Danjo Garan- Koyasan’s Central Temple Complex
As a sacred site for Buddhism in Japan, Koyasan features many temples dedicated to the practice of Shingon Buddhism. While each is important in their own way, none is as…
As a sacred site for Buddhism in Japan, Koyasan features many temples dedicated to the practice of Shingon Buddhism. While each is important in their own way, none is as…
As soon as we arrived at Mt. Koya, I was excited to begin exploring the temples and shrines of this sacred Buddhist site. We started our day in Koyasan by…
This week I’m featuring a photo taken at Mycenae during my 2007 trip to Greece. The aptly named Lion Gate is the main entrance to the citadel of Mycenae, an…
When I was researching Regensburg as a possible destination for our European honeymoon, I kept seeing it referred to as “Germany’s best-preserved medieval town”. Hmm…now that’s a lot to live…
All it took was a seeing a single photo and I was hooked on visiting Yoshino. The picture showed a perfect vista- a vast valley full of pale pink blossoms,…
Vienna is known worldwide as a centre of culture and art, but is perhaps most famous for its roots in classical music. A long tradition of classical music attracted many…
It was a beautiful day in May. Warm, sunny, a clear blue sky above and fresh mountain air to awaken the senses. It was the perfect weather for a casual…
It was unlike any mountain path we had walked before. Thousands of vermilion coloured torii gates lined the way, sheltering us from the forests of sacred Mount Inari. On and…
I am not always a fan of public art but there was one specific piece I was itching to see since it was installed in 2013. Wonderland is a bent-wire…
On our way from Füssen to Rothenburg ob der Tauber, we decided to take a short detour off Germany’s Romantic Road to visit the Wieskirche, an important pilgrimage church and…
Hiroshima, Japan. August 6, 1945. 8:15 am. A bright flash lights up the sky. A fireball 300 metres wide burns with intense heat, 4000°C. Morning commuters disappear, vaporized or turned…
At the mention of Hiroshima, most people immediately think about the first atomic bomb and the devastation it caused. It will forever be what Hiroshima is known for. It also…
Füssen is the ending point (or starting point, in our case) for one of Germany’s most famous drives- the Romantic Road. It’s a picturesque town with colourful architecture, charming old…
Whenever I’m in the mood to see cute wildlife, Mike and I make a trip to Jasper National Park. Well, not every time because then we’d never be home! Jasper…
When we were in Canmore for the Uncorked Food and Drink Festival, we needed to find a way to work off all the delicious calories we were consuming. Lucky for…
One of our favourite things to do in Budapest was walk along the Danube to see the bridges and famous landmarks lit up at night. We started our walk at…
Bright neon signs, flickering video screens, illuminated towers, glowing skyscraper windows, a vibrant energy on the streets- this is Tokyo after dark. Tokyo at night is a bustling, lively place….
It’s hard not to love Japan. Beautiful and evocative, Japan awakens your imagination and captures your heart. Japan is a nation that’s not afraid of innovation and progress, yet is…
After visiting Tokyo’s Sensoji Temple, we walked through the Asakusa district towards the Sumida River. Arriving at the riverbank, we were met with this view of unique and intriguing architecture….
I bow my head down as I walk into a brisk wind, the two strong blades of a helicopter loudly turning above my head. “I can’t believe this is really…