​1) Heian Shrine (Heian-jingu) This is a large temple complex in Higashiyama north of Yasaka-jinja built in 1895 to commemorate the...

Sanjocho Neighborhood We mostly explored food and necessities in Sanjocho (google map location), but there are also many clothing,...

Neighborhoods in Kyoto One of our long-term ideas is to spend 1-3 months a year in Japan – we love the food, culture and lifestyle. So,...

Arashiyama Arashiyama is a region of west Kyoto with many temples, shrines and other attractions. It’s a great day trip from central...

Vietnam – The Basics Want to know the basics like how to cross the street, make a call, or find local currency? We’ve got you covered. Posts on Vietnam : Hanoi: Things to Do , Food , Markets/Shopping Hoi An: Things to Do , Food (Hoi An and Hue), Markets/Shopping Ninh Binh Ha Giang Lan Ha Bay/Halong Bay Hotels in Vietnam Running in Vietnam Sim cards Most websites recommend Viettel first, then Mobifone or Vinaphone. TLDR: buy the cheapest, most convenient or best da

Thailand – The Basics Thailand in a nutshell – the old and the new side-by-side Posts on Thailand: Things to Do in Chiang Mai, Food in...

Lan Ha Bay/Halong Bay Cruising, Vietnam TLDR: Halong Bay/Lan Ha Bay really live up to their reputation as a UNESCO World Heritage site. ...

Our daughter wanted to improve her Spanish language before college started. She had her eye on an immersion program in the US. For the...

Netherlands Amsterdam: 8 Things to Do Amsterdam: Food The Amsterdam flag (above) has three X’s. Our tourboat guide said it is to...

Cordoba Cordoba is a short, 45 minute train ride from the Seville Santa Justa station. We went on a day trip there having made...

Israel General information, logistics, and safety Did you feel safe in Israel? Why YES! The media focuses only on the negative,...

Bruges, Belgium To do: Bruges is well worth an overnight and perhaps two. Highlights for us were the architecture, chocolate, and...

Koya-san Why you should go: Koya is a UNESCO site and an important Buddhist location. Access requires several forms of transportation:...