TLCTravels

In Japan, we are always wondering what the best Japanese beer is. Is it Sapporo, Asahi, Kirin or some other brand that we haven't heard of or tried? When it comes to the Japanese alcohol culture, it is usually not the beer that comes to mind but it is the sake. Nevertheless, Japanese beer is my go to and I enjoy at least a bottle or can every day when I'm in Japan. I find Japanese beer to be dry, crisp and refreshing. It has a clean taste and it doesn't leave a bitter tone in your mouth like some beers can. Which one is my favorite? I like them all but I'm open to trying anything in Japan and that doesn't have to include any alcohol in them. One thing I wanted to do in Yokohama, was to visit the Kirin brewery. From Google map, It looked easy to get to but I noticed there are set hours for a tour. It's probably worth checking the tour hours before heading over there. In Tokyo, it's hard to not notice the interesting building along the Sumida River that seems ...

On our last trip to China, we walked and climbed the Great Wall. This was our second time to the Great Wall in Beijing, China but we have not been to this part of the wall before. This was the Juyongguan Great Wall also known as the Juyong Pass. There are two sides of the pass, east and west. The east side is gentler while the west side is steeper. The path is quite wide and the incline is gradual until the stairs. You can see the watchtowers dot the landscape. There are temples that are interesting to explore. After climbing the east side, we explored the west side. We found the stairs to be so steep, it was like climbing a ladder. I was almost on all fours climbing the stair.  From the vantage point, the wall is impressive as it winds up and down the hills. The stairs can be treacherous. It is all stone and steep. The steps vary in height too. Remember the stairs were built for horses and not for people. Also when we were climbing the stairs, we thought of all the people who were...

One of our favorite places we visited in Japan was Nara because of the bowing deer. According to legend, the sacred deer are messengers of the gods. When the deity Takemikazouchi no Mikoto came to Nara, it is said he arrived on a white deer which led to the deer being revered as divine envoys.  They estimate there are over 1,300 deer living and roaming free in Nara. They are known to be friendly and approachable, often interacting with tourists who feed them special wafers that are sold by vendors in the park. When a deer approaches you, you bow to the deer and the deer bows back. Sometimes they keep bowing. Be sure to have some wafers available before you bow to a deer. Some deer are known to charge when they aren't rewarded with a wafer, after being prompted to bow. Deer is so abundant in Nara and they can be quite naughty. They will nip you or butt you, if they are hungry and you aren't courteous to them. They are wild animals. This tourist is popular or does she have all th...

On our cruise to Japan, we met a lot of Brits onboard. This helped jogged my memory on our visit to London, England.  When we visited London many years ago, we saw most of the attractions in London including the Tower of London, Trafalgar Square, the London Eye, British Museum, Piccadilly Square, Kings Cross Station (for Harry Potter's 9-3/4 platform) and various film locations for Harry Potter and Bridget Jones' Diary. Be sure to read about our experiences at each of these locations. We took a day tour to Stonehenge via Viator. We stayed near the Westminster Bridge and had to take the metro to Viator's office, near the Trafalgar Square. It was a bit of an adventure but I was glad it was a late morning tour. (Unlike the tour we took in Athens and in Tokyo, we had to meet up with the group at 7:30am) Unfortunately, it rained in London the day of the tour but the rain stopped when we reached the site. The bus ride was about an hour and 45 minutes from London.  When we arrived...

Just down from the Mt. Hakodate Ropeway, you can visit the Hakodate  Hachimangu Shrine in Hakodate, Hokkaido , Japan , where you will find a beautiful torii gate as part of its main entrance . The torii gate separates the real world from the divine realm. Before entering a torii gate, it's customary to  bow as a sign of respect for the deity or sacred place .  Additionally, avoid walking directly through the center of the gate, as that pathway is reserved for the deity.  After bowing and entering the gate, purify yourself by cleansing your hands and mouth at the temizuya or chouzuya, a water basin near the entrance.   Want to see more torii gates? We were lucky to visit the floating torii gate in Miyajima. Want to read more about Torii Gates? Click on the links below: Torii Gates and its Symbolism

Visiting Hakodate, Japan is not complete if you missed taking the Hakodate Ropeway up to the top of Mt Hakodate to take your breath away. This is truly one of the must-do's in Hakodate. I have to admit, it is a bit of a climb to get to the ropeway station. The elevation changes drastically. The road goes from flat to hilly almost instantly. Then it is a steep incline to walk up a few blocks to where you catch the gondola but it is worth it.

Since our first visit to Tokyo, we were hooked. There is so much to see and do in Tokyo but if you want to see and experience the city, you have to learn the train system which can be overwhelming. Just look at the metro map and you will be amazed at the amount of trains and lines.  We will create a post that will be dedicated to taking the train in Tokyo. On our first trip, we got lost. We took a bullet train from Kyoto to Tokyo and we ended at the Tokyo Station. From there, part of our tour group wanted to go to Shinjuku, another group wanted to go directly to the hotel we were staying at in Ueno and the third group was undecided.  We wanted to see Shinjuku so we went with a group that wanted to explore that part of the city. I don't remember who decided what but we followed and we got there. I remembered getting lost after getting off the train because we were faced with so many exits. Did you know Shinjuku has over 200 exits? We enjoyed finding the Godzilla on the roof, at...

Just got back from Hakodate, Japan in the heart of Hokkaido and wanted to post a few pictures taken at the Hakodate morning market. The best time to go to the Hakodate fish market is early in the morning when it opens. You can say the worst time to go is in the early afternoon when it is about to close. In the winter, the market opens at 6am and in the summer, the market opens at 5am. Closing time is 2pm.  If you like seafood, this is heaven for you because the Hakodate morning market is famous for the donburi (rice bowl topped with seafood). Popular choices include uni (sea urchin), salmon roe, various types of crab (including snow crab and king crab), squid and cuttlefish.  Not everybody is into raw fish so for those who are just looking for the top dishes to try at the Hakodate morning market, there are numerous vendors selling cooked seafood next door. There you will find a grill restaurant that serves grilled seafood. There is also seating for customers but try to get the...

Tucked in the heart of downtown Vancouver, the Public Library Central Branch is more than just a place for books - it's a jaw dropping architectural marvel inspired by the Roman Collosseum. Whether you're a tourist seeking an instagram-worthy spot in Vancouver, a digital nomad needing a scenic work hub or a local exploring the city's most unique free attraction, this iconic library delivers culture, calm, and creativity in one breathtaking space. If you've been to Rome, Italy or have seen the hit movie Gladiators starring Russell Crowe as Maximus, you would have be familiar with the infamous Colloseum. The Colloseum was used as an entertainment arena for gladiator fights, battle ships simulations and bloodbath tournaments. Silently in the outskirts of the downtown core in Vancouver, BC, the public library is a striking resemblance of Rome's Colloseum. From the streets of Vancouver, the architecture is really something to marvel at.  Designed by architect Moshe Safdi...

On our second last day in Tokyo, we wanted to see something new. We were planning on going to Yokohama to visit the Cup of Noodles museum but when we checked the opening hours, we found it was closed on Golden Week and that's the week we were in Japan. We looked on the metro map and found an island off the mainland called Enoshima. Here is a vintage art piece by Hokosai Katsushika on Enoshima. Since we were staying near the Bakurocho station, it only made sense to take the JO train from there to the Ofuna station. You can say there's something about taking one train and staying on until you see your stop. When we finished our cruise on April 26, we took the JO train from Yokohama to the Bakurocho station where (our hotel) Comfort Inn was. It was perfect because if we took the 4th exit, we emerge right next door to the hotel. This is great on a rainy day because the metro is just steps from the hotel. When we got on the JO train, we noticed it was going all the way to Zuishi. I...