Isn't it true, nothing screams "I've been to Japan!" than posting a picture of yourself with a shrine or temple in the background, right? If you happen to visit Japan, don't miss to include visiting temples and shrines in your itinerary and don't hesitate because no matter what your religion is, it's no big deal … Continue reading Shrines and Temples in countryside Tokamachi
Travels
Sand dunes, in Japan?
Oh, in case you're new here and/or not following me on social media, especially on Instagram, we've moved to Japan. It's been a month since I started sleep talking in Nihongo again. And if you ask me how we're all doing, thank you, we're all doing fine (except that - my daughter claims that I … Continue reading Sand dunes, in Japan?
Swimming with the whale sharks in Oslob, Cebu
This year, I took the kids again to the Philippines so they can spend the rest of their summer vacation (2 months!) after our 10 days vacation in Japan. We started to let them stay with my parents starting from last year because they're better off there than being cooped up indoors in Dubai during … Continue reading Swimming with the whale sharks in Oslob, Cebu
Rothenburg ob der Tauber: a Medieval gem you can visit now
Photo credit I love places that makes me feel I am in one of the pages of a fairy tale book. I love old German inner cities that I have only seen through books, magazines or travel blogs and Rothenburg ob der Tauber could be my favorite. The architecture is very well preserved, you can't … Continue reading Rothenburg ob der Tauber: a Medieval gem you can visit now
The Sound of Music tour in Salzburg
I have visited the Austrian city of Salzburg in 2015 and since it was a very short visit (I only spent 24 hours in Salzburg), I know I had to go back, with the kids one day. Salzburg - I can't say this word without the songs and hymns of the movie The Sound of … Continue reading The Sound of Music tour in Salzburg
Dealing with food allergies while eating out or travelling
My son Benjamin (6 years old next month) is allergic to all tree nuts - almonds, pecans, walnuts, pistachio, cashew, etc. We've had accidental ingestion in the past where he ended up in the emergency so we are very careful with his food but alas, sometimes even I fail. The last incident was a year and … Continue reading Dealing with food allergies while eating out or travelling
Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum – is it worth it?
One of the "must do" things to do on our trip to Japan was to EAT. And oh boy, our list was long! There's simple eats at the convenient stores to that special soba in Niigata (my husband's hometown), summer sweets, curry rice, gyoza and of course, RAMEN! My kids are crazy with ramen which … Continue reading Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum – is it worth it?
Visiting the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka
Have you seen any Ghibli movies? You must have heard or watched some of it but never realized it's a "Ghibli" (pronounced, "jiburi" in Japanese) - Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away or My Neighbor Totoro. The delightful animated films of Studio Ghibli are full of magic and fairytales. They can be very simple, dark, fantastical, melancholy, ecstatic, … Continue reading Visiting the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka
Our trip to Japan, summer 2017
It's currently summer vacation for all of the kids in the UAE. It's actually over a month already since most of the schools have closed for the school year 2017. Since classes will start on September 10, that's about 12 weeks long of holidays! When I planned where to take the kids in summer and … Continue reading Our trip to Japan, summer 2017
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi
We had a long weekend last week for the Islamic holiday, Isra wal miraj and we chose to spend it in more laid back Abu Dhabi. What is a visit to Abu Dhabi without checking out the grand mosque? We've visited so many times, taking friends and family visiting us in the UAE. I wrote … Continue reading Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi
Finding Backroads 