As soon as we decided we’d venture west to Hiroshima on our Japan trip, it was a foregone conclusion that we’d visit Miyajima Island. Even if that name doesn’t ring a bell, you might be familiar with Miyajima. On photo sharing sites, Pinterest travel bucket lists, or “beautiful places” type of lists, the floating torii gate […]
Hasedera (長谷寺, Hase Kannon Temple), is located south of Tokyo, Japan on Mount Kamakura with an ocean view. It’s home to a giant statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy. In this post, we’ll share our photos from Hasedera, thoughts about visiting this temple, and general info about it. In terms of Hasedera Temple’s history, […]
As we concluded our last week in Kyoto with a forecast calling for snow, it only feels fitting that I’d finally get around to writing about our first week here for fall colors season. I guess the emphasis should’ve been on ish when I wrote that this would be a live-ish trip report. 😉 With a full month in […]
Tian Tan Buddha is one of Hong Kong’s most iconic and popular attractions. In this post, we’ll offer tips for visiting “Big Buddha,” share photos from our experiences, and offer ideas for other things to do on Lantau Island to make it worthwhile as a day or half-day trip. Tian Tan Buddha is a 34-meter […]
As the second-largest city in Norway, Bergen has tons of great things to do, beautiful architecture, great food, and even a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located amidst the fjords of Norway’s western coast and surrounded by the Seven Mountains, Bergen is naturally beautiful. It also has a defiant small-town intimacy despite its size, and plenty […]
Nagoya was not our first or second choice for this leg of our Japan trip. Originally, we wanted to visit Sapporo. (“We” in this case is me; while willing to go, I think Sarah is perfectly fine on not visiting places where it snows. Unless they have monkeys…and these places all do.) We nixed Sapporo […]
Château d’Amboise is one of our favorite castles in France, thanks in part to a mix its location, history, and beauty. Perched on a hill at the edge of the Loire River and towering above the Centre Val de Loire region, Château d’Amboise is reminiscent of a fortress. That’s by design, as it was built on […]
Osaka, Japan’s Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum (the “Cup Noodles Museum”) is a magical place dedicated to all things ramen. It’s a place that allows you to jump into the production process of instant noodles, and learn about the history of the Cup Noodles as well as its creator, Momofuku Ando. In this post, we’ll […]
The Autry Museum of the American West in Los Angeles’ Griffith Park is the creation of Hollywood cowboy-legend Gene Autry, who wanted to showcase the various heritages of the West, from Native North Americans to the depiction of Westerns in pop culture. Just pause to think about that a moment: a museum showcasing everything from Native […]
If you’ve ever watched a travel show about Hong Kong, you’ve probably heard of the Symphony of Lights, a free laser light and sound show that runs nightly on both sides of Victoria Harbour at 8 p.m. You’re likely aware that more than 40 skyscrapers on Kowloon and Hong Kong Island participate, and that the […]