This 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.
Read MoreDowntown Las Vegas is going through a revitalization with tons of street art, fun tours, and interesting museums. One such museum we visited was the Neon Boneyard, the final resting place (or rescue place) of neon-lit wonders. About 2 acres in size, although not all open to the public, it is a fascinating conglomeration of sharp broken glass and beautiful rusty memories.
Read MoreThe afternoons in Vegas can be a hot pavement slog, so we decided to enjoy the air-conditioning and cheaper brunch pricing ($28 vs $42 for dinner) at the Wicked Spoon buffet in the Cosmopolitan hotel. The big thing here is small morsels of gourmet food. It definitely wasn't the cheapest meal we had in Vegas (that accolade goes to Ellis Island Casino and their "secret" $7.99 steak and eggs breakfast), but there were some unique dishes and desserts that made it a fun and way-to-filling dining experience.
Read MoreThe Grand Canyon is a long meandering maw that splits the desert by over a kilometre and a half deep and 16 kilometres wide. Known to be one of the deepest gorges on the planet, it's no wonder that the Grand Canyon is listed as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, and also makes it the perfect destination for our very first helicopter ride.
Read Moreespite the name, Kensington Market is not really a market in the traditional sense and is actually a multi-cultural microcosm a few corner turns away from Chinatown. Funky shops, hole-in-the wall cafes and unusual little eateries litter a few blocks of re-purposed buildings making it an interesting place to explore and grab a few fun things to eat.
Read MoreThere is a ton of beautiful street art in Toronto, but if you want to get the biggest bang for your buck, head over to Graffiti Alley. This kilometer back alley stroll between Spadina Avenue and Portland Street was made famous as the back drop to Rick Mercer's political TV show "The Mercer Report", but even if that tidbit doesn't grab you, the artwork definitely will.
Read MoreWe had a free day in Toronto before moving onto our next destination. The issue with Toronto, as with any big city really, is it's impossible to see everything. Due to our short time here, we didn't feel like waiting in lines to do the standard "connect-the-dots between the big tourist attractions" routine and instead, we opted to hit a few neighborhoods and streets to see what else we could find.
Read MoreIt's been 6 months since we've returned. Do we miss being on the road? Oh yes! But we also know that there are many more travels in our future. To ring in the new year, we took a quick trip up north to the capital city of Alberta to wander a few ice castles and stroll through a winter wonderland.
Happy 2017!
Read MoreWell, we made it!
1,882,357 steps walked (per person). 8,385 pictures taken. 42 cities wandered. 24 planes ridden. 18 countries crossed. 17 languages heard. 11 currencies spent. It all adds up to 1 amazing trip.
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