Around the world, one place at a time.
A travel journal since 2002. Pacific islands, Asian markets, and the Japan we always meant to visit.
straight from the notebook
Stories from the road
Japan, Otaru
Lunch—German style?
Okay, so hear me out. Yes, we found a German brew pub and yes, we ate lunch there. It might seem questionable to eat German food in Japan, a country known for its delicious, umami-rich cuisine. How...
Japan
Otaru Canal
The canal was beautiful It had lovely copper railings that had aged to a gorgeous patina. I couldn’t help wondering if that material would have lasted in our area; not because of the weather, altho...
Japan, Otaru, Hokkaido
Otaru day trip
We spent a lovely day in Otaru, a small seaside port town about an hour’s train ride from Sapporo. The train carriages weren’t that crowded, but Casey and I still didn’t get a seat. Fortunately, th...
Japan, Otaru
Otaru: Seafood-landia
Otaru, being right on the water, is known for its seafood. Casey, being Casey, wanted lots of it. As we headed to the shopping area, Casey spotted a BBQ place that advertised grill-it-yourself seaf...
Japan, Otaru, Hokkaido
Strollin’ in Otaru
We headed down to the canal and Sakaimachi-hondori Street, the main tourist shopping area. It was a warm, sunny day but the breeze kept things cool enough. We found interesting sights along the way...
Japan, Otaru
You’re twistin’ my melon, man
Don’t touch the fruit, especially the melons. We’ve noticed this each time we’ve come to Japan, starting in 2018 when Anna was still a child and actually did touch the fruit. The stall lady was not...
every place we've been
Destinations
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