My final week in Tokyo was a work week. I would sleep in, maybe go out in the late afternoon, and then work into the night so I could be online at the same time as the Workinman home office. Here is just a bunch of random pictures of the places I went andRead more
The following day we went to the the Shinsekai district of Osaka, to what is commonly known as Tsutenkaku, named for the prominent tower that was once the centerpiece of a pre-world war I amusement park. The area is now a entertainment district, with a zoo to the east and “Spa World” to the south, andRead more
The following morning we caught a high speed train to Osaka. I love grabbing a bento box for these train rides. I enjoy the lunch as much as any hot meal from a restaurant. They are always well-prepared and filling. Of course I got some Katsu Fishy stuff for Seiko. Some odd “healthy” variety ofRead more
After a long day in Arashiyama we set out to find a good meal. Since I have been eating mostly katsu since I arrived, I decided to eat katsu again. A heaping portion. It was the best I’ve had thus far. We then just walked around. Some places packed with people, others not.Read more
We decided we didn’t get enough of Arashiyama, especially the hillside. A quick snack was a beef flavored hashbrown. Seiko had this soy soup thing. I had Cherry Blossom flavored ice cream We visited the bamboo grove. Jōjakkōji Temple 常寂光寺 This temple was constructed in 1596 and is wellRead more
The Ghibli museum is located in Inokashira Park on the west side of Tokyo. It is not an amusement park and it’s not really catered to kids. It’s a museum about the traditional animation process. A lot of it is dedicated to history and color. It’s set in a gorgeous European style building (the interiorRead more
The title sums it all up. We went to Tokyo Disneyland, which is located on Tokyo Bay. It was Easter season. I found the park to be pretty much the same as the Magic Kingdom in the US. Almost too much the same. I last visited the MK in 2003 andRead more
Guiyang’s Beijing Opera Upon returning to Guiyang City, Long and myself meet up with Mandy and her her sister and we head to the waterfront to see the opera. The wood sculptures in the opera are amazing. They handed us these classy clappers. We had the VIP treatment with an amazing spreadRead more
Morning view from the hotel balcony Out for breakfast Looking back up the alley leading to the hotel. Wearing traditional Miao clothing. A beef noodle soup. Nothing too heavy or spicy for a change. Then off to explore the streets and alleys A lot of theRead more
The hotel breakfast was not bad. A large assortment of items set up as a buffet. Just not as great as the previous hotel. The goal for today is to check out the local open-air market, then head up Tianamen Mountain (4,982 ft elevation), which is south of the city and accessible by cable carRead more
Another great breakfast at the hotel, this time with some pork noodles. It’s still raining, unfortuantely. A 15 minute walk to the east gate of the park… …and then a very long creepy ride up the cable line up to TianZi Mountain. Much longer and higher than the previous. More of these lacqueredRead more
For a day or so I just hung out in Shanghai. It was pretty hot and humid, so I took it easy. Watched films, went out briefly to eat. I relaxed. Not every day of travel needs some grand journey. I’m not a huge fan of bubble tea, but when it’s hot out, it isRead more
A bit jet-lagged, I take it easy in Shanghai my second day. I meet up with Pete for lunch and we head to Nanjing Street. Pete Pete treats me to a nice meal at a place we find in a mall. Delicious fried mashed potato balls. Amazing stewed pork We also had dumplings,Read more
A new friend, Pete, picked me up at the airport and helped me locate my place. I had booked this on AirBnB, and while the location was great, and the photos made the place look amazing, in reality it was a pretty run-down building. A former hotel (the Salvo Hotel), it was now under aRead more
Ci Qi Kou The Porcelain Village Situated on a tributary to the Jialing River west of Chongqing, this historic neighborhood has become, like many ‘old towns’ in China, packed with shops and restaurants and is packed with shoppers and sightseers day and night. Almost a square mile in size, the area is filled with buildingsRead more
Day Trip to Dazu Signed up for the wrong tour. I thought I was going to some park with a gorge and waterfalls. Turned out to be to the UNESCO World Heritage site (two sites, actually) in Dazu. We stopped in some small tourist setup, Some “antique” old-town style buildings. Read more
Last Morning in Lijiang Old Town One of the beautiful daily sights in the old town is how locals and visitors will gather up in the square and folk dance to region folk music. Everyone is welcome to join, and there are plenty of seats for spectators. It’s really fun to watch. Read more
A beautiful morning in Lijiang old town. This is the view from the hotel. Looking down on the courtyard of the hotel. This is where the owners play cards all night and keep me awake. The street in front of the hotel. Heading into old town This canal comes from theRead more
Morning in Dali Old Town before train to Lijiang A snack some sauce-covered flap of something on a stick. Not bad. Streets right outside the old town have some good bargains. I bought a traditional Dali Blue tie-dye cloth here. Killing some time in a temple in the oldRead more
Starting the day with a wonderful breakfast at the hotel. Local noodle dish and some eggs. The hotel is located near the old town in on the Southwest shore of Lake Erhai, in a revitalized area. A lot of indie businesses, art shops, bars, restaurants, and boutique hotels. This map outlines what attractions andRead more
Day Two Plan: With the weather seeming pleasant, so I was looking forward to heading to Mount Emei, the highest of the 4 sacred Buddhist mountains of China. Once there, I would explore the giant gold elephant-styled temple, and probably come back with an amazing pics like this one to the right (not my pic). Meanwhile, I would enjoyRead more
Day One Plan Head to the Panda Base and walk around take photos. The weather is very hot and humid and certainly pandas will be just hanging in the shade, but it’s a very nice park and near the hotel. After that, food and shopping in Chengdu’s Jinli Ancient Street. First meal in china: SichuanRead more
I had a green JR rail pass, which allowed me unlimited travel on trains, including the shinkansen (high speed) trains. I took one to Osaka to meet up with another penpal. Osaka is about an hour way by high speed rail. The ride is comfortable, smooth, and blazing fast. The scenery just flows by. IfRead more
In the morning I did a small amount of shopping in Akihabara I checked out a few Halloween shops This shop is stacked with busty girl PVC figurines. These Monster Hunter figures seemed to be popular. I met up with a pen pal at a restaurant at Akihabara Station. Edameme beans.Read more
I decided to go to Shinjuku today, but to kill time before the train I stopped in into an Akihabara bookstore to check it out. first time seeing anything Star War related in Japan. the Shop had quite a bit, I guess because of the new movie. Not out of the ordinary to have generalRead more
Woke up at a decent hour each day due to some construction outside the window. After the war Akihabara became a center for resale of military surplus, specifically electronics parts. To this day it’s the go-to place to buy electronics. While the pop culture establishments and department stores dominate, you can still find a lotRead more
Having always read about Japan, corresponding with several pen pals that live there, and reading about it since I was a child, when I had the opportunity to go, I took the chance. Originally planning to travel with an old high school friend, I hastily booked the flight, only to find out that I wouldRead more
Out for a stole one day in Chengdu, I came upon an art class in session Near Jing’s apartment, this businessman claims to do it all: bike repair, locksmith, welding, mechanical work, etc. This guy sells water. It’s amazing how packed the the streets are with small businesses in China. Walmart andRead more
The Fuqin Comprehensive Market is located in the northwest side of Chengdu. Often referred to as a “Open Air Market,” or more frequently, a “Wet Market” it features both wet and dry goods from all around the region. A handful of butchers sell out of the market. Not theRead more
We visit the Lian Hua Xiaoqu Open Air Market, which I featured on Scenes from a Public Market. Often called Wet Markets recently, these are more commonly referred to around the world as “Open Air Markets.” This particular one, open daily, is a mix of wet and dry goods, much of which comes from Sichuanese farmers,Read more