Halloween

When the Bar Polo Dog was open, we would enjoy Halloween at the bar with all the other customers. Sadly, that place is now closed. Instead, we haunt the halls of our building.

Smoothie

In Thailand we are often on the lookout for smoothies as we feel they are healthier than some of the other drinks that are around. This smoothie vendor was just outside our hotel in Hua Hin.

Henna

Outside the Batu Caves in Kuala Lumpur, there are many vendors plying their trade. The time was right and the mood was right, so she got herself a henna tattoo. It disappeared in about three (3) days.

The Coliseum in Kuala Lumpur

When  we go to Kuala Lumpur we enjoy a little time travel. The Coliseum bar in K.L. is steeped in history. A favourite haunt of Sommeset Maughm when he was in Malaysia many years ago and currently frequented by Malaysian cartoonist, Latt, the establishment gives us the experience of what life in this part of the world and in another time was like.

Kitanozaka Masa-ya

Quickly passing by a restaurant that has been a mainstay in Kobe. This shop will be closing at the end of this month.

Shore-in Temple in Kyoto

We go to Shore-in Monzeki Temple in Kyoto about once a year to honour the memory of a friend of Yuko's mother. The temple is a very peaceful experience set not too far from the crowded tourist path.

Kota Gede Coffee

We went to Kota Gede as a small day trip while we were in Yogyakarta. This place has a strong tradition for growing and processing coffee. At this shop we had the opportunity to try the most expensive coffee that comes from the digestive track of a civet. We chose another blend... it it was great!

Fu-chan's Art Show

Our friend Fu-chan is a talented artist and works in a few different mediums. This is one of her creations in metal wire. Usually these works are very large and take up walls.

Osaka Museum of Ethnology

This museum is a relic from the Expo '70 era. The museum is built on the Expo grounds so is a bit out of the way. We like to go there in the spring because of the large international rose garden. This picture is inside the museum in the African masks section.

Dragonfly

On one of our walks through Shin-Nagata, we had an unexpected guest.

Kobe Night

We live in Kobe an frequent many places in town. The landscape of downtown Kobe is changing all the time so if you blink, there will be some changes. This place is next to what used to be a DVD rental shop.

Crossing the Kamogawa

Kyoto has many low tech bridges making river crossings a little bit more interesting. Does not work well after a heavy rain when the river is a bit high.

Busan Hollow Man

We went to Busan Biennalle a couple of years ago. The event is held at 2 locations in the city... one site was a little out of the way. This sculpture was just outside the Art Gallery in Busan.

The Back Streets of Kaoshiung

We haven't spent enough time in Kaoshiung to do it justice. But what we have seen, we liked. This is wondering around the back streets in the hills around the harbour. Quite pleasant.

Ayutthaiya

The temple ruins of Ayutthaiya are a sight to behold. Easily accessible from Bangkok and located on an island in a river... it's a beautiful backdrop for an exotic experience.

Temple in Lukang

We were recommended to go to the old Taiwanese city of Lukang. If we liked Tainan, then certainly we would like Lukang. So we took the advice and boarded a bus and made the 2 to 3 hour trip to Lukang to see the historic town.

Thailand Never Disappoints

One of the many beautiful and exotic flowers to be found in Thailand... this particular one in Chiang Mai.

Big Buddha

Traveled a couple of hours from Tainan to visit this temple with a huge Buddha statue. It's a new place, symmetrically designed, very impressive. The weather wasn't co-operating with us on this trip but we still found a few windows of opportunity to casually explore the grounds.

Travel Ferry

We enjoy traveling by ferry when we can. One of the more pleasant ferry trips is from Shimonoseki, Japan to Busan, Korea. Twelve hours and you're there. The ferry has many amenities like a coffee shop, restaurant, and sauna! Here we are exploring the boat.

Sukhotthai

Sukhotthai is one of my favourite places in Thailand because most of the ruins are in a park like situation and everything can be reached by bicycle. Not much traffic and not many people. A very relaxing place to spend the day.

Kuala Lumpur Style

We stayed in Little India while we were in Kuala Lumpur. There were many great, cheap and delicious local restaurants near our hotel. This restaurant served their meals on banana leves and you would eat with your hands... a first for Yuko.

Night Time on Shodo Island

We often go to Shodoshima to relax and unwind. It is a simpler way of life with few modern conveniences. Not much to do at night so we tested the flashlights.