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Foodie Corner

Street Food and Other Traditional Dishes to Eat in Japan

Our foodie experience in Japan may be quite mild compared to what some diehard foodies might have tried, but we sampled so many different things that we felt it was worth a separate foodie article to describe some of these. With Japanese menus and sometimes English menus only having pictures. We did eat some things […]

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Travel Tips

Be Nice to Those Gate Agents!

On our recent Tokyo return trip we were delayed with the departure and were expected to miss our connection in Los Angeles to Miami. Already a long flight, options were limited and we tried to work with the telephone agents to reroute us. We eventually settled on a 9-hour layover in LAX and the red-eye […]

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Trip Ideas

Top Attractions to See in Osaka, Japan

Osaka is the third largest city in Japan with a population of almost 2.6 million. It’s a vibrant modern city with a buzzing nightlife and plenty of attractions: historical landmarks, parks, museums, theatres—there is something for everyone… 

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Travel Tips

Train Travel in Japan Explained

Lets start by saying that Japan has an excellent train system that’s fast, clean, efficient and reasonably priced. Train travel in Japan is by far the easiest and most efficient way to get around. The train is so popular that an apartment can cost twice the price if it is within 10 minutes of a […]

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Trip Ideas

Visiting Tokyo at Cherry Blossom Time

Tokyo is a great destination any time of the year but it really comes alive at the end of March and the beginning of April when the cherry blossom trees are blooming. It is a popular time as it’s also spring break for the students in Japan so be sure to book early as even […]

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Trip Ideas

A Self-Guided Tour in Japan, not as Difficult as It Sounds

When we first started planning our Japan visit, it seemed overwhelming. So many places to see, the crowds, all the names being foreign: how would we manage? As things came along, we found that it all fell into place and Japan was actually very tourist friendly and logically laid out. In retrospect, the few organized […]

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South Florida Day Trips

Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, Coconut Grove’s Gem

Vizcaya is the former winter residence of James Deering, an affluent businessman from Chicago who played an important role in designing the villa and gardens along with a team of designers (Paul Chalfin, F. Burrall Hoffman and Diego Suarez). The construction of the villa started in 1914 and was completed two years later, followed by […]

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South Florida Day Trips

Spending a Day in Coral Gables and Coconut Grove

Let’s start by saying that this area isn’t anything like the cacophony of downtown Miami amongst its continual hustle and bustle. The quiet and serene feeling of these narrow streets lined with mature banyan trees almost makes you forget the glass towers and masses of tourists rushing between beaches and cruise ports and trendy restaurants. […]

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Trip Ideas

Tarpon Springs, Home of the Sponge Divers

Located on the Gulf Coast in Pinellas County, Tarpon Springs has a population of only about 25,000. While the region was first settled in 1876, it was named Tarpon Springs in 1882 because of the plentitude of jumping tarpons in the bay that were spotted by the settlers. With the arrival of the railroad in […]

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South Florida Day Trips

Exploring Fort De Soto Park

This lovely park is located in the Tampa Bay Area and makes for a delightful place to relax and chill out. For us this was the perfect spot to stop for lunch and stretch our legs as we made our way up the coast to Tarpon Springs from Miami.