once again, 3 continents in one year

So the countdown continues...14 days til China!

I'm super excited to be going by myself this time. For one, I can't wait to see my grandparents. Another, because I'm going myself, I finally get to explore my hometown, Shenyang. Ok, so I was born there, and lived there up until the age of 7, and have visited China a total of 4 times (extended stay). But, I haven't really been out on streets by myself. So this time, I'm doing an extensive research on my hometown and just being a tourist (without standing out, of course) I've researched places of attractions, good restaurants, cafés, clubs, and many other things. I'm going to ask my grandparents to get me a map of the city and a bus map. And finally, Shenyang has a metro system! It's not extensive yet, but still ---> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Shenyang_Metro_2013.png

Places I will visit (more detailed description will come after I come back):

Shenyang Royal Palace (Gugong): Formally caled Mukden Palace and a UNESCO site! I visited this place once in 2006.

Zhaoling: tombstone

Fuling: tombstone

Mao Zedong's Statue: I'm sure I've seen this many times, but I can't remember.

Liaoning Provincial Museum

9.18 Museum

Shenjing Ancient Cultural St.

Xinle Museum

Royal Ocean World (outside of Shenyang)

Monuments and memorials

I live right next to the Northeastern University in Shenyang, so I will be jogging on campus, providing the weather is good. I think I'll have to go jogging based on the amount of food I'm going to consume in China. And now I can't stop thinking about the food there.

Speaking of food, there's a FRENCH restaurant there called La Bellevue! I can't wait to go try it out! Oh, and this place: http://www.queenwesting.com/ The pictures just makes you so hungry. I'm definitely going to try that out too.

Otherwise, I'll have my map and my legs. They'll take me far. I finally have a chance to explore my hometown and know it inside out (hopefully).

I know this sounds strange, but I want to bring back with me a packet of oreo halloween edition cookies. Since I missed Halloween in the states last year and it seems like this year I will too, but DANGIT, I'm bring oreo cookies with me this year. I'm contemplating on wearing some sort of costume, and maybe going to local elementary school and scaring kids. Just a thought, would be funny, but probably really mean. Ahaha. Actually, it would be funny to scare my cousin. We both scare each other, so.....I think that would be amusing.

In a little over a week, I'm turning 23. Time is going by too fast. I'm getting old.....

Until the next coffee break