Hiroshima - ground zero There was nothing easy about our stop today in the central Japanese city of Hiroshima, where in a few months time, on August 6’25, the 80th commemoration ceremonies of the nuclear bomb’s first use will unfold. For me, it was a day of reflection on the horrors of war that endure,… Continue reading Japan – A Heavy Heart

Calligraphy entrance ticket to Marugama castle A short few hours of cruising took us across to Shikoku island’s northern tip at the town of Takamatsu. This sleepy port town is home to 1 million people predominately working in ship yards and soy sauce fermentation. Our group split up today with different excursions chosen. I toured… Continue reading Japan – Takamatsu exploration

Moon bridge in Kyoto Our ship stayed overnight at the port of Kobe which permitted us a full day private trip to nearby Kyoto - one of the most sacred places in Japan. The six of us met our guide and driver port side just before 9AM and we set off via the expansive freeway… Continue reading Japan – Kyoto for a day

Nizumi 700 train set at Tokyo Central I was just about 6 years old when this revolutionary train service began to operate in Japan in earnest. It “only took me 50+ years” to finally be afforded the opportunity to ride on this high speed rail line from Tokyo to Kobe. Excitement ran high all morning… Continue reading Japan – Shinkansen experience

Blue skies, gondolas and a volcano While the Japanese, South Korean, and Chinese foreign ministers met at our Tokyo hotel (security and riot police all around the Imperial Hotel this morning), our group left town for a scenic day trip to the mountain town of Hakone. Driver Su and guide Linda on tour A first… Continue reading Japan – Mt Fuji and Hakone

After a 12-hour flight - welcome to Japan After a 12-hour flight from Los Angeles to Tokyo Haneda, American Airlines flight 169 landed at sunrise in the Japanese capital. The blue skies made up for the cold temperatures with beauty, showcasing this mega city’s architecture. Haneda Airport Immigration and customs had to be cleared before… Continue reading Japan – Domo Arigato 🇯🇵

Great migration all around us One of the most amazing wildlife spectacles takes place here in the Serengeti where 1.8 million wildebeests migrate in a circular motion year-round. We were fortunate to pass through this magnificent experience for a 50 mile stretch where, as far as they eye can see, there are wildebeests grazing their… Continue reading Africa Calling – Serengeti

Our extraordinary journey through Tanzania continues with a spectacular drive up to and along the now dormant rim of the Ngorongoro Crater conservation area. This park and it’s surroundings are in many ways the cradle of human existence as the oldest ever found homo habilis fossils were found just 5 miles from the outside rim… Continue reading Africa Calling – Ngorongoro Crater

Park entrance A restful night sleep and a hearty breakfast at Serena Losge consumed, we hit the road early again for our exploration of Lake Manyara National Park - famous for its tree climbing lions. While we didn’t succeed in spotting the big cats in trees, we did encounter a couple drying out from the… Continue reading Africa Calling – Lake Manyara & Serena Lodge

First game drive With an 11-hr time change to the US West Coast, our body clocks remain completely turned upside down which makes for an interesting experience to say the least. This means that some of us are wide awake while others doze off while bouncing in our safari vehicle without notice. Herd of Elephants… Continue reading Africa Calling – Tarangire National Park

Aerial view of the famed volcano As the US Thanksgiving holiday is upon us, it is not only time to reflect on friendships and thankfulness, it is also a chance to explore a new destination in East Africa for a few days with great friends. While it may seem crazy to travel this far for… Continue reading Africa Calling – Kilimanjaro

Weather continued to dominate our journey in Cancun with massive downpours on day one of our last resort stay. Our taxi driver had to navigate flooded streets and fallen trees on the drive along the north-western shore out toward Costa Mujeres. Once we arrived, a warm and welcoming staff took care of check-in formalities and… Continue reading Stormy Cancun – Secrets Playa Blanca at Costa Mujeres

Porte-cochere At Waldorf Two nights at Gran Velas were followed by a quick overnight inspection stay at the new Hilton & Waldorf Astoria Cancun complex which offers multiple lodging levels and services. I was privileged to spend a night at the Waldorf Astoria section with a king ocean view room with private terrace and plunge… Continue reading Stormy Cancun – Waldorf Astoria explored

Tropical storm Sara outside With Sara continuing to howl and rain over the Yucatán peninsula, we enjoyed the many culinary offerings of this magnificent resort. Especially the dinners are culinary highlights, each restaurant’s menu is carefully curated to the finest palates with incredible attention to detail. Our first experience of the offerings was at Frida’s… Continue reading Stormy Cancun – Gran Velas Culinary

Tropical storm Sara Another year approaches its end which means another trip to Cancun/Riviera Maya for an annual conference by our partner Apple Leisure Group. Timing is perfect as tropical storm Sara is hovering above the Yucatán peninsula for the foreseeable future, bringing winds and torrential rain to the area. Yet, despite adverse conditions, my… Continue reading Stormy Cancun – Gran Velas revisited