2022 Recap 2023 Restart
This is the lake from Kimi no Na wa! While the lake is fictional in the movie, it is based on Lake Suwa, a body of water in the central region of Nagano Prefecture, Japan. Lake Suwa, located in the middle of the city, is one of Japan’s most famous lakes. It is known for … Continue reading SUWA, NAGANO: Guide to Nagano’s Lakeside City!
Matsumoto is famed as one of Japan’s great sightseeing spots! It’s Nagano Prefecture’s second largest city, home to the oldest and most beautiful castle in Japan and a gateway to the Japan Alps that’s known for its winter activities and hot springs. Here are the top 10 activities we recommend to complete your Matsumoto City … Continue reading MATSUMOTO CITY GUIDE: TOP 10 ACTIVITIES!
It’s Japan’s oldest castle! Matsumoto Castle is one of the five castles designated as National Treasures of Japan. It’s over 400 years old, making it the oldest castle donjon remaining in the country. Unlike many palaces in Japan, its original structure was, fortunately, not bombed during WWII. That’s why it was able to keep most of its original wooden donjons and walls intact. It … Continue reading MATSUMOTO CASTLE: Guide & Tips for Tourists!
Top Places to Travel in 2019 Series We started my hubby’s 40th birthday trip in Peru. It was a long way to get to from the Philippines given that we first flew to Los Angeles (16 hrs) then stayed a few days before flying to Peru (10 hours). Since this was our first time going … Continue reading Machu Picchu to Patagonia: A Latin American Journey
Top Places to Travel in 2019 Series Nikko is one of the more beautiful places we have visited in Japan. Famous for its heritage sites and breathtaking mountains, it is also known for the many onsens built around the hot springs that dot the area. About a 2-hour train ride from Tokyo, Nikko is the … Continue reading Nikko Japan via Tobu Railways (Travel Guide)
Welcome to the 2019 Taiwan Lantern Festival! Be amazed by larger-than-life lantern displays, by thousands of visually spectacular lantern creations over more than 38 hectares of land and 200 hectares of water. Every year, the Taiwan International Lantern Festival rotates among different hosting cities within the country, with this year’s festival being held in Pingtung … Continue reading Taiwan Lantern Festival 2019 Experience! (Photo Essay)
The Galapagos are located 973 km (605 mi) from South America, and the flights only operate early in the day, which means it is essential for travelers to spend at least one day in Ecuador before and after their visit. Travelers can choose from Quito and Guayaquil. We stayed in Guayaquil, a coastal city, before … Continue reading Stay in Guayaquil, Ecuador Before the Galapagos Islands (Pre-Trip)
Top Places to Travel in 2019 Series The Galapagos Islands is well-known for its animals that brought us to the world we live in today. Charles Darwin’s study of its animals led to his theory of natural selection, but did he ever imagine that people would travel from all over the globe just to see … Continue reading National Geographic Endeavor II | Aboard the Galapagos Cruise Ship (Boat Tour)
Top Places to Travel in 2019 Series The Galapagos is a magical place where those wishing to visit must educate themselves in all things Galapagos. We explored the Galapagos with National Geographic aboard one of their cruises on the Endeavor II. On this cruise, there were many educated people who knew a lot about the … Continue reading National Geographic Galapagos Tours Expedition (Travel Guide 2019)
Top Places to Travel in 2019 Series The movie Coco gained a lot of attention when it first premiered. It’s portrayal of the Mexican holiday, Dia De Los Muertos, had viewers curious as to whether a holiday like that could be so brilliant. Lucky for those viewers, the holiday is exactly as it’s portrayed in the … Continue reading Mixquic, Mexico: Celebrate Day of the Dead Like the Movie, Coco!
