Westminster Abbey | London, England | 4 of 6

Unfortunately, we weren't able to make it inside Westminster Abbey. We visited on our last day in London and by that time, we were a bit tired of museums and things of that nature. Also, the £18.00 ($27) fee was a bit steep. Now, in hindsight, I regret it a tiny bit. I had the chance to see the beauty and splendor of the Westminster Abbey and I let my fatigue and an entrance fee stop me. Who knows when I'll ever be back in London, that's the thing about wanderlust. It causes you to want more and see more. Most likely, you'll never return to the places you've been because the world is so big.

I think while we were there I knew I would later regret not going inside and went a bit crazy on the photos. I only had the outside to take photos, but it was enough. Even though we weren't able to go inside, we were able to make it memorable. James, Ari, Markus and I found a nice grassy spot in front and sat for a bit. We had a nice chat and people watched. It wasn't how I thought I would remember Westminster Abbey, but it's still a nice memory.

Eats with Jeff #1: Grilled Octopus

Markus and I love to eat. It's one of our favorite pastimes. We enjoy finding and trying new things. It's one of the greatest things about living in Korea. There isn't a lack of interesting and delicious foods. Recently, we befriended Jeff who, as I said before, bears a strong resemblance to my older brother. He also volunteers at the Women's Shelter and we bonded over our passion for food. Jeff has been a bit more proactive in his culinary adventures. So, as of late he's been taking us all over Busan to indulge in his finds.

Recently, Jeff took us to a grilled octopus restaurant in Seomyeon. One night, he stumbled upon the nondescript place in a back alley of the neighborhood. Later, he went with a Korean friend so that he could sample the food. As soon as I saw the photos on Facebook, I knew we had to go. 

Pancakes filled with pork

Spicy Grilled Octopus

The Boys: Kasim, Markus and Jeff

I'm glad Jeff found the place because it was quite delicious. The restaurant is hard to find and could easily be missed. It's down a very small alley that is off a side road that is off the main road. It's that hidden. Despite it's hard to find location, the place was packed. There was even a wait, which I rarely see. The restaurant focuses on one thing, octopus.  Glancing at the other tables, it's the only thing that everyone had on their table. The octopus itself was quite delicious. It was very spicy, but not in an unbearable way. It only heightened the taste that comes out once the octopus is grilled.

Once we were finished eating, we quickly left to free up our table. We stood outside the front of the restaurant with full bellies. We were trying decide where to go next. While Markus and Jeff were chatting, Kasim and I had a quick shoot. I believe he'll take any chance to pose and whip out his "modelling skills."

Strawberry Waffle

After eating heaps of spicy octopus, we all agreed that we needed sweets to soothe the fire in our mouths. We found a nearby cafe that served delicious strawberry waffles. Kasim couldn't resist feeding Jeff, its a thing they love to do in Korea! The waffles were so yummy that Kasim and I ordered another and proceeded to meet our carb quota for the day. Overall, it was a successful and delicious night out with Jeff.

Angkor Wat, Cambodia

I really loved Cambodia and our short time there. It's an amazing country with the friendliest people I've ever come across. Sometimes, as a traveler, it's easy to forget how kind and genuine people can be. Considering their violent history, Cambodians are easily the nicest people I've ever met. It was refreshing to be around them and made our vacation even better.

The first three days of our trip we decided to temple hop at Angkor Wat near Siem Reap. Angkor Wat is "the" place to see and it's absolutely massive. It is the largest religious monument in the world and dates back to the early 12th century. It began as a Hindu temple and later converted to Buddhism.

There was so much to see, even on the main roads to the temples. Many of the temples had streets lined with statues and huge carved entrances. We stopped for a few minutes to admire the detailed work and avoid some of the crowds. It was a perfect sample of what was to come.

Trafalgar Square | London, England | 3 of 6

The last time Markus and I were in London, we were novice travelers. We had no idea how to manage our time and we missed out on a lot of the highlights of London. This time around, we decided to catch all the things we were unable to see. Thankfully, we had our dear friends, James and Ari to show us around this time.

On one of our last days in Londy Town, we headed over to Trafalgar Square. We climbed on top of the lion statues, where I took too many photos of Markus.  We stood in front of the Olympic clock and basked in the momentous occasion. Afterwards, we admired the many stunning portraits in the National Gallery. It was a very simple afternoon, but it was quite enjoyable. Sometimes, life is truly about the little things.

London 2012 Olympic Clock

Trafalgar Square and Big Ben

National Gallery

Typography and Publications | Harry Potter Studio Tour 3 of 6

Lately, I've found myself drawn to typography and graphic design. I've found that it's very inspiring and it helps my writing. I know it's a bit strange that looking at book covers and calligraphy can spark ideas, but it does. So at this point, whatever works right? 

While on the Harry Potter Studio Tour, there was a small little section in the first studio. It wasn't one of the highlights, and it was right before the exit. In a huge glass display they showcased of all the publications created for the films. It was probably my favorite part of the tour. I took heaps of photos and was so excited to see the actual letters and newspapers. They always look amazing on camera, but up close they were gorgeous. The production crew spared no detail and everything was beautiful. Now if I could only create something just as awesome.

Daily Prophet and Wanted Posters

3D Quibbler

The Daily Prophet

From Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes

From Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes

Deathly Hallows Necklace

Letter from Lily Potter to Sirius Black

Dark Arts textbooks

221b Baker Street & Chipotle | London, England | 2 of 6

As you've seen before, I'm a bit of a geek. Our trip to England was so fantastic because I was able to indulge all of my geeky little obsessions. We were able to go to Pemberley, Hogwarts and we even made it to 221b Baker Street. I love Steven Moffat's modernization of Sherlock. If you haven't seen the show, you must watch it now. It's absolutely brilliant. I actually like it a little better than the recent film versions.

 

Unfortunately, there wasn't a sign of Sherlock or Watson, but it was still pretty awesome. After we caught a glimpse of Sherlock's flat, we headed over to Chipotle. I can't even describe the elated feeling that coursed through my body the moment I saw the familiar red and silver logo. I really miss America and its delicious food. When I found out there was a Chipotle in London, it immediately went on the itinerary. 

Markus and I ordered our typical meal of chicken salad and chicken burrito. We even splurged a bit and ordered chips and guacamole. Oh guacamole, how I miss you.  Everything tasted amazing and it made me miss home even more. I spent 12 long months without the taste of Tex Mex and it was a joyous reunion. It really is the little things in life that make you happy.