4/18/13


I'm momentarily hijacking the Thailand posts to bring you these azalea festival photos. Because it's my blog. And my birthday. Wa-bam! (Also, I'm always telling my students not to start sentences with "and" or "but". Clearly I'm a good example).

So last night, a group of us headed out to Bucheon (a nearby city) to check out the azaleas. I went with no expectations and was absolutely flabbergasted. Have you ever seen anything so beautiful? The azaleas even make the cherry blossoms seem a bit passé.

On a different note, my students are the best. They made me a flower crown (magnolia blossoms taped on to a leaf a student brought from home), a flower ring (which they ordered Mike to give to me on bended knee. He obviously complied) and threw random bits of flowers into the air and blew into noisemakers to wish me a happy birthday!

30 comments:

  1. First, HAPPY birthday! Second, those azaleas are STUNNING!

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  2. Happy Birthday!! Oh wow these are beautiful!! So colourful!!! x

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  3. Happy Birthday! Hope you have a wonderful day!
    The pictures are absolutely amazing and the flowers so very beautiful!!
    WOW!

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  4. omg!amazing!!!greetings from Poland:))))))
    Happy Birthday:))))

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  5. happy birthday, pretty lady! oh my goodness -- those azaleas are like a dream. so beautiful! xx

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  6. Happy birthday girl! These pictures are so amazing that they just seem unreal. No words for that.

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  7. That place is so beautiful. And Happy Birthday, girl! ;)

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  8. oh my gosh, is that real life?! stunning!! happy birthday lady!! I don't think you could have asked for a sweeter present, what sweet students you have! sounsa like this will definitely be a bday you cherish for years to come.

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  9. Oh my goodness, this looks straight out of a fairy tale! Bucket list item for sure. You look so happy in that second to last photo...love it. And happy birthday!! :)

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  10. Sounds like a wonderful way to celebrate. Happy birthday! Beautiful, beautiful photos as always :)

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  11. happy birthday, pretty girl! those blossoms are breathtaking. my word.

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  12. incredible! PS: happy belated birthday!

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  13. Holy smokes, these photos are breathtaking! I want to step into my computer screen and be there right now.

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  14. haaappy birthday!! Wow these flowers and photos are absolutely gorgeous!

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  15. holyyyyy i never knew azaleas were so beautiful! im convinced. happy birthday janis!

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  16. Gorgeous pictures! What a fun way to spend your birthday - congrats!

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  17. sooo so so so amazing. did they smell yummy??
    hope you had a beautiful birthday!

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  18. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! belated wishes are packed with many more days of love & happy wishes; or so people say ;) hip hip.

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  19. uuummmm WOW! I thought the azalea festivals in Korea were amazing...but these flowers are INCREDIBLE! Definitely a lot more dense than here. As always, gorgeous pics.

    Amanda | Living in Another Language

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  20. Happy birthday, wonderful lady!

    Seriously, I can't believe these pictures AREN'T from some crazy, psychedelic dream. Those flowers are wildly vibrant and beautiful, like they're out of a movie set or painting.

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  21. How fun, my birthday is April 19th! This year I´ve celebrated in Paris, I´m still here for another day. :-)

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  22. So so gorgeous, and happy birthday!

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  23. Wow!!! Korea is so full of beautiful flowers! I love the intense shade of purple!

    Happy birthday!!

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  24. Happy belated birthday! I always catch myself when I start a sentence with "and" or "but" too. BUT sometimes it just feels right anyway, or perhaps just rebellious! :) These photos are stunning! Will now add this post to my travel-to-do list.

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  25. Janis, Is that fuchsia color for real?! I'm a big time sucker for a flower field - but this may just take the cake. These pictures are so special.

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thanks so much for writing! i love hearing from you!

xo