I've always felt that Japanese drinks should get more attention. The country's cuisine, after all, is among the most celebrated in the world—shouldn't its beverages follow suit? Over the next few paragraphs, I'll highlight some of my go-to drinks in Japan. Although many of these will be familiar to you, others might seem surprising or even strange. Just as many people have limited exposure to Japanese
Vietnam is an interesting country that is located in the Southeastern part of Asia. It is home to more than 95.5 million people and hosts thousands of tourists each year. Tourists and locals alike try to avoid the busy traffic of the larger cities by traveling around by motorbike. In fact, I heard from my food tour guide that in Ho Chi Minh City
The magnificent city of Jaipur is the capital and largest city of Rajasthan, India. Jaipur is known as the “Pink City” due to the terracotta pink that was painted on the buildings. The pink color of the city was done as a makeover in 1876 to celebrate the visit of the Prince of Wales. In Indian culture, the color pink represents hospitality and one way
I believe everyone deserves a vacation. Most people think that a vacation should be in a tropical paradise where sometimes your skin seems to melt due to the extreme heat (maybe I exaggerated just a little, but you know what I mean!). Skip the tropical beaches in the Summer and go on a great vacation in the Spring to a warm place instead! I have
White and soft sand, palm trees, impressive size cliffs, and the ocean. At least a few vacation days in one of the seven most beautiful beaches in the world would make a tourist trip just as good as a fairytale. Of course, it is easy to be biased about it, but all of these beaches and places we are going to talk about today are
With more than 10 million international visitors per year, Taiwan is one of the best places to go to find incredible waterfalls, beautiful mountains, and sparkling rivers. If you are ready to get out of the big cities and look for nature to soothe your soul, then have I got a few places for you to visit in Taiwan. Outstanding Waterfalls That People Love in
Map of Indonesia In less than 10 days, I will begin a trip to Indonesia to visit four secret places everyone should add to their bucket list! It is hard for me to hold my excitement in! I have never been to Indonesia before, but looking forward to this trip. Admittedly, my knowledge of Indonesia is limited. Indonesia, to me, is like some
So you saw my gorgeous photos from my luxury train trip to India? Or looked through the latest online magazine and saw something that intrigued you about India? India has a way of mesmerizing those who look for just a bit too long! So before you book that trip to India, or when you do then you will need to know how to get an
I write a lot about luxury, as it is definitely my most preferred way to travel. But I do have to admit that what is luxury to one person may not be luxurious to another, as luxury is different depending on who you ask. Also, luxury varies depending on what country you are in. One country's luxury does not equal a different country, but that
Japan is a food lover’s dream. With Asian cuisine that has often emigrated from its island home, Japanese food is well-known all over the world. Servings of miso soup, tempura, and, of course, sushi are common in any major city. For the traditional and the strange, the elegant and the messy, check out these restaurants in Japan’s capital that will make your mouth water, no
Let me introduce you to a corner of the world that daily transforms lives by delivering an emotional travel experience related to nature that you didn’t even know existed. Flanked by the Arabian Sea, Kerala, India has been known as a spice exporter to the world since 3000 BC! It is dotted with tea plantations, spice gardens, dense green forests, and mystic nature. And I
Leaving the post-modern and futuristic city of Tokyo behind, one might feel the entire country would be paved with unique technologies and cyberpunk innovation, but heading north to the Tochigi region of Japan might also make you think you’ve entered a brand new country. It doesn’t take long to travel out of the city by train. You can head to Nikko Japan, located in the
My arrival into "Heaven on Earth": Palawan, Philippines was nothing short of spectacular! If you're trying to choose where to go on vacation and the Philippines is on your radar, then do I have the place for you: Palawan, El Nido. It is a great place to start! I have not seen such pure beauty in a tropical island setting in quite some time, but
It's no secret that the cherry blossom season is the best time to visit Japan. Known in the Japanese language as Sakura, these pink-and-white flowers burst open between March and May of every year, with a specific date that depends as much upon where you are in the archipelago as it does the relative warmth of the winter. Japanese people love cherry blossoms (sakura) so
India is a unique place to visit and honestly, I never thought I would make it there. I think everyone should experience this country at least once in their lifetime. It is like going on a journey through your wildest imagination. India is a massive country that is home to more than a billion people with huge cultural wealth, diverse religions, and a history that
Sometimes it’s a single photo that moves me to seek out a destination. When I came across a shot of Chinese fishing nets silhouetted against a setting sun in Fort Kochi, a city in the southern state of Kerala, India, I knew I needed to be there. I admit to having a love affair with India, so it was with boundless enthusiasm that I
There are many honeymoon destinations around the world to explore, but one that is off-the-beaten-path for Americans is the country of India. I have complied a list of best 10 Indian honeymoon destinations for couples. So ff you ever get a chance to go to an Indian wedding or be invited to one, be sure and go! They are certainly interesting from an American perspective.
Thinking of ways to show someone you love them? A box of chocolates or a fancy night out is great, but what about giving them a massive marble tomb that will take 22 years to build and cost over 30 million rupees? Now that's a display of affection. It also happens to be the story of the Taj Mahal, one of the most famous buildings
It was very late into the wee hours of a rainy morning when my plane landed at the Jiangbei Airport near Chongqing, China. After gathering my luggage, I handed the non-English speaking taxi driver the address to Tongjing Hot Springs Resort. He shrugged his shoulders as if to say he had no idea where to go, then plugged the address into his GPS. Some 45
Things to do in Istanbul For so many years, I have wanted to go to the city of Istanbul. I never really had an idea about what it would be like, but knew that it was a right dab in the middle of the East and the West. Straddling both Europe and Asia, making it the only city in the world to sit across two continents.
Landing in Colombo, I had no idea what riches lie in front of me. Sri Lanka sounded to this American Girl like an exotic, far-off land. This trip for me was intriguing and mysterious all at the same time. Any country’s UNESCO World Heritage sites are always of interest to me, so I was ecstatic to learn I would take a visit to an ancient
Chora Church - No Ordinary Place The sights and sounds that are Istanbul are so difficult to explain, I tried to show you this thru my streets of Istanbul photograph post. At first, I was so overwhelmed with the mass difference between the USA and Turkey, that I had a hard time describing my emotions and thoughts about Istanbul. It has taken me a while
Crowded in the back of a forest green jeep with the top down, I was hanging onto the metal bars of the truck. A slight breeze touched my face in the muggy weather when suddenly light droplets began to fall from the sky. Crouching down into the vinyl black seat below the metal racks, I covered my head, iPhone and DSLR camera with my scarf.
Picture yourself in one of the over 17,000 islands in the Republic of Indonesia. One of the most notable and particularly interesting islands is known as the habitat of the Komodo dragon. It is the largest lizard on earth and known as Komodo Island. But no need to worry, the Komodo dragon is not the only species roaming around the island. There are over 2,000 people
Soaring near the landing airstrip at the El Nido Palawan Airport, I could see that other passengers eyes were glued to the tiny windows in the Air Swift charter flight out of Manila, Philippines. We flew over Mount Mantalingaian, the southern Philippine mountains and were soon dipping down near Palawan Phillippines, El Nido Resorts. I had, as usual, chosen an aisle seat, not thinking about
Batik Art in Malaysia: The Fabric of our Lives My western mind always has a problem wrapping itself around things it cannot understand. This was a new concept for me and I was interested to find out what it was all about. Entering the studio, immediately I was enamored by the skill of the artisan in front of me. He has this instrument in his
It was a photo of some old buildings reflected in a canal labeled “China water town” that caught my eye on Pinterest. I did a bit of sleuthing on the web and found out there are eight ancient water towns about 1-2 hours from Shanghai. When a trip to Thailand was materializing for me, I decided on a stopover in Shanghai to check them out.
The words that come to my mind when thinking of my time spent in Bali Indonesia are tropical, paradise, and exotic. In fact, Bali is the perfect place to experience Indonesian culture, luxury accommodations, exotic foods, gorgeous beaches, and wellness at local spas. Bali changed me and left me yearning for more on my last quick visit there. I believe Bal Indonesia has the ability to
Palace on Wheels is one of the luxury trains in India that travels through the majestic landscapes of Rajasthan within India’s Golden Triangle. Powered by a traditional steam engine, the Palace on Wheels train made its inaugural journey in 1982. It was THIS train that started the era of luxury trains in India. This train has given rise to other luxury trains, such as the
Hong Kong, Singapore, and Bali Can you imagine going on a trip around the world? I couldn’t either, but now I have to pinch myself as I just returned from a segment of Holland America’s Grand Pacific and Far East Voyage! Although I didn’t do the entire voyage, I was thrilled to join the cruise in Hong Kong and depart in Australia. Holland America’s Grand
I recently took a fascinating trip through Asia with Hong Kong as a stop. I was on a Holland America cruise ship’s “around the world” Asia Pacific Voyage. While on the ship, I would walk the deck on a regular basis. But what joy I found when I was able to step off the ship, step out of the concrete jungle of Hong Kong’s city
Colombo, Sri Lanka is a city full of treasures to discover: sitting directly on the Arabian Sea the city has an oceanside feel. In the evenings, kids fly kites against the sun setting into the sea at Galle Face Green, as onlookers happily munch fried snacks. Colombo is an architectural treasure trove, too - with colonial ruins from the Portuguese, Dutch and British eras, alongside
You can imagine the moment I received the email with an invitation for me to stay on a segment of the global cruise Holland America’s Grand Asia and Pacific Voyage! As a travel writer, I was thrilled. As a traveler I was ecstatic! This global cruise started in San Diego and ended in San Diego 52 days later. I was to join them in Hong
Amita Thai Cooking Class, Bangkok, Thailand ✦ Cooking Class Bangkok When traveling, honestly, I never really think about taking a cooking class. I mean, I like to eat as much as the next guy, but just generally don't think of cooking it myself. Well, that all changed when the Tourism Authority of Thailand invited me to a special Thai cooking class. And
Often dubbed the "land of smiles", Thailand is every bit the "land of temples" as well. Thailand is home to no fewer than 40,000 Buddhist Temples (yes, forty thousand!) and Bangkok is a great place to start exploring them and the place to get familiar with Thai culture. The Thailand temple of Wat Arun is a great place to start and is arguably the main
