TANKS Travel Tales - a travelogue.......

The year-end holidays coupled with the festive period typically see many people taking that long deserved vacation break after a year of working hard. During these overseas travels, there are always the obligatory and must-see tourist spots or iconic places to visit for that instagramable photo to share with family and friends on social media. Besides famous places and spots, there are always that familiar icon. And none more than the world famous Hello Kitty character. Produced and copyrighted by Japanese company Sanrio, Kitty is instantly recognisable around the world. In Kitty's home base of Japan (as well as many cities around the world), there are lots of merchandise and products featuring this famous character.  While in the city of Himeji to visit the famous Himeji Castle, I chanced upon a Hello Kitty Cafe while walking from the train station to the castle. Being a Kitty fan myself, I made a mental note to stop by for a coffee and some desserts after my castle visit

Both a national treasure to Japan and a UNESCO World Heritage Site , Himeji Castle and its complex stand tall and proud on a hilltop overlooking the city of Himeji in Japan's Hyogo Prefecture.  Completed in the year 1609, the Himeji Castle complex originally comprised more than 80 different buildings spread out over the complex area and interconnected by winding paths while at the same time, separated by gates.  Visiting the castle complex for the first time in April, I was awestruck by the magnificent castle, its surrounding buildings and well-manicured gardens. This is truly one historic castle complex that made me literally hold my breath as I marvelled at its architecture and grandeur. I shall be following up with a more detailed blog post on my visit to Himeji Castle. But until I get around to writing that article, here is a photo of Himeji Castle that I took with my iPhone X which I would like to share with all of you. Using both my DSLR camera and my iPhone