"A musuem without walls"

We recently went on a weekend trip with some friends of ours to Gyeongju. This city is often referred to as a museum without walls. It was the center of the Silla dynasty and is littered with temples and tombs.



We rented bicycles and rode through rice paddies and toured the sites! Something about riding a bike makes you feel like a kid again, but the saddle ass reminds you of your progressing years!





Tombs of Silla Kings



Stone Buddhas at Namsan mountain park

We had beautiful weather, and the clear skies and fresh air were a much needed reprieve from the Seoul city suffocation. Living in the city is great and convenient and easy to get around with minimal Korean language skills, but it is refreshing to see the softer, greener, cleaner Korea!

Hanging with Christy

We made another noreabang convert! Despite her apprehension, Christy relaxed (with the help of our friend, the devil, soju and let loose in the karaoke style private singing room!



Do I see a little white girl overbite Christy?



Chillin Itaewon style...Aaron and the sista slinging them back at a bar in "little America"



We loved our time with Christy, and we miss her already! She is proof that moms still know how to party :) We love you sis!

Korean Visas and Japanese Temples

Aaron and I had to venture to Fukouka, Japan to renew our Korean visas. While we were there, we were able to take in a few sites and have a few adventures including drinking beer we purchased at a vending machine!

Tallest wooden Buddha at 10 meters in Tocho-ji temple



Amazing Italian restaurant with a "unique Japanese" setting.



Kushida Jinja Temple



Daizafu, a ancient Japan capital of the province where almost the entire city is an archaeological site. We rented bikes and rode around the entire city. It was a gorgeous day made more perfect with a platter of sushi some warm saki and cold Asahi!

You'd never see this in the U.S.

Celebration of the first full moon of lunar New Year!

So the man lighting the fire was totally drunk on soju and some random man stopped us to watch the "show." The fire truck was completely blocked in and not connected to a water source! Oh yeah, a fire started below the man lighting the ball of flame and about a square meter burned before someone showed up with a fire extinguisher...Korean style baby!

City Snow and Frozen Lakes

Tapgol Park in Seoul

Entrance to Insadong gil a famous shopping street in Seoul

Gyeonbukgung Palace

Gyeongbukgong Palace and the surrounding mountains

The winter is ending here and the buds are appearing on the trees (we are even getting temperatures in the 60s some days!)...we hate to see the snow go, but we have to say we are looking forward to lovely spring!

China Cruising on the Yangtzee

The Lessor Gorges (not so lessor, eh?)



Face Rock



Our river guide.



The Victoria Anna (our cruising vessel)



Mom and us freezing on the Yangtzee!

Happy Lunar New Year

Yes, this is coming a little late for those of you in the know...but we still would like to share these unbelievable pictures from Chongqing and Shanghai...China is truly the most foreign place we have been so far!

These lights are only on during the New Year celebration because of the energy crisis in China even the biggest cities (Chongqing is the most populated 33 million) do not have building lights on at night...it is really spooky coming into a large city where there are no lights on the buildings...the streets are still lit though, so the lack of structural light doesn't slow the party goers in Shanghai!

Here we are in Shanghai on a popular shopping street Nanjing Dong Lu.