What to Do in Hanoi
To me, Hanoi wasn’t one of those capitals laden with tourist spots and must-see attractions. Initially, I thought that five days were more than enough to visit, with lots of … Continue reading
Hanoi: Exploring the Old Quarter
Hanoi’s Old Quarter was an assault on the senses. The banging of metal from the shop in front of our hotel played loudly along with the roaring motorcycles traversing the … Continue reading
Eating Our Way in Hanoi
Despite being geographically close to Vietnam, I couldn’t say that our neighbor had such tremendous influence on our cuisine. I didn’t grow up consuming vast amounts of pho or banh … Continue reading
Hanoi Day 4: Ancient House, Liu Riu and Egg Coffee
Coming from our short visit to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Complex, we headed back to our favorite area in Hanoi, the Old Quarter. As a sucker for traditional old … Continue reading
Hanoi Night 3 & Day 4: Cha Ca Thang Long and Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
It was already night time by the time we returned to Hanoi from Ha Long, but it was time to enjoy another local favorite. Cha Ca Thang Long Cha Ca … Continue reading
Hanoi Day 2: Old Quarter, Banh Mi and Coffee
From the Temple of Literature, it was an easy Grab ride to go back to my favorite area in Hanoi, the Old Quarter. After a quick stop at our hotel, … Continue reading
Hanoi Day 2: Temple of Literature
Armed with a ride-hailing app, I felt ready to leave the “walkable” confines of the Old Quarter to discover more of what Hanoi had to offer. We ventured out to … Continue reading
Hanoi Day 2: Pho Gia Truyen Bat Dan
It was an unexpected early start for us on our second day in Hanoi. It was still dark when we started treading towards another food institution in the Old Quarter. … Continue reading
Hanoi Day 1: Bun Cha Dac Kim and Hoan Kiem Lake
After checking into our hotel in the Old Quarter, we decided to grab some lunch before getting some rest. Though navigating Hanoi’s Old Quarter was tricky for first-timers like us, … Continue reading
First Time in Hanoi
The sun was just rising by the time we were to depart Don Muang Airport in Bangkok, and it was a little past ten in the morning by the time … Continue reading
Bangkok Day 1: Or Tor Kor, Yaowarat and Som Tam Nua
After having just landed in Bangkok, we continued our morning with a ride to Or Tor Kor Market. It was a market we enjoyed the previous year not only for … Continue reading
Takeaways from our Second Trip to Japan
While our 8-day trip to Japan was certainly longer than the average time we spend in Asian cities, it still left us sad as we said our goodbye. Japan has … Continue reading
D.I.Y. Japan: A 7-Day Itinerary in and around Kyoto
As with most of our travels, it all started with a seat sale. The heavily discounted airline tickets prompted us to return to one of our most beloved countries, and … Continue reading
Eating our Way in Japan
On this trip, there were a lot of gastronomic delights we experienced. I had long associated Japanese cuisine with something good, but quite mildly flavored compared to its Asian neighbors. … Continue reading
Giro-Giro Hitoshina: My First Kaiseki Ryori Experience
The dark streets leading up to Giro Giro Hitoshina were enough to dispel most of my excitement for the meal ahead. Though I knew that Japan was safe, there was … Continue reading
Kyoto: Walking around Gion
Disclaimer: All photos were taken prior to the photography ban. We emerged in Kyoto from our half-day trip to Nara with the sun still up. Our earlier excursion to Fushimi … Continue reading
Nara: Visiting Todaiji and Nara Park
From Kyoto’s Inari Station, it almost took an hour to get to Nara. It was pouring by the time we arrived in Nara Station. Not wanting to get drenched from … Continue reading
Kyoto: Revisiting Fushimi Inari Taisha
The train from Kyoto Station was jam-packed with passengers, but little did I know that almost everyone was destined at the same station: Inari. It was as if the entire … Continue reading
Kyoto Station: Katsukura Tonkatsu and Roof Deck
As we headed back to our hotel from Kinkakuji by bus, I suddenly had this idea of grabbing an early dinner at Kyoto Station. It was the terminal stop of … Continue reading
Kyoto: A Second Glimpse at Kinkakuji
It was too late when I learned that the G20 Summit was to be held in Osaka, and our schedule suffered greatly as we avoided the city during this period. … Continue reading
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