The Olympics and North Korean Spotting

We spotted a whole bunch of North Koreans!

We were close enough to learn their nationalistic hymns!

OMG, one of them waved at me. So star-struck!

The ones across the rink had dance moves too. They did a mean robot. (Does this mean they have robots in N. Korea?)

Barry says we have to show a selfie to show how close we were, but this made his face turn yellow. (It's true that most living humans have not been this close to an actual North Korean).

We met up with our friends Dean, Richard and Michelle, who planned the Olympic trip with us. They are Canada fans too! (It was heavy in logistics planning. At one point we had to impersonate Aussies. Thanks Will and Catherine!)

Barry also made some new friends. They were beavers with maple syrup. Obviously.

Dean and Richard wisely suggested that we go to figure skating. They were correct. Pairs long program is the best event at the Olympics to watch live.

We had good seats. Close enough to the skaters that Julianne Séguin looked up to our cheers! Close enough to the North Korean skater to cause an international incident.

Canadian bronze medalists Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford! We, (including our somewhat less-Canadian friends), were enthralled.

In between events, Korea's future Olympians tidy up the refuse. Inexplicably, the Chinese skaters got stuffed vegetables, including a giant leek, although this is a clue.

We made some good and bad spectator decisions. Canadian women's hockey was a good one. Strangers asked us in Korean for some of our Canada flags. Luckily my Korean is improving.

The United Korea(s) Hockey team scoring their only ever goal was louder than a Tailor Swift concert, I'm sure.

Speed skating is a pretty good spectator sport, with great Korean fans, except for the perpetual breaks to manicure the ice. Canadian Samuel Girard seen here in the front.

While Snowboard Cross is perhaps the best event to watch on TV, this is what it looks like in person. Not a winning choice.

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Japanese Discoveries

Now, where were we. Could you please tell me how to get to the escalator?

In Japan, I think I'm all well travelled and well-eaten, but then I discover something called meat-sushi. Who knew?

I flew on the ANA Star Wars BB-8 Plane. I thought this was going to mean special controls and flight attending robots. It was actually just the napkins, and the theme song playing repetitively before takeoff.

This Japanese discovery was even more shocking - the forward leaning (brace position) barber hair-wash sink! I couldn't get closer, but basically you put your head forward into the sink and they wash your hair (while getting shampoo in your eyes?) and then you lean way back the other way for the cut. This is not my favourite Japanese invention...

You need to stay flexible and in shape for that, maybe via a electro-stimulating sixpad!

But remember to wear your snail slime whitener! Mark got us some for Christmas because we got a bit tanned (Ed. note, this is Thai, but we just fit it in there).

And then I went back to translating. Tourists go CRAZY about Tokyo banana in airports across Asia, bringing boxes of tiny twinkies home. This may explain the wonder:

I can now distinguish giraffe from cow flavour.

This is the first and only translation that says what I thought it would, in potato kingdom.

I chipped my tooth on some torque candy.

And I leave you with a word of the day. Callosity: the beans and chips seemingly named after crunchy toe skin.

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Sunset Juice, Winter Peripheral, and Devil Strikes

I always see these face shaper rolly gizmos. These ones cost over $200, so they must be amazing at facial smoothenation. I asked the Google Translate picture app to explain it to me. Here are three different kinds.

The cheapest and most travel-friendly rollator is only for the small juice in the front end. So it's very local sum specific. The Ray Face, has the additional OTA ability plates absorption, and helps with sunset juice in the woman township. A lot more features.

The original/premium ReFa CARAT has two specific depth, so I guess it does both front end small juice and sunset juice, with its finger specific approach and systemic Reed products. So I recommend this one.

I found out a lot using Google Translate. Here, they sold winter peripherals for lovers of the colour white.

But then something scary happened. The translated words started to change right before my eyes!

While we're consistent that cava makes your mood rise, the cuteness shows up inconsistently, along with the fruit rich and hungry taste.

This cava changes throughout the night. As first, it has vision bubbles on a night desk with dining.

Then it supplies the third of the foam and the devils strikes widely!

Then there a foamy Aquarius shows up.

And the night ends dramatically, dying, a bush of the night, along with a father. No one wanted that to happen.

Luckily, the cigarette warnings made more sense. If you smoke month city you will death risk knack the health!

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Holiday fairies, astronauts, and victory!

Merry holidays! This tree in Seoul is accompanied by a nagging countdown. It was 60 days until the winter Olympics, and we still don't have everything booked!

Singapore thinks that winter, Santa, creepy elves, flying reindeer, fruitcake, chestnuts, sleigh bells, etc. are not enough, so we have new holiday themes, such as this fairytee. We made poor work/life balance decisions, so this from-car picture is the best we got of the space holidays décor.

This year's holiday wrap is not as creative as the past, but I'm pleased to announce that holiday French is abound in Asia. I prefer the "Petit et gentil" ornament.

I prefer wrap with seasonally appropriate messaging. (Note, not an actual model 58, from my checking).

Nothing bring yuletide joy like these simple statements.

I like to tell my gift recipients how to live, you know?

And when the gift is wrong, I give them a "Thanks anyway" gift back.

I'm not sure when it makes sense to give a camouflaged gift - seems more like an Easter thing.

While I disagree with the travel message, it is a victory to receive a gift from me, really. It's a subtle message.

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The Last Ride to the Waffle Tree

It's nearly the holidays! We celebrate in the traditional way, with home-smoked cocktails. It adds extra carcinogens to your liver-toxins. Speaking of which, let's admire Rajoo's marketing. Imagine the conversation at the slogan agency.

We also got our annual Korean socks. Avocadoes and fish ecology are stylish this year.

I have found out, in fact, that not wearing socks can be hazardous.

Barry has found the creepiest hotel art so far on his business trip.

Let's artanalyze. The bunny is holding what we hope is a hat, (or perhaps meat, or his own innards), while an apple falls nearby. Meanwhile, something not the right colour to be his tail or the tree root, slithers around the back of him, which may be the cause of his obvious surprise. Barry slept soundly beneath this.

When he got home, Barry recovered by posing for holiday pictures with the Instagram dog statues.

For Christmas I got Barry this magic egg de-sheller as seen on TV. Off-screen, it pulverizes eggs and blows bits all over the kitchen. A win!

I got Barry a coffee stencilater, and he got me a stamp. So I showed my appreciation by rejecting his breakfast offering.

We didn't get this tempting stocking stuffer.

We don't have a real Christmas tree, but there is a Tree Protection zone, double-fenced, right outside our place.

Then there's always the waffle tree. (It didn't seem that this place made waffles, but they also didn't have much English, so we can't be sure.)

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