Beppu: An Onsen City
A short getaway to Kyushu's famous onsen city.
Any fan of onsen hot springs in Japan knows about Beppu. It's a small city that sits along Kyushu's east coast in Oita prefecture, near the border of Fukuoka. You'll know you've arrived when you start seeing steam rising from buildings and smelling sulfur in the air.
Beppu isn't fancy or luxurious, nor is it a city that's built like a resort area. It's meant to have the onsen be the central focus, a time to get away. Some friends and I made a few trips here while I was living in Yukuhashi, Fukuoka, to do just that.
There are places to visit in the city, too. The most famous is the 7 "Hells" - a couple of areas with different types of waters bubbling up to create a range of environments, most of which look like another world. While they're good for a quick look, there's no need to have it take up a chunk of your schedule.
Umijikoku (Sea Hell)
Chinoikejikoku (Blood Hell)
To get above the city, go to the Beppu Ropeway for a gondola ride up Mount Tsurumi.
The neighboring area also has an African safari where you have the opportunity to feed roaming animals from the inside of a caged bus. Giraffes, kangaroos and lions, along with a tiger cub petting room makes it a fun experience for all ages. Make sure to keep your hands in the cage around the lions - no Simba's around here!
Businesses in the area tend to have a little more English-capable staff compared to other cities in Kyushu due to an international university nearby. While most meals will likely be in the ryokan that you're staying at, here's one place you can check out:
Rokusei
If you could use a break from the Japanese washoku meals at the ryokans, check out Korean-style reimen here. It's a really small, hole-in-the-wall shop, but these cold noodles of their's is refreshing in the summer.
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Yufuin: Oita's Onsen Town
Spending a night in Oita's quaint little onsen town.
If you're looking to find a perfect little Japanese onsen (hot springs) getaway in Kyushu, Yufuin is your place. Unlike Beppu, a city, Yufuin is a small town tucked nearby some mountains and surrounded by the nature of Oita prefecture.
We stayed at Yawaragi-no-Sato Yadoya, nothing extraordinarily fancy but just right in terms of what you get for the price. It's near the main street area, yet just off it for some peace and quiet. Included along with the room was some private onsen time where you can relax in an outdoor onsen without dealing with random strangers, and a yakiniku dinner at Yadoya's Bungo Tei (see below) featuring bungogyu beef - the local Oita wagyu. Getting to spend time in an onsen alone while being surrounded by peace and quiet (versus other men!) was nothing short of relaxing. And the bungogyu beef after? Amongst the best wagyu beef I've had in Japan.
Taking a walk around Yufin town adds to the getaway experience. There's a lot of shops selling Japanese goods, local specialties, as well as desserts and homemade confectionaries.
A bridge near Lake Kinrin.
Lake Kinrin.
Bungo Tei
Some of the best meals in Japan are when wagyu beef is involved. Bungo Tei serves melt-in-your-mouth, local "bungygyu" wagyu along with a variety of Japanese dishes. Definitely check it out if you're in town.
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Hiroshima
Left out of itineraries a bit too often, Hiroshima is one of the more overlooked cities in Japan.
Many places inspire and satisfy the cravings of experiencing things new. Few truly speak to open a dialogue with your soul. Because of its history, Hiroshima is one of them.
Hiroshima sometimes finds itself just missing the cut on itineraries due to it being a bit south from hugely popular Tokyo and Kyoto. While it doesn't have that big city life or famous, traditional themes that tend to draw people to the other two, Hiroshima is one of the more underrated spots in Japan that more people need to see.
Itsukushima's torii gate
Itsukushima shrine is one of my favorite Japanese temples and shrines as it's beautifully set right on the waterfront. It's actually on a separate island entirely, Miyajima, which has a bunch of other historical sights to see. The first thing to catch everyone's eye is the torii gate that sits in the water. The rest of the shrine is on the coastline, and due to the tides, the landscape of the shrine changes quite drastically from being surrounded by water to being able to walk out right under the gate.
Another sight I'd recommend is Senjogaku Hall which is only about 10 minutes away up the hillside.
Below Senjokaku Hall (Toyokuni Shrine), the name referencing its size of 1000 tatami mats.
Oh, and those famous deer walking around in Nara? They're all over Miyajima as well.
Of course the Hiroshima Peace Memorial is also a must see. It's one of the museums in the world that will give you a real sense of the tragedies of war. It was one of the most impactful memories of my first adult trip to Japan, and I strongly feel it should be on everyone's list. It speaks to the heart of any human being.
As you'd might imagine, due to bearing the brunt of the consequences, locals feel strongly against war and nuclear weapons here. On one of my visits to the museum, an older man was walking around handing out handmade paper airplanes with a colorful little origami crane on it - a message to visitors that we all need to work for peace.
The Atomic Bomb Dome.
Hiroshima people are pretty nice and laid back being that it's a smaller city. I've visited a few times and have always enjoyed my stay.
Hiroshima's most well known food is okonomiyaki, something like a Japanese pancake. While Osaka is also known for it, the difference with Hiroshima's is that it has a lot of noodles in it. Here's one place to check out:
Henkutsuya
While there are many okonomiyaki spots, Henkutsuya was a recommended one. It's an old, hole-in-the-wall type of place near a shopping district. What's great about it is that it's an authentic local experience with a mix of Japanese and foreign tourist customers. Some good Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki and a Japanese beer isn't a bad way to end a day here.
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Taipei, Taiwan
A few nights to explore the city of Taipei and the nearby mountain town of Jiufen.
Taipei has a modern feel mixed with a hint of that Southeast Asian vibe. I went with some friends and we made sure to check out the main sights within the few days that we were there.
Here are a few things that we did:
Memorial of Chiang Kai-shek
We started off with the Memorial of Chiang Kai-shek. The hall itself is bigger than you'd probably guess, and there are a lot of historical buildings in the vicinity.
The changing of the guard there is definitely something to see; the discipline and precise movements of the soldiers are borderline mind-blowing. You can snap photos of them all you want and they won't even blink.
Changing of the guard at the Memorial of Chiang Kai-shek
Shilin Night Market
The Shilin Night Market has everything from clothing, knick knacks to food and deserts, and it makes for a fun night out. After daring - and it was no easy task for me - to try a bite of stinky tofu, I went to clean everything off with an amazing dessert - shaved ice topped with mango, tapioca balls, mochi, mango syrup and mango ice cream.
One thing's for sure: Taiwan has some of the best desserts.
Dessert at Shilin Night Market
Jiufen
Just outside of the city in the mountains, there's a town called Jiufen. It's a maze of narrow streets, walking paths and stairs - amazing for photography. They're packed with small shops with people cooking and selling different types of foods to try out. You also get a pretty nice view of the ocean.
The A Mei Teahouse, which is known to be the inspiration for the bathhouse in Hayao Miyazaki's "Spirited Away."
After Jiufen, we returned to Taipei.
We made sure we got some nightlife in, so we went to a bar called Barcode, a club called Spark, and my favorite, a bar with an outside terrace area called In House. Taipei was a nice short getaway, perfect for a few days.
Here's some of the food we ate:
Din Tai Fung
I know, this was already on the top of your list of places to go. I'm here to confirm that you need to make it a point to do so. They have staff that speak multiple languages to help you, it's a really well run operation.
Xiemen Town
This was a random shop that we hopped into. There was no English spoken, so we had fun pointing and gesturing.
MK King
MK King was a Taiwanese hotpot restaurant that we went to at the recommendation from my local friend. It's all you can eat, and everything is according to how you want it. You can choose two broths for each bowl, make your own sauce, and pick from a variety of meats and vegetables at the bar.
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Sapporo and Niseko
Two trips to Sapporo for the Snow Festival and a little snowboarding trip to Niseko didn't disappoint.
Two winter trips to Sapporo, Hokkaido has made one thing clear: It's not just another Japanese city.
The foreign influence is quite visible just by looking at the western-style, block layout of the city. Other Japanese cities tend to have a lot of winding streets and narrow alleys that you randomly wander down. Add to that the icy slick and snow galore during the winter, and it's a different Japan.
The Sapporo Snow Festival is a main attraction during winter, and it's worth checking out. Ice sculptures and food stalls line the streets in between more gigantic ice sculptures, some of which serve as stages for concerts and performances. There's also a ramp in the streets where snowboarders are jumping of and performing aerial tricks.
On my second trip, we headed a couple hours outside the city to Niseko. It's a well done ski resort - not quite as upscale and fancy as some others, but the facilities, runs and snow itself are great. Powder!
Niseko
An ice cave bar alongside the main street leading up to the Niseko runs.
Do check out some food in Sapporo as it's a tweak on the Japanese dishes that many know of. Due to the cold environment, foods like their ramen tend to be rich and hearty. Their ramen style is a heavier, miso broth, thick noodles, various seafoods and corn with a slice of butter on top. The cold climate also leads to excellent seafood, but yakiniku BBQ is also a big deal. When it's time to get your grill on, it's all about the lamb.
Hokkaido's butter miso ramen
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Nagoya
A couple of days to taste Nagoya, Japan's fourth-largest city and home to an iconic castle.
Nagoya Castle
Nagoya is in Aichi Prefecture and is Japan’s 4th largest city
It’s considered Japan’s automotive capital with makers like Toyota being from there
Aka-miso (red miso) cooking and tebasaki (chicken wings) are some of the foods they’re known for
Despite being one of Japan’s largest cities, Nagoya may not be one of the most popular destinations to visit.
Honestly, it ranked below places like Kobe or seeing more of Kyoto for me as well, but I decided to spend a couple of days there in 2011, just to get a taste of what Japan’s fourth largest city was like.
How to get there
Nagoya is in Aichi Prefecture, which is quite central on the main Honshu Island. It’s between Kyoto and Tokyo, and most people travel there on the Shinkansen Bullet Train. I recommend doing so as well.
Where I went
Nagoya Castle
My first stop was Nagoya Castle (pictured at the top), arguably the main attraction in the city.
The castle was completed in 1615 by the Shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu. It’s one of the more famous castles in the country and is recognized for the golden shachiko, mythical carp with a head of a lion, at its top.
https://www.nagoyajo.city.nagoya.jp
Atsuta Shrine
Atsuta Shrine
Atsuta Shrine is another top attraction in Nagoya, and is said to be around 1,900 years old. It’s one of the most famous in all of Japan and is visited by about 9 million people each year.
The shrine sits in a park-like area, and is perfect just to take a stroll in, really.
Toyota Museum
Toyota Museum
If you’re in the city where Toyota was founded, you have to see its museum, right?
The Toyota Museum gave a full historical look at the origins and growth of the company, the different businesses that it started, and the technologies that they created.
Being that I only thought of them as the car company that they are today, learning about everything that they did was an eye-opener.
SCMAGLEV and Railway park
JR's SCMaglev and Railway Park is fun for anyone interested in Japan's massive train network.
There's a variety of retired trains and futuristic maglev concepts on display, as well as learning rooms and a simulator.
One exhibit, the Greatest Railway Diorama Room (pictured in the slideshow above), featured an impressive, large scale model train model environment that showcased a day in the life on the Nagoya railways. Very meticulous and well designed.
https://museum.jr-central.co.jp
Osu Shotengai (Shopping street)
The Osu Shopping Street is one of the main shopping areas in Nagoya and attracts a lot of people.
It’s known for selling things at reasonable prices, items such as Japanese dishes and tea to kimonos and used clothes.
Nagoya City Hall
Food-wise, Nagoya is known for a variety of dishes, but are best known for their tebasaki (chicken wings) and aka-miso (red miso) dishes.
Where I ate
YABATON
Misokatsu - tonkatsu covered in aka-miso. One of the most well-known Nagoya misokatsu spots is Yabaton.
The katsu itself is nice, meaty and tender, and the aka-miso adds a light sweetness to it. Definitely worth a try if you're in town.
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Japan Cherry Blossom Wallpapers
Free wallpapers of Japan’s cherry blossoms - FREE TO USE!
[Updated April 2019] Japan's cherry blossoms are iconic and I make it a point to see and photograph them as much as possible each year.
I've been lucky to experience them through my years in Tokyo and Fukuoka, so I edited them into wallpapers for you. Feel free to use them!
A cherry blossom canopy covering the Meguro River in Naka-Meguro, Tokyo
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Somei-Yoshino cherry blossoms on a sunny day in Yukuhashi, Fukuoka
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Kayabacho cherry blossom tunnel near Nihombashi, Tokyo
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I also have this as a print!
Cars zoom under the cherry blossoms at Tokyo Midtown
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Cherry blossom clouds over the Meguro River in Naka-Meguro, Tokyo
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Naka-Meguro cherry blossom tunnel over the Meguro River
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I also have this as a print!
Cherry blossoms hanging over Chidorigafuchi in Tokyo
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Somei-Yoshino cherry blossoms under the spring sky in Yukuhashi, Fukuoka
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Glowing cherry blossoms in Nogawa, Tokyo for a 3-hour light up festival
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Illuminated cherry blossoms along the quiet streets around Ark Hills, Tokyo
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Cherry blossoms drape over the sides over the Meguro, Tokyo
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Lunch time hanami in Ueno, Tokyo
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Lights reflect over the cherry blossom-lined Imagawa river in Yukuhashi, Fukuoka
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Cherry blossoms over the pink lanterns in Naka-Meguro, Tokyo
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A train passes under cherry blossoms in Nakano, Tokyo
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A car leaves light trails under cherry blossoms in Yukuhashi, Fukuoka
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Hope you found one you like! Also, if you’re planning to check out cherry blossoms in Tokyo, here’s a list of the best cherry blossom spots in Tokyo!
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Hamamatsu
Exploring Hamamatsu, Shizuoka - one of Japan's unagi capitals - for a day.
Edited 2022
Hamamatsu is a mid-sized city at the western end of Shizuoka Prefecture
It’s most famous for Lake Hamana, unagi and gyoza
Hamamatsu is a coastal city on the western end of Shizuoka Prefecture, neighboring Aichi Prefecture.
How to get there
JR Hamamatsu Station is one of the stops on the Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen Line, making it rather convenient. While there is a train line in the city, getting around it is best done by car.
About Hamamatsu
Hamamatsu is a mid-sized city with a population of just under 800,000. It’s Shizuoka Prefecture’s largest city. Many Brazilians live in the city, with a large portion of them working at local manufacturing plants.
Lake Hamana and unagi, or Japanese eel, are the two things Hamamatsu is best known for. A lot of the shops in the city even sell unagi-flavored confectionary treats as well, and it’s usually the omiyage, or gift brought back from travelers to the city.
I’ve visited Hamamatsu twice. The first was a spur of the moment decision in which I stayed for a couple of days, and the second was to stay at the Hoshino Resorts KAI Enshu resort ryokan.
I've been a big fan of unagi since I was a child, and since it’s considered Japan’s unagi capital, I decided that I needed to go there and try it. My only real goal on that first trip was to head to a shop that was recommended to me. (shown below)
Here are some places that I’ve been to in the city.
Where we went
Act Tower
Often times when I travel to a place, I try to make it to a high point in the city to get a view overlooking the area. I headed to Act Tower, which is just outside of Hamamatsu Station on the east side. The view from the tower the photo at the top.
Airpark JASDF Hamamatsu Air Base Museum
The Airpark is a large museum for people interested in jets and planes in general. I was able to go on my second trip to Hamamatsu.
Entrance to the park is free and there’s free parking as well. There are decommissioned planes and replicas located in the museum, models showing the evolution of flight suits, a replica of a room in the Japanese Air Force One that the Emperor, Prime Minister and other high-ranking officials use when traveling overseas.
There are interactive exhibits as well such as a flight simulator and virtual experience for the Blue Impulse, Japan’s air acrobatics team.
The park is located at an actual air base, so we saw a couple training jets take off. Overall it’s a fun experience.
https://www.mod.go.jp/asdf/airpark/ [J]
MAP
I mentioned that food was my main reason why I first visited Hamamatsu. And because I got to go again, I ate at some good places that I can recommend.
Unagi Nakaya
Mission accomplished. Unagi Nakaya was recommended to me and the main place I wanted to eat on my first trip to Hamamatsu.
It's quite far from the central area and inconvenient to get to without a car, but as of today, it’s one of the top 3 unagi that I've ever had.
The chef cuts, grills and prepares the unagi right in front of you. It's extremely fresh, moist and tasty.
MAP
* This place seems to have closed.
Atsumi
Another favorite unagi spot. Both Unagi Nakaya above and Atsumi here are two of my three favorite unagi places that I’ve ever eaten.
Atsumi is centrally located and just a short walk from Hamamatsu Station. It’s straight forward, selling unagi sold in a few different ways such as sauce, sauceless, in a round bowl, etc. Each comes in about 3 different sizes. The one that I got here is a medium, which contains 1.5 unagi.
So fluffy and moist, yet just the right amount of char on the outside. Absolutely delicious.
Fukumitsu
Gyoza, or Chinese dumplings, are also famous in Hamamatsu. In fact, the city competes with Utsunomiya in Tochigi Prefecture for the title of gyoza capital of Japan.
Fukumitsu is a local spot and during lunch hours, you’ll see a line of locals - a good sign. Hamamatsu style gyoza is filled with a lot of vegetables like cabbage and onion, as well as pork. Fukumitsu’s gyoza wrapping was a little thicker than average, but still maintained a light feel to it.
I got a small-sized, 10-piece lunch set which was filling enough. Lunch sets go up to 20 pieces, and you can order gyoza platters of up to 50 pieces. Fukumitsu is very satisfying for lunch and I imagine it’d be a great place to gather with friends for gyoza parties in the evening as well.
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Okinawa: Naha & Zamami
A few days in Okinawa spent roaming Zamami and Aka Islands, then Naha.
Okinawa is that kind of Japan but kind of not place, due to history. I got to check it out in 2011.
We started off by taking a boat from Naha, Okinawa's main city, to Zamami island, an island just west of the main city. As we pulled up to the dock, a happy young woman from the hostel that we were staying at was waiting to warmly greet us.
Zamami Island is small and very walkable, with little beach coves every so often. The main area is condensed, so getting across it takes only several minutes on foot. It has a very small community vibe being that it's a small town, one where everyone knows everyone. People are extremely laid back, casual and friendly.
We went in late April/early May, and the water was still quite cold. The beaches are swimmable, but due to the temperature, not the most comfortable. We wore wetsuits one day, then toughed it out without them on another. The water is clear, and in some places there is an abundance of fish, but there are sea snakes that hide in the coral so beware of them.
Here are a few food spots on Zamami Island that I'd recommend:
Umibaru
This fried fish, Gurukun karaage, doesn't have much meat but is quite tasty. Keep in mind though that this restaurant doesn't have rice, though.
La Toquee
La Toquee's rafute, Okinawa's well known way of cooking pork, is a must. It's tender and juicy, and a treat to eat.
Marumiya
Marumiya is a good place on the island for dinner. Soki soba, Okinawa's version of ramen, is fat noodles and a nice piece of pork in a light broth. If you've had Hawaii saimin, the flavor is very similar.
After our stay on Zamami Island, we made a quick stop at another neighboring island, Aka. Getting back on the boat, we headed back to Naha city.
Naha is a lot bigger as it is the central city in Okinawa. The vibe is very different as well, it's culturally quite diverse and feels somewhat like a mix of Japanese, American and Chinese cultures. There are a lot of businesses geared to internationals, a big reason is due to the big American military presence there.
The nearby Churaumi Aquarium is one of the major attractions as it's one of the most well known aquariums in Japan. It will take a big chunk out of your day as it's big and not central, but it houses a wide range of animals, even whale sharks.
Foods aren't any different from what we had on Zamami, but we did get our fill of seafood at Makishi Food Market.
Makishi Fish Market
Lined with vendors with fresh fish, they'll prepare sashimi for you right there. You can grab a table upstairs and they'll come up and deliver your order to you.
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Shanghai, China: World Expo
Checking out the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai, China.
During the couple days that I spent in Shanghai in 2010, the majority of the time was at the World Expo. It was the reason why I traveled there when I did, but because of that, I didn't get to thoroughly explore the city as much as I'd like to.
Shanghai is a very busy, modern city that has a little bit of grunge to it. When looking at photos of the city from the 90's, it's almost unreal to see how much it's been developed. The enormous skyscrapers and neon lights are just a part of it. You can see it just from walking around the streets, like the digital displays at bus stops telling you bus location information in realtime.
While I'm sure much has changed in both these cities since I've visited, Shanghai has a different feel from Beijing, which I went to a couple years earlier in 2008. Beijing had a more spread out feel, with sections that included ancient temples, old buildings and walled-off neighborhoods. You could sense that it was an old, historical city beginning to transform into a modern one. Shanghai on the other hand, had an instantly modern feel that would fall into the same category as Hong Kong or Tokyo.
Crowded subway
Chinese flags in a subway station
The World Expo was nothing short of amazing, and a big display of countries showing off their design and tech to the world. Many of the country's "booths" had a couple hours wait time, but I was was able to make it into a few, the highlights being Dubai's and Spain's.
Spain's pavilion with digital displays showcasing its culture and history, along with a weird, gigantic baby inside.
South Korean's World Expo pavilion.
One of the moments that stick out to me was leaving the Expo. Everyone was lined up in a long line waiting for taxis. Keep in mind that the idea of personal space here is different from other countries, so everyone was body to body - with the woman behind me carrying her baby on her stomach pushing him into my back. Someone got impatient and jumped the line, running into the street to an open taxi. When that happened, it was chaos; a flood of people followed, running into the street to find any open cab, carrying kids in their arms and all.
Overall, I found that Shanghai took me a little more time getting used to than Beijing. Even though it had a more modern feel, it still was a bit less refined. It could've been just my experience. That being said, however, I did find it intriguing and I would want to visit again to see more of the actual city.
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Phuket & Koh Phi Phi, Thailand
A vacay down south to Phuket and Koh Phi Phi, Thailand.
A few friends and I took a trip to Thailand in 2010 to Phuket and Koh Phi Phi. Bangkok and Chiang Mai were initially on the itinerary, but due to riots and uprisings at the time, we decided to scratch those two off the list and spend more time down south.
It was my first time to Southeast Asia, and the biggest recommendation that I can give not just about Phuket and Koh Phi Phi, but Southeast Asia in general, is get "local." By that I mean check out random eateries, sit down for some street food, take a wooden boat captained by a local who doesn't speak your language. The more expensive, fancy tours may be great for living it up in Thailand, but balancing it with some raw, local life will, I feel, make for a more well-rounded and enjoyable experience.
We stayed at the Deevana Patong hotel in Phuket. It's reasonably priced, has a nice pool, excellent service and we got a free Thai massage included with our stay. The hotel is in a pretty central location which it made it easy for us to get out and explore the town.
We went for a swim at nearby Patong Beach and caught some tuk tuks out to Karon Beach, both really easy to swim in with really nice light blue waters. There's a lot of street food and open markets selling all sorts of goods nearby, from fabrics to knockoff clothing, particularly on Thanon Ratuthit Songroipi Road [map].
Koh Phi Phi
From Phuket, we took the Phi Phi Cruiser to head out Koh Phi Phi. When we arrived at Ao Tonsai pier on the island, we negotiated (somehow!) with wooden boat owners and one of them took us around the nearby islands.
The sights were incredible. Giant rock islands jetting straight out of beautiful light blue waters warm enough to take a swim in. This is an absolute must-do.
The thing about our trip to Koh Phi Phi was that it was a last minute decision and we didn't make any arrangements to stay the night. We ended up walking along the coast until we came across some cheap bungalows. They were less than US$20/night, I believe, so you can probably imagine that they weren't all that luxurious.
A couple memorable moments on Koh Phi Phi was the foot spa done by fish that nibbled at your feet, and a random "restaurant" that we stopped at for food. After ordering our meals, the woman left and bought the ingredients at a nearby market. During that time, we noticed a kitchen area next to us, a bit dirty with flies around it, and were hoping she wouldn't use that space. She did. We managed to block that out of our minds for a while and eat. Luckily, no one got sick!
Koh Phi Phi is a beautiful area. Even though our bungalows only provided the basics that we needed for the night, right next to it was this incredible view. I'd love to visit again sometime.
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Venice, Italy
Navigating the alleys and canals on my second trip to Venice, Italy.
The Grand Canal, taken from the Rialto Bridge
Venice is one of the most interesting cities because it's so different. Take a walk around and get lost, you probably will if you start to really explore. Venice, unfortunately, has become quite a tourist place and all of the main areas are geared towards their business. The backstreets and alleys is where you'll find more authentic sights.
The streets are extremely narrow and you'll find yourself surrounded by buildings making it difficult to get your bearings. But enjoy it, there's always a shop to peep into, and you'll find a lot to see and take photos of.
Gondolas in Venice with Murano in the back
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Innsbruck, Austria
A pitstop for a few hours in Innsbruck, Austria.
I got to check out Innsbruck for half a day while on a tour around Europe with some friends through Contiki in 2010.
At that time, Austria wasn't really on my radar of places I wanted to see, but it definitely got my attention on this stop.
The central part of Innsbruck is very quaint and walkable. We were blessed with some really good weather, so we headed to the Inn river.
Inn River
At that time, I had already been to Switzerland (in 2004) and was blown away by its nature. The view from this river rivaled some of the Swiss sights. Absolute gorgeous light blue water and amazing mountains around it.
Inn river, taken from the Innbrücke bridge.
Maria-Theresien-Straße
We walked through the town and checked out some shop along the central, Maria-Theresien-Straße street.
The most notable one was Swarovski, the Austrian crystal jewelry brand. They had a big location here, one that might tempt jewelry lovers a bit too much.
Maria-Theresien-Straße in Innsbruck, Austria
As we left the city and drove through the alps and made our way to our next stop in Venice, Italy, all I could think of how I’d love to visit Austria again.
It’s gorgeous.
Altstadt Magic Kebab
Huge pizzas and kebabs. While it wasn't exactly what I expected to eat on a trip to Innsbruck, but these didn't disappoint. There are seats in a courtyard inside as well as outside of the shop, near the Inn river.
McDonalds
Eating at McDonalds in every country I visit is a religious thing that I do when I travel, and I can honestly say that the McDonalds here is one of the best that I've had. There's a lot of variety and special menus galore, to the point where it was hard to choose what exactly to order. Definitely try their round fries (similar to curly fries) with sour cream dip, I haven't come across another McDonalds with that anywhere..
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Munich, Germany
A day of exploring Munich and a night at Oktoberfest.
The photogenic Marienplatz U-Bahn station
I got to visit Munich with some friends while on a Europe tour with Contiki in 2010. We stopped in the city for a night, coincidentally during Oktoberfest.
We spent the afternoon checking out sights around the city. We decided to catch the U-Bahn to Marienplatz, one of the main areas, then took a walk around.
Marienplatz had a lot of well known buildings. After exiting the U-Bahn around the Square, we roamed around and came across buildings like the Frauenkirche as well as a bunch of interesting shops and delis.
Frauenkirche in Munich, Germany
Keep in mind that there is not much English anywhere, so it may slow you down like it did us.
The biggest issue that we had was figuring out the U-Bahn subway system because there was no ticket gate, meaning you can technically ride the subway for free - as long as you don't get caught. It's a sort of honor system, and if you are found without a ticket when randomly checked, there are steep fines.
The same goes for other cities like Berlin. You're supposed to buy a ticket, put it in your pocket and ride.
Oktoberfest
In the evening, we headed to Oktoberfest. We were incredibly fortunate that it happened to be the 200th anniversary of the festival, meaning it was a pretty big deal.
Oktoberfest lives up to the hype; it's a full on carnival slash circus-type of affair, full of huge tents packed to the brim with people drinking beer, singing and having fun with everyone around them.
We peeped into a few different tents to take a look and compare, but realized that if we could find a seat at any one of them, we might be better off just staying put. Each of them holds at least few thousand people and were all packed.
Our third tent was the Munich-native Hofbräuhaus, one of the largest there. It took us a while to get seated, and there was only room in the standing area. Beer women came by every now and then taking orders, but you might have to be a bit aggressive to get their attention as it's crowded and everyone is talking and having a good time with the band also playing on stage. Those beer women come back with an armful, quite an impressive armful, of glasses for you.
One of the best things about Oktoberfest though? So much beer and fun and did not even see one scuffle or fight. If you can time a trip to Munich during Oktoberfest, I highly recommend it, it's a good experience.
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London
A few days in London while on a European tour.
The London Eye and Big Ben, taken from the Golden Jubilee Bridges
I got to visit London for a few days with some friends while traveling on a European tour with Contiki in 2010.
I found just walking around the city to be amazing.
As an American, I really could see and feel the connection between the two countries. The influence was very visible. London is a gorgeous city though, and it also had a quaint type of feeling that I hadn't expected.
Getting Around
We split our transportation between The Tube subway and taxis. If you have more than a few people, taking a taxi may be the better deal as The Tube can be quite expensive.
The system itself is old - the train cars are rather small, and you'll find some stations with uneven floors and winding tunnels. There was even one where we had to wait for cargo-sized elevators to take everyone up.
They make for great "I'm in London" pics and will get you to where you want to go, but it wasn't exactly my favorite part of the city.
While we mostly stayed with stereotypically foods like fish and chips and lamb, the city is pretty diverse both food-wise and culturally.
And while I've heard stories of discrimination, I didn't come across anything like that and found everyone to be well-mannered.
The British Museum
An escalator down to The Tube in London - Barrettish
A street performer entertaining crowds
Stonehenge
We spend a day to check out The Stonehenge. It's worth seeing such a historical relic but do keep in mind that it takes a few hours to get to by tour bus, so it'll likely take up a huge portion of the day.
The Stonehenge
More than anything, the simple feeling of just being in London was great because like I said, there's such a connection to my own home country.
I definitely wouldn't mind a few more days at least to spend there, and hopefully I make it back sometime.
St. Paul’s Cathedral
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Paris, France
Shots from my second trip to Paris.
Paris is basically one big city museum. Even on my second trip to the city in 2010 (once before in 2004), I felt the same. Everything, even the random building on a side street corner, could pass as a stylish masterpiece.
Looking at the Arc de Triomphe from Champs Elysées
View of Champs Elysées from the top of the Arc de Triomphe
The Louvre is probably in the top three of everyone's itineraries. Unless you're really into historical art, it's probably way bigger than you'd expect or like. We decided to just check out the Denon Wing of the museum, as it had the famous Mona Lisa painting.
Looking up at the pyramid from inside The Louvre
At night, we checked out the sparkling Eiffel Tower, going up to the top deck. It wasn't too crowded at the time, and it gave spectacular views of the city and the Seine river running through it.
View from the Eiffel Tower
There are also boat cruise tours down below that will take you on the Seine river around a lot of the city's landmarks, like the Notre Dame cathedral.
After the boat tour, we were able to go the well known Moulin Rouge. It was a great experience, very entertaining with a little bit of cheesiness. I actually found the acts during intermissions to be equally as entertaining as the show itself. (My Yelp review).
Paris is a unique city and it's easy to see why it's one of the top tourist destinations in the world. Even having been there twice, I'd love to go back and experience more.
Visiting the Furano area of Hokkaido in the summer, a popular tourist destination for Japanese