Wonderful Great Britain!

My trip to London, England, Scotland was amazing! I have never been to such a charming and friendly place. I bought a vacation package for about $1100 after taxes per person. This package includes a 8 day vacation return trip tickets going into London and leaving out of Glasgow, with stays at Bed and Breakfasts and a car rental (with no insurance--yikes! It was an added $800 on top of all that). This is the Off-season too.
Throughout the 8 days, we stayed in London, Stirling (North of Glasgow), Edinburgh, Isle of Skye (just lovely!) and Glasgow.

Days 1,2 in London
Upon arrival to Gatwick London Airport from a very short 6 hr. plane ride, we touched ground at around 8 am in the morning. It feels great having to land in a totally foreign place. For me and Chris, this was going to be a new and different adventure. Our previous trips involved being more outdoors, so this was a great change and fun experience for the both of us to explore a different city away from Toronto. We picked up our luggage and looked for the Hertz car rental booth. By the time we were done with that, it was about 12 noon and we plugged into our Navi System (they call GPS's,  Navi) the address to our first Bed and Breakfast, which was conveniently a few minutes walk to the Rails at Winchmore Hill Station--which instantly connects to the London Underground tubes (they call their subways, tubes :D haha!). We were greeted kindly by a very hospitable and elderly couple that is so full of English tradition in their blood. Their home was filled with all sorts of things that screamed English, from their patterned wallpapers to their picture frames and all sorts of trinkets sitting on tables. It was very foreign to us since we are Asian and their home decor was very traditional to their heritage, but I loved it all! The room was just elegantly decorated and very warm-welcoming. Their en-suite washroom was tiny but just perfect (it was disguised in the room as a big wardrobe). One thing we shouldnt' do is walk around barefoot or with socks, we wear our shoes in their homes (eventually we took them off once we settled to our beds for a rest). One thing that Chris will not forget and will forever hate is driving through London (it was terrible and scary for both of us).

We got out after settling our stuff into the room and walked to Winchmore Hill station. Sooo close to our home, it was literally 3 minutes walk. After receiving some great tips from our Hosts about getting around London with 2 for 1 coupons and using a Traveller's Card (off season cards are cheap!), we didn't have a hard time budgeting ourselves.
Things we saw in London:
London Eye, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, River Thames, Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, Monument Tower, Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Millennium Bridge, Oxford Street, Picadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, Soho, Chinatown, more streets that we walked around and stumbled upon (every thing is walk-able once you reach the core of London).

Memorable times in London:
What I find most memorable about London was hopping around to pubs on our first night and getting to know some of the locals. Two great pubs that we hit up that night and enjoyed the most was "The Opera House" and "The Lord of the Moon." Since dark fall hits just before 4pm, the locals start filling up the pubs on every street. The night life is great here to do pub hopping since one great bar is not far from another and the beers on tap are so tasty (especially the Guinness). We got to know two friendly locals at The Opera House that lives in the area and are creative business people (since he was carrying around a framed canvas). It was nice to just ask for a seat and get to know Londoners. They are fun to talk to and very kind.

I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at the 18 Station Rd. Bed and Breakfast. The elderly couple was so kind and welcoming to us and their breakfast was so great (fresh bread included). It was one of those memorable stays with great hosts whom you will never forget. So caring and loving to each other and telling us stories and giving us some knowledge about their heritage.

Exploring the city by foot. We reached all the greatest spots in London by foot and didn't have to use the tube as much as we thought we should. This was great since it can get pretty busy underground.

Day 3, Stirling:
After spending two days in London, we started our journey towards Stirling (which was the only Bed and Breakfast I could find near Glasgow) bright and early in the morning at about 5 am. On the way, we explored a bit of Peak District town. The drive in total was about 7-8 hrs and it was crucial to take breaks in between. This stay was our mid-point stopover/rest towards Isle of Skye. This place is "Pannell Farm" and it is a charming farm home with okay hosts accompanied by an awesome pet dog and a cute and playful kitten. We arrived at about 3pm and it was rainy with wind! Brrrr, Off-Season that's for sure. It was a terrible and windy and rainy night, and we encouraged ourselves to get out and do some exploring. We eventually hit up a local pub since there was not much we can do in this weather and after trying to get into Glasgow--it was a fail since it was so dark and stormy out and hard to navigate to the city. That night was the least interesting night of our trip.

Day 4,5 arrival to Isle of Skye
Off to Isle of Skye! We worked our way up towards our place of interest. After passing the Skye Bridge, we drove our way more north towards our next Bed and Breakfast which was located a bit further up the Cuillin Hills. All I can say is that the drive to Isle of Skye was so Scenic. It was bright and sunny for the most part and you can see the endless rolling hills in the vast distance. The scenery is no where to be found except here. The Scottish Highlands is a magical place filled with wonder and unimaginable views. If you like endless green grasslands, this place is magical during peak season.

The Bed and Breakfast was not listed in our itinerary, so we booked it by email and paid extra for the stay. Foxwood Bed and Breakfast in Isle of Skye is a lovely home located off the Central-West coast of the island. The hostess lady lives there with her black n white cat :)

Things we saw during our stay:
Eilean Donan Castle, Fairy Glen, Fairy Pools (entrance), Talisker Distillery, Neist point (view only), Cuith Raing, many magnificent views of the island itself.

 For the most part, there was alot of wind and rain but we managed to explore most of Fairy Glen since it was the most accessible point of interest on the island. We tried out Haggis for the first time in Uig. It has a lot of flavor and is yummy! It does taste like Pate. The Fairy Pools hike was blocked off by a big rushing river so we could  not cross it which was very unfortunate for us. The views of the Cuillin Mountains were stellar where the Fairy Pools hike starts.

 Room of Ceol-Na-Mara Bed and Breakfast. Quaint.

Breakfast at Ceol-Na-Mara :)))

Our next Bed and Breakfast was at the Ceol-Na-Mara home. The Ceol Na Mara home is a very welcoming place and the room was comfortable :). Again, I really love their breakfasts. If you don't like fried eggs, don't even bother trying to live here and become British ;P.

Day 6 Isle of Skye to Edinburgh
We woke up early at around 8am to explore the rest of the island and head out to Edinburgh at late noon to our next Bed and Breakfast in Edinburgh (Sea Breezes - which was not that great). The days are much shorter in Britain, it gets dark at 4pm and the sun rises at 8am. We did feel upset that the weather was a bit harsh but the Island is a very beautiful place to be during high seasons. We checked out Urquhart Castle by the Loch Ness. We got to Edinburgh at about 7:30pm that day.

Day 7 A full day in Edinburgh
Our morning at Sea Breezes was not so great. Since I did not see the hostess the night of arrival and my breakfast was not filling. There were no sausages or ham, just an egg and two slices of toast with sides of coissants and rolls. Not much! But their home was very pretty and I love their breakfast table set up with the pretty china and views of the lake.

Our day started out great, taking the bus into downtown Edinburgh. (at a cost of 1.25 pounds per person) Our first stop was to Edinburgh Castle.

Afterwards we head out for a late lunch at the clam shell where we had the tastiest deep fried burger and sausage with chips (sooo yummy). There was a strike going on as well, but we got around the streets normally. We checked out Giles Cathedral too. The cathedral had such stunning architecture.

Our last night, we went to a local pub to have dinner and hang out with some locals. According to Chris, this night was the best night he has ever had during our trip.

Day 8 Leave to Toronto from Glasgow :(((


I thoroughly enjoyed this trip and will definitely come back to see more of Scotland during the warmer seasons. 
Things I enjoy and find most memorable on our trip?
- The awesome old-fashioned keys and locks
- CASTLES! I luvvv castles
- Yummmy Breakfastsss
- The cute Sheeps roaming everywhere on the Isle of Skye
- Isle of Skye itself is great!
- The Pubss! and their tasty beeeers and yummy Fish and Chips with Mushy Peas
- People here are awesome and so kind
-  Architecture is very nice
I heart Britain :)

London, Scotland, Wales here I come!

After exploring New York. I am  truly grateful to see how beautiful the city is. It is a busy city but it is full of life and many people living there come from all areas of life. New York is a city full of culture and considered to be an 'urban jungle' filled with new sites and sounds.

My next journey will be to England! I will be exploring London, Scotland and Wales. This place is full of wonder and filled with history. One of the great things I'm looking forward to is exploring the city of London, visiting castles and great monuments; as well as getting a taste of country living up north in Scotland. It will be a wonderful trip filled with great memories and will inspire me as a designer.

First Time Visit to New York City! Lots of Love!

So this is my first time going to New York. It is a very beautiful and busy city that is full of life :) Now I can see why people are telling me that I am missing out and need to go see the city for myself. So I decided to go and see New York with my sister (who has been there at least 3 times for work and leisure). Having been let go of my job (again...), I find the time and taking advantage of travelling. This travel is a change from my previous adventures out in nature. At first, I was thinking going why go to a city as a travel destination? It did not appeal to me much since I myself live in Toronto. But, New York is a totally new space to me. It is a city full of bustling streets, a lot of lights, lots of noises, sights and of course shopping!

Here is my experience travelling to New York City with my sister :)

Day 1- Arrival in New York at 11am
Arrival to New York City by Megabus (Yes I took it, the painful 12 hours on the bus! My tolerance will not be better later in life). Can't go wrong with it being $50 for one way.
Subway to "W hotel" on Lexington and got a room. rm.#1511.
We were suppose to check in at a later time 3pm but the nice lady at the reception gave us a room early to rest and settle in for a bit. What a nice lady!! I guess it was because we told her we were on a 12 hour bus ride and it was crrraazzyy.
- We walked to the Rockefeller Center and just took in the scenery. I can't help but look up into the high sky scrapers.
- Tried Magnolia Bakery which was made popular by the "Sex in the City" show. I had the Lemon cupcake and my sister had the Red Velvet. Both were heavenly!
- We went to the Nintendo Store
- Walked around Times Square. This place is amazing! Soo many people, bright lights, cars, everything.
- After that we tired ourselves out to a Japanese bookstore that had a cute mini Jap Cafe. The bookstore is called Kunikunya Book Store. This place is a huge store filled with books, magazines, gifts from Japan. I am in love <3. We went upstairs to get a break and bought ourselves a sandwich and tea. (Jasmine greentea and a delish sandwich).

- We walked to Madison Square Park
- Explored Washington Square Park- this park is like a painting.(so many people enjoying the park and the sunny weather)
- After that we subwayed to Soho.

Soho is a richest part of New York. Some rooms as small as 300 sq ft would cost thousands to rent. It is ridiculously expensive to even live here in this part of the city. There are cobblestone streets and nice boutiques everywhere.This is where I checked out...
- The Kid Robot Store- It is very cool...but it is like the Magic Pony store we have in Toronto. This place is filled with Vinly toys,books and clothing.
- I also walked into a discount store to buy a pair of $25 dark brown combat boots that I am in love with at the moment.
- After we went to NY Chinatown and had some Dim Sum and bought some bakery at a local asian shop. This Chinatown is much more bigger and busier. There are a lot of restaurants and shops.
- Went to NY Little Italy to check out the popular Ferrara Desserts where we bought a truffle cake and a mini chocolate mousse cake. Desserts here are realllyyy yummmy!
- Head back to our Hotel to rest up for the night

Day 2
- Purchase bus tour Grayline to explore the city from a tourist perspective :P
- Arrive to MOMA. Saw a lot of famous paintings and was very excited to finally see my favorite painting "Starry Night" and "Waterlilies." Famous paintings are always better to see in person. It was truly inspiring and beautiful.

- Had Pizza for lunch (I got the basil tomato pizza and sister got the veggie pizza) at Sbarro.
- Checked out Central Park
- Dinner at a popular japanese restaurant Izakaya. The little bites of food are so tasty and it is probably better than the Guu here in Toronto. I just crave this kind of food anytime of day. We had the Miso Grilled Eggplant, Root chips with dip, Skewers, Deep Fried tuna Onigiri with radish with a glass of  Fuji Apple Sake on the rocks ;). Sooo gooood.

- Grand Central Station at night
- Times Square at night
- Shop at Forever 21. This store is freakin hugeee.
- Very late dinner at "The Counter" (had the counter burger and it was delicious)
Head back to hotel

Day 3
Had Breakfast
-Grand Central Station during busy day
-Empire State Building (Top of the building where the views of the city is absolutely amazing)

- World Trade Center and Freedom Tower
- Wall St.
- Occupy Wall St. Protesters
- American Museum of Natural History
- Bus tour to Harlem
- Dinner at Italian Restaurant (Proscuitto Pizza, Eggplant Cannoli and sparking water)
- Ferrara Desserts (shared truffle cake with Cafe Latte)
- Checked out the Uniqlo Store with some shopping, this is the Grand Opening of their first Flagship store in New York. Uniqlo is Japanese based. The materials are soft and they are affordable.
Back to hotel

Day 4
Checked out of our hotel and left our bags for pick-up later in the evening
Breakfast- Turkey Panini at Rockefeller (So tasty)
- Rockefeller Center
- Shopping at the Big Lego Store
- Magnolia Bakery (i had the Orange Cupcake with chocolate milk, sister had the Pumpkin Pecan)

- Back to Japanese Bookstore for their tea and sandwich

- Muji Store at New York Times building. This place is very nice. I consider it an expensive Ikea from Japan.

- Uniqlo Store once more!
- went back to W hotel lounge to rest and pick up our bags. Taxi to our Megabus stop
- Dinner at Astro Sushi and Bar. This is the best tasting sushi I ever had. I wished I tried the ones in California but I was sick then -_-.

Leave to Toronto.

There is so little time to do everything. But I had a great taste of what New York is like. There are lots of places to see and things to try out. Definitely a place to go to again. :)

Banff to Jasper, A trip like no other!

Just got back from my trip to Banff and Jasper Alberta.
This trip is one of a kind and like no other. You are constantly surrounded by beautiful mountains and natural wildlife. If you love the outdoors and like to hike...this is definitely a go-to place! The whole trip and the places I've seen are just too surreal and beautiful. :D

Day 1 (sept.13) -- arrived to Calgary Airport, struggled finding a car rental at the airport (all the 6-8 companies have no available car unless by reservation) we got so stressed and pissed. But eventually we figured out it would be best to taxi into downtown Calgary and rent at another "Budget" company. In the end we got a vehicle (black Ford Focus). It was rainy and gloomy upon our arrival as well. We finally got our rental vehicle and headed off to Banff. Drove to our campground Lake Louise (J12).

The campground was great since it had all the things we needed. Flush toilets. Hot showers (must-have) and a den for eating (which we did not use since it was always occupied by other campers).

Day 2 (sept.14)-- campground Lake Louise
Lake Louise Chateau and lakeside and Moraine Lake
Hike to Lake Agnes Teahouse-- had lunch at the top of the hike (had a nice 3 cheese quiche and bf had a yummy tuna salad sandwich) we ordered Oolong tea to relax from our hike. (sort of strenuous but constantly moving up). On our hike we see the Beehives (moutains shaped like hives) and a small lake.
Hike to Consolidation Lake-- we grouped up with 3 locals since the hike requires 4 people to hike. (one of the hikers is a local worker in the area).
- back to Banff townsite and had our cheap chicken thighs (snack) at Supermarket....and a little bit of exploring town and shopping.

Day 3 (sept.15)-- Johnston Canyon, Hike to the Inkpots
- town of Banff to get some supplies and shopping
- bought cheap sushi for snack at supermarket
- night we stayed in Lake Louise Campground

Day 4 (sept.16) --
Iceline Trail** advanced trail-- explored on top of mountain with a lot of glaciers and rocky terrain.
(it was rainy and cloudy)-- hiked back down after getting a bit off-trail. (Strenuous hike)
Our legs killed after that.
- back to Lake Louise Campground

- back to townsite to eat at "earl's restaurant' with a view of mts.- had fish and chips; chicken quesadillas; orchid margarita and beers. :D

Day 5 (sept.17) -- Packed up our tents and campground to drive to Jasper.
Peyto Lake/ Bow Summit viewpoint
Drive to Columbia Icefields

Athabasca Glacier

Athabasca Falls and River

Icefield Center- call hostels for availability

Jasper Townsite and Dinner at LouLou's Breakfast and Pizzeria

Checked into HI Jasper Hostel- late dinner leftover quesadillas with fries - shared salad with fellow hostelers.

Day 6 (sept.18)--  Had our morning tea/coffee and cooked some breakfast to eat (some sliced up sausages and perogies). We left roughly around 7 am. We decided to go hike Whistler mt. today by taking the Jasper Tramway up first.  The tramway did not open up until 9:45am and we were too early so we did a bit of luggage organizing in our back seats and trunk (storing away the tents properly). Tramway up to Whistler Mt. - hike the trail to Whistler Summit.
- took lots of pictures of the mountains and glaciers
- the sky was clear and it was sunny-- Mt. Robson (biggest mountains can be seen from afar) is usually not visible and rare to see all the mountain peaks. First tramway of the day to go up.
- went to see Tangle Falls (small waterfall).
- come back to Hi Jasper hostel for the evening to shower and sleep.
- I got sunburned on my face from being a top of the sunny mountain.

Day 7 (sept.19)-- Leaving HI Jasper Hostel in the morning. Woke up early to beat the morning rush at 6am-- took our shower and had our leftover pizza for dinner and our hot drinks.  Packed up and left the hostel. Snowy day today.

Hike the 'The Path of the Glacier' with 4 Londoners (elderly couples) halfway through the snowy trail and we decided to seperate from eachother midway. We went into the Tunnel ice cave and saw snow avalanches at Angel Glacier. Went back to the Jasper town site for a bit of walking around and shopping- shared a subway sandwich.

This last evening, we stayed at Pine Bungalows (just off of Jasper townsite), a very beautiful and cozy cabin #12 by the moving riverside. These cabins were made entirely of wood and the interiors scream countryside style. There were sinks, stoves, storage, dishes and utensils, clean bathroom with shower and toilet. It's a super cozy place!  Had a wonderful evening winding down with having cooked dinner (ised up most of the dried foods like Liptons and mashed potatoes) and some booze (beer and mudslides) by a warm  fire by the bedside. :)

Day 8 (sept.20) -- Woke up late at about 8 am and leaving for our long drive back to Calgary Airport. Last night was a much needed rest and it was a super comfortable shelter to keep us warm. We had everything packed up and ready go to!

Whole day was spent driving back and being on the plane back to Toronto. Sadly it was a snowy day so most of the mountains were hard to see on our drive back.

Next Trip planning...Banff and Jasper, Alberta

This is one adventurous and wonderful trip I am going to look forward to in mid-September. My tickets have been purchased for the dates September 13-18th. Hopefully that is enough time to explore both the wonderful towns of Banff and Jasper. Ever since I have discovered this wonderful gem on the internet, I thought to myself that I have to go there and see for myself. The scenic mountains and crystal clear lakes are stunning in photos that I have seen online so far. The end of summer marks a sad time for me...since I love summer and how much fun we can hove outdoors. As you can tell, I'm not a Winter person and have been living and dwelling in the city of Toronto for many years (Pleaseee get me some fresh air!).

There comes a time when one contemplates vacation and mini-trips. This trip I hope will be one that I will remember for the rest of my life (of course all my little vacation trips so far this year have been wonderful and unforgettable!). This year I've ventured out to Vegas and the surrounding landscapes of the dry desserts and starry (eerie) nightskies near area 51...and the relaxing yet fun times in Cuba for a good 5 days. Trips = planning. This next trip to Banff and Jasper will be quite an adventurous yet challenging trip that involves staying in the outdoors in campgrounds.

The town of Banff and Jasper are known for their wonderful resorts and beautifully lined streets full of shops. But we're going to hike some trails and see just how beautiful it is to immerse yourself in the outdoors along the Canadian Rockies.

More updates to come... :D :D

Decisions, decisions...now's the time to take action

So, I've been unemployed for over a year now. I think I've decided if something does come along with work...I would obviously take it. But it seems now that I've unconsciously made a choice to become more independent as a freelance graphic designer and artist. What I've obviously avoided was to grow and learn more about this creative and wonderful career. It is always important to keep focused and aim for what you really want... and go for it. Things will eventually become the way you want it to be as long as your mind is focused on it.

If I want to succeed... I'll have to push myself to the limits and show what I've got. Because in my heart, I know I can do great things out of it. Now I'm making it my new hobby to learn the language of the web in order to be more educated and successful graphic designer. Always looking around for inspiration and what's new in the design industry is a definite key to becoming more creative and outstanding. For the few weeks I've felt inspired and have been touched. Keeping myself busy has been proven difficult...but with time comes lots of opportunities to shape your own path and to learn (always learn). Push Push!

New Digital SLR camera from Canon

Finally have a nice camera to capture those low-light moments. A deal and a great grab for $260 cash (split with the bf of course!). We will surely expect a lot of nicer photos every where that we go and explore. In the past, I've struggled a lot with low-light scenes and have tried to capture the ambience of the evening and lighting indoors. Hoorah for SLR cams. I dont' expect to go far into professional photography.

Missing that sunshine and beach not too far away~

Wish I was back in the Carribbean island with with my other half. My little sketch of paradise imprinted in my memory forever. The waves rolling in the beaches, warm weather, lounge chairs and cabanas. <3

My First Digital Painting - Another Dream World

Here is a 'semi-completed' digital painting that I have started today. The idea simply came from my imagination. I like fantasy and surreal elements in my work and I try to come up with something different from other artists.

The colors used in this digital painting are very vibrant and refreshing to my eyes. I've incorporated past characters in previous works like the Parasite boogie fish and the cute little girl. When I look closer at the work I've done, I am beginning to realize that these scenes/landscapes try to convey a simplistic message. This is another idea of 'escaping reality' and living amongst weird and different creatures. Perhaps my experiences of travelling have lead me to think about how much I really want to escape the everyday lifestyle. We simply dream about the fantasy world and I always find joy in creating something to show that world.

I like to express childhood happiness and imagination in the art that I create.
This is my first digital painting and I am pleased at the result. In the near future, I hope to have more solid illustration and prepare rough sketches beforehand before diving into a painting. The way I've arranged elements seems a bit odd.

Yay back from Varadero, CUBA!

I was hesitant to go to the Caribbean fearing that I would get sick. But what are adventures ifyou don't take any risks?? I booked the vacation last minute via Sunwing.ca and the whole process was a breeze. For two people it costs around $1200 dollars including the travel insurance (even though I feel I did not need to buy it but it only costs an extra $30/person). Our resort was the Breezes Bella Costa, 3 1/2 stars out of 5 for 5 nights. We left early Thursday morning driving to the airport parking lot Sky Park (Do not ever go there!). The parking lot is outside and the shuttle vans to the airport were very run down and old. The service was alright though..but what can you expect for 10$/day?? But it left us feeling a bit worried about the car during our vacation. It's way cheaper than parking at the airport which would be about double that price.

We have all our stuff with us -- we only had 2 carry-ons and one luggage which we both shared. The duration of our stay was from April 15 to April 20th which was too short lived now that I think of it! We wanted to explore the historical town of Havana! But we'll save that for another time ;)

First Night:
Arrived at airport, picked up luggage and took the shuttle service bus to our hotel. Once we stepped out to the waiting areas, the Cubans were already trying to sell us some beer! Talk about beer everywhere, anytime! Say 3 pesos/can!
So we found our bus and had our luggage put in the storage and waited on the bus. It was night time in our arrival so everything was dark out. There were and always will be a lot of tourists. The tour bus guide introduced us to Varadero, Cuba and what to look forward to and what sort of things to avoid (drinking bottled water is best). But I honestly was fine during my whole trip even if I had the mixed drinks with ice , or the water from the bar. Checking in to our hotel was breeze and we headed to our rooms to settle our our luggage and carry-ons down. We had a room safe where we kept all our money, passports, wallets and electronics in. We always made sure we have the key at-hand and carry our card keys (1 each) with us. On our first night we arrived at our hotel at 11pmish and had a few drinks at the lobby bar. I had lots of white wine while Chris enjoyed some beer on tap. It was great to be here where the weather is so summery!

Over all, it was a wonderful trip!
We went on excursions out of the resort and explored what Varadero has to offer as tourists. It is best to book at least a day ahead to ensure your spot and time.

Jeep Safari Tour was mediocre (it wasn't the best), but it felt safer going with a bunch of people in a few Jeep vehicles. We drove into the heart of downtown Varadero and out to the countryside where the villagers lived. We had a break mid-trip to taste some fresh pineapple and coconut meat; also for a washroom break which is pretty much in the bushes/trees. It was the sweetest and juiciest pineapple I have ever had. There were roosters everywhere calling out! It was too surreal. We had our lunch set in a beautiful landmark just out in nature full of wild palm trees and different greenery against a small lake. It was breathtaking :) After a rough and bumpy ride, we all needed this break from our off-roading.
We had fresh lobster tail hot off the grill for 10 pesos while having buffet (which is included in the trip) on the side. There were fresh and crispy chips, slices of pork meat, veggies and fruit. The thing is with this trip, there were a lot of hidden costs which were not included in our tour. For an example, the Mojitos at the bar were not included, the desserts and lobstertails anddd the best pina coladas were not included. So I had to do without the real pina colada. :( :(
The lobster tail tasted sooo goood. It was garlicy and buttery, which is a good thing for a lobster tail. The setting was great, we had our lunch under a large canopy set along a lake surrounded by palm trees. Toilets were awkward, the stalls were not tall but just tall enough to cover down there when u sit to pee. You need to bring your own toilet paper too (don't want to end up paying for that too). Luckily I brought some!
After lunch we explored the area, and had a chance to take a few pictures with some wild animals. A small croc, a snake and a fat rat! It was my first time carrying these wild creatures! They were harmless and friendly. We took a small rest on the hammocks and took in the scenery. It was relaxing. Until a bunch or tourists arrived by a large boat. I find that the area is too full of tourists.

-- After lunch, we all meet up with our tour group and head out in our speed boats to explore the lake. We paired up with our fellow Toronto partners (also paired up during our Jeep offroading taking turns on the wheel). The speed boats were nothing fancy, but they were fun and fast! We took in the fresh air and looked at the surrounding landscapes during our speedboat ride.
At the end, we arrived at a bar where we had some refreshing Mojitos while taking our washroom breaks. There was a live performance from a local tribe at our arrival.
--We then got back into our Jeeps and headed out to a Cave where we were suppose to do some snorkelling but we had to pay extra to rent the gear (omg another added fee) so we did go in without it. The cave area was stunning, the water was a dark blue color and the ceilings of the caves have a few stalagmites hanging down. We went in for a much needed cold dip from the humidity. Despite the many tourists going in and the few bandaids floating around, we had a good dip. We went into the deep -end where there were few people and we enjoyed it much more :) :)

Scuba Diving -- this was great! we booked it on the full second day of our trip (Saturday). It started off with a small lesson with our Scuba dive instructor at the resort the day before, and her name is Lisa. She was a very kind woman and taught us very well for our first time. She looked to be about our age too. I did struggle a bit at first because I find the breathing to be very awkward, only breathing in-and-out of the mouth only. We trained in the pool at the resort the Friday of our trip.

The day or our dive, we arrived to a scuba dive rental place by bus (with a bunch of other tourists), to pick up our gear. The suit was a bit too big even though it was the smallest size they have, and the flippers were slightly a size too big, even the vest seems a bit too loose when I had it on at the dive site. After picking up all our gear and O2 tanks we head out to our dive site. We are suppose to go the the Isle of Pigs but due to a large number of tourists, we head out to a different dive site (bummer!). After getting out of our buses and getting suited up, we were put into teams of 5, we were with another middle-aged man, and 2 locals teens from Montreal who can speak french, our instructor/guide is named Micheal. He is a middle-aged man with a straight-forward attitude. I struggled quite a bit since my entire gear was a bit too big, and the 02 tank was kinda heavy on my back.
--Getting in and out of the water was proved toughest, we didn't jump off into a boat like most people would but we had to walk to the shore and try to put our fins on. The waves were a bit rough as well. A few tourists struggled getting in and out, as there were a lot of rocks and it was pretty sharp too. So in the end, a few tourists had some serious scrapes on their legs/feet. But we were careful enough and prevented it from happening to us. It was hard to keep balance with the waves pushing you. We went down under once every one has settled in the water. We went in for about 20 mins the first time and got out for a 10 minute rest. We went back into the water for our second dive for about 30 mins going deeper down into the reefs at about 10 meters. I have learned how to compress my ears very well at each meter and my breathing technique has slowed down from the first dive. So much to learn!! In our second dive, we spotted a Lion Fish! There were plenty of other fishes and coral types on the lake bed.

Late Afternoons and Evenings:

The late afternoons that we have come back from our excursions we would enjoy the beach, go into the water, collect some shells and tan on the beach if the sun was still out. We would then have our dinners at the resort (which was pretty decent!). In the late evenings we headed out to the bars for drinks and food. It was much needed and felt great. There were a few mornings where it seemed very cloudy or gloomy. But the sun came out as the day went on :) The sun felt nice and hot, and the water was cold and refreshing! Some times if the nights were very clear, we would lay out side the beach and look out to the clear skies and see the milky way. The moon was at crescent and we could clearly see the definite shape of the rock covering the moon.

Every morning-- we would have our freshly squeezed glass of Orange Juice to go with our freshly cooked egg omellettes with either cheese, or with pepper, ham and onions. Their pancakes tasted a little bland but still good to eat. There were chefs at a few stations serving freshly cooked food so we did not need to worry too much about the sanitation. The breakfasts at the resort is always good :)

On the day before we are leaving-- we took a taxi to downtown Varadero, for 5 pesos one way. But our first trip downtown left us stranded in front of the downtown Varadero bank where we needed much badly to take out some money for spending and going home the next day. A lot of back and forth trips by taxi but we ended up getting our money and then explored the downtown area. We head to a local mall to find a cigar store where we bought our cuban cigars :) The real deal here for only 3 pesos per cigar. We went souvenir shopping at a local Artisans' market where I bought a lot of things for my home. It was fascinating looking at all the craft and work the cubans made.

Last day-- was just a relax day where we get our tans on for the last time and took a final dip into the water. Surprisingly, there were a lot of people on our last day, but during our entire stay there were not too many tourists. We had our favorite food at the resort, the hawaiian pizza hot out of the woodburning oven, and ate our buffet lunch on the side for the last time with a drink.

Will definitely go again to Cuba possibly next year, but stay at a 4 star hotel resort and explore the historical town of Havana!

The Sample Sale

Here is an awesome shopping site that offer brand name labels at up to 80% off retail prices. They carry popular well-known brands of clothing for mid teens to young adults. The prices are spectacular. I just bought myself a pair of PEOTIC LICENSE Bloomingbird sandals in a blue color. I sure hope they look great with everything that I wear.

You can join here:
http://www.thesamplesale.com/a-34371-DuLuong.aspx

Sign up SOON so I can get $10 credit per each time someone signs up under my name and makes a purchase!

Sassquatch

Hi all,

I've been partnering up with my sister to come up with a new site called Sassquatch.com. This is a website where we showcase products of all sorts and have them reviewed. It's either a "love it" or "squash it" product. It's looking great so far and we hope that once we get this site up and running, we can gather up lots of reviewers like yourself to give your take on each product. After all, we are the customers and we have a 'say' on what we should know about the things that we buy. So far, I've helped come up with a strong logo and icons. The name was very inventive and fun. We gave character to a soon-to-be existing site with the 'Sasquatch' theme. Tagline: Where we squash bad products!

Very excited about what this site will become of in the near future!

Tips for new graphic designers (grabbed this off a site somewhere)

1. This is one that I have heard from a number of other designers, like James White for example, which is that you don’t need a client to create work. You should look around and get inspired to do something and just create it, this is a great way to expand your portfolio as well as expanding your skill set.

2. Try to think about a commercial element to your self-initiated works; for example see if the designs you are creating would work as a cover to a magazine or as a promotional poster.

3. If you stop experimenting you stop growing. For me experimentation is key to becoming a great designer and really helps you define who you are. Hours of experimentation has taught me more about what works with design and what doesn’t more than anything else. Never be afraid to try something different it’s what being creative is all about.

4. Always look around for inspiration don’t just use the usual graphic design inspiration and tutorial websites - inspiration is everywhere.

5. Create a website for your portfolio and designs and update it regular with your work and other snippets of inspiration. It shows that you are proactive, switched on and gives potential clients a good idea about what you have to offer.

6. Use sites like Behance and Flickr to promote your work - these are great for creating instant traffic. This year for Flickr I have had over 600,000 visits to my images and peaked at 5,000 visits a day. You would have a tough job beating those stats with a new site of your own without lots of content and SEO work. These sites are also great as a social tool for connecting with people, getting feedback and also as a source of inspiration seeing what other designers are creating.

My own style is coming to...

Oh I was silly to think that I would just look at other people's work to inspire me. But don't get me wrong...i do find that looking at other artists' work help me think about how their minds work and what they are capable of creating.
All the wacky and crazy dreams I have, are my true inspiration to my artwork. Everything that I grew up loving and are really passionate about should lead me to create the best work I can generate. I'm very much into the cute, imaginative, feminine, and colorful things in life. That should be my true inspiration.
Things in nature is the second most biggest inspiration.

I'm hoping this will be enough to carry all my skills in vector art,painting and designing things. Although I am a graphic designer...all those things should capture the true essence of my work...

I am still on the verge of learning HTML/CSS PHP etc etc....in order to build websites.
With my design skills at hand...i know the this skill will help me in a web-run world. Esthetically speaking...we all know pretty things are always good things to stare at and engage.

I am on my way...to believe that work should not feel like work... but more of a hobby that leads somewhere.

Artist Spotlight: Bleuh Meuh Design

I'd like to introduce the cute and whimsical world of Bleuh Meuh Designs:
Bleuh Meuh Design Website Here!

Their cutesy ideas, wonderful use of colors and everything else...This is the kind of inspiration I look forward to from other digital artists(vectors). I know that I am capable of illustration in vectorized form, but the difficult part is coming up with an original style, character and feel.