Author Archives: AhjummaWriter
Ohaiyo! The Japanese breakfast
There are many reasons to love Japan. Onsen, culure, temples, old towns, hanami, ryokans and the list goes on. But one of the biggest reasons why I love Japan is its breakfasts. Japanese brekkie is one of the tastiest and … Continue reading
Sakunami Onsen and Yamadera
In between the cities of Sendai and Yamagata, accessed by the local Senzan train line, sits a modest village known for its waters, infused with legendary healing power, so clear and so pure that it contributes to a famed Japanese … Continue reading
Tsuru-no-yu, Tazawako and Kakunodate
Fancy bathing in ‘milk’? The silky turquoise waters at the famed inn of Tsuru-no-yu will help any aspiring Cleopatra to at least pretend to bathe in some milk for a night or two, possibly with much better outcomes for the … Continue reading
Hakodate
Walking in Hakodate is like exploring the musty living room of a favourite eccentric aunt stuck in a time warp – stuffed with quirky old curios, sometimes kitschy, occasionally mysterious but always charming with lots of stories. Hakodate is not … Continue reading
Aomori – Nokkedon, Nebuta and apples!
Tucked away at the northern-most tip of Japan’s Honshu island, Aomori prefecture and Aomori city are quiet and under-rated gems usually skipped by travelers in favour of the more happening southern metropolises of Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto. But actually, there … Continue reading
Shuhe and The Bivou
I’ve saved the best, or at least my favorite, for last. This final post of my Yunnan trip revolves around the small town of Shuhe. Although barely 6km away from Lijiang, sometimes seen as Lijiang’s suburbs, Shuhe does not play … Continue reading
Around Lijiang
One reason why Lijiang is such a magnet for travelers is not just its status as a World Heritage Site but also its proximity to some of China’s most stunning natural landscapes. Snow-capped mountain ranges, turquoise lakes, fierce rivers and … Continue reading
Lijiang
About 16 years ago, I was browsing in a bookshop checking out some books about to be remaindered. One of them was a travelogue on Lijiang. The pictures – of glowing red lanterns reflected in flowing streams of clear water, … Continue reading
Living in Xizhou
Not far from Dali, by the shores of the Erhai lake sits little Xizhou. Everything that Dali has lost, Xizhou still has. A thriving community of residents who live and work in the village, stunning well-preserved architecture with beautiful details, … Continue reading
At home in Weishan
Weishan is unexpected. I thought it was going to be another old town preserved for history and culture, kept ‘authentically’ crumbling for visitors to see what an ancient space is like, or worse, disneyfied for tourists. But Weishan is nothing … Continue reading
Big On Trips 