It's hard to wander through Osaka without snacking. Little shops (and even some not-so-little shops) are everywhere offering bite-sized treats and beverages. With the average price hitting only a dollar or two, there are a ton of sweet deals to keep us fueled up and going.
Read MoreCome to Nara for the deer, but stay for the many other amazing sites that are here. What else is there to see in Nara? Oh, just a couple of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, one of the largest wooden buildings in the world, and lots and lots of lanterns.
Read MoreOne of the great things about travelling is getting the opportunity to mix and mingle with the locals. A short train ride from Osaka took us to a place where we got to meet a few of its famous citizens. And when I say "a few", I actually mean about 1,200 of them. Welcome to Nara, home to those 4-legged messengers of the gods, the sika deer.
Read MoreOsaka is historically known as "The Nation's Kitchen". Although the original intent of that phrase was more practical than complimentary, Osaka has blossomed into a food-centric city where almost everything is made fresh, delicious, and right before your eyes.
Read MoreA short train ride to the outskirts of Kyoto took us from bustling city streets to a little taste of Japanese nature. Most people come to Arashiyama to visit the Bamboo Grove. To be honest, that site takes about 10-15 minutes to go through when there's no crowds, but there are many other sites to see here.
Read MoreOut of all the places that we travelled to on our world trip last year, Japan was one of the countries that we wanted to return to again. So, a little over a year later, we're back and ready to explore. Our first stop was the old capital, Kyoto, which still glows with that old world feel.
Read MoreThree words come to mind when describing Japanese food: preparation, presentation, and perfection. There is a lot of care and practise that goes into creating these beautiful morsels. Although indulging in steaming bowls ramen was on our must-eat list, Kyoto's thirty degree temperatures made us unable to resist the sweet temptation of cool icy treats.
Read MoreThere are over 2000 shrines and temples in Kyoto, so it's a good idea do a little research beforehand. There are the must-sees (i.e. every guidebook will recommend them, and every tourist will be there), and there are some that are known for having a unique feature or location, but sometimes the best ones are those quiet little places tucked just a few steps away from the busiest of streets.
Read MoreThis was our very first stop in Kyoto, and we decided to make good use of our jet lag and get there a little earlier around 8 am. The official visiting time is at 9 am, but that's just when the shops open. The site itself is open 24 hours a day. It's well worth the effort to go earlier. There were very few people and great morning light. And unless you're okay with paying respects to the mosquito gods, bring bug spray.
Read MoreWith only a weekend in Waterton, it was a bit of a stretch to get enough for a food post, but we still managed to enjoy high tea at the Prince of Wales Hotel and to satisfy my pickle craving for a while. Special thanks to our friends for ordering a few extra bites to keep Food Fridays alive!
Read MoreThe last weeks of summer grow busier as everyone scrambles to make the most of what remains of the sunny weather and blue skies. Since all of Canada's National Parks are free this year to celebrate Canada's 150th birthday, what better way to spend a weekend than doing a little exploring in our own backyard.
Read MoreWe've been to Vegas quite a few times now. The lights, the bustle, and the hustle never seem to change, even if the skyline does have a few new additions since our last visit. This time around, we sought out some corners we that hadn't seen, and we even found a few "secret" ones too.
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