Kyoto is often referred to as the cultural capital of Japan. Its historic place as the former capital of Japan is only surpassed by the massive number of temples that cement its spiritual importance. About 3 blocks from the train station, locals and tourists queued outside of two small shack-like buildings. The ramen in Kyoto … Continue reading Kyoto, Japan: Forests of Bamboo and Shrines to Buddha
Prior to our travels, I could not have found Azerbaijan on a map without a bit of effort, but the country and region have a rich history reaching all the way back to the Paleolithic period. Much of the country was frequently traversed by Silk Road merchants during the hay-day of overland trading. This resulted … Continue reading Azerbaijan: Christmas Between the Caucasus and Caspian
Hannah was overly excited for her first "washy washy" as we boarded the ship. After roughing it for 9 months, I was uncertain of what to expect from the luxurious lifestyle of a cruise. Truthfully, Hannah and I just wanted good sleep, clean, available bathrooms, and easily obtainable, nutritious food and water. We had moved … Continue reading From Mediterranean Sea to Indian Ocean: Friends and Fun on the High Seas
After the perilous Strait of Hormuz, we safely moored in the bay of Muscat. Hannah’s father once told me that he enjoyed working in Oman during his career in petroleum overseas. He distinctly remembered that the people were down to earth and friendly. During our short experience, both of those remarks rang true and I … Continue reading The Magnificent Mosque of Muscat, Oman
Our route to Aqaba cut through the Red Sea. On either side, the coast lines of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula and Saudi Arabia ran parallel to one another, and as we arrived at the coast of Aqaba, we also drew up to the coast of Isreal right next door. This area of the world was so … Continue reading Aqaba, Jordan: Wadi Rum and the Ritcheys of Arabia
Due to the shallowness around the island of Santorini, we tendered to shore via a small boat from our cruise ship. We later learned that a series of red buoys further down the coast marked the wreck of a cruise ship that sunk years ago. Circular brown and green piles of donkey refuse brought color … Continue reading Santorini, Greece: A Braying Paradise
Throughout our trip, I felt a bit jaded by large capital cities. The glass skyscrapers and massive deluge of people often led me feeling somewhat cheated of the culture we had hoped to witness. I was skeptical of Madrid, but wonderfully proven wrong. Plazas dot the neighborhoods of Madrid. Visitors filled their arms with shopping … Continue reading Madrid, Spain: Festive and Flavorful
The city of Lyon is adorned by the remnants of Gaulic history. Gaul was a historic region to the west of Italy that frequently clashed with the ancient Romans. This area is modern day France. Numerous Roman amphitheaters are dug into the gradient of the city. Locals walked their dogs by the aged, stone ruins … Continue reading Lyon, France: Gaul and Gastronomy
My first impression of Paris was rough. A massive line at the metro (subway) ticket machine greeted us as we exited the bus station. We opted to ride Lime scooters, fully encumbered by our combined 70+ pounds of bags, to our Airbnb. The route took us through some gritty areas where I was not inclined … Continue reading The Decadence of Paris, France: Escargot, Friends, and Catacombs
Every street of the town oozed charm. It was a city where we immediately regretted not spending more time. The sharp “click-clack” of horses’ hooves emanated from the black cobbled rows of streets as buggies passed with tourists. While it was a popular place for tourism, it did not feel like “too much” as other … Continue reading Bruges, Belgium: Marvelously Medieval
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