An endless collection of absolutely stunning temples all around Kyoto, it’s a magical city to walk around in with treasures in every street corner. Continuing my temple run is the relatively small and tranquil Tōfuku-ji Temple. The temple itself is
Château Vaux le Vicomte : France
Adding to my very long list of French European estates visited across France is the Château Vaux le Vicomte, which – if visited – should be combined with the Château de Blandy-les-Tours Castle. It’s only that they’re only a few
The Back Lakes : Beijing
On my recent visit to Beijing I got to revisit the Back Lakes of Beijing during much better weather than my former visit. It was freezing cold, but clear blue skies and this time around – the lakes were frozen,
Redwood Regional Park : Oakland California
While visiting Berkeley earlier this year I was surprised to learn that one of my old friends from my good old times in Taiwan is living with her family at the Oakland area not too far away from campus. The
The Must-Do Masada Insanity : Israel
One of Israel’s top tourist attractions, a spectacular archeological site with a fascinating history, Masada is not to be missed. It’s been many many years since I visited Masada last, and although things are pretty much the same, my perspective
Château de Blandy-les-Tours Castle : France
On with the Château run in the area of Paris, I decided I wanted to see something a bit different. A Château that’s older and looks more like a castle rather than a very rich and wealthy estate with endless
Kyoto International Manga Museum
To take a break from my Kyoto temple/castle run, I made my way into a small yet promising museum – the Kyoto International Manga Museum. I know very little about Manga, but living in Asia it is a phenomenon that’s
Po Toi Island : Hong Kong
After 5 years in Hong Kong I thought that I pretty much covered it all. Did most of the hiking trails, been to most of the local islands, did countless boat trips in all directions. What else could there possibly
Château de Fontainebleau : France
My tour of France can be simply summarized as the "Château tour". During my few days of roaming around the areas surrounding Paris I must have visited 15 different estates, castles and palaces, all with their own charm and beauty.
Mountain top Kiyumizu Dera Temple : Kyoto
To continue my Kyoto temple run, I went up the mountain to visit the lovely Kiyumizu Dera temple. To get to this temple you’ll go through some wonderful yet highly commercialized Japanese old-style shopping streets offering some of the local