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Himeji Castle: One of Japan’s most Exotic Castles
Japan is an exotic country with a lot beautiful buildings, temples, and castles. While we were in Kyoto, Japan, we were determined to visit at least one Japanese castle. We eventually decided to ride the train to a small city called Himeji, which is located in the Kansai region of Japan. It was time to visit the largest, most popular, and best preserved castle in all of Japan! This is Himeji Castle. It is also referred to as Hakuro-jō (“White Egret Castle”) or Shirasagi-jō (“White Heron Castle”) because the castle’s white exterior design supposedly resembles a bird taking flight. The Himeji Castle, is one of the three premier castles in…
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A Homestay Experience in Madikeri, India
Madikeri, is a beautiful hill station in India’s Karnataka State. It was here, in Southern India, we decided to do a homestay. As travelers, we really enjoy talking and learning from the locals. So, when the opportunity to spend two days and a night with a local Indian family arose, we were thrilled. The area surrounding Madikeri is a trekker’s paradise. We spend two days with our host, trekking through these beautiful landscapes. Along the way, our host shared insightful information about the various plants and species inhabiting the lands. This was some of the best trekking we had ever done. Aside from the views, what made the trekking very…
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Dolphin Watching at Lovina Beach in Indonesia
I am not an early bird, I like sleeping. If I have to get up before sunrise, there definitely better be a good reason. Getting up before sunrise to watch dolphins swim in the sea, that definitely makes the list. Lovina beach, which is located in the northern part of Bali, Indonesia, is an excellent place for dolphin watching. When we went on the tour, we managed to see at least 10 to 20 dolphins. I have seen a few dolphins in aquariums and at Marineland in Canada. I have always felt uncomfortable seeing these animals confined to such small place spaces, when their natural habitat should be the vast…
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The Beauty of Fall in South Korea
If I had to choose my favorite season, it would definitely be fall. It is a sumptuous time to relish in a plethora of rich and vibrant colors. It is a time to soak-up the very essence of nature. As I stroll down the cacophonous city streets, I am drawn to the silent, cryptic-looking trees. Their long branches radiate, bursting with lusciously colorful leaves. For me, these attractively hued trees hold a delightful treasure called happiness. The beauty of fall captivates my senses like a lover enraptured by his beloved’s kiss. I happily become lost in the world of reflection and tranquility. Helpless as a newborn, my senses are heightened…
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A Day in Pamukkale, Turkey
We woke up early and headed to Pamukkale, a small city located in southwestern Turkey. This city has become a popular tourist destination for its incredible hot springs and travertines. These picturesque terraces are made of travertine, a sedimentary rock deposited by water from the hot springs. In Pamukkale, there are 17 hot water springs with temperatures ranging from 35 °C to 100 °C. Before visiting the terraces, we toured around the ancient Byzantine city of Hierapolis, which is now recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We made another detour at a Turkish market. In this photograph, the vendor is bagging Turkish delights. We thought the Turkish delights were…
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Quaint German Towns in the Harz Mountains
Some of the most picturesque towns I have seen were in central Germany. Wernigerode and Quedlinburg are two small but quaint towns located in the Harz Mountains. These two towns were particularly memorable for their unique and cozy looking timber buildings and beautifully paved walkways. After spending a night in a cozy half-timbered house, we woke up early to some wonderful German hospitality and breakfast. It was not long before we were strolling leisurely around Wernigerode. The atmosphere in the streets was very peaceful and pleasant. There were plenty of unique cafes and patios everywhere in this small town. This is Wernigerode’s Town Hall. This is a market area located…
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Bungee Jumping is Scary!
I would have thought that skydiving from 14 000 ft, scuba diving with sharks, or surfing with large waves, might have been one of my scariest adventures. However, it was bungee jumping that I have found the scariest. In Inje, South Korea, we decided to do our first ever bungee jump! The jump was only about 60 meters. I am not afraid of heights, so at the time I was just super excited to try this new adventure. I was told to walk off the ledge and just drop on the count of 3. Below me I could see nothing but water. It seemed like a fairly long way down.…
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The Enchanting Castles near Fussen, Germany
We had decided to stay in Fussen for a few days while we explored the Neuschwanstein Castle and Hohenschwangau Castle. These two castles are some of the most popular and beautiful castles in all of Germany. Fussen is a small town located in Bavaria, Germany. While in Fussen we walked aimlessly through the open fields, simply enjoying the beautiful landscape. In the evening, Fussen is just as beautiful with its glowing sunset spreading across the sky and high above the mountains. We could have rode a horse up the hill to Neuschwanstein Castle, but instead opted to walk up the steep hill. Upon approaching the castle, I was instantly awed…
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Horseback Riding in Udiapur, India
Our first trip to India was only for 2 weeks. During this trip we managed to make our way to Udiapur. This city, which has become a very popular tourist destination, is located in the state of Rajasthan in western India. Although Lake Pichola, the artificial fresh water lake, and the Lake Palace were beautiful, our most memorable experience was doing horseback riding for the first time ever in Udiapur’s countryside. We were given a quick lesson on how to guide our horses. Once were we seated on our horses, we rode through some villages. The villagers were so happy to see us riding the horses and were waving at…
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Unique Architecture in Singapore
One of our favorite things to do while traveling is simply to walk around a city and become lost in it. Exploring by foot is a very fun and rewarding way of traveling. It allows you to immerse into the local culture and discover things that may not necessarily be found in a travel guide. While in Singapore, we leisurely walked around all day simply admiring the beautiful city. We noticed there were a lot of unique and colorful buildings everywhere. It was definitely a nice touch to the city.
