Travel Money Problems
Sometimes we encounter problems with foreign currency or using credit cards abroad. I had a major problem with the ATM in Japan.
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How Much Do You Love Your Beer?
I bet you don’t love it as much as this panda. Now, I love my beer and all, but I don’t think I love it as much as this panda humping a beer can. I found this in a liquor store in the Shimokitazawa neighborhood, which kind of reminds me of Williamsburg with its hipster
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Day at Yoyogi Park
After a week of clouds and rain, the sun finally came out in Tokyo and I headed into the city to visit Yoyogi park and the Meiji Shinto shrine.
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Getting to Know Tokyo
While exploring my neighborhood in the suburbs of Tokyo, I found a nature trail that led to a small Buddhist temple.
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Heard of a Bull in a China Shop, But…
As I was out in California before my trip to Japan, I got to spend some time walking around Sonoma. It’s a nice little town with a lot of wineries and plenty of wine shops in the center of town. There’s also plenty of local art for tourists to enjoy. In one of the wine
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Sensoji Temple in the Rain
Getting soaked in the rain during a tour of Tokyo, Japan’s oldest Buddhist temple, Sensoji Temple, which is dedicated to bodhisattva Kannon (Guanyin).
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First Impressions of Tokyo
My first impressions of Tokyo, Japan, after arriving in the rain a visit to Akihabara, the electronics mall, and the Maid Cafe.
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Gone Fishin’
I’m getting ready to embark on yet another adventure. Because my job allows me to work from home, I’m moving, but not in the traditional sense. I’m heading out of my apartment here in Jersey City and flying to Asia. The first stop is Tokyo, and I have no immediate plans–I only have an apartment
State Parks During a Government Shutdown
I didn’t allow the government shutdown to ruin my short vacation in California; I headed to the state parks that offered great views and hiking.
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Government Shut Down My Trip
What do you do when you’re ready to leave on a trip & find that you can’t stay where you planned? The government shutdown threw my travel plans into chaos.
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Ai Weiwei at Princeton
On a tour of the Princeton campus, I encountered the artwork of Chinese activist Ai Weiwei. There are his Chinese zodiac heads.
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Booze Review: Old Pulteney Scotch
I replaced my discontinued writing scotch with a bottle of Old Pulteney 12 year old single malt and have been impressed with the result.
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Sunset on Zhaoqing City Wall
During my first National Day holiday in China, which is shortly after the Mid-Autumn Festival, I headed to Zhaoqing.
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Most Peaceful Temple in Bali
On a tour of Bali, my driver stopped at Gunung Kawi Temple in Tegalalang. This was the quietest, most peaceful temple I’ve encountered.
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Car-Free Life
Last year I made the decision to sell my car — the only car I’ve ever owned (I bought it a month before I turned 17). The car wasn’t worth much and needed quite a bit of work; the exhaust needed to be replaced and the air conditioner evaporator was broken. I sold it shortly