adventure

Welcome To The Good Life

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Nestle rules Spain. Kind of sad because I hear they exploit child workers.
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Wholegrain Special K with wild fruit picked by little hands.
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A traditional convenience store.
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And I thought Japan had strange vending machines…This thing makes fresh orange juice!
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Okay, things just got weirder! This one’s for fresh milk :O
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What did I say? The good life.
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Went for a bicycle ride with Jose and the kids and stumbled upon fresh grapes (white and black).
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On the way home, we visited their elderly neighbour, a sweet woman in a floral dress, to ask for parsley for a dish we were to prepare later. When I casually told Jose her house smelt delicious, he asked her what she was having for lunch that day to which she did this:
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I still can’t believe how much fresh, organic and FREE fruit there is in Europe. So, our favorite activity (and by that, I mean MY favorite activity) is sourcing and eating it.
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Tonight we were invited to a typical summertime Spanish BBQ AKA pork fest. I made this vegan platter (hehe). #changingtheworldonevegetabledishatatime.
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In Food Heaven

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Can you see this lady’s glasses?
image[5]image[4]image[3]image[2]image[1]imageTraditional Galician food: boiled octopus seasoned with salt, spicy paprika and olive oil. So so good!
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Yesterday we enjoyed a delicious home-cooked lunch by Jose’s mother. This ham leg casually sitting in her kitchen is entirely for her!
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Potato salad with tuna, egg, olives, tomato and green beans.
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The white asparagus were delicious!
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Homemade pickled capsicum. This was my favorite dish! Amazing with bread.image[4]
For dessert, fresh cheese with honey and walnuts. Seriously, I can’t even!
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The preparations for melon gazpacho. Ingredients include: melon, green tomatoes, cucumber, water, olive oil, some white bread, salt and pepper.
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This bakery bakes ham and bread in the same giant oven.
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A traditional sweet bread:image[11]
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These kids are always asking for bread!
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Spain has turned me from a wannabe vegan to a full-blown carnivore. I’m afraid there’s no going back. image[2]image[6]
The most amazing roast vegetable salad. Never tasted anything similar. YUM. image[9]
Tuna and capsicum empanada. I asked Jose why the dough is so orange and he explained that the juice from cooking the capsicum and onion filling is added to the empanada dough mixture. Also, that each area of Galicia has their own style of Empanada. This specific one is from here.  image[8]image[7]image[5]image[4]
For dessert, the sweet bread from earlier and a diabetes inducing ice-cream sandwich cake made from Nutella, margarine and melted chocolate. image[3]

On Honeymoon Alone

I can’t believe I’m living here. I want to cancel all of my future travel plans and stay here forever. Seriously, how can such a place exist? It’s so romantic it hurts.
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The black dish is used to make a giant paella.image[2]image-69image
Forever alone.
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In Japan, it was vending machines, bicycles and noren. In Spain, it’s doors, cats and benches.
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Jose and Bea insisted I photograph this bench. They love how it has been levelled to fit the slope of the street.
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Just like the Before Sunset series.
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This is Noah, Hector and Sara’s cousin. Their mother and Noah’s mother are sisters. In the short time that I have been here, I’ve noticed that they do everything together. I hope to be the same with my sister in the future. Babies, picnics, outings, all of it, together.
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Jose says that is a whale’s head.
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These rods were used to hang nets – redes in Spanish and the name of the town today.
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Wild berries everywhere!image-78
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Veal hamburger with garden veggies and fresh bread for dinner at…10pm! Yes, so I have to tell you this: Jose says the times in Spain are different to that of the rest of Europe. The days are much longer here. These guys typically eat lunch at 3 and dinner at 10! I can’t believe it! But I am starting to enjoy and appreciate how much adventuring one can pack into a single day – though of course, I am a little tired. Maybe it’s jet-lag, still. Also, I cannot tell you enough how great it is to be living with a family again. My mood and overall health is so much better. There’s only so much solitude and mountain life a girl can take. Humans are meant to connect. Also, I am loving the endless hugs and kisses – again, and sorry to compare or not sorry to compare, a huge difference to Japan.

Whoever You Are, No Matter How Lonely, The World Offers Itself To Your Imagination.

Dreams come true and imagination is key. I want to introduce you to my new family: Jose, Bea, Hector (6) and Sara (4). I will be staying with them in Redes a port-town in Galicia (Northern Spain) this September, teaching the children English. I am so incredibly lucky because Jose is a seafood chef, he cares much about food quality and organics, their house is literally a palace and their town, absolute paradise – a place I have imagined visiting since I was a little girl. Believe me when I say it’s breathtaking. But don’t worry, you can live vicariously through me (hehe).

And for those interested, I found Jose and family through workaway.info. It’s an organisation with hosts and volunteers from anywhere and everywhere and it’s relatively safe. I Skyped Jose and his family several times before coming here. Also, do you remember my friends Hiromi and Olivier (the yoga instructor/baker)? They are also hosts on Workaway. Actually, why don’t you go and stay with them? They live in a completely different paradise and they have fresh bread!
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Sara has kindly lent me her room.
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Having fun playing with Japanese magnets. Jose says I am a world citizen because I get to teach him and his family about Iran, Japan and New Zealand.image-57
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A typical breakfast: squished cherry tomatoes, salt and olive oil on bread. Jose tells me the best olive oil comes from Spain and that most of the olive oil advertised as coming from Italy is actually from here.
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Spot the Japanese (hehe).
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On my first day, the children had a birthday party so Jose and I hit up their town and its Friday market.
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Just on the street! For free! Same with lemons, apples and oranges. In Japan, a small punnet of these is 800 yen! About 10 New Zealand dollars!
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Baguette delivery is a thing and we all need it!image[2]
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Isn’t Spain just gorgeous?!
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Trying my best to photograph the locals.
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My first view of the market :O
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Spain is food heaven!
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Jose made a phone call to order his fish. He said if we go early we will have to wait an hour for the old ladies of the town to finish their business. Sure enough, as we walked by, this was exactly the case! The locals here are priceless – such strong characters. I really hope my pictures can capture their brilliance – I’ll do my best.
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Live Octopus.
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This  frightening thing is a sea spider! I don’t know about you but I will never swim again.
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As I said, their house is a palace.
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Jose says the Spanish locals find it funny how people are so into kale as a “superfood” these days because its simply chicken food in Spain! Also, I posted this image on my Instagram and a regular follower commented this, which I found hilarious: “That chicken is peering into my soul and judging my ambitions.”image-29B E A U T I F U L desu ne.

A Day In Central Madrid (Part One)

I have arrived and I am in heaven. I shared some pictures on my personal Facebook account telling my family and friends how much I love it here and how different to Japan it is (the fruit are not wrapped in plastic, the people are happy and care-free, there’s much colour and diversity). Then my dad told me off. He said, I shouldn’t be comparing countries because each flower has its own beauty. You’re right papa! That was not my intention. Just, I can’t believe I’m actually here. It’s so damn romantic and it looks just like its pictures.
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More delicious than expected. According to Jose (my new host-father), the chocolate sauce/drink must be so thick that when dipped, your churro sticks up-right in it. Oh mama!
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A real espresso.
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I found this man and his chess board alone in the park. I asked him (well, gestured) if I could play and he said, “SI” (yes). Of course I lost because he was an expert but wow what an experience. We had no idea what the other was saying.
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Sorry dad but I have to compare. I mean, look at this! No plastic and so fresh and cheap and organic. Ugly but delicious. No gigantic plasticky apples here.
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A for Anisa.
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It’s My Birthday

And I’m off to Spain! But I wanted to tell you about my first (of hopefully many haha I joke I joke) birthday presents. First, THIS incredibly humbling blog-post by fellow blogger, Laura.
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Second, pictures from my birthday eve, spent with a very special family. One who gave me their home, bicycle, fresh vegetables and unconditional love for an entire month then threw me this dinner and gave me these presents and money (osenbetu). I felt so embarrassed, I should have been doing that for them! But I am so joyful to have shared in the joy of such an evening on a birthday far from home.
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Last, this message from Jose. I request PAELLA! Hehe, see you guys V V soon!
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Japan Assorted

Odaiba, Tokyo:
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Those boats are restaurants. Romantic, right?!
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A big game arcade.
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Sumo game which I played and lost (sad face).image[3]image[2]
Japan obligatory, purikura  (or in my language, “sticky photos”) where you can thin your face, enlargen your eyes, change their color and much much more!
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Japan famous Kobe duo performing at Odaiba, Tokyo:
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Tokyo art students’ exhibition. Is there anything more beautiful than seeing creativity at work?
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First time trying Taco Bell (in Tokyo-go figure). Verdict? Good! Much prefer the soft tortilla to the crunchy corn one though.
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I’m not sure if you know, but I take all of my photos with my iPhone so I apologise for the low quality of the night photos. I hope you can still see the purple reflection of the ferris wheel though.
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Osaka somewhere:
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Delicious Pakistani food and immaculate service. Click HERE for more details.
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One last time at Osaka station:
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My favorite, Moku Moku:
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Suita Green Place, Oasis supermarket:
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In other words, Japan has it all!

Beautiful People Do Not Just Happen

Do you remember THIS? When I introduced my favorite illustrator whose work I randomly (and luckily) came across at a small bookstore in Osaka station last year? Well, I added him on Facebook, declared my love to him and begged him to meet me in Tokyo the other day. Mitsuie-san is an incredibly humble (as well as talented) artist. He couldn’t believe how much I loved him. We spent the evening discussing his work, life and inspirations. As well as taking an hour train to meet Minako and I, he gifted me a big bunch of postcards featuring all of my favourite pieces of his which I have shared on my blog and social media since I have known him. God willing, we will be collaborating in the near future so watch this space! To check out more of his work, click HERE.image[2]image[1]image[1]image
When this precious little girl and I met two months ago, we both felt an instant connection. Aoi is so sweet it hurts. And though we couldn’t communicate more than a few words, we spent the entire day making origami (paper art) and playing on the hammock together.
Last week, she and her mother visited me in Osaka. I was so blessed to see her radiant face again. It’s true, children are the light of the world!image[5]image[1]image[2]imageimage[3]image[4]
I made a big batch of fresh granola for Minako and I’s Tokyo trip because I didn’t want to be eating out for breakfast, lunch AND dinner. After our one night stay at a hotel which came free with our shinkansen (bullet train) ticket (thanks to Mina’s amazing organisation skills) we took the remainder to her parents’ place – our accommodation for the next two nights and days. Mina’s mom tried (my) muesli for the very first time in her life and happened to love it. So on my last day, this happened: a big bowl of delicious. After, she (Mina’s sweet mother) wouldn’t stop thanking me for it. She said she thinks she is going to lose a lot of weight (hehe).
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“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.” ― Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

Tokyo Had Everything But You

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A rainy summer festival.
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Senso-ji temple.
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My lucky fortune – now ain’t that the truth? I had a really hard time living in the Japanese country side and working in their education system but now, apparently (hopefully) all that’s gone.
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A pancake/pikelete thingy majig filled with anko (sweet red bean paste) and matcha (green tea) ice-cream.
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A maid cafe waitress hoping for business.
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This is Akihabara. A popular Tokyo district mostly famous for its many electronic stores.
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Ramen. image[4]image[5]image[6]image[4]image[3]
image[2]image[3]I really enjoyed this colourful district and I kept thinking how much my father (the ex electrician) would also.

Mom Was Right

Dear Ones:

I’ve realised my mom was right. I have been blogging too much, working too much, exploring too much, thinking too much, exercising too much and plain pushing myself to exhaustion. When she first said it, of course I disagreed with her. “You don’t understand, I’m FINE,” I said. And we all know what that “fine” means. But a simple comment by Yuka today on how I’d mistakingly written “orange” in place of “apple” in a previous post,  finally touched the right nerve.

Believe me, I’ve had the best of intentions. I’ve blogged everyday because I enjoy doing it but also because I believe it will one day, some way or another, make me a real writer. For the past two years, I have not stopped. Even now, on holiday! I am walking, thinking, over-thinking, exploring, photographing, blogging, and freelancing. Then I write a post about holiday blues. I am so silly.

I don’t want to be like this anymore.

So, I have made a choice. The great Bahai leader, Abdu’l-Baha says:

“One cannot obtain the full force of the sunlight when it is cast on a flat mirror, but once the sun shineth upon a concave mirror, or on a lens that is convex, all its heat will be concentrated on a single point, and that one point will burn the hottest. Thus is it necessary to focus one’s thinking on a single point so that it will become an effective force.”

In short, I am finally going to take that overdue holiday. I am going to enjoy my upcoming travels to their fullest and I am going to live in the moment. This means photographing less, blogging less, hopefully thinking less and overall, chilling the F out. I guess my only concern is losing followers but I know that my health comes first and that this way, contrary to my previous thinking, I can become a better writer. Something to do with quality over quantity, I guess.

In the words of Anne Lamott:  “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you”.

Again, thank you for being there.

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