tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24620164213818577832011-12-12T07:21:51.085-08:00Anastasia and Rich left Canada on April 28, 2008. What the heck has happened to them since then? We're glad you asked. Read on...Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.comBlogger601100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-51954306655651778692011-12-07T00:15:00.000-08:002011-12-12T07:21:51.101-08:00

Studying's definitely been much more of a challenge this year, which I generally chalk up to a positive experience of forcing me to get over procrastinating and generally being a bit lazy about things. It can be a little bit hectic at times... most of the time... as with even the minimum course load of 16 credits plus compulsory gym class (that's 18 total classroom hours per week) I've got to

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-9614897226719601792011-11-20T18:34:00.001-08:002011-11-20T18:54:30.660-08:00

It's Monday morning and adding to the standard post-weekend can't-get-out-of-bed phenomenon I'm also sick, so biking to school wasn't the first on my wishlist of things to do. But being the good student that I am (;-)  I came anyway. As fates would have it, I came across not one but two things that totally lifted my spirits. One was a pair of shoes on a lady. Pink high heels. Hot pink suede, that

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-40344723129859899392011-11-11T12:19:00.000-08:002011-11-18T21:16:06.589-08:00

It has been RAINING here!I really can hardly believe the amount of water that's been coming down from the sky in the past few weeks. It seemed miraculous if any building didn't spring at least a small leak.Yesterday was all warm and humid like a sauna, some people wore shorts! Today the rains have returned... dumdumDUM!We splurged on a dehumidifier, owning which has somehow made me feel really

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-15746472339306724612011-08-27T10:11:00.000-07:002011-08-27T10:30:58.572-07:00

A few weeks away from starting my second year of the Chinese Language and Culture degree, I found this video of one of my last semester's final presentations -- and post it here because who doesn't like to watch home movies in languages they don't understand? ; ) Actually, I felt pretty critical watching it, like I could suddenly hear a glaring accent and all these other could-be-better things.

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-16445148071407193072011-08-15T00:58:00.000-07:002011-08-15T21:11:46.774-07:00

It's Ghost Month!!!! OOoooooooOOOh! SpoooOOOOooky! The 7th month of the Lunar calendar is officially Ghost Month or 鬼月, when the doors of those other ethereal realms swing open and all the inmate ghosts are allowed vacation time, roaming freely as they wish. Since they can suck on your soul, possess you or maybe just muck up your finances, there is a looooooong list of precautions/taboos one is

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-47324365496134616952011-07-01T18:14:00.000-07:002011-07-17T15:35:28.419-07:00

ADVENTURE 2011!!! I really love to change my geographical locale now and again, adds that little bit of spice into life.SUNDAY JUNE 26Flying out of Taiwan, some (Korean?) rockstar had a bunch of fans lining both sides of the entrance to customs... why do people get so obsessed with celebrities?From romp through SeoulAaah well, onto a bumpy flight that descended into gorgeous

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-20916607841248258882011-05-02T21:34:00.001-07:002011-05-08T11:04:46.077-07:00

To briefly mention what's been going on with school:1) Found out that my program is moving to the main campus!!! What this means is that starting September of this year I will no longer be a 45 minute shuttle bus ride away from classes! I can sleep in more and if I happen to be a few minutes late, I won't be forced into expensive cab rides or hours-long public transport to get to class.

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-81866830580878524422011-03-19T20:12:00.000-07:002011-03-19T21:12:36.225-07:00

Greetings and salutations!This post has been a long time in the making, probably because life often feels like a speeding chaotic train and I'm a conductor busy checking in passengers, relegating the monkeys and spitting pythons that someone brought along to the appropriate compartments (i.e. roof) and trying to avoid stepping on chickens and children underfoot, every once in awhile remembering

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-75396467323262564632011-01-06T06:29:00.000-08:002011-01-06T06:45:29.072-08:00

~ H`a`p`p`y```2`0`1`1`!!! ~I knew it was bound to happen sometime, but wow... it still snuck up on me a bit. Also, I can't believe this browser's dictionary is telling me "snuck" is misspelled... I suppose I should write "sneaked" and make the Americans happy. But I won't!The weather in Taipei has been there and back again... it's really something, the myriad changes, sometimes in one day.

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-77342968589557976532010-11-29T18:58:00.001-08:002010-12-17T02:30:40.980-08:00

We just survived elections for each district's politicians as well as the mayor of Taipei County's areas surrounding Taipei that have been organized into Xinbei City (New North City). I say survived because there's been some stiff competition for each spot, resulting in endless campaigning. In Taiwan, this amounts to (extra) trucks driving around with loudspeakers waking you up in the morning

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-82303144997757641072010-11-22T00:41:00.000-08:002010-11-22T00:43:47.192-08:00

this is so cool! (reposted from Super Creative Electricity Transmission Line Towers and not my writing in any way shape or form. for example, I don't think "awe" is a verb)Every once in a while we awe at something that is so cool that we wish it existed in the real world that we occupy. This is one of those things. One look at the image and you get it. Immediately. Visualized by American

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-51935806902682277722010-09-17T23:33:00.000-07:002010-10-08T00:39:52.790-07:00

There's something about tea I've always found fascinating. I grew up drinking the Russian style brew - a dark, deep infusion of black tea, mediated with hot water and sugar to taste, plus a generous slice of lemon adding its cheerful sunny taste and colour to the cup. Many years later travelling through Turkey, I discovered they brew the heck out of the leaves and then dilute them with water in

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-42339236501496813132010-09-17T03:57:00.000-07:002010-09-17T04:33:20.259-07:00

Well, I've done it! I've become a university student!First week is behind me and the verdict is: YAY! I have friendly classmates ranging from 19-50something in age who come from Asia, Europe and all the Americas and I plan to be practicing my français and espanol in the next few years, plus maybe getting down a few key phrases in Japanese, for example: “Ah-nah-tah wa ha-ruh no ee-chee ban no

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-87802430762704187072010-08-14T16:44:00.000-07:002010-08-26T18:22:44.255-07:00

It's Day 2 since I landed and I'm up bright and early. It's been kind of exciting to be back in Taipei, as if exploring a new place again, after the details of it blurred a bit in my mind, layered over by all the places I visited on my trip.Thanks again to my family and everyone I saw over my brief weeks in Canada. It was a truly lovely (and needed!) vacation and I feel full of great new

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-8686696291162572752010-08-06T08:06:00.000-07:002010-08-06T09:25:38.979-07:00

Aaaah.... a sigh of relief as I arrive in Vancouver... Fresh air, stylishly dressed people and all... this... s-p-a-c-e-! My mind suddenly has a chance to unclutter itself, spread out, empty... rest.What a treat staying in my old neighborhood hugging Commercial Drive! I wake up to seagulls calling to the morning breeze, wander the shady residential streets, house after house lounging beneath

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-1075395531985187652010-07-22T03:48:00.000-07:002010-08-14T16:44:06.440-07:00

At least someone's not being lazy about publishing their photos...I'm in 新竹 (Hsinchu/Xinzhu depending on whether you use the arcane yet still official romanisation or the modern pinyin that makes sense). Tomorrow is the last day of summer camp at a junior high, where the students have needed various levels of cajoling to get them to participate, their personalities ranging from pure brattiness

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-52377205084094063012010-05-10T21:53:00.000-07:002010-05-10T22:15:44.235-07:00

Now more than ever, in this era of rampant desires, we are constantly tormented day and night by material worries and desires, by attachment and hatred. It is now so important that we recognize the harmfulness of desires for, and attachment to, material possessions and passions. If we understand that all samsaric phenomena are fleeting as waves on the surface of the water, merely illusory

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-68779899908097134142010-04-26T12:30:00.000-07:002010-04-26T22:19:06.694-07:00

As I composed this blog post in my head biking home from school at 11:30am, the sun's rays beat down, ridiculing my long pants and shirt, threatening to leave me a mess of sweaty clothes and skin. Great, I thought, the sun is out - perfect timing to write a blurb about life really springing forth after a winter's rest. It's 2 hours later and threatening to rain. Well, that's certainly the

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-15695205848628083632010-04-15T09:27:00.000-07:002010-08-14T16:44:29.338-07:00

My sister (thanks, Xe!) recently sent me this great link: Flickr Color SelectorSee that square of color gradation from light to dark, and the sliding bit on the color spectrum beside it (top left on the page)? Change to any color and shade, give your Internet connection a few seconds, and - voila! Feeling emerald green? Fire engine red? Deep sea turquoise? Choose your own color

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-28915344309200936842010-04-10T19:54:00.000-07:002010-04-19T21:31:37.290-07:00

This movie was so... fantastic! It's a brilliant comeback for Wes Anderson after Darjeeling Limited, which I personally thought was a big flop and harkened much more to the heady earlier days of The Royal Tenenbaums and Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. I love Wes Anderson's humor because on the one hand it's a bit bizarre, but on the other, he says all those obvious things the rest of us just

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-71343251687707093572010-03-25T09:04:00.000-07:002010-04-19T21:42:00.284-07:00

Just before we get outta town for a 2-day jaunt down the East Coast of Taiwan (mmm, beaches and hot springs, hoping for good weather!) here's a little update on what's been going on. I've been doing all sorts of odd English-related jobs, like recording IELTS tests in a real sound-studio, editing legalese documents as well as Taiwanese tourist info, and this past Thursday went to a gorgeous

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-91539454740464957112010-02-09T22:37:00.000-08:002010-02-09T23:34:28.493-08:00

21st century:I must admit I am on the Avatar movie wagon, although I resisted it so much. I'm not generally an over-marketed-blockbuster kinda gal and what with the sky-high price of the IMAX 3D tickets, which were a challenge to get, I would've happily skipped this flick, chalking it up to another over-rated Hollywood phenomenon. Well, I'm glad Rich talked me into it. Glad, and then some!

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-11445861406981435742010-02-01T09:46:00.001-08:002010-02-01T10:53:09.947-08:00

I just randomly found myself on my school's Chinese Language Program's website!I happen to have a picture just like it, in the newly-created album of our class trips

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-53892581855730988962009-12-07T20:59:00.000-08:002009-12-07T21:22:38.806-08:00

Well, this is something a little different!A US family has spent 2 years aboard an old-style wooden sailboat, reviving the maritime tradition, learning about the world in the most experiential approach and contributing to the communities they come across through humanitarian projects, music and art and documenting it all on this fabulous blog.Here's an excerpt from the mission statement:We, as a

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-23471265388636389872009-12-04T20:41:00.000-08:002009-12-04T21:18:15.486-08:00

image sourceSince the 1950s Tibet has been a hotbed of news items about human rights violations, major political disputes, civil unrest, fleeing refugees, protesting monks, shattered monasteries... all of it under the banner of Cultural Revolution, "bringing liberation to the Tibetan people." Liberation from freedom and human rights? The Chinese government has proven itself very successful at

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-37473760574793034792009-11-05T16:26:00.000-08:002009-11-05T21:11:25.885-08:00

I really enjoy studying languages, so even though it's a tough one, it's definitely fun slowly cracking the code of Chinese speak. Recently I've also been meeting some Russian folk and had a nice chat over lunch with two girlies yesterday, quite proud of myself for communicating well enough to joke around. When I got home, I slipped back into English with my roommate and house guest, before

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-84954558696484026012009-11-04T22:46:00.000-08:002009-11-04T23:48:56.859-08:00

from a November 3, 2009 News ReleaseToday the province of Ontario announced an increase of protected area inside Algonquin Provincial Park from 22% to 35%!  The total area off limits to logging is now 371,238 hectares - equal to six times the size of Toronto.Of the 631 protected areas in Ontario, Algonquin is the only one open to industrial logging operations.  Conservation groups like CPAWS (

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-73947097364314613082009-10-29T09:10:00.000-07:002009-10-29T09:15:30.776-07:00

I'm finishing up a much welcomed week off between semesters in Chinese school. It's translated into several mornings of sleeping in and a glorious afternoon of sitting in a park, nosing around a delightful museum and meeting strangers.I also took this opportunity of unassigned time to do a cleanse. Salt water to flush out the digestive tract on the first morning, 2 days of the Lemonade Diet, 2

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-33064775113600211752009-10-06T06:28:00.000-07:002009-11-04T23:54:39.433-08:00

Just because...Actually this is posted by Anastasia... just before Rich gets any flack for being a gooshy-cuddly-shnookums

richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11769556371453824576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-44112438992241511152009-09-29T07:17:00.000-07:002009-10-01T01:20:04.697-07:00

Typhoons sweeping South-East Asia... On the heels of Typhoon Morakot, which did so much damage in Taiwan, China and Japan... last week's Typhoon Ketsana brought the worst flooding in living memory to Philippines, where hundreds of casualties are reported, roads unusable, landslides and water covering whole settlements, and to top it off a huge oil spill from a paper-making factory is hampering

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-46405841489592097292009-08-11T03:55:00.001-07:002009-12-07T21:25:36.258-08:00

While the typhoon last week battered Taipei a bit, I admit I had no idea about the magnitude of disaster typhoons are capable of until recent news about the south of the country! Here are a few online-news quotes:"... the conditions delayed rescuers from reaching a mountain village where as many as 600 people may have been buried when a hillside crashed on to their homes.""A part of the

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-23566490534773042932009-08-07T22:11:00.000-07:002009-08-07T22:58:00.422-07:00

August is here and the first big typhoon hit the north of the island, drenching Taipei residents and letting everyone stay home from work and school on Friday. Alas, we were already on break or not scheduled in, so it was just a soaking blustery day with stuff flying around outside. Actually, it was really on and off, so plenty of times when I went outside it was just dripping and blessedly

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-76811234592731934362009-07-03T22:37:00.000-07:002009-07-15T09:47:39.180-07:00

Uh... wow, it's July!!! Heh... well, let me catch you all up a little...True to this entry's title, there is a lot of heat and a fair amount of craziness.I feel like we are melting from the inside out. How else could a person possibly sweat so much? I'm certain my brain is leaking out of my pores as it's definitely not functioning as well as it should if the whole thing was still up there. I

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-55896774835298708202009-05-15T22:51:00.000-07:002010-03-04T05:50:58.233-08:00

I've mentioned I've been doing some freelance writing of short amusing articles for high school students studying English. Here's a recent one that will introduce you to some very unusual dishes enjoyed by Aboriginal tribes around Taiwan. You can find some pictures and more information by clicking on those links.** WARNING ** This is NOT for the faint-of-heart-or-stomach, but it is very

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-66574485256931122852009-05-01T22:36:00.000-07:002009-05-02T20:25:13.767-07:00

Lately time's been moving with the speed of a thief who's been surprised ransacking your family's jewels and is diving for the nearest windows before you can say: "That's my aunt Hettie's pearls, you son of a ...!"Amazingly, a year has passed since we left Canada for adventures beyond the horizon! We managed to touch down on three continents before settling on this small island nation. It was

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-91115467395323970462009-04-08T09:05:00.001-07:002009-04-10T06:06:52.705-07:00

A little wish of chocolate delivered by friendly bunnies to your bellies,wherever you are!Things are hopping along here... With our new full-up schedules, weeks of work/school as well as weekends seem to fly by. Monday already? No worries, it'll be Friday again in a blink of an eye.This last week we've tried to capitalize on time with a few friends who are departing for exciting travels abroad

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-91788290740300392702009-03-20T22:08:00.000-07:002009-03-20T23:55:49.131-07:00

I've been updating our online photo library.Please enjoy these brand-new albums with full commentary giving the background story. Feel free to just look at the photos (for anyone who doesn't like reading subtitles! haha...)Egypt aka Dana and Marwan get married!ThailandPatterns and TexturesI've also added a few new images to these existing albums:Czech LandMeow*****************Still to come:

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-27146781731995641962009-03-13T22:28:00.000-07:002009-03-13T23:22:49.211-07:00

We're 3 weeks into a 3-month semester ofBeginner Mandarin. 7am starts to our days have been a bit challenging... but the course is great. We have 2 teachers, one for the first 2 hours and a second for a 1-hour review and extra vocab session. They're both very nice Taiwanese ladies with a lot of patience. Our classmates are four smiley Indonesians and one each of American, Japanese, Vietnamese

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-92214280997393459282009-01-30T23:27:00.000-08:002009-02-03T23:32:28.136-08:00

Despite spending our four and a half days in Hong Kong with runny noses and frightening coughs, we managed to have a good time. This was our second opportunity to stay with locals, getting an insider look and saving on accommodation, via the CouchSurfing network. David kindly took us in, fed and hosted us and took us scrambling up mountainsides and down creek beds in the New Territories part of

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-28755532126512075372009-01-19T09:07:00.000-08:002009-01-19T09:15:25.533-08:00

When we first got to Taiwan, I was wondering how I'd be able to concoct really fabulous dishes with unfamiliar ingredients and lack of international foods which I've so come to take for granted, living in big Canadian cities full of immigrants and their specialty food shops. Here Mexican, Italian, Middle-Eastern and even Indian foods are hard-to-find expensive imports.Fear not, it seems we have

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-4147407618366029062008-12-01T05:23:00.000-08:002008-12-01T06:06:29.136-08:00

Today was beautifully sunny, so I took the opportunity to snap some shots of our cozy apartment. The only thing missing is plants, and that's soon to be remedied.Here we have a floor plan. I love drawing those! Maybe I was a cartographer in a past life...Walking in you see the living room and if you're lucky, a handsome guy to say hello to! Kitchenette on the left.From the couch, the

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-56525852685033212502008-11-08T22:32:00.000-08:002008-11-08T23:55:00.245-08:00

My general feeling is that we've happily stumbled on a wee gem of a country that's taking us under its wing. People are lovely, you can get by with mere English and having a friend here from Toronto has been an immense help dialing into the action and getting various tips for orienting ourselves. Under Bob's kind watch we've joined a tai chi school under a bonafide master, met all kinds of good

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-65970271275998291132008-10-05T20:04:00.000-07:002008-10-05T20:50:36.321-07:00

Overshadowed by the upcoming US Presidential elections scheduled for November, no less importantly (in my opinion?) the Canadian Federal Elections are taking place October 14th, 2008.There are so many issues when choosing a candidate, all the while knowing the platform is a malleable projection of what the voted-in representative may or may not adhere to, once gaining support. What's the point?

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-58057206990542669432008-09-21T00:10:00.000-07:002008-09-22T21:16:18.300-07:00

Whenever I've paused to examine them, I've always found life's building blocks -- relationships, habits, my image, lifestyle choices, even reactions and perceptions -- to be determined early on in their existence. After a few trial runs, which are played out largely unconsciously as they join the flow of time, hereafter and forevermore there is a lot of solidified, predetermined aspects to what

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-86242397999964122792008-09-17T23:56:00.000-07:002008-09-23T00:04:08.049-07:00

It seems our visit to Thailand has coincided with a flurry of political unrest and restructuring of government.On our first evening here, I read an email from my Dad who checked into advisories for travelling Canadians and found out there had been demonstrations and several airports closed by protesters entirely unhappy with their Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej. Amazingly, we had seen a

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-16160338674682040822008-09-12T02:37:00.000-07:002008-09-18T23:56:00.272-07:00

Another action-packed day for the AnafunaRichsta intrepid duo! Despite a night of tossing and turning, no thanks to funny-shaped pillows, we were up just past 6am to catch the Morning Market of Mae Hong Son. Our guidebook said it’s a good place to spot hilltribe peoples and although everyone looked fairly ordinary to me, we poked through friendly stands of produce and crafts and had a fabulous

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-81423398473101265892008-09-10T02:37:00.000-07:002008-09-22T23:59:30.474-07:00

On a whim we decided to leave the highway well travelled and after a 9km motorbike taxi ride from Soppong have landed at Cave Lodge, lured by its rustic bamboo lodgings, proximity to a dozen caves and opportunities for traditional weaving and cooking classes.Day 1We arrive in the afternoon, check into a wee little room most of which is a bed with a mosquito net and set out, map in hand, to see

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-25024636275237360832008-09-08T02:37:00.000-07:002008-09-19T02:41:05.138-07:00

Northern Thailand is cooler and much rainier than the South. Aaah, Vancouver prepared me for this. In fact, it’s a nice change from the unrelenting heat of Bangkok and I’m getting to use my layers for the first time since Czech Land.Chiang Mai was the first stop on our tour. Our main reason for coming here was to research its Thai massage schools, as it’s pretty much the country’s headquarters

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-54398278999466808692008-09-04T07:37:00.000-07:002008-09-08T00:19:03.148-07:00

The ornate gates and many-tiered roofs with leaping flames, the demon guardians, the sumptuously gleaming decor, the Buddha images and the subtle donation boxes: all these comprise a temple and are incredulously frequent, which I suppose is a sure sign that we've arrived in South East Asia. Would you believe that in the old walled city section of Chiang Mai a humble 1800m by 2000m in area there

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-36024215654553621782008-08-31T10:15:00.001-07:002008-09-04T08:56:26.946-07:00

Recipe for a Knock-Out Cocktail:* Jetlag and previous destination's sleep sacrificed for celebration* A touch of sore throat and sinus congestion* Hot humid big Asian city over-stimulationShake or stir. Use sparingly.We're still sight-seeing and errand-running like troopers, but dazed like autumn flies whenever the alarm goes off. Half the time we're sleeping through it. Glad to be here though

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-29374410006836615402008-08-28T09:00:00.000-07:002009-02-03T23:38:55.525-08:00

Our time is up in Egypt:two weeks of Sudanese, Egyptian and Czech families congregating for one mighty celebration of a wedding, salty azure sea on the North Coast, the wild insomniac capital Cairo with its echoes of the ancients and modern cries from hawkers, the poor and the wealthy, rubble and rubbish everywhere, passionate haggling, dirt cheap cabs and exotically spiced food...Our flight for

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-42983992747589357842008-08-05T03:49:00.000-07:002008-09-04T08:56:11.819-07:00

Holee-Molee, this is really happening!!! : D It's a Czech-Sudanese 3-day wedding in Cairo! Vienna - Cairo - BangkokWOWStay tuned ;)

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-36269702789720520382008-07-28T02:03:00.000-07:002008-08-04T06:54:28.362-07:00

Here is a wee-little-camera video (be forewarned of low quality) of my final performance after a week of Contact Improv Dance classes in Prague, as part of the Pro-ART Festival of dance, photography and acting. (I'm wearing dark red pants and a blue long-sleeve shirt with yellow stripes.) Video: Contact Performance in Prague July 27, 2oo8So what is contact improvisation dance? Two or more dance

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-8660673392135727172008-07-17T04:44:00.000-07:002008-07-17T05:31:33.212-07:00

Ana and Rich's version. Really, there is at least one of us in every picture! Happy hunting!

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-24169320903191762192008-07-15T02:46:00.000-07:002008-08-03T03:33:21.855-07:00

So I'm trying to learn Czech. Considering that my native tongue is Russian and I speak better English, I expected that between the Slavic and Latin similarities I'd more or less be able to communicate and understand in no time. Alas, the road is longer than I expected.Czechs use the Latin alphabet and it's a phonetically spelt language (whoohoo!), so after familiarizing myself with all the

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-57675154217004508322008-07-05T05:31:00.001-07:002008-08-03T03:32:38.396-07:00

The heartbeat of my inner pioneer quickens at prospects of living in close quarters with Mother Nature, the source of all our nourishment and resources. In a densely populated city, it's too easy to forget the origin of everything we touch, consume and utilize for warmth and comfort.Living beside a forest, admiring a garden full of plants and flowers, feeling each day's weather on my own skin,

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-865164471874554962008-06-23T07:14:00.000-07:002008-08-05T11:50:27.701-07:00

Since we left Turkish borders, it’s been a slow steady journey into the heart of the former Communist block, where Russia’s bear grip has loosened but is not yet forgotten. For example, asking Romanians if they spoke Russian as our respective Romanian and English were severely lacking, only elicited indignant anger in a land where customer service already ranges from non-existent to

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-48505879773224417162008-05-28T06:40:00.000-07:002008-08-06T06:58:33.611-07:00

Straddling two continents and infused with centuries of opposing cultures, Istanbul proudly stands on the shores of Bosphorus Strait and noisily lives through its ten million inhabitants.Arriving into Sabiha Gökçen airport we found ourselves in Asia, but the jaunt from Europe was short-lived as we threaded our way back to the Old Quarter on the European side. The evening sun warmed dusty

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-82187854911330700682008-05-27T12:24:00.000-07:002008-09-04T08:56:11.819-07:00

There are many things one can say about Turkey. The tourist literature I dug up before our trip went from proud factual to suspiciously boastful... but don't take my word for it. Turkey claims the following:- a total area of 780,580 sq km (land+water) - slightly larger than Texas- 67.8 million population (as of census in year 2000), living in its 81 provinces- Istanbul is the world's only city

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462016421381857783.post-35363274998083181192008-05-01T07:21:00.000-07:002008-06-01T08:01:33.152-07:00

The huge and expensive seat of the British Empire, that once-ravenous and now somewhat subdued beast. A city of over 8 million people, now more than ever diverse in its faces and languages, which in this modern age provokes racial tension and violence -- but for all that conflict also supplies another world metropolis with restaurant kitchens churning out dishes infused with exotic tastes

Anastasiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07760514129350991686noreply@blogger.com0