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

Japan, Shiga Prefecture, Moriyama This article was originally published in this blog in May 2019. It chronicled my visit to Moriyama, a city in Japan's Shiga Prefecture. I had arrived in Moriyama from Takashima, another city in Shiga. My 2-day stay in Moriyama was planned to be a leisurely stop in my itinerary with nothing much planned except to enjoy the beautiful views of Lake Biwa. However, this short stay turned out to be a rather interesting part of my overall trip as I discovered lots of things to see and do. As I checked out of my hotel in my third day here for my onward journey to Tokyo, I left knowing I will return because there are still much to see and do here.  ****************** First Impressions My first view of the city was when the hotel bus rolled into the city over the scenic Biwako Ohashi Bridge over Lake Biwa. I had boarded the free shuttle provided by the Lake Biwa Marriott for hotel guests at Katata Station on the Kosei Line. With...

It was my first time visiting Shiga Prefecture. I had arrived at Otsu from Takashima. It was spring and cherry blossoms (a.k.a. sakura ) season and I was in Takashima specifically for the purpose of viewing cherry blossoms. Otsu was meant to be a brief transit stop for me, my next destination being Moriyama.  Alighting from the train at Katata Station of the Kosei Line, I realised that I had about 45 minutes before the hotel shuttle would arrive. I thus decided to spend a bit of time exploring the immediate surroundings of the Station. There was a tourist information office just next to the Station and I went in, intending to look for interesting places to visit in the surrounding vicinity. After speaking with the staff, I realised that Otsu would be an interesting place to explore. Because I had "spare" days in my itinerary, I decided that I would be back in Otsu the next day to do a walking tour of the areas around Katata Station. I was back in Otsu the next day. T...

Beginning a whole new monthly series of travel snippets; the Bucket List, in this blog from the month of September 2019. All of the items in this list are stuff from my personal bucket list which I had completed. They ranges from the mundane to the interesting. Some may be downright boring, stupid or quirky. Some, a little bit adventurous and out of the norm. None are disrespectful, dangerous or illegal. All are affordable, a little bit of saving up may be required for the occasional item on this list if you are an average person like myself. The idea of this list is to share my bucket list escapades. It is meant to inspire the reader to come up with his or her own list. Everybody have their own idea of adventure and fun. May this series be an inspiration for you to plan and enjoy your very own bucket list and to add that little more excitement and zest into your travels. The author enjoying the view of Lake Biwa, Takashima, Shiga Prefecture, Japan (2018)

First Impressions My first view of the city was when the hotel bus rolled into the city over the scenic Biwako Ohashi Bridge over Lake Biwa. I had boarded the free shuttle provided by the Lake Biwa Marriott for hotel guests at Katata Station on the Kosei Line. With those first views, the initial apprehensions that I might had chosen the wrong location to stay in for the next 2 days of my trip vanished like footprints in the sand. The scenic  Biwako Ohashi Bridge as seen from the eastern side of Lake Biwa from Moriyama, Shiga Prefecture, Japan (2018) Moriyama is located in Shiga Prefecture, just north-east of the famous city of Kyoto. My accommodation at the Lake Biwa Marriott offered me a panoramic view of Lake Biwa. The several small parks in the vicinity of the hotel, which itself is located on the shores of Lake Biwa and relatively near to the Biwako Ohashi Bridge, provided good options for my evening strolls to enjoy the peace and tranquility of the area.   ...

One Trip, Multiple Destinations....... Those who know me know that I usually do not packed too many destinations into a single trip whenever I travel. I typically planned my itineraries such that I do not travel to more than 2 cities within a single trip. Usually, my trips were planned around a single city. This is because I definitely prefer to have sufficient time to explore the destination, to sit and people-watch, enjoy a cuppa at local cafe, to visit the local markets and eateries and to observe how the locals live, rest and play. The serene and tranquil neighbourhoods of Omihachiman with its traditional houses dating back to the Edo Period of Japan's history was an amazing personal discovery when I was in Shiga, Omihachiman, Shiga Prefecture, Japan (2018) However, in my most recent trip to Japan in early April, I did what previously to me was the unthinkable. I actually broke all my personal rules and traveled to multiple destinations within the 12 days of ...