What to Know Before Going to Japan (Do’s and Don’ts)
Japan is a fascinating country! It is easily one of the top places I have visited to date (even if I only visited a teeny, tiny small fraction of one of the islands in a country comprised of 6,852 islands). The combination of culture, people, food, and scenery all contribute to the environment which makes it exponentially different than any other place I've traveled. Despite the crowd of tourists that flock to the country, there are no shortages of activities as Japan is incredibly unique. Here are some simple unwritten (but now written) rules to keep in mind as you explore all that is Japan.
Prague Restaurants You Can’t Miss
Dobry den! or Hello! When researching what to eat in Prague, there is no shortage of results listing Czech foods like goulash (stew), svíčková (braised beef in creamy vegetable sauce), chlebíček (open-faced sandwiches), and other fun items like smažený sýr which is fried cheese served with tartar sauce! Fun fact: Although goulash actually originated in medieval Hungary, Czechs have put their own spin on it by serving with bread dumplings or knedliky to soak up all of the yummy flavors. Many Czech dishes are hearty and can keep your stomach full for hours so I wanted to find a few alternatives which are still enjoyed by locals. Keep reading to find…
Local Food Favorites in Saigon
Two days isn’t quite enough time to discover, eat, and digest all of the food offered in a single district of Saigon’s twenty-four unique locales. Though not my first time in the popular Southern city, it was my first time actually wandering the streets of Saigon as a tourist. I had an unofficial tour through the different neighborhoods and finally experienced the bustling, tourist-laden streets of the area known as Backpacker’s District. By no means is this an exhaustive list of all of the amazing Vietnamese food scattered around Saigon, but the following establishments are the ones I would return to without hesitation. The list below was recommended by locals…
Sleep No More Tips
Sleep No More is set in the 1930s and based on Shakespeare’s Macbeth with influences of suspense from Alfred Hitchcock and dark shadowy scenes characteristic of film noir. Typical theatrical shows consist of an audience viewing the onstage performance from their seats, but not this one! You will be standing among a sea of silhouettes in gray masks, while performers dance, act, and take you on a tantalizing journey. Sleep No More is a silent, immersive production where you follow the transient characters and possibly participate in scenes without knowing in advance. (The actors will just take your hand and lead you a few steps by their side.) Tickets can…
How to Effortlessly Travel Around Venice
The Venice depicted in photographs is usually what comes to mind when people refer to the floating city. However, the lagoon is actually just a part of the city of Venice, as there are other surrounding islands and even a mainland referred to as Mestre. Venice lagoon is comprised of smaller islands with hundreds of bridges linking them to each other. It is pedestrian-friendly making it easy to wander through the neighborhoods without worrying about cars, bikes, or cross lights! While walking is my preferred mode of exploration in Venice, don’t disregard the value of water buses or vaporetto if it will get you to your intended destination faster than…
Travel Diary: Happenstance in Prague
Our first real taste of Czech food was at U Provaznice where they serve a huge platter containing a little bit of everything called “Old Prague Plate” because why not try it all if you have the chance? When I mentioned dinner at U Provaznice, Daniel casually mentions, “Isn’t that the haunted place?” Wait, what?? While I enjoy the thrill of horror movies and man-made haunted houses, I steer clear from “real” or allegedly haunted places. I took a deep breath and put all hesitations behind as my curiosity for Czech food outweighed my fear. A few things we learned after that night: 1) If no one comes to greet…
Travel Diary: Exploring Prague
A few things happened before we finally arrived: a cancelled flight in Venice, rescheduled flight with a layover in Warsaw, flight to Vienna, and finally a four-hour train ride to Prague. Note: This is normal and not uncommon in Europe. If something does go according to plan, we consider ourselves lucky. Arriving much later than intended, the station was quite vacant and suddenly I realized we didn’t know where to go. Hours of watching videos describing the process of purchasing train tickets and directions are down the drain and my cranial region feels like an empty shell with nothing useful to contribute to the current situation. To this day I still…
