During my visit to Taipei, I knew I would be making some day trips. Obviously I love cities, but one must escape to magical places for a change of pace. An enchanted adventure that that was highest on my list was a trip to Jiufen and Shifen (often grouped together for one day). Not too far from the city, they give you a glimpse of another side of Taiwan that you can’t experience within Taipei. Both of these towns you…
Have ever visited Sedona, Arizona, and feel transported into a Martian atmosphere? If so, you will experience the same feelings when visiting Yehliu Geopark. If you closed your eyes and you were dropped right into the park, you would think you were on an alien planet, except for the selfie sticks and instagrammers. The park is located on the north coast of Taiwan and is scattered with mushroom and honeycomb like formations due to sea erosion. Thanks to science and…
I traded a week of coffee shop exploring in Tokyo for a week of tasting the best of Taipei coffee shops. From large, beautifully crafted spaces, to small easy to miss cafes, Taipei’s coffee scene has taken off (specialty coffee shops are taking over the world it seems in the best way). Like in Tokyo, you can see the baristas take pride in their brewing, roasting and pouring. Of course it’s hard in such a small amount of time to see…
Although visitors usually sworm to Kyoto, Osaka, and Tokyo (rightly so), it is the places that fly under the radar that really surprise me. Due to my recent visit to Tottori City, I can’t help but wonder what else is left to discover in Japan (most likely a lot). The Tottori prefecture is the smallest of prefectures located on the Sea of Japan in the Chugoku region. Mostly known most for it’s stunning Sand Dunes, Tottori has many things to…
I am not someone who is aggressively researching gardens on my travels but Tokyo Cherry Blossom season changes you. It seems that everyday I find a new reason to never leave Japan but the last few months sealed the deal. It consisted less of crowded tourists and more of serene, peaceful, and gorgeous places to have a Hanami picnic. What is Hanami? Hanami in Japan is the custom of viewing and admiring flowers. Hanami often includes having a picnic below…