myself and had to share. Plus, I couldn't resist posting more gorgeous photos of the Lake District. My golly, this place was really like heaven on earth.