MARCH 2008… Kyoto is the ancient cultural city of Japan and its main draw is the many Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, some of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Tourists come here for a piece of old Japan – admiring the religious architecture, walking down historic Gion and appreciating traditional Japanese crafts. Convenient day… Continue reading Kyoto: Old Never Looked So Pretty
Category: Travel
Osaka Part 2: A Dive Into The Kaiyukan
MARCH 2008… I thought the Osaka Aquarium, also known as the Kaiyukan, deserved a piece on its own with all the fantastic pictures I took. I’m not an expert on ocean life, so honestly, all aquariums look more or less the same to me – aka a place to see fish. But I still like… Continue reading Osaka Part 2: A Dive Into The Kaiyukan
Osaka Part 1: A City With Character
MARCH 2008… Osaka is somewhat similar to Tokyo, yet different. It is also a major city (the third largest in Japan), but it has less of the modern skyscrapers and less of the sometimes-oppressing crowds. Instead, its pace is more moderate, its buildings more traditional and you actually feel like you have some space to… Continue reading Osaka Part 1: A City With Character
Tokyo Part 3: Adventure at DisneySea
MARCH 2008 After some healing time at Hakone, it was time for some adventure. My friend wasn’t interested in theme parks, so I made my way to DisneySea myself. DisneySea is one of the two theme parks at the Tokyo Disney Resort, the other being Disneyland. I have never been to Disneyland either, but since… Continue reading Tokyo Part 3: Adventure at DisneySea
Tokyo Part 2: Healing At Hakone
MARCH 2008… For our first excursion out of Tokyo, we headed to Hakone, a town on the outskirts of Tokyo. It was easy to get there with the direct train from Shinjuku Station in Tokyo, which took about 90 minutes. Alternatively, there is a shorter 55-minute route by Shinkansen and local train for those pressed… Continue reading Tokyo Part 2: Healing At Hakone
Tokyo Part 1: Warm At Heart
MARCH 2008… Mention Japan and the first thing that comes to my mind is food – Sushi, sashimi, ramen, teppanyaki and the list goes on. Japanese cuisine is varied and always delicious, its popularity evident in the fact that it can be found in many parts of the world. There’s really nothing bad to say… Continue reading Tokyo Part 1: Warm At Heart
Hong Kong: Too Fast, Too Furious
JULY 2007… One of the things I remembered most about Hong Kong was the weather. Or rather, the dismal weather. Granted, it was a stopover trip and I didn’t choose the best season to visit but I never thought I would find a more humid city than my own. It was July (read: summer), the… Continue reading Hong Kong: Too Fast, Too Furious
San Francisco Part 3: Sonoma & Yosemite
JUNE 2007… For our next trip out of San Francisco, we didn’t have to cycle our way there. Nope, it’s too far to peddle all the way there actually, so we took a bus instead. There are many locations just beyond San Francisco that are perfect for an excursion or day trip. These are the… Continue reading San Francisco Part 3: Sonoma & Yosemite
San Francisco Part 2: Cycling The Golden Gate Bridge
JUNE 2007… If you noticed the blatant absence of the Golden Gate Bridge in my previous article, that’s because I saved it for this piece instead. In an out-of-character “adventure”, I rode a bike across the Golden Gate Bridge. Why did I even do it in the first place? That’s because I was a freeloader… Continue reading San Francisco Part 2: Cycling The Golden Gate Bridge
San Francisco Part 1: A Cosy Coastal City
JUNE 2007… It always amazes me how big the USA is, so big that you have to fly 6 hours to get from the east coast to the west coast. The last time I was in America, I was touring cities on the east coast, including New York City, Boston, Niagara Falls and Washington DC.… Continue reading San Francisco Part 1: A Cosy Coastal City
big picture little things 