tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15906090012651103072024-03-17T23:03:45.585-04:00Bell BlissMackenzie @bellbliss.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042895682558401021noreply@blogger.comBlogger205125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1590609001265110307.post-87612521832720222412016-01-17T00:13:00.000-05:002016-01-17T02:12:34.496-05:00New Zealand Trip Overview<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We've been back from our whirlwind trip to New Zealand for exactly a week. I may or may not already be looking for tickets back as we speak. Seriously, saying I'm in love is a huge understatement. And it's not just me. It seemed to be the consensus of every traveler we met along the way. Stop what you are doing right now and book a trip. I promise, you absolutely won't regret it.<br />
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Anyway, I will stop my daydream of quitting my job and moving to New Zealand and get down to the details of our trip. I've got tons of other posts of our travels and life from the past year that need to be posted, but I think this trip definitely takes priority. I've been asked for our itinerary by multiple people so I thought I would start by sharing an overview of our trip. I am not a New Zealand expert by any means, especially since there is so much to see and do there, but I would love to answer any questions you have! Many posts to come on each of our New Zealand adventures.<br />
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Here is our itinerary:<br />
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Day 1 and 2: Travel from Okinawa through Shanghai to Auckland. Travel tip: avoid Shanghai airport at all cost. (Stay in Auckland at Rendezvous Hotel)<br />
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Day 3: Explore Auckland (Stay in Auckland at Rendezvous Hotel)<br />
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Day 4: Drive to Coromandel. Walk to Cathedral Cove, Hot Water Beach, Drive to Matamata, Hobbiton Tour, drive to Hamilton (Stay in Hamilton at YHA Hamilton)<br />
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Day 5: Drive to Waitomo, Waitomo Caves (Stay in Waitomo at YHA Waitomo)<br />
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Day 6: Drive to Napier (Stay in Havelock at Craggy Range)<br />
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Day 6: Winery Tours (Stay in Havelock at Craggy Range)<br />
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Day 7: Drive to Wellington (Stay at Novotel Hotel in Wellington)<br />
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Day 8: Ferry from Picton to Wellington, Drive to Blenheim (Stay in Blenheim at St. Leonards)<br />
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Day 9: Winery Tours (Stay in Blenheim at St. Leonards)<br />
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Day 10: Drive the Great Coast Road to Franz Josef (Stay in Franz Josef at YHA Franz Josef)<br />
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Day 11: Drive through Wanaka and Arrowtown to Queenstown (Stay at St. Moritz Queenstown)<br />
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Day 12: Explore Queenstown (Stay at St. Moritz Queenstown)<br />
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Day 13: Drive through Tekapo to Christchurch (Stay in Christchurch at Lilac Rose)<br />
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Day 14: Explore Christchurch/Rest (Stay in Christchurch at Lilac Rose)<br />
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Day 15: Fly out of Christchurch<br />
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Day 16 and 17: Fly through Sydney and Shanghai (brutal 9 hour layover) back to Okinawa<br />
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Here is what our trip looked like:</div>
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Lodging:</div>
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We stayed at a combination of hotels, hostels, and B&Bs/boutiques. Many travelers in New Zealand stick to hostels, but that isn't really our style. If you are traveling on a tight budget, hostels are the way to go. New Zealand has a really great hostel system and it is lots of fun to stay at them. We really enjoyed the three hostels we stayed at, but we also enjoyed the other very nice accommodations we stayed at. </div>
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After every trip you think about what you loved and what you would have done differently. I questioned along the way as we came across many travelers who were only doing the South Island if we should have done that too. After many hours in the car I also questioned whether we should have driven so much. But, as I look back now, I don't think I would have changed anything for our first visit to New Zealand. I absolutely loved the North Island and am so glad we got to see it. Yes, there is much more to do on the South Island and it is much more rugged, but the feel of the North Island and the different scenery definitely made it worth it. I also think that driving was my favorite part, even though we spent a significant amount of time in the car. I don't think we would have been able to fully appreciate or understand New Zealand without seeing all that we were able to through driving. I was in awe at the scenery during every drove we made. I am sad we missed a few places, but it is almost impossible to see everything in such a short amount of time. Next trip we make, because it is happening, we want to spend some time in Abel Tasman, visit the Milford Sound, go all the way south, go up the east coast through Dunedin, Akaroa, and Kaikoura, actually stand on top of Franz Josef, and go to Rotorua and the Bay of Island on the North Island. Whew, sounds like I've got some planning to do. In the meantime, I'll look back at pictures and pretend I'm still there. </div>
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Mackenzie @bellbliss.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042895682558401021noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1590609001265110307.post-76449777595562738132015-12-01T07:19:00.000-05:002016-01-17T02:12:47.650-05:00Friends Trip to Hong Kong<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
We had been wanting to spend a weekend off island with a group of friends. Hong Kong is a skip and hop to the west of us, so we thought it would be the perfect trip for Columbus day weekend. We went with two other couples and has a blast. We absolutely loved Hong Kong and want to go back soon. It was such a different city than many we have been to in SE Asia. We loved how international it was. Many cultures are represented and there is every kind of restaurant you could ever imagine. We liked that you could feel like you were in a western city one minute and China the next. We also loved how it was set up, right along the bay on two different land masses. It made for very pretty views. We didn't get to see as many sights as we planned, but we enjoyed taking in the city and the company of our friends.<br />
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The best travel buddies</div>
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Hong Kong is a port city. It was crazy to see all of the shipping containers as we drove into the city. </div>
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I loved these giant incense rings in a shrine we found as we were walking around. </div>
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Jade market. Lots of price haggling going on. </div>
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Temple Street Market. I kind of have a thing for weird Asian markets. They are always so interesting.</div>
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Avenue of Stars, Kowloon</div>
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The weather wasn't that great, but it was still interesting to see. </div>
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Victoria Peak</div>
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To Stay: There is a debate whether to stay on Hong Kong Island or Kowloon. We stayed on HK island, but would have stayed in Kowloon as well. Hong Kong is so easy to get around, especially since the metro is easy to navigate. It doesn't take long to get between the two areas. There is also lots to see, do, and eat both places. All of the super nice hotels are in Kowloon, but we particularly liked the Lan Kwai Fong area on HK island. We stayed at the Harbour Grand (HK side) and enjoyed our stay, but it was a bit out of the way.<br />
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To Do: We enjoyed the markets in Kowloon (Jade and Temple). I wished we could have gone to the other ones (bird, flower, etc.). Also on Kowloon is the Avenue of Stars. We walked the avenue during the day and night, which I would recommend. On HK island we took the tram up to Victoria Peak. It was well worth it. The line wasn't long when we went, but I hear it can get a bit out of control. We also did a lot of eating and walking around. There are lots of parks, shops, and shrines to see as you walk around. We did not get to the big buddha or Nyong Ping Gondola, which I was sad about. It is on the island where the airport is(Lantau Island), so bit out of the way. The line for the gondola is rumored to be long so we did not make the trip out there. We would also like to take a ferry Macau next time we visit.<br />
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To Eat: There are so many restaurants and such a variety! Everything we tried was pretty good. We did not eat as many places as I would have liked, but we did get to try the dumpling place Tim Ho Wan. It was not as good as our favorite Taipai dumpling place, Din Tai Fung. There are lots of great restaurants in Lan Kwai Fong. We tried Cecconi's Italian and Wilbers, which were both average. We tend to try places we come across as we are walking, so I don't have many exciting recommendations.<br />
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Hong Kong, we will be back!<br />
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Mackenzie @bellbliss.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042895682558401021noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1590609001265110307.post-40356651153279222202015-11-02T06:05:00.000-05:002016-01-17T02:13:05.445-05:00#spontaneoussundays<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The best thing about our little island is that even though it is small, it is not short on adventures. We can hop in the car and see something interesting or beautiful a few minutes down the road. Our lives are extremely busy, so we don't get to explore as much as we want to, but we are glad we have awesome things to see when we do get the opportunity. Last Sunday we woke up and decided to grab Lexie, our emo hammocks, and our favorite Yeti cooler and hop in the car. We stopped by the grocery store to grab sandwiches and drinks and headed towards our favorite adventure spot. There are tiny little island surrounding Okinawa and we are lucky to live right around the corner from quite a few of them. When we got to the bridge headed to a 4 of our favorite islands, we saw that it was low tide and the kite surfers were out. We thought the tide pools would be great for Lexie because she loves water and running on the beach but isn't a huge fan of waves. We were right! She loved splashing through the tide pools and running on the miles of flat beach. Even after two years living on this island, the blue skies and turquoise water still takes our breath away. </div>
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After Lexie got her running in, we headed across the bridge and over to Hamahiga island, an island over a second bridge from the first island. Miyagi, the second in a chain of 3, is our usual go to. We drove around a bit and found a nice beach with a lot going on. Their was a boat out with jet skiers and water skiers. Jake had been dying to use our hammocks we bought in the states, so we found some trees right next to the beach and put them up. It was the perfect place to eat our sandwiches and hangout. It was the most beautiful day and a super relaxing time sitting in our hammocks people watching. We will definitely be going back soon, possibly to camp!</div>
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Mackenzie @bellbliss.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042895682558401021noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1590609001265110307.post-18790473479357764742015-02-27T21:10:00.002-05:002016-01-17T02:13:26.360-05:00Girls trip to Seoul<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It is fairly common for my friend's husbands and mine to be gone at the same time. It's just part of military life, but it is nice to have friends who are in the same boat as you. Last year, my friend Hannah and I were treated to a girls trip by our husbands to <a href="http://www.bellblissblog.com/2014/04/ishigaki-getaway.html">Ishigaki island.</a> This year they decided to send us on a shopping trip to Seoul, South Korea for President's Day weekend. Both of our husbands had already been there for business, so it was a perfect spot for a girls trip. It was a super quick trip and it was freezing cold, but we ended up having a really great time. We loved Seoul and the young, hip vibe and we definitely did some damage shopping.<br />
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When we got to our hotel, we were immediately impressed. The hotel was so nice and it had a huge luxury mall underneath. When we arrived we were greeted with macaroons. Apparently, there was a strawberry festival going on, so they had a tea time complete with a strawberry fountain, macaroon tower, every kind of strawberry dessert, and strawberry decor.<br />
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After freshening up in our room, we set out for some shopping. We started in the mall at our hotel, but quickly realized we were out of our league with the high end shops. So we found ourselves wandering around the incredible food market on the lower level of the mall. I've learned that asian malls always have incredible high end food markets and it makes me feel like a kid in a candy shop. </div>
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pickled everything</div>
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We had lunch at a Korean place and had wonderful chicken and bulgogi. Then, we headed out on the subway to find something more in our price range. While we were trying to navigate the subway system, we discovered an underground shopping area that was a bit more in our price range. We soon discovered that most of it as knock-offs from the mall above us. We headed to Itaewon, the hip area of Seoul. We walked around, had a wonderful Turkish dinner, and shopped at some of the boutiques. It was such a cool area, full of every type of restaurant and lively nightlife. It was such a fun night!</div>
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The next morning we decided to take a break from shopping to do some sightseeing. We headed to Gyeongbokgung Palace. We were paired with a free tour guide, which ended up being great because we got to learn so much about the history of South Korea.<br />
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Our tour guide! #selfiestick<br />
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We then headed to Insadong area to walk around and eat some yummy dumplings. </div>
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We were ready for some serious shopping, so we headed to Myeongdong where the shopping did not disappoint. We shopped in every boutique, Forever 21, H&M, Zara; essentially we shopped until we dropped.<br />
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Whenever I go somewhere new, I try to eat a few meals that are found in that location, so we went to a traditional Korean restaurant. Let's just say, Korean food is not on the top of my Asian food list.<br />
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Feeling unsatisfied after our dinner, we headed back to our hotel and went to the gourmet market to pick up lots of goodies. We went to to incredible spa at our hotel and went into the jacuzzi and sauna to help our tired feet. The next morning, as we headed to the airport, I wasn't quite ready to leave. Our time was so short and I felt like there was still more to see, do, and eat! I would definitely go back again!<br />
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Mackenzie @bellbliss.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042895682558401021noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1590609001265110307.post-12499525964100494602015-02-08T08:48:00.000-05:002015-02-08T08:48:27.677-05:00Cherry Blossoms at Nakijin Castle Ruins<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Last year around this time, we went to a <a href="http://www.bellblissblog.com/2014/01/nago-cherry-blossom-festival.html">cherry blossom festival</a> up north. The festival itself was fun, but I was a bit disappointed with the blossoms. This year, we decided to head to some castle ruins to check out the blossoms there. The blossoms still weren't as great as I was excepting, but the mix of the castle ruins, the blossoms, and the view made for a great day. Throw in some delicious sakura (cherry blossom) ice cream and a trip to the infamous Pizza in the Sky and you have the perfect day with great friends. </div>
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Okinawa cherry blossoms are very pink. They are very different than the white or light pink ones you see in <a href="http://www.bellblissblog.com/2013/04/kellie-jos-visit.html">DC</a> and mainland Japan. We found a few trees with the white and pink and then some that were a mix between the hot pink and the light pink. I can't wait to make a trip to mainland to see the cherry blossoms there. </div>
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A butterfly landed on me and Hannag was camera ready!<br />
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Finally got to eat at Pizza in the Sky. It was definitely worth the hype. The view was spectacular, the place was super cute, the service was good, the food was delicious, and the presentation can't be beat. I will definitely be making a trip back soon!</div>
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I am excited to be back here blogging again. I thought this was the perfect "back to blogging" post since it was what made me feel inspired to post again. I can't wait to post what we have been up to over the past few months! <br />
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Mackenzie @bellbliss.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042895682558401021noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1590609001265110307.post-28232084014913232702014-08-13T02:35:00.000-04:002014-08-13T02:35:03.906-04:00Livin' for the Weekends<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I know it is pretty sad to say that I am off work for the summer and yet I have still been living for the weekends. It isn't that the weekdays are so horrible, but weekends during the summer here are perfection! Trying new restaurants, exploring, hanging with friends, BBQs, laying on the beach, snorkeling, kayaking, and most importantly spending time with a cute boy and an even cuter dog. Summer, why must you be coming to an end??<br />
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Most weekends are spent on the beach. We can't resist on a perfect day.<br />
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If we don't spend the day at the beach, there is always time for Sunday walks on the nearby beach.</div>
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And walking down the street to get giant Hawaiian Shaved Ice. The shaved ice here has sweetened condensed milk on top. They are so delicious. It is hard not to be addicted when there is a stand 2 minutes from our house. </div>
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My personal favorite thing to do on weekends is to try new restaurants and visit old favorite. </div>
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We found this amazing Hawaiian restaurant the other day. It might be our new favorite!</div>
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I went to lunch with a friends the other day at a cafe where no one spoke English, there wasn't and English Menu, and there were no pictures. We just pointed to something and hoped for the best. It ended up being really good and a great sampling of Okinawan food.</div>
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Our favorite bagel place with my favorite boy</div>
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And unfortunately, weekends are for chores and battling giant creatures who have made our home theirs. We woke up to the biggest spider in history in our sliding glass doorway. It was outside, thankfully, but I still couldn't breathe until it was dead. </div>
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Jake battling the giant spider with a paddle</div>
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<b>What do you love best about weekends?</b></div>
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Mackenzie @bellbliss.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042895682558401021noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1590609001265110307.post-17489873746003675412014-07-24T04:30:00.002-04:002014-07-24T04:30:26.739-04:00Jiufen, Taiwan- An Old Mining Town <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
On the second morning we were in Taiwan we decided to rent a taxi for the day. The taxi would take us anywhere we wanted to go, within reason. I had researched an old gold mining town in the mountains that is a poplar tourist attraction and it looked like something right up my alley. We got in our taxi and drove almost two hours up into the mountains. It was so worth it! We got there early enough in the morning that it wasn't packed with tourists. We climbed up a watch tower and looked at the incredible view overlooking the ocean. We wandered through the tiny alleyways, going into shops, trying different foods, and looking inside of cute tea houses with awesome views. At this point in our life living abroad, we have been to many different markets and they have all started to blend together. This one was so unique, though, because you could feel the history behind it and it still had that cute old world charm. Plus, it was interesting to see how people live on the side of a mountain. Let's just say, we climbed way too many stairs for a hot and humid day.<br />
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Next stop: waterfall!</div>
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Mackenzie @bellbliss.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042895682558401021noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1590609001265110307.post-58390740362034885192014-07-22T06:40:00.002-04:002014-07-22T06:44:04.525-04:00Umi no Hi- Celebrating the Ocean<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Yesterday was the Japanese holiday Umi no Hi, a holiday celebrating the ocean and to give thanks to its bounty. I love that the Japanese are so respectful and appreciative to nature and take time to stop and give thanks for the wonderful world we live in. Living on an island, the ocean is part of everyday life. I have always loved the beach, who doesn't, but living here has made me appreciate the ocean even more. Living in a foreign country is hard, but the breathtaking beauty of the ocean and the fun the beach brings has made living here so much easier. I can be having a crappy day and turn the corner to a beautiful view of the ocean and I am instantly happy.<br />
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I decided I couldn't let the holiday pass without stopping by the beach. I went to a nearby beach and grabbed a Hawaiian shave ice with the 30 local teenagers who were out of school. I sat on the rocks and ate my shave ice. The locals use this holiday to be off work and spend time at the beach. When can we get a holiday like this in the states??<br />
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We spent lots of time with the ocean this weekend because we are now owners of our own kayak! Jake had been wanting to get one since we moved here, but I didn't think it was worth it because there are so many places to rent one. Jake was checking out the Craigslist like website here and found a two-seater kayak with all of the gear for a great price. Jake convinced me of all of the cool places we could go on a whim in our kayak, so I agreed. We tried it out on Sunday at one of the places we had been eyeing. It was an incredibly beautiful day and kayaking was a blast! We paddled to a secluded beach and walked around. We tried to snorkel but failed, as the sea is still a bit stirred up from the recent typhoon. I also had a broken snorkel, which I discovered after I got a mouthful of seawater. After hopping back in the kayak, we saw tons of jellyfish, so we were glad we didn't stay in the water long. We are so excited for many kayaking adventures in the near future. </div>
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We are also blessed to have a wonderful view of the ocean from our house. We are on the east coast, so we don't get the sunset and aren't usually up for the 5 am sunrise, but we still get to see beautiful skies as the sun drops down on the East Chine Sea on the other side of the island. We have had some incredibly beautiful evenings in our backyard. How is it that sunsets never get old?<br />
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So here is to the ocean and all of the joy and beauty it provides. How lucky are we to live in a world with sunsets, beach days, marine life, seafood, and all of the wonderful things the ocean bring!<br />
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Mackenzie @bellbliss.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042895682558401021noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1590609001265110307.post-48543934834900415602014-07-11T05:33:00.000-04:002014-07-11T05:33:48.133-04:00Exploring Taipei Part 2: Taipei 101 and Din Tai Fung<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
After exploring <a href="http://www.bellblissblog.com/2014/06/exploring-taipei-longshan-temple-and.html">Longshan Temple and Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial</a> in Taipei, we headed over to Taipei 101. It was such a neat place with tons of shopping and restaurants. It was full of all of the high end fashion like stores like Gucci and Louis Vuitton. We stopped at a cute cafe and I ate a delicious macaroon. We then waited in line for the fastest elevator in the world to take us to the top. The views from the top were so cool! It was fun to feel like we were above the world for a few minutes.<br />
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After Taipei 101 we decided to head home and shower since it had been a hot and humid day of walking around. We got ready and headed out for dinner. I had heard of a restaurant with a couple of branches called Din Tai Fung. I wasn't sure what to expect since I had never had dim sum, but we hopped on the subway and headed to one of the branches in a giant mall. The wait was so long, so we shopped and watched them make the dumplings while we waited. We were so hungry by the time we were seated around 8:30, but it was 100% worth the wait! It was absolutely amazing. We had all sorts of dumplings with different fillings in different sauces. I had never tasted anything like it. I am still craving it to this day. </div>
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Next time I will share our experience at the mountain mining town of Jiufen, one of the things I was most excited for!<br />
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Mackenzie @bellbliss.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042895682558401021noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1590609001265110307.post-40581651915577421622014-06-27T07:11:00.002-04:002014-06-27T07:11:28.778-04:00Exploring Taipei- Longshan Temple and Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Over Memorial Day weekend we hopped on a plane with our friends and headed west to Taiwan. Honestly, before we moved to Okinawa I knew nothing about Taiwan. I had heard different people mention it was a perfect place for a weekend trip, so I did my research. Taiwan may be a tiny island, but it is filled with tons of beautiful places to see! I was overwhelmed by all that there was to see and I knew we could never do it all in one weekend.<br />
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On our way, excited for Taiwan</div>
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It is kind of funny because there were tons of other service members and their family on our flight. There were more Americans than anyone else. Everyone seemed to have to same idea for the long weekend. Once we arrived, we decided to check into the hotel and then explore. The first thing we did was grab something to eat at random noodle shop we found while wandering around the streets, which turned out to be pretty good. We quickly learned that Taipei is a very vibrant and busy city. It was also fairly clean compared to some of the other cities we have been in, like Bangkok. After lunch we headed for the subway. I think subways are so interesting and love figuring them out.<br />
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We headed a few metro stops away to Longshan Temple. It always interests me in these Asian cities that there are big beautiful temples right in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the city. Longshan temple was so colorful and intricate, complete with a waterfall and fountain.<br />
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Our next stop was Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial. As soon as we got there, it began to rain. Thankfully, there was a cute covered outdoor cafe at the national theater that we sat at until the storm passed. We then headed up the stairs to the memorial and were just in time to see the changing of the guards. This is about the time we realized that Taipei was even more hot and humid than Okinawa.<br />
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Next we headed to Taipei 101, but I will save that and our experience at the infamous Din Tai Fung for next post!<br />
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Mackenzie @bellbliss.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042895682558401021noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1590609001265110307.post-31322465094823712902014-06-19T07:17:00.000-04:002014-06-19T07:17:08.968-04:00First Time Snorkeler <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's hard to believe that I have lived on a tropical island known for it's snorkeling and diving for almost a year and I had yet to snorkel. It is not completely my fault, jelly fish and cold water were a problem. But I do have to admit, I have a slight fear of being under water. I don't fear the crazy things lurking in the water like most, I fear not being able to breathe. I guess it comes from years of dealing with asthma. I snorkeled once when I was younger and I hated it, so I was very hesitant about trying it again.<br />
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Last weekend we decided to spend the day and camp out on one of the smaller islands you can drive to. We got our gear and some friends together and headed out. Even though it has been so rainy here, the day was gorgeous. We spent the day laying out, snorkeling, playing volleyball, grilling, and chatting around a campfire. Snorkeling wasn't as scary as I thought it would be and after a few minutes it felt very natural. I think we will be doing a lot of snorkeling in the future!<br />
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It was such a fun day! It was nice to finally spend some time at the beach and hangout with awesome friends. Hopefully the rain will decide to go away for good and we can get more beach days in!<br />
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Mackenzie @bellbliss.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042895682558401021noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1590609001265110307.post-74879743418695979772014-06-16T08:20:00.000-04:002014-06-16T08:20:00.332-04:00I owe you an explanation <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I'm still here, despite my unexpected hiatus. I kept telling myself that I don't need to apologize or give an explanation because this blog is my own space. But that isn't true. I do owe all of my readers and apology after they have been so dedicated to this space of mine. The explanation is pretty easy. My life got very hectic and this blog seemed more like a chore than something I enjoy. I was coming home at night exhausted and it would take a lot of effort to even cook dinner and keep the house somewhat clean. Those teachers out there will probably understand, teaching can be a very demanding job, and the situation I was in didn't make it much easier. I was loving it and had great comfort in knowing that teaching really is my calling, but I struggled to balance life for awhile. Balancing a busy life is a hard thing, and sometimes things get put on the back burner. In my case, many things, like exercise, cleaning, and this blog.<br />
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The main reason I stopped posting is because I promised myself when I started this blog that I never wanted to force anything. I wanted to <i>want </i>to post every time I posted. I wanted to only post when I had an original idea or felt like I had something worth sharing. For a long time, especially when I wasn't working full time, I always felt like I had something to share and inspiration was flowing. Once I started working, my creativity, inspiration, and passion was going towards a new outlet. Whenever I would sit down to write a post, I would be at a loss for words. Slowly, I stopped even sitting down to write.<br />
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Well, now it's summer and my hectic life has somewhat slowed. I am excited to get my life back into a normal, working order. I have resumed my normal workouts, the house is starting to look like civilized human beings live there, and here I am posting on this blog. I'm not sure what exactly the future of this blog looks like, but I know I will be stopping by more often than I have been. I still want to document our life here and I especially want to document our latest and upcoming travels. I feel like I have so much left to share and hope that Bell Bliss continues to be the space that I always wanted it to be. So here is to a new chapter in the life of Bell Bliss. Hope you stick around!<br />
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Mackenzie @bellbliss.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042895682558401021noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1590609001265110307.post-7341784940773329992014-05-19T08:57:00.000-04:002014-05-19T08:57:34.416-04:00Happy Birthday Jake<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It was Jake's birthday this weekend and we celebrated in style. We had a little BBQ with some of our good friends. It was such a fun night of grilling out, chatting, and playing games. We finally got to entertain in our wonderful back yard. It was beautiful all day long until right before people came over. Clouds started racing in, but thankfully, the rain held off.<br />
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BBQ food is one of Jake's favorite meals. We had burgers and brats, cheesy potatoes, grilled vegetables, and yummy appetizers. I love to cook, but I am not much of a baker. My baked goods never come out as planned. I decided I wanted to give baking a try and so I made a white cake with blueberry whipped cream frosting. It turned out great!<br />
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Happy Birthday husband!! I hope 24 is good to you. You deserve all the happiness that life can give you.<br />
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Mackenzie @bellbliss.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042895682558401021noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1590609001265110307.post-39266098152742643272014-05-12T11:41:00.000-04:002014-05-12T11:41:32.408-04:00It's Rainy Season<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
My first rainy season on Okinawa is here and I am not a fan. I thought the rainy season meant that it rained a bit more than usual. Not the case. Since the day it was declared "rainy season" it has rained every single day. Sometimes all day without stopping. The first week of the season the temperature dropped, and so it was rainy and cool and not too bad. Now, the temperature is back up, causing intense humidity. Everything is moist (sorry, I know people hate that word). My tile floors always feel wet, my produce goes bad very quickly, and my body is very sticky all of the time. Let's not even get started with my frizzy hair. I am so ready for sunshine and beach days. Thankfully, the rainy season lasts less than a month, just in time for school to get out.<br />
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So what does one do during said rainy season? Well, Jake was in the field this weekend so that meant I was free to do things he doesn't always care to do. Number one, shopping. I went to my favorite home decor store on the island and picked up some new kitchen rugs and swooned over the beautiful furniture. When you think of Japanese furniture you often think modern and clean lines, but Okinawans really like French and rustic inspired furniture. If you know the right places to look, you can find some pretty cute stuff here. </div>
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To get the table or not get the table, that is the question</div>
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I also ate curry for about three meals in a row. Don't judge. Jake won't even go into a curry restaurant with me, so I figured this was my chance to enjoy it. I ate Japanese curry at the super cute cafe in the home decor shopping center that I love. Most people here love the Japanese curry, but I am not the biggest fan. So for dinner that night I got my favorite spinach chicken curry and cheese naan. So delicious, I could eat it every day. I love that Indian restaurants are so popular here.</div>
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The good thing about all of the rain is all of the beautiful flowers that are popping up everywhere. Just on my run around our neighborhood I tons of different kinds of flowers. Rain also causes some pretty awesome sunsets when the sun does peak out for a minute. </div>
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June 1st, I am ready for you to be here and for this rain to go away!<br />
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Mackenzie @bellbliss.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042895682558401021noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1590609001265110307.post-60903313544401427962014-05-05T09:23:00.001-04:002014-05-05T09:23:57.786-04:00The Perfect Day on Ie Island<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Saturday we hopped in the car with some friends and drove an hour north to a port to catch a ferry 30 minutes away to Ie Island. Once we were on Ie island, we walked over to the rental place. Jake was disappointed that they wouldn't let us rent mopeds, but I was content with our beach cruiser bikes.<br />
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It was an absolutely beautiful day, sunny, not to hot, and a slight breeze. We spent the morning riding our bikes through beautiful farmland and picturesque beaches. Our first stop was at the hibiscus garden. It was a giant greenhouse full of huge hibiscus in every color combination possible. They were incredible. Jake even bought me my own hibiscus plant.<br />
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As we continued along the coast of the island, we found lots of lookout points with insane views. The northern part of the island sits on top of cliffs, providing an amazing landscape. We even climbed down parts of the cliff to look at the tide pools.<br />
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After sweaty uphill riding, we reached the lily festival. As we were winding up the road to the festival, Jake was goofing off on his bike, causing our friend to crash her bike into some lilies. The lilies and soft mud caught her fall and so she wasn't hurt, but we couldn't stop laughing about it for the rest of the day. Maybe you had to be there. The lily fields were stunning and overlooked the sea. The smell was so amazing. I love that Okianwa loves flowers so much and has so many flower festivals. We took a quick food break, where I devoured some amazing mini corn dogs. The Okinawans do their corn dogs right.<br />
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We said goodbye to the perfect sea of white lilies and continued to our last stop on our bike tour, Wajee lookout. Out of all of the incredible sights we have seen since moving to Okinawa, Wajee definitely tops the list. The brilliant colors were indescribable. I wanted to stay on the side of that cliff forever.<br />
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Tired, sweaty, and full of appreciation for this beautiful place, we rode our little bikes back to the port and got back on the ferry to take the 30 minute ride home. This day will forever be at the top of my list of all time favorite days. The laid back way of life on the island, meandering through fields on our cute bikes, good laughs, beautiful views, it was absolutely perfect. Ie island, we will meet again!</div>
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Mackenzie @bellbliss.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042895682558401021noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1590609001265110307.post-70769095255310621552014-04-30T07:55:00.000-04:002014-04-30T07:55:34.390-04:00A Country Girl's World<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Today I have Jenn from <a href="http://www.weiderjl.blogspot.jp/">A Country Girl's World</a> here for a bit of a question and answer. Jenn has followed my blog for a long time now and leaves the most genuine comments. When I first stopped by her blog, I was immediately struck by how original she is. She is totally herself when blogging and her personality really comes through. She shares her passions on her blog, which is really refreshing and makes me want to be more passionate about things in life. She has so many interesting and informative posts, I always look forward to what she is going to post next. I especially appreciate her post on being a humane consumer, something I need to be more aware of.<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">How would you describe your blog in 1-2 sentences?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The best way to describe my blog is: random. I write whatever is on my mind, usually travel, books, humane consumerism, and wedding planning </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt;">J</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">It seems like you have traveled to so many wonderful places. What is your favorite place you have ever visited?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Costa Rica, hands down! I loved this country so much and would give my left arm to go back! There is so much natural beauty there and the locals are incredibly nice. I experienced so much in my week there and I can’t wait to go back one day!</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I really enjoy reading all of your "Being A Humane Consumer" posts. What started your passion for this issue?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I came across a post on the <a href="http://www.beaglefreedomproject.org/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Beagle Freedom Project </a>and started reading more about animal testing on their website and about products that are cruelty-free and products that are not. I had no clue that so many companies still test on animals and I had no idea that beagles made up 96% of that number! <a href="http://weiderjl.blogspot.com/2014/02/52in52-beagle-freedom-project.html" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Beagles</a> have a special place in my heart and I knew that there was no way I could go on buying the products I learned were tested on animals. Unfortunately, it is an issue that's often overlooked and I wanted to help get the word out there.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">4.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">You are currently planning a wedding. Any advice for anyone about to go through this process?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Be VERY specific about who is invited. I am currently experiencing a lot of frustration because people just assumed they could bring a date. We currently have more people attending our wedding than were invited. It’s insane and causing a lot of headache. I didn't think it would be this much of an issue because I was taught that only the people whose names were on the envelope are invited. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">5.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">What are 3 posts that readers should not miss when reading your blog?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://weiderjl.blogspot.com/2014/02/passion.html" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Passion</a>, <a href="http://weiderjl.blogspot.com/2014/03/being-humane-consumer-introduction.html" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Being a Humane Consumer: Intro</a>, and <a href="http://weiderjl.blogspot.com/2014/02/getting-out-of-your-comfort-zone.html" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone</a></span></div>
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You can find Jenn at any of the links below!<br />
<a href="http://weiderjl.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Blog</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://instagram.com/jennyferlw" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Instagram</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/jennyferlw" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Twitter</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/jennyferl/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></span></div>
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Mackenzie @bellbliss.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042895682558401021noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1590609001265110307.post-18807566246472863062014-04-29T07:58:00.000-04:002014-04-29T08:02:36.299-04:00White Beach Festival and Japanese Holidays<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Another weekend, another adventure. Saturday we tried out a new cafe with some friends. I cannot get enough of the cafes on this island. All of the food is so fresh and delicious. The cafes are family owned and run and you can tell they put so much love and thought into their food. I would try a new cafe every day if I could. It was a beautiful day so we took a walk on the seawall and then did a bit of shopping. We also gave in and finally stopped at the Chilis on base. American food is sometimes a necessity. Chips and queso, come to mama! We finally bought a weed eater for our jungle of a yard. Jake spent the evening doing yard work and grilling himself a few brats. It got me so excited to spend evenings in our backyard this summer. Right now it is pretty bare, but we plan on building a table, getting a fire pit, and planting lots of flowers. I am always scared to do too much, though, because I don't want to take away from our wonderful view.<br />
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Sunday we got up and cleaned the house and did some work. Then, we headed off with friends for an adventure. We took them to the Don Quijote, which is like a Walmart with an extra amount of sensory overload. There are blink lights and colorful signs every where you look. There are so many cool things to see and they pretty much have anything you could ever want. It originated in Tokyo and has recently become very popular in Okinawa. We then headed to the Navy base just south of us, White Beach. Each base has a festival throughout the year where locals are invited to come onto base. There are food booths, games, and performances. The food ranges from local street food to American food. At this particular festival, they had dragon boat races because it is dragon boat season. The dragon boats are really neat to see because they are teams of around 30 rowing in synchronization to get the boat to move very fast. There was also a riff raft boat race, where the boats could only be made out of cardboard and duct tape.<br />
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It was kind of a gloomy day, unfortunately, so we didn't stay too long. We were planning on going to our favorite comfort food restaurant on the base, but it was closed so we ate the festival food instead. Jake got some ribs and they ended up being even better than the ones at the restaurant anyway!<br />
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This boy likes his BBQ</div>
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On our way home we passed a stream in our neighborhood and saw that they had put up tons of carp flags in celebration of Children's day on May 5th. This week is Golden Week in Japan, which is basically an accumulation of lots of holidays. Many Japanese take time of work during this week. It is the Emperors Birthday, Children's Day, Showa Day, Greenery Day, and Constitutional Memorial Day. In Okinawa they also have the huge dragon boat races on May 5th. You can see the carp flags all over the place and they are really colorful and fun.<br />
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We decided to take Lexie to the beach even though it was very windy. We got to our favorite little beach just in time to watch the swells come in and all of the surfers to head out. We watched big waves hit the shore and waited for the surfers to catch some waves. Unfortunately, they were not having much luck.<br />
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Interesting pineapple looking tree. It is not a pineapple, I'm just not quite sure what it's called.</div>
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Why do weekends have to end? I think we should just switch and work Saturday and Sunday and then have Monday-Friday as the weekend. Who is with me??</div>
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Mackenzie @bellbliss.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042895682558401021noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1590609001265110307.post-14360777054624390752014-04-23T06:56:00.001-04:002014-04-23T06:56:37.641-04:00Spring Style Giveaway<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Mackenzie @bellbliss.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042895682558401021noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1590609001265110307.post-7440210958411083462014-04-22T08:51:00.003-04:002014-04-22T08:51:45.850-04:00Gutenblog Y'all<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I woke up this morning feeling absolutely horrible. I told myself, if you have a fever you can stay home. No fever. So that meant off I went to hang out with twenty-four precious 9 year olds that need my attention at all times. I made it through the day and immediately came home and passed out. We never eat out on weeknights, but Jake got home and said he thought ramen would make me feel better. We headed out to our very favorite hole-in-the-wall ramen place. Sure enough, after a bowl of delicious ramen, I was feeling so much better. So there you have it, ramen, the solution to life's problems. Since I am still trying to recover from this latest germy children induced sickness, I have Margo from <a href="http://www.gutenblogyall.com/">Gutenblog Ya'll</a> here to give you a few tips for making the most of a day in Venice. Not only is her blog name the cutest ever, but her pictures are amazing! They look like they are straight out of a travel magazine. It really makes me want to invest in a nicer camera. Margo, take it away. </div>
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Hi there, I'm Margo and I blog over at Gutenblog Y'all. Mackenzie is a doll and I'm happy to have sponsored her this month. </div>
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I won't play games with you sweet Bell Bliss readers, so getting right down to business, here's all you need to know about me:</div>
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1. I called Virginia my home until August 2013 when I followed a job opportunity in beautiful little town of Heidelberg, Germany. I dragged my sweet fiancee, Dan, and our schnoodle (schnauzer-poodle) Stuart right out of Arlington to join me. We're tying in the knot in less than 2 months! (Dan and I, that is..)</div>
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2. In this order, I love: wine, running, TripAdvisor, Target and Chik Fil A.</div>
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3. I've been really lucky in that I've been able to see a lot of Europe through work and personal travel. <i>Gutenblog Y'all is my space for sharing pictures and advice for seeing Europe.</i> </div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">On the note of advice, I wanted to share my </span><b>6 tips for making the MOST of a day in Venice</b><span style="font-weight: normal;">. </span>Dan and I were only there for just over 24 hours but I know that we <i>really</i> experienced the city. My readers loved this post and I think you will too!</div>
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1. <u style="font-weight: bold;">Get LOST</u> - Inevitably, you WILL get lost. You'll look down at your map, you'll turn it 180 degrees, gaze up and down the alley or canal and you'll realize that it happened. Despite how carefully you follow your map, you're backwards. But THIS is Venice. This is the <i>best</i> way of seeing the city, wandering the narrow alleys with no specific purpose in mind. This is how you see the locals and most beautiful parts of the city at the same time. </div>
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(Tip: If you'd like to pass on this magical state of disorientation, download Ulmon app for Venice.) </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wqNNjs9Aepo/U0wraFClpHI/AAAAAAAAL2o/AMmr0xxXiig/s1600/Venice-30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Venice, Italy" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wqNNjs9Aepo/U0wraFClpHI/AAAAAAAAL2o/AMmr0xxXiig/s1600/Venice-30.jpg" title="Venice, Italy" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XMxkCS4JNOE/U0wrZQ8cbMI/AAAAAAAAL2Y/SnDKZRTDghY/s1600/Venice-27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Venice, Italy" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XMxkCS4JNOE/U0wrZQ8cbMI/AAAAAAAAL2Y/SnDKZRTDghY/s1600/Venice-27.jpg" title="Venice, Italy" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RzPxFTpizsI/U0wrZGzc-ZI/AAAAAAAAL2U/AB6mfd7LmZM/s1600/Venice-28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Venice, Italy" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RzPxFTpizsI/U0wrZGzc-ZI/AAAAAAAAL2U/AB6mfd7LmZM/s1600/Venice-28.jpg" title="Venice, Italy" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TChVIzMe4zc/U0wrofOz6iI/AAAAAAAAL6I/IrFMjEjO6xE/s1600/Venice-58.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YOU4hJBL3eU/U0wrhxW4dtI/AAAAAAAAL4o/BZ-p0M9UHJo/s1600/Venice-41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Venice, Italy" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YOU4hJBL3eU/U0wrhxW4dtI/AAAAAAAAL4o/BZ-p0M9UHJo/s1600/Venice-41.jpg" title="Venice, Italy" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TChVIzMe4zc/U0wrofOz6iI/AAAAAAAAL6I/IrFMjEjO6xE/s1600/Venice-58.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Venice, Italy" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TChVIzMe4zc/U0wrofOz6iI/AAAAAAAAL6I/IrFMjEjO6xE/s1600/Venice-58.jpg" title="Venice, Italy" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZNKT6VoVwiU/U0wraQI27ZI/AAAAAAAAL24/6WpSRvnt_B0/s1600/Venice-31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZNKT6VoVwiU/U0wraQI27ZI/AAAAAAAAL24/6WpSRvnt_B0/s1600/Venice-31.jpg" /></a></div>
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Check out more pictures from my morning stroll through the city <i><a href="http://www.gutenblogyall.com/2014/04/venice-walk.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</i></div>
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2. <b><u>Visit Piazza San Marco (St. Mark's Square) and St. Mark's Basilica</u></b> - Yep, one of the most photographed places in Europe, visiting this beautiful square is a must. Perhaps you'll be there with a zillion others but quickly hop in line for the Basilica then gawk at the square itself after. Once in the Basilica, look UP. The golden ceilings are beautiful. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aaty862to4I/U0wrb9sVlYI/AAAAAAAAL3A/RpGm5tRHZVs/s1600/Venice-33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Piazza San Marco" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aaty862to4I/U0wrb9sVlYI/AAAAAAAAL3A/RpGm5tRHZVs/s1600/Venice-33.jpg" title="Piazza San Marco" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R8Z4EXrOIao/U0wrdNrmhgI/AAAAAAAAL3g/U5zI4B738es/s1600/Venice-36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Piazza San Marco" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R8Z4EXrOIao/U0wrdNrmhgI/AAAAAAAAL3g/U5zI4B738es/s1600/Venice-36.jpg" title="Piazza San Marco" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cN0vus24DZQ/U0wrcdKLY8I/AAAAAAAAL3I/QRrKtn8Co3g/s1600/Venice-35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cN0vus24DZQ/U0wrcdKLY8I/AAAAAAAAL3I/QRrKtn8Co3g/s1600/Venice-35.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-arJSQ_n1Zt4/U0wrdGwaApI/AAAAAAAAL3c/pjPil1I9OIQ/s1600/Venice-37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Piazza San Marco" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-arJSQ_n1Zt4/U0wrdGwaApI/AAAAAAAAL3c/pjPil1I9OIQ/s1600/Venice-37.jpg" title="Piazza San Marco" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sMITLVflttg/U0wruC5YMHI/AAAAAAAAL7g/IIdxMc888mw/s1600/Venice-70.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sMITLVflttg/U0wruC5YMHI/AAAAAAAAL7g/IIdxMc888mw/s1600/Venice-70.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0qbA2DNHsIQ/U0wreaJ2prI/AAAAAAAAL3s/8MKDzWWyLqo/s1600/Venice-38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Venice St. Mark's Basilica" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0qbA2DNHsIQ/U0wreaJ2prI/AAAAAAAAL3s/8MKDzWWyLqo/s1600/Venice-38.jpg" title="Venice St. Mark's Basilica" /> </a></div>
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3. <u><b>Capture blue hour from the Rialto Bridge</b></u> - Blue hour is only something I recently discovered as being VERY important in world of photography. It's that interesting period at twilight when the sun dips below the horizon and the sky turns to a lush deep blue. Positioning yourself on the Rialto Bridge at this time you'll be guaranteed lovely pictures. The Rialto Bridge is a beauty in itself and is one of just four bridges that crosses the Grand Canal. As gondoliers paddle by and the city begins to sparkle, it's the pinnacle of romantic. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tAWbPz9cHmM/U0wrmmpq6zI/AAAAAAAAL5w/5rdpStjRGdk/s1600/Venice-51.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Venice Grand Canal" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tAWbPz9cHmM/U0wrmmpq6zI/AAAAAAAAL5w/5rdpStjRGdk/s1600/Venice-51.jpg" title="Venice Grand Canal" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R3sf2o9asik/U0wrnGOWBbI/AAAAAAAAL5s/6-ot7BUVhYc/s1600/Venice-55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Venice Grand Canal" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R3sf2o9asik/U0wrnGOWBbI/AAAAAAAAL5s/6-ot7BUVhYc/s1600/Venice-55.jpg" title="Venice Grand Canal" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DYdRGpO85v0/U0wrn4h-jII/AAAAAAAAL6M/E1TX5VaTr0Q/s1600/Venice-56.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Venice Gondola" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DYdRGpO85v0/U0wrn4h-jII/AAAAAAAAL6M/E1TX5VaTr0Q/s1600/Venice-56.jpg" title="Venice Gondola" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K4yo7qPyPmQ/U0wrvEf2k3I/AAAAAAAAL7w/DF0Y_e1LEmg/s1600/Venice-71.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Venice, Blue Hour" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K4yo7qPyPmQ/U0wrvEf2k3I/AAAAAAAAL7w/DF0Y_e1LEmg/s1600/Venice-71.jpg" title="Venice, Blue Hour" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3GHH2SnAPvE/U0wrp01fsuI/AAAAAAAAL6w/1LVmFhKP-7w/s1600/Venice-61.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Venice, Blue Hour" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3GHH2SnAPvE/U0wrp01fsuI/AAAAAAAAL6w/1LVmFhKP-7w/s1600/Venice-61.jpg" title="Venice, Blue Hour" /> </a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-up4z9nhoeUk/U0wrqNU0NZI/AAAAAAAAL6g/xuviV1Evzwo/s1600/Venice-62.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Venice Gondola" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-up4z9nhoeUk/U0wrqNU0NZI/AAAAAAAAL6g/xuviV1Evzwo/s1600/Venice-62.jpg" title="Venice Gondola" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uVrmnMO-Q1o/U0wrrC6xPgI/AAAAAAAAL6s/bCKbDAjOJdQ/s1600/Venice-63.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Venice Gondola" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uVrmnMO-Q1o/U0wrrC6xPgI/AAAAAAAAL6s/bCKbDAjOJdQ/s1600/Venice-63.jpg" title="Venice Gondola" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wEoXdbjyKa8/U0wrpfL-Z3I/AAAAAAAAL6Q/pfZfoBGbSQE/s1600/Venice-59.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Venice, Night, Rialto Bridge" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wEoXdbjyKa8/U0wrpfL-Z3I/AAAAAAAAL6Q/pfZfoBGbSQE/s1600/Venice-59.jpg" title="Venice, Night, Rialto Bridge" /></a></div>
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Well, of course I'm not going to bog Bell Bliss down with all this Venice talk. She's got beautiful pictures to show from HER travels. For the last three tips hop over to my blog at: <a href="http://www.gutenblogyall.com/2014/04/6-steps-to-make-most-of-day-in-venice.html">www.gutenblogyall.com</a> and perhaps take a peak at <a href="http://www.gutenblogyall.com/2014/03/burano-island.html">my visit to Burano Island</a>- gorgeous, I tell you! </div>
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Mackenzie @bellbliss.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042895682558401021noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1590609001265110307.post-84843344272093051442014-04-21T07:04:00.000-04:002014-04-22T08:52:05.355-04:00Waterfalls and Hamburgers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I'm back after my couple day blogging hiatus. It was nice to spend some time with Jake and do wifey things again. Sometimes I have a hard time adjusting to him coming back, especially because it usually looks like the Marine Corps threw up in our house whenever he is home. Not complaining though, it is good to have him back!<br />
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Jake had been sick all week and so all he wanted to do on Saturday was rest. Sunday he was feeling a lot better and we were itching to get out and explore. I had been so busy I hadn't been doing much exploring and Jake hasn't been around to explore. It is easy to forget to appreciate this place we live if you are just going to work and back every day. As soon as we hopped in the car and started driving up North, I began to remember how wonderful this place is and reminded myself I need to appreciate it more. We have a tendency to just drive and find random places. We planned on going straight to a waterfall, but got distracted by beautiful beaches, got lost on top of a mountain, and then finally found the waterfall.<br />
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There are quite a few waterfalls on the island, but we decided to start with the one that didn't require much hiking. You have to do some extreme hiking to get to some of the other ones, so we decided to do those another day. This waterfall was right off of the road and didn't take much climbing to get up to. The small swimming hole was kind of gross looking and there were a significant amount of spiders, so we decided to pass on the swimming. It was rumored that the swimming hole had doctor fish, the fish that come and eat the dead skin off of your feet. I stuck my feet in for a bit, but no doctor fish. </div>
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After the waterfall, we decided that while we were up north we should try the burger place that everyone raves about. Some places here get a lot of hype from Americans and end up being somewhat disappointing. This place lived up to every single expectation. The place was like a lot of cafes here, random stuff all over the walls, an interesting assortment of old furniture, and oozing charm. The burgers were fabulous! They put some sort of awesome sauce and load it up with all sorts of goodies deepening on what you order. Life changing burger I tell ya!</div>
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Love this "humburger" sign!</div>
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On our way home we decided to take the scenic drive along the Eastern coast of the island back down to our little city. We got lost down tiny dirt roads and found some great views. We also discovered something very interesting. The Okinawans bury their families together in large tombs randomly dispersed all over the island. They vary in size and extravagantness and some are very old. They were also hiding places on the island during World War II. We even have a few tombs back behind our house which creeped me out at first, but now it seems fairly normal. What we discovered this weekend is that the families go to the tombs and have parties. There were tables, coolers and tons of food set up around the tombs and the families were mingling, eating, and having a good time. It was very odd to me, but it is so interesting to learn about different customs. </div>
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Every day living in another country is an adventure. I learn something new every single day. We have a few adventures lined up for the coming weekends and I cannot wait! </div>
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Mackenzie @bellbliss.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042895682558401021noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1590609001265110307.post-44351693709387969992014-04-14T07:16:00.000-04:002014-04-14T07:16:08.890-04:00Better Together<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
After almost 2 months, Jake is home from South Korea! Thankfully time flew by since we were both so busy, but life is just better when we are together. Plain and simple. Jake got to do some awesome things while in South Korea, like visit the DMZ. It is unfortunate that he has to be away at times, but it does give him opportunities to see and do interesting things. We are celebrating him being home by cooking all of his favorite meals, which pretty much consists of grilling some sort of meat every night. Thankfully, the weather is so gorgeous that grilling is a great option. His first day back we did go to his favorite restaurant, the sushi-go-round.<br />
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He really was happy, I promise. </div>
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Of course a walk on the beach with Lexie was a must as well. I know, I know, I always post pictures of the beach. I just can't help myself. The water was every shade of blue, turquoise, green you could imagine. </div>
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I may be a bit absent around the parts for the next couple of days. I want to enjoy my time with Jake uninterrupted!<br />
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Mackenzie @bellbliss.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042895682558401021noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1590609001265110307.post-49440937910584514562014-04-11T14:27:00.000-04:002014-04-11T19:07:30.364-04:00High Five for Friday 4/11<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Last week when we went on our trip to Ishigaki I got really sunburnt. Like more sunburnt than I have ever been in my life. My skin was peeling and my face looked horrible and I was feeling very sorry for myself. I have been on Spring Break this week so I have been off. I had all these visions of going to the beach, shopping, going to cute cafes, and getting tan. That didn't happen. My severe sunburn and things that came with made me want to say inside and hide from the world around me. That made me really sad, since this was my time off and time to do fun stuff. Finally, today when I was forced to be out in the world, I realized how beautiful and wonderful this place is. I went out to the beaches and saw families making the most of their time here and started to appreciate everything. I did some shopping and ate at my favorite cafe and my mood did a total 360'. So moral of the story, wear sunscreen! And appreciate your surroundings. </div>
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My goodness it is beautiful here. Please look at these colors. It is not a filter or photoshop. This place is just absolutely beautiful. I cannot even capture the beauty in my photographs. </div>
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The gift shops on base go out and find the cutest items in all of the foreign countries near by and then bring them back for us to buy. I found these wonderful and huge seahorses at one of the gift shops. I got the lighter version. How Cool? I am so excited to continue to build up our collection of interesting items! </div>
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For my time off this week, I did a bit of DIY. Some turned out great, some, not so much.</div>
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We are going to touch this matter and move on very quickly. UK mens basketball played in the championship this week and lost. All though I am very sad they lost, I thought they had a great season and it was a joy to watch this tournament. I am so glad they even made it that far and it was a very interesting season. I will always enjoy being a UK fan and will always support my cats. So will Lexie. </div>
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When we were vacationing in Ishigaki last weekend, I found these wonderful hooks. I had been looking for something to hang my necklaces on for over a year now, so I was excited!</div>
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Mackenzie @bellbliss.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042895682558401021noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1590609001265110307.post-36191188659747814242014-04-10T05:57:00.000-04:002014-04-10T05:57:31.616-04:0020 Ways to Look and Feel Better<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Over the past year, I have been working hard to better myself and my body. These are some things that I have tried and that have worked for me. Try all of them or just a few at a time and you will see a difference in the way you look and feel. This isn't some secret formula or any earth shattering discoveries, just tried and true things that really do work. Looking and feeling your best isn't about some fad diet, it's about creating good habits and building a positive relationship with healthy food.<br />
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1. Drink lots of water- I know people say this all of the time. But it really is so important and really does work. It is especially great to drink and ice cold glass of water first thing in the morning to get your metabolism going.<br />
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2. Eat breakfast- Many people skip breakfast. Not a good idea! Breakfast kick starts your metabolism, gives you energy for the day, and keeps you fuller longer. I eat a green smoothie every morning and it gives me the energy I need until lunch.<br />
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3. Cut out carbs- There is a lot of debate over the carbs issue. I personally love carbs, but I noticed such a difference in my body when I slowly started to cut them out. I still eat the good carbs, like in bananas and quinoa, but I try not to eat white bread and pasta ever.<br />
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4. Eat lean proteins- proteins are great. I try to incorporate them into every meal in some way, whether it is chicken, eggs, etc.<br />
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5. Limit your sugar intake- The best thing to do is to eliminate all added sugar to your diet. Sugar comes in natural forms in all sorts of food, but food with sugar added is no good. You will be surprised by how many products do have added sugar in them. This includes artificial sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners=bad.<br />
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6. "Cheat" wisely- if you are going to have a meal that is not healthy, don't let the rest of the day go to waste. Eat great the rest of the day instead of just giving up. If I am going to eat something not as healthy, I make sure that I am still getting nutrients by adding vegetables.<br />
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7. Stick to veggies- You can never go wrong with veggies! The more veggies the better. Eat lots of different colors of veggies and know which ones are best for you (Kale, spinach, tomatoes, broccoli).<br />
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8. Get Moving- If you don't have the time to do 2 hour workouts everyday, that is fine. Still try to incorporate movement into your day. Take the stairs, park far away, do jumping jacks during commercial breaks, anything to get your heart rate up a bit.<br />
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9. Portion control- this is the one I struggle the most with, but it is so important. You can eat a perfectly healthy meal, but eat way too much. Eat until you feel full, not until you can move off the couch you are so full.<br />
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10. Eat- They say that the best way to lose weight is to eat less. Sure, you shouldn't overeat, but eating the rights things instead of starving yourself is the key. The best thing to do is eat when you start to get hungry and only eat until you are just full. Don't get overly hungry or overly full.<br />
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11. Dairy- I don't condone cutting out cheese, because I am pretty sure cheese makes the world a better place. But, some people have found great success with limiting or removing cheese and other dairy products.<br />
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12. Eat the right fruit- it is so important to eat fruits and veggies, as they gives us the nutrients we need. All fruits are not created equal, though. Some of have a ton of natural sugar, so they should be eaten in moderation (pineapple, grapes).<br />
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13. Don't count calories, make calories count- When people count calories, they are often not focusing on what they are actually eating. Sure, you could save up all of your daily calories and then eat an entire pizza at the end of the day, but is that doing you any good? You should be eating good calories full of natural ingredients and nutrients.<br />
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14. Don't buy it- This is probably my number one tip. If you have it in your house, it takes tons of self control not to eat it. You are only at the store for about an hour, use self control during the time and JUST DON'T BUY IT. If you don't buy it, you can't eat it.<br />
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15. Cut out processed food- Processed food is bad in all sorts of ways. There are no nutrients and there are additives that cause weight gain and other medical problems. Whole, clean foods are the way to go.<br />
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16. Don't over snack- the right snacks can be great, but don't take it to the extreme. Many people say that eating snacks throughout the day keeps your metabolism going, but eating too many snacks wastes calories and takes away from your main meals.<br />
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17. Read labels- I can't stress this enough. Know what you are putting in your body. Look at the label before buying something. If it says low cal., low sugar, fat-free, there might be additives that are just as bad.<br />
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18. Eat healthy fats- fat has gotten a bad name over the years, but good fats are important to our diet. Avocados, nuts, olive oil, etc.<br />
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19. Alternate between cardio and strength- change up your workout. Make sure you are getting in cardio and weight training.<br />
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20. Find good foods you enjoy eating- I have found some go-to foods and recipes that are healthy and satisfying. Find foods that you really like to eat, then you won't feel like you are punishing yourself.<br />
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Mackenzie @bellbliss.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042895682558401021noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1590609001265110307.post-28163636475677203092014-04-08T06:05:00.000-04:002014-04-08T09:27:38.866-04:00Last Day in Bangkok<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I am sad to say that this is the last post recapping our Thailand trip. Did you miss any posts? Here they are:<br />
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<a href="http://www.bellblissblog.com/2014/01/thailand-trip-overview-what-we-learned.html">Overview</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.bellblissblog.com/2014/01/christmas-in-koh-samui-thailand.html">Christmas in Koh Samui</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.bellblissblog.com/2014/01/temples-around-chiang-mai-thailand.html">Temples around Chiang Mai</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.bellblissblog.com/2014/02/baan-thai-cookery-school-chiang-mai.html">Baan Thai Cookery School</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.bellblissblog.com/2014/02/sunday-night-walking-market-chiang-mai.html">Sunday Night Walking Market</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.bellblissblog.com/2014/02/riding-elephants-in-chiang-mai-thailand.html">Riding Elephants</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.bellblissblog.com/2014/02/new-years-eve-in-chiang-mai-thailand.html">New Year's Eve</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.bellblissblog.com/2014/03/floating-market-thailand.html">Floating Market</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.bellblissblog.com/2014/03/wat-arun-bangkok.html">Wat Arun</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.bellblissblog.com/2014/04/chinatown-bangkok.html">Chinatown, Bangkok</a><br />
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Our hotel at the end of our trip in Bangkok was absolutely spectacular. It was the <a href="http://www.millenniumhotels.com/grandmillenniumsukhumvitbangkok/">Grand Millennium Sukhumvit.</a> I would say that is the best thing about Thailand, you get SO much for your money. A hotel this nice would never be in our budget if it were in Europe or America. It was nice to live a life of luxury for two days.<br />
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On our last evening there we went out to eat and then decided to go to a rooftop bar. We had read that it was a must to see the city from a rooftop at night, but we wanted to avoid the touristy ones, like the <a href="http://www.lebua.com/sky-bar">Sky Bar.</a> We did our research and ended up finding <a href="http://www.bangkok.com/magazine/above-eleven.htm">Above Eleven</a>, a rooftop restaurant close to our hotel. We took a quick cab ride down the street instead of walking, and ended up getting lost. We ended up walking more than we would have if we had just walked in the first place. After we finally found it, we were not disappointed. It has the coolest atmosphere. I felt so hip from the moment I walked in. The walls of the bathroom (not in the stalls) were entirely made of windows so that you could see the entire city. There were three different levels, each of them with a slightly different vibe. They had a swanky live band playing. It was somewhat crowded, but we were able to find seats on the very top level. The views really were awesome and I would say it is definitely worth seeing, especially if you don't go to big cities often. </div>
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After that we spent awhile listening to a live band play at a cool restaurant down the street. They were taking requests and no one was giving any, so we requested a few songs and to our surprise, they knew most of them. It was so much fun and we wanted to stay for hours. </div>
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The next day we slept in and then went to the breakfast buffet for the last time. Our flight wasn't until 2 AM, so we had quite a lot of time to kill, so we hung out in the room until we had to check out. Once we were checked out, we went across the street to a mall. We were shocked. It was the largest mall we have ever seen. It was seven stories high and each level had a different city as a theme. There were so many shops and restaurants, it was so overwhelming. Jake and I walked around for hours looking at things, and I still don't think we saw it all. We contemplated what to eat for a really long time. Jake was over Thai food, so we decided to get ramen. We were laughing at ourselves that we couldn't even make it back to Okinawa before we wanted ramen again. The chef of the restaurant was a world-famous ramen chef, so we didn't feel too bad. And the ramen did not disappoint. </div>
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We didn't have much else to do after that, so we decided to just head to the airport. Once we were there, we found out that they would not let you check-in until 90 minutes before your flight. There were hardly any seats in that area of the airport, and everyone was waiting around miserably. Finally, we were allowed to go back to our gate. We had a layover in Hong Kong where we took naps in the wonderful lounge chairs, then it was home sweet home. Poor Jake, though. As soon as we landed he broke out in a sweat and his eyes were bloodshot. We had to stop at our friend's house on our way home so he could throw up. We ended up getting home late that evening and the next morning Jake had to leave for a work trip to South Korea at 5 am. I'm not quite sure how he held it together, because we were pretty certain he had a very bad case of food poisoning. Lesson learned, don't eat chili dogs at an airport Dairy Queen in another country.</div>
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Overall, it was an incredible trip. We experienced so much and learned so much about ourselves and the Thai culture. We would not hesitate to go back given the opportunity. And not to brag, but I was pretty proud of my trip planning skills. I planned everything myself, which I had never done before, and everything went without a hitch. All of our hotels were great and we stayed in budget. I can't wait to start planning our next trip! Any suggestions of where we should go next?? </div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Linking up with </span><a href="http://bonnieroseblog.co.uk/" sl-processed="1" style="background-color: white; color: #73c3ad; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;">Bonnie</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> and </span><a href="http://www.girl-meets-globe.com/" sl-processed="1" style="background-color: white; color: #73c3ad; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;">Tina</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> for Travel Tuesday!</span></div>
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Mackenzie @bellbliss.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042895682558401021noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1590609001265110307.post-23433339798658209702014-04-07T08:45:00.000-04:002014-04-08T09:27:27.181-04:00Ishigaki Getaway<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Last weekend was a tough one at work. Let's leave it at that. So when Thursday afternoon rolled around and I was officially on "spring break" time, I was so ready for a getaway. Friday morning we got up and headed to the airport. "We" being my best lady friend, Hannah, because our husbands gave us a getaway weekend while they are away as a birthday/Valentine's gift. We soon discovered that every little thing we do in this country is an adventure. We couldn't even figure out how to park or where to get our boarding passes. We were laughing at how silly we probably looked trying to figure everything out. We finally got on the plane and flew an hour south to the small island of Ishigaki. The first thing we noticed flying in is that it looked very similar to Okinawa, just a bit more rural.<br />
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The biggest clam shell I have ever seen</div>
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We took the 20 minute bus ride to our hotel. It was so beautiful! We were treated so well as soon as we walked in the doors. The room was very nice and we had an incredible view from our balcony. The resort was very luxurious, with a beautiful pool and picturesque beach. </div>
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We spent some time down at the beach, but it was not very warm and was very windy. We then went to the bathhouse at the resort, which is a very common practice here in Japan. I won't go into too much detail, but it such a wonderful and relaxing experience. We try to make an effort to be apart of the culture here as much as possible, which sometimes requires us to get out of our comfort zone. We then went to dinner at the Chinese restaurant in the restaurant, but it was not as good as I was expecting it to be.<br />
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Saturday morning we got up and relaxed in our hotel robes and enjoyed our beautiful view. We then walked down the road the to grocery store where we stocked up on breakfast and lunch items. We found the most delicious cheesy bread with light, fluffy egg on top. It was so incredible and we are hoping we can find it at a bakery on Okinawa, that's how good it was.<br />
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Comfy hotel jammies</div>
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We laid out all day on Saturday and went to the bathhouse again. I got extremely burnt and it was not fun, but it is slowly turning into a wonderful tan. That evening we got dressed up and went to the all-you-can-eat buffet at the restaurant in the hotel. We were very disappointed with the buffet, but you win some, you lose some.<br />
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Sunday we were going to go on an excursion, but we didn't want to worry about getting back and to our flight on time, so we decided to just hang out at the hotel. I watched UK play in the final four (which they won) and then met Hannah at the pool, where I hung out under the umbrella. We ate the delicious fried chicken and french fries (they have incredible fried chicken here, no joke) from the pool bar and then headed to the bathhouse to clean up and change for our flight.<br />
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We then had to say goodbye to the beautiful resort and head to the airport, where we found out our flight was delayed. No fun. We walked around the souvenir shops for awhile and then ate soba.<br />
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What we learned on our trip? Ishigaki is a very common vacation spot for mainland Japanese. We were expecting to see quite a few Americans, but there were not very many. The resort was definitely not as geared towards Western tourists as much as the resorts in Thailand were. Most of the people at the resort did not wear bathing suits at the pool or beach, but were fully clothed or wore wetsuits. We felt very out of place in our swimsuits, but we got used to it. We got used to lots of looks in general, especially after I got sunburnt, which is not common in their culture because they hide from the sun. It was interesting to see how a different culture vacations. </div>
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It was such a fun trip, but it is always nice to come home. It was so relaxing and nice to just not have a care in the world for a few days. We could have done bit more exploring while we were there, but we didn't have a lot of time and it was nice not being on any sort of schedule. 't was nice being on vacation with someone who really understands where my life is, because hers is in a similar place. We could sit and talk about how much we miss our husbands and not have to worry that the other one was going to get annoyed, because we totally understand. Girls trips are so much fun. Thanks Hannah for being such a great travel buddy and thanks hubbies for the trip!<br />
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Mackenzie @bellbliss.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02042895682558401021noreply@blogger.com16