Unique Things to Do in Athens

When you think of a trip to Athens, most people think of going to all of the archeological sites. While I absolutely loved visiting all of the incredible history in the city, I want to talk about some of the more unique things you can do while visiting Athens, Greece.

Visit A Hammam

I visited Athens in mid-August. It was brutal summer heat the whole time. After hiking around to all the ruins all day, I was looking for a way to just relax in the evening. That’s why I was super excited to visit a hammam. For those who have never been to a hammam before, it’s a Turkish bathhouse with a steam room and different types of massage and spa treatments.

In Athens, we went to Al Hammam, just a short walk from the acropolis. Al Hammam was especially nice inside. I got a couples hammam package for myself and my boyfriend to enjoy.

So what happens at a hammam? Each hammam may be a little different, but this is what happened at Al Hammam. First, you start with the steam room. You’re in an all marble room with steam pouring in. They give you some little metallic bowls and you fill them up with cold water coming from spouts around the room and pour the water on yourself to keep cool. The contrast between hot and cold feels amazing and really does wonders for the circulation. You also need to drink plenty of water while in the steam room to stay hydrated.

Next, the staff enters to begin the treatments, they put olive soap bubbles all over you, they scrub you with an exfoliating glove, they wash your hair, and even do a body mask. Then, we dried off and had a full massage.

After all of that pampering, we finally relaxed on the rooftop with some tea and Arabic sweets while watching the sunset. It is such a relaxing experience, and it feels amazing to treat yourself.

Check out Al Hammam’s website for more photos and to book your experience. I wasn’t able to take photos in many areas due to privacy.

Visit lake Vouliagmeni (and get a fish Treatment)

We found this place completely on accident just looking around google street view. Lake Vouliagmeni is a resort style lake getaway, just outside of Athens. We were able to reach it easily from our Airbnb by the acropolis in less than 50 minutes by public transportation.

This lake is at the base of a beautiful cliff face with a huge cave opening and fed by sea water and thermal springs. The unique thing about this lake is the fish! From the moment you enter the crystal clear lake, you’re swarmed by tons of little fish, commonly called doctor fish. These fish love to gently nibble all of the dead skin off of your whole body. It’s the perfect way to exfoliate. It doesn’t hurt at all, but it sure does tickle!

If fish exfoliation isn’t your thing, you can also sit out on a lounge chair or rent a daybed. We got a daybed for the entire day for 50 euros total for 2 people. It also included a souvenir towel and waiter service (food/drink price not included). The daybed are the best spots to chill by the water and enjoy some shade (and snacks) between swims.

This place was super relaxing and a great way to cool off in the hot summer heat.

stay at the ACROPOLIS’ fence

We were super excited to find this Airbnb. I had never seen anything like this. This is a two story villa with a rooftop patio with the best view! If you look up from the patio in one direction you’ll see the acropolis directly above you. If you look the other direction you can see out over all of Athens. There’s also a rooftop jacuzzi!

The decor is nice, the host was friendly and accommodating, and the space was super unique. The front of the villa is literally the acropolis fence. The front patio is made of glass and has a direct view into some acropolis ruins below. At night, it’s especially impressive to turn on the floor lighting for a better look at the ruins.

These are just a few of my favorite unique experiences in Athens. I hope you can check them out on your next trip!

A Putia - A Rustic Sicilian Restaurant in Ortigia, Italy

If you’re looking for warm weather, nice beaches, and some incredible ruins, look no further than Sicily. We visited the city of Ortigia in the southeast corner of Sicily. Ortigia was a once occupied by the Greeks, so everything there has a lot of Greek mythology influence.

The first night we arrived, we ate at a rustic Sicilian restaurant called “A Putia”. This charming eatery is right near the Fountain of Diana, in the center of the city, so it is easy to get to by foot from most places in town.

We started our meal with some authentic bruschetta. The tomatoes were a crisp and delicious complement to the bread. It was bright and flavorful, matching the atmosphere of the restaurant.

Next, we had pasta. I ate a pasta with tomato sauce, basil, garlic, fried eggplant, olive oil, and salted ricotta on top. It was a delicious combination of flavors. My boyfriend ate a pasta in a pistachio cream sauce with tomato and more pistachio crumbles on top. These dishes were absolutely incredible. While we ate, of course, I had to drink a chinotto, a type of Italian citrus soda.

As we ate our food, traditional Sicilian performers sang and played instruments in front of the restaurant. It was quite an impressive show and great dinner entertainment.

A Putia is definitely a must-eat restaurant on any trip to Ortigia. I definitely recommend checking it out the next time you’re heading to Sicily in southern Italy.

A Day in Turin

Over the summer, I spent several days in Turin, but I spent one day really exploring the city. And so, I want to share what my highlights were from that day.

We started the day off with a trip to the Egyptian Museum. Ever since I was a child, I’ve always been obsessed with Egyptology, so this was quite the treat for me! This is a massive collection with rooms of artifacts that we explored all day. We saw the book of the dead, mummies, statues, amulets, pottery, and of course… cat mummies. The museum itself sits in a gorgeous building as well, in the heart of Turin.

After the museum, we walked around the city to look at some popular sights. I had the best guide, as my boyfriend lives just outside the city. First, we saw Piazza San Carlo. There’s a large statue in the center of Emmanuel Philibert by Carlo Marochetti, and there are twin churches behind. It was laid out in the 1500-1600’s, and this is a beautiful piazza of baroque style.

Then, we walked to Piazza Castello, where the royal palace sits. The architecture was gorgeous here.

In this piazza, we saw one of the many “Turet” bull drinking fountains around Turin. The name of the city in Italian, Torino, means little bull. So these little bull fountains are a fun tribute to the city name.

Now for the food! We ate so much this day. Lunch was at Poormanger, a restaurant specializing in baked potatoes with interesting toppings. I had a potato with pesto, tomato, and of course some cheese. My boyfriend had a carbonara potato, which was covered in egg, Parmesan cheese, and cured pork. We also had caponata, a blend of eggplant, tomato, peppers, and onions in a savory marinade.

For dinner, we headed to Piadino, a shop for piadina just outside of Turin. What is piadina? It’s basically a wrap with savory or sweet ingredients. I ate one with chicken, lettuce, tomato, and yogurt sauce. For dessert, we even had a piadina with Nutella!

There’s so much more to see and do in Turin, so I’ll have to make another trip soon. But I’d definitely recommend checking these sites out on your next trip to Italy!

A Hike Below the Matterhorn

I have always loved getting out into nature, especially the mountains. So when the opportunity to see the Matterhorn in person presented itself, I was incredibly excited. The Matterhorn sits on the border of Italy and Switzerland. If you’ve been to Disneyland, there’s even a ride named after it! This is a famous landmark for mountain lovers everywhere.

I selected an easy hike in Italy that started in the ski town of Cervinia-Breuil and went up to a beautiful turquoise lake in front of the Matterhorn, called Lac de Goillet. This would be our goal for the day.

The day started with a scenic drive through the Italian Alps. We passed tiny mountain towns and winding streams. We even stopped at a local roadside fruit stand to pick up fresh fruit for a snack on our hike.

Finally, we arrived in Cervinia. This town has picturesque views all around it, with a gorgeous stream at the entrance to the town, waterfalls trailing from mountain peaks in the distance, and of course, the Matterhorn towering above us. The buildings are something you’d only see as a replica in US ski towns, but this was the real deal!

First, we had to prepare for a day of hiking. And what better way to prepare than a delicious breakfast outside with Matterhorn views. We went to a local pastry shop called Sweet Side. They had tons of cute little breakfast pastries to choose from, called pasticcini. We picked a few, plus a chocolate croissant, and ate them with a cup of espresso while taking in the fresh mountain air.

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Then, we went next door to a little shop with meats, cheeses, and jam called Cervinia Gourmet. My boyfriend had already packed us local cheeses from his hometown, so we just wanted some jam and crackers to go with it. We also got a chinotto, an Italian citrus soda. Then, we set out on our hike.

On our hike we passed fields of wildflowers, mountain cow farms where cheese is produced locally called alpeggi, and even some little creeks along the way. The Matterhorn was a clear and majestic background throughout the hike. As we started to climb higher in elevation, the air got significantly colder. The clouds began to roll in, but it kept us cool on our hike.

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Finally, we made it to the lake. We unpacked our picnic and snacked while sitting on a large boulder next to the water. The cheese paired perfectly with the fruit and jam and was the best reward for a successful hike. The Matterhorn was masked by clouds at this point but the views we still just as impressive.

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After this, we hiked back down to the town. The hike down was frigid and cold from the cloud cover, so we were very excited to treat ourselves to some nice hot chocolate once we reached the bottom.

This was a day I’ll never forget. Every moment was incredible. If you get a chance to make a day trip from Turin or Milan, this place is a must! Check it out on your next Italian adventure.

A Beautiful Day in Rivoli

Rivoli is a historic municipality about 9 miles west of Turin in the Italian region called Piedmont. This beautiful city is a mix of new and old, with such a lovely charm.

We started our walk by getting gelato at La Romana, a cute little shop right by the Piazza Martiri della Liberta. I got two scoops, one strawberry and one blueberry with elderberry and lemon. My boyfriend got a bit more elaborate of a cone. He chose to have the cone lined with melted gianduja, which is a chocolate with hazelnut. He then got a scoop of coconut, a scoop of Ecuador dark chocolate, and a nice topping of whipped cream. We ate our gelato by a fountain in the square.

Next, we took a walk up the main shopping street toward the castle. The roads were cobblestone paved and the buildings were colorful and bright. The architecture was incredible.

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We stopped to look at all of the sights along the way, including the view of a bell tower off in the distance.

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Once we reached the top of the hill, we came up to the castle. This was the former castle of the Savoy king. It also has the best view, looking out over all of Turin.

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After sitting here absorbing the view of the city, and the view of a random man doing Zumba in a spandex bike suit by himself, we walked back down the path toward town again. We passed beautiful ornamental prune trees and more historic buildings, and eventually found ourselves back in the center of Rivoli.

We decided to get some dinner and take it back to the castle to eat at sunset. We went to pick up some delicious gnocchi from Bistrot Rigatony. We got one gnocchi dish with several kinds of cheese in a creamy base. We also tried gnocchi with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and basil. We also got a few desserts. We then finished the day with dinner at sunset at the castle park overlooking the town.

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Don’t miss out on this beautiful town. It’s definitely on my list to return to again. I recommend visiting Rivoli on your next trip to Italy!

Designer Shopping with a View in Milan

I’m not one to buy fancy designer items typically. I like sales and good deals, and I almost never pay full price. But even I was excited to see this all-designer shopping mall in Milan, just for the views! The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is Italy’s oldest shopping gallery, dating back to the 1870’s, and a must-see for fans of impressive architecture.

While most of the stores are designer brands, you’ll still have plenty to see even without spending an arm and a leg. It’s free to enter the mall, and the atmosphere alone is worth the visit. The buildings are ornately decorated, and the iron and glass vaulted ceilings are a masterpiece.

If you are fortunate enough to have the resources to shop here, you’ll see big name brands like Prada, Versace, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Gucci, and many others. Or, you can also window shop and just explore.

I definitely recommend checking out this gallery. It’s a beautiful site to look around. It’s right next to the Milan Cathedral, so you can see both in the same day, which is what I did. It’s all in the same plaza area. So check it out next time you’re in Milan!

The Milan Cathedral

One of the first stops on our trip was the Duomo di Milano, the Milan Cathedral. This cathedral’s construction was started in 1386 and didn’t finish until 600 years later in 1965. It is an incredible work of art, and even for non-religious visitors, it’s a must see just for the history and design.

We arrived early morning when it was sunny and warm, and the sun shined through the colorful stained glass windows. There were many intricate carvings and statues. The entire cathedral was filled with tourists all marveling at the intricate design.

The cathedral is supported by giant columns holding up an ornately carved ceiling. Some parts of the ceiling appear older and rustic, while others are covered in carved design. The floors are even beautifully colored with different marble shades creating a pattern throughout the cathedral.

I’ve also never realized how many colors there are to marble. We saw so many incredible statue displays all carved from marble with different saints and figures. Each of them mixed marble colors and gold to form the perfect display, and each told their own story.

One impressive view was the organ. This was a floor to ceiling masterpiece. There’s an area that can be entered, but it was sealed off to tourists.

The morning light was absolutely perfect for the stained glass. The colors were bright and vibrant as they flooded the halls of the cathedral through these massive windows. The level of detail in these windows was impressive. There were tons of little panels, and each panel was a different image with tons of color.

There are few things to keep in mind. There is a dress code to enter. For women, you cannot wear anything that shows your shoulders. You also cannot wear dresses or shorts showing the knees. If you don’t fit the dress code, you’ll need to purchase a white cover to wear over your clothes for modesty purposes. I did not fit the dress code, so you’ll notice me modeling this lovely fashion in the photo of the organ above. It does appear that different guards enforce the rules differently, however, as after the guard change, we noticed no one else was being asked to cover up.

Despite the wardrobe requirements, this was definitely worth the visit. If you’re a fan of art or architecture, check it out on your next visit to Milan!

American Airlines First and Business Class

Finally! I’m fully vaccinated, so I can travel again! Of course, while still wearing a mask. So, I’m off to explore the world. First stop? Italy!

I used a travel hack to get a free first class/business class ticket to Milan. I signed for the American Airlines Advantage Barclays Aviator Red Card which gives you 60,000 points if you make a purchase and pay the $100 fee within the first 90 days. The first class ticket was 59,500 points, so that is a first class ticket one way for the price of a pack of gum and $100 annual card fee. Of course, you still pay for the taxes for the flight, which came to $51. Still, a no-brainer.

My first flight was a standard tiny plane from my home town. Nothing fancy really. However, the service was excellent. Since I was technically first class, I got priority boarding, a drink (rare during Covid times in the main cabin), and even a snack which only first class received. My second flight was the same, pretty standard. The third flight had a bit more leg room and a better seat design. Again, complimentary drinks, including alcohol if you like. I just had water…. It was 10:00 am, and I had to figure out an airport change at my next stop.

Which yes, leads me to my next stop. The airport change! I changed from La Guardia airport to JFK. And then came the REAL fun. Because I was flying business class out of JFK, I got access to the admirals lounge for free! Here I got to eat tons of great food including a create your own Mac and cheese bar and a custom guacamole station, as well as other healthy snacks like hummus, veggies, fruit, and salads.

Finally, my last leg was American Airlines flagship business class to Milan. These seats are amazing little mini suites with lie-flat beds. You press a button and can recline the chair all the way into a bed. They even provide a comforter and pillow for your bed. I could watch TV While in bed, in my own little pod. It also came with all the first class food perks! I had a vegetarian ragu with some delicious sides of chicken and hummus, fruit, and mini chocolate cheesecake. This was by far the best flight I’ve ever experienced.

Finally, I arrived! Where did I explore first? You’ll have to check out my next post to find out! Stay tuned!

Hiking at Squaw Valley

The weather is warming up! So let’s head to the mountains for a hike! Squaw Valley, an alpine resort area in Olympic Valley, California, is in the Lake Tahoe area. This is the perfect place for a fun day trip filled with food, shopping, hiking, and a mountain top swim!

Squaw Valley is the name of the resort area at the base of the mountain with shops and restaurants. They also run the ski lift to the hiking area. They have tons of great outdoor clothing shops as well as other great one of a kind stores. The restaurants are all top notch, and many are even dog friendly!

I like to start my day by taking the tram up to the top of the mountain where you can begin your hike. On the way up, you’ll see the most beautiful rock formations and mountain scenery down below as your tram slowly climbs higher and higher up the mountain side. A ticket can be booked in advance online and costs $29 round trip, up and down the mountain.

Once at the top, there’s tons of activities to do. I go straight for a hike! I hiked to see Emigrant peak and then hiked to the top of Squaw peak. The views were incredible! I could see down to Lake Tahoe off in the distance, as well as all of the valley I had just climbed moments before. I will mention, it can be a bit cold some days, even in mid August. So check the weather before you go for high camp.

After soaking in the views, I took a swim in the hot tub and pool located at high camp. It was so relaxing after a nice hike, and you can really enjoy the mountain air from the nice hot water.

For dinner, I took the tram back down the mountain to the Squaw Valley resort area and ate outside. The day I went, they resort was having a wine festival. There was live music and wine booths set up all around the outdoor shopping area. I also was able to enjoy some great shopping before heading back to the big city later that evening.

If you’re looking for a fun day trip from Sacramento or even just looking for places to explore in the Tahoe area, check out Squaw Valley. Between the hiking, shopping, eating, and swimming, there’s something for everyone here.

Cueva Del Indio - Arecibo, Puerto Rico

If you’re looking for some history with your beach adventure, you’ll definitely want to check out Cueva del Indio, just outside of Arecibo, Puerto Rico. Right along the coast, you’ll find a string of magnificent sea caves that fade into beautiful beaches on both sides. This outcrop of sea cave holds one of the most amazing historic finds on the island, Cueva del Indio.

This specific cave has dozens of pre-columbian petroglyphs carved into the walls, still visible from hundreds of years ago. These markings were left by the Taino people who peacefully lived on the island prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus. These petroglyphs are pristinely preserved and visible in many parts of the cave.

Prior to the hurricane, there was a ladder extending down into the cave, so that you could descend and see all of the beautiful markings on the walls. Now, you may need help from a guide to squeeze through a small crevasse into the cave. Wear comfortable shoes that have good grip.

Inside the cave, there is a large hole in the ground where the sea rises up and down with the crashing waves. You can explore little tunnels throughout the cave and find something new each time. There is also a large hole in the roof of the cave, letting in streams of sunlight during the day. This is actually where a scene from Pirates of the Caribbean was filmed. When Jack Sparrow is in a cave, holding the gold coin up to the moonlight, that was filmed in this cave.

There are lots of adjoining sea arches that stretch on both sides of the cave and fade into beautiful beaches. You can walk along the arches and explore. We even found an iguana friend while exploring…

This is an excellent experience. Do be careful for bees. There is a massive bee colony in the ceiling of the cave that is hundreds of years old, I was told. As long as you don’t approach the hive, they leave people alone.

There is a parking lot where you can leave your car right at the cave. It costs $5 to enter. Again, wear comfortable shoes, as this is rough terrain in and around the caves. Enjoy!

Owl Cafe in Asakusa

We have talked about animal cafes before on my blog (the cat cafe in Shibuya). However, have you heard of the owl cafe? In Asakusa, there was a small cafe with many different kinds of owls and a few other small animals called Owl Cafe Asakusa. While the cafe seems to be no more, there are several other owl cafes around Tokyo. This post will give you an idea of what an owl cafe is like in Japan!

Most animal cafes charge an admission fee or a fee for how long you stay, but they provide free drinks. This was the same way. We paid a small entrance fee and then had our choice of a free drink inside.

There were so many owls! Some you could pet and others were less friendly. Most were sitting on a little roost just relaxing, but some were flying around freely.

The ones I pet were so soft and seemed to be used to humans petting them.

There were also a few special animals there like otters, some turtles, and other types of birds. We spent about an hour inside looking at the different owls and other animals. It is definitely a really fun experience!

If you like animal cafes, check out my other post about Cat Cafe Mocha, as well. I hope you’ll visit an animal cafe on your next trip to Japan! It is an extraordinary experience.

The Deer - Nara, Japan

Deer… are aggressive. They look so peaceful and majestic in the above photo under some cherry blossom trees, but that was after lunch. When they’re hungry, they can be pretty feisty.

The scenery was beautiful. We saw several temples that day, and the deer are an ever-present part of that experience. That’s why we couldn’t wait to feed the deer as soon as we arrived in Nara, early in the morning.

The deer in Nara are known for bowing to you to beg for a deer cracker. You can buy these crackers at kiosks around the town. You show them that you have a cracker, you bow, they bow, you give them the cracker. While this is usually the case, because we tried to feed the deer first thing in the morning, they were pretty hungry. This led to a lot of being chased by deer, but also fun times.

After the deer ate up all of the crackers we had, they finally moved on to other guests (or victims) in the park. Of course, I say all of this in jest. It was an amazing experience, and I would absolutely do this again. Now, for your enjoyment… the deer trying to hug us… with their skulls…

Arrecife 681, Arecibo, Puerto Rico

Looking for a fun restaurant with a twist outside of San Juan? If you find yourself near Arecibo, Puerto Rico, you’ll want to try Arrecife 681.

Arrecife 681 is a Caribbean restaurant with a twist! Their combination of traditional and unique makes this place an excellent fusion! The restaurant seating is mostly outdoors, along a beautiful stretch of beach with fantastic sunset views.

This restaurant boasts some amazing drink specials for a great night out, such as their dragonfruit or passion fruit mojitos. But I was most impressed with their food! First, I tried their fried cheese. This was a paneer-like cheese fried perfectly on the outside. It came with a sweet sauce that was the perfect complement to the cheese. Sweet and savory!

Next, I tried the creamy fish tacos. This was a fish taco topped with spicy crab with a sweet and sour sauce and some chives. It was delicious! The spicy crab reminded me of a spicy California roll, giving this a unique twist on a traditional taco.

Finally, in sticking with the spicy crab theme, I got some loaded french fries, covered in spicy crab, sweet and sour sauce, and green onion. This was the real winner of the evening. It was like eating sushi and fries at the same time, which for me, was excellent.

If you’re looking for somewhere delicious with some good drinks, I definitely recommend Arrecife 681! They’re just a short trip outside of San Juan and definitely worth a visit. Check out their Instagram page for photos of their amazing drink specials and menu. Enjoy!

Takoyaki in Dotonbori, Osaka

Let’s tako-bout takoyaki… lame joke? Yes, I know. Takoyaki is basically fried octopus fritters. It starts with a savory batter, to which the cook adds chunks of octopus, tempura crunch, pickled ginger, and green onion. It is fried in a special pan that allows the takoyaki to be made into a sphere shape. The cook rotates the fritters with chopsticks or a metal poker until it’s the perfect shape.

Once it’s all cooked, these fritters are usually covered in a special sauce, mayonnaise, little bits of seaweed called aonori, and some bonito flakes. When it’s all done, the heat makes the bonito flakes dance as they melt on top of the takoyaki. The taste is creamy from the batter but also a very hearty seafood flavor. The sauces complement the seafood perfectly! But watch out, if you’re too eager to eat these, you will scald your entire mouth from the gooey batter inside. It’s best to take a small bite and let the inside cool a bit before you eat these.

We ate these at Takoyaki Juhachiban Dotonbori in Osaka. This shop is right on the main street in Dotonbori. You’ll recognize it right away from the big takoyaki on the front of the building. This was by far the best takoyaki I’ve had. If you’re looking for a nice snack after some karaoke or a full meal, this place has options for several different serving sizes.

Definitely check this place out next time you’re in Osaka!

Gachapon Cat Accessories

Yes, you read that correctly. Cat accessories. Gachapon, or gacha gacha machines, are small prize vending machines similar to a gum ball machine in the US, but they dispense different small items. There are all sorts of gachapon items, from weird keychains for your favorite sushi to small bags shaped like bread and even the occasional lewd anime swag in the back of the gachapon stores. There are ENTIRE STORES filled with gachapon machines, hundreds of them. Usually, you walk in, they have a change machine for you to get coins, and then you go to the gachapons. Each item usually costs about 200 to 300 yen and is more about the collection or fun aspect than it is about buying something.

Since the items are randomly disbursed, and there are usually about 6 different options per one machine, people will spend tons of money on one machine, just trying to get the option they want. For example, if a gachapon is themed with mini figurines from your favorite anime, you might put in coin after coin, just trying to get the main character figurine somewhere in the machine.

Now, we know what these machines are, but let’s talk about my favorite type of gachapon… Cat Accessories. Yes, hats for your cat. I’ve even found wings for your cat. There is usually only one or two of these in a gachapon store, but they are by far my favorite. I’ve found Pokémon cat hats, Sanrio cat hats, fruit shaped cat hats, little cat scarf hats, and, as mentioned, bat wings for cats. Let’s take a look at some of my favorites…

Here is one of the cat bonnets we got from the machine shown in this post’s main image.

Next, here’s a super cute Sanrio PomPomPurin hat.

This one is an Alolan Raichu Pokémon hat.

Here’s a cat accessory haul… A radish hat, a yellow bunny ear hat, and some cat wings. There’s also a few buttons in here, too.

Next time you’re in Japan, keep a look out for these amazing machines. Gachapons are everywhere, but can you find your favorite cat hat?

Arashiyama Monkey Park - Kyoto

If you’re looking for a unique experience in Kyoto, you’ll definitely want to check out Arashiyama Monkey Park. Located in the historic Arashiyama area of Kyoto, this park offers a chance to interact with some of Japan’s famous macaque monkeys.

Entrance costs 550 JPY, which is roughly $5 USD. After passing the entrance, you’ll hike for about 15-20 minutes uphill. It’s a nice hike on an easy trail that is well maintained. Soon, you’ll reach the top and begin seeing monkeys. The summit of this small mountain has a few smaller trails to walk around on to see the monkeys, as well as a little courtyard area.

At the edge of the courtyard, there is a small building that sells monkey food. This building has fenced windows, so you can stand inside the building and feed the monkeys through the fence as they stand outside. It’s like the opposite of a zoo, putting the humans inside the building for the monkeys to look at. It was so fun to feed them! They stick their little hands in and grab the food directly from your hands!

At the end, we walked up a small trail to the very top where we could see the entire monkey park and look down over all of Kyoto. This park offers amazing views of the city! I definitely recommend checking out this park. If you love animals, this is the place to go and interact with them! Check it out next time you’re in Kyoto.

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Komagatake Ropeway - Views of Mount Fuji

One of the best views of Mount Fuji from the Hakone area is from Komagatake Ropeway. This ropeway takes you from the shores of Lake Ashi to the top of Mount Komagatake. This ropeway climbs slowly up the mountainside, giving you a full view of Lake Ashi as it ascends. Toward the top, you’ll even be able to see Mount Fuji on a clear day.

At the top, there are some nice walking paths to explore as well as a beautiful shrine. Next to the shrine, you’ll be able to see more of Mount Fuji. As you can see in this photo below, Fuji is so big that it even shows up in the background of the shrine image.

We’ve been to this ropeway twice, once on a clear day and once on a completely cloudy day. When it’s cloudy, this mountain area is completely in the clouds. It felt like we were in another dimension, shrouded in fog. We had know idea that such an amazing view was actually behind all of those clouds.

A round trip ticket up and down the ropeway will cost you 1600 yen, but if you get the Hakone Free Pass in the area, you’ll get 10% off. I definitely recommend the Hakone free pass, as you’ll get access to free bus rides in the area on specific bus routes. You’ll also get other perks and discounts. It’s a great way to get around Hakone!

So next time you’re in Hakone near Lake Ashi, check out the Komagatake Ropeway! You can find it right by the Prince Hotel. Enjoy!

Teppen Shibuya - Grilled Meats and Vegetables

A new year and a new post! Let’s talk about food. One of the foods we wanted to try in Japan was Yakitori. Yakitori is typically different types of grilled chicken on a stick with some sort of sauce on it. We went to a restaurant that served yakitori and other types of meat and vegetable skewers, called Teppen Shibuya Onnadojo. This place was delicious and the staff was very welcoming and friendly to tourists. The reason we went inside was because one of the workers flagged us down and asked if we were hungry as we walked by. The answer is always, “Yes!”

This place had a very wide variety of dishes. We were interested in their grilled meat and vegetable skewers, as well as their yakitori. First, they brought us a small plate as a type of appetizer. This was really similar to a chawanmushi, a savory egg custard dish, with some green onion, fish roe, and little fish called Shirasu on top. There was dashi poured over the top that brought the whole dish together. Delicious!

Next, we started with a few kinds of yakitori. This one was my favorite. It was a chicken meatloaf. The restaurant has a house recipe for their chicken meatloaf that is then marinated and grilled.

Then, we moved on to some other grilled skewers. I was interested in their grilled mushrooms. These were incredible. They were marinated and grilled with a nice smoky flavor from the grill. Then, they finished these off with some extra sauce in the mushroom cap folds. YUM!

They also have some interesting pork dishes. First, we tried these pork wrapped peppers stuffed with cheese. The cheese was hot and bubbly inside of the pepper, and the pork was crispy and delicious.

Next, we tried the pork stuffed with green onions. This was another really flavorful one. The onion pork combination was perfect!

At the end, the shop even gave us a really cute thank you message plate with two brownies for dessert. That really showed their hospitality! What a nice gesture!

We loved this place so much that we went back again on our second trip to Japan. Teppen Shibuya Onnadojo is on a little side street just a few minutes from the main shopping area. It’s the perfect place to relax and enjoy good conversation after a long day of site seeing. I definitely recommend you check them out on your next trip!

Cup Noodles Museum - Create Your Own!

If you love cup noodles or instant ramen, I’ve got the perfect experience for you. Did you know there is an entire museum dedicated to Cup Noodles? Did you know that you can even make your own custom cup noodles to take home as a souvenir?

There are two cup noodle museums in Japan, one in Yokohama and the other in Osaka. I’ve been to both, but the Yokohama location is bigger and has more to see and do. I recommend checking it out while you’re staying in Tokyo.

When you enter, you will learn about the evolution of Cup noodles and see a really colorful display of the noodle development. They have packaging from all of the eras of cup noodles so that you can see how it has changed over time. It also makes an excellent backdrop for photos.

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Then, you’ll learn more about the origins. They have an exhibit about the founding of cup noodles for you to explore.

Let’s get to the fun stuff. One really cool element of the Yokohama location is a tasting room. It’s an old fashioned city scape with ramen shops surrounding a food court. This is very similar to the Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum, which you can read about in my other post here.

My favorite part was actually creating my own custom cup noodle. You enter a large room where you get an empty cup noodle cup. Then, you sit down and decorate it however you like with markers. This is a great activity for kids or adults. Each time I’ve done this, it was with other adults, and we all had a great time. Next, you take it up to the noodle station. You move your cup through a noodle-filling machine by turning a lever. Then, a cup noodle staff member will add whatever dehydrated toppings you want as well as the soup base flavor of your choice. There are so many options to choose from! I chose seafood base with shrimp, crab, green onions, and corn. My friend picked curry base with shrimp, corn, kimchi, and green onion. You can really customize it however you like! At the end, you package it up in a nice little protective bubble for your cup noodles and take it home.

We ended our museum tour with an excellent view. They have a balcony where you can look out over the harbor in Yokohama and take in the beautiful sights.

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This was a wonderful experience. At the Yokohama location, be prepared to spend several hours and come hungry and ready to eat. The Osaka location can be toured in about an hour, as it is smaller and does not have the tasting room. It does still have the create-your-own cup noodles, though. If you’re planning your trip to Japan, I definitely recommend checking this place out!

Sanrio Puroland

If you know me, you know how much I love Gudetama. Of course, we went to the Gudetama Cafe in Osaka in one of my previous posts. But we also went to Sanrio Puroland. This themepark is a Sanrio character theme park about 40 minutes away from Shinjuku station in Tama ward. They have tons of attractions and photo opportunities with all of your favorite Sanrio characters.

One of my favorite parts to this amusement park was the Gudetama area. There was an entire exhibit dedicated to Gudetama “traveling the world” as different foods. There are lots of fun Gudetama photo-ops, as well. Gudetama as an omurice, gudetama on a burger, gudetama in a crepe, and many more!

Another adorable part of Sanrio Puroland was the boat ride. This was very reminiscent of the “Small World” boat ride in Disney, except with all Sanrio characters. It was so cute! I absolutely loved Cinnamoroll baking cinnamon rolls and PomPomPurin carrying around pudding. Each of the characters were represented in this boat ride that is fun for the whole family.

And if you’re looking for Sanrio swagg, you’ve come to the right place! I’ve never seen so many Gudetama items as I did in this store! There is something for every Sanrio character here. Many items are even unique to Puroland and can’t be found anywhere else!

Of course, every good attraction has food! And Puroland has a great cafeteria! All of their food is character themed. We ate Gudetama ramen, a gudetama donut, and a Wish Me Mell Pancake with ice cream and berries. It was fun and delicious!

If you’re a Sanrio fan, you’ve got to check out this theme park. Come see Hello Kitty and all of her friends next time you’re in Tokyo and come check out Sanrio Puroland.