A 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.
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.
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