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

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

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

When I travel, I have always enjoy staying in rural areas which are off the beaten track. During my trip to the mountains of Takayama in Okuhida in the autumn of 2014, I had to travel from Tokyo all the way to my destination. The travel alone took up an entire day of my itinerary. Of course, the travelling was a sight-seeing adventure all by itself as the scenery changed from the crowded cityscape of Tokyo to the rural and mountains terrain of Hida-Takayama. Locally-grown crops, Okuhida, Takayama, Gifu Prefecture, Japan (2014) Prior to my arrival in Japan, I worked out the travel itinerary from travel guides and tried it out  for the first time when I landed in Tokyo. Not all the information that I had gathered from the guides were accurate and I had to make minor adjustments along the way with some help in direction finding from the locals. That was the fun part of the trip and I must admit that I did get lost along the way before I eventually arrived at the family-run ryok

The Merlion is a mythical half lion and half fish creature. It is both the icon and mascot of Singapore's tourism promotion activities. Over the years, the Merlion has come to symbolise Singapore and is a widely recognised icon of the city state. Merlion, Merlion Park, Singapore (2014) The Merlion "officially" resides at the Merlion Park at One Fullerton, near the Central Business District and overlooking Marina Bay. For tourists looking to visit the Merlion, it is located just next to the Fullerton Hotel. Ask any friendly locals around the area where the Merlion is and they will be happy to point you in the right direction. The Merlion statue stands majestic over Marina Bay and spouts water from its mouth into the Marina Basin; 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. At night, the Merlion lights up in a kaleidoscope of colours. The one minute video in this blog post was taken with my iPhone X on 31 March 2018. It provides a preview of what you can expect to see when you

Mount Stanserhorn is located in Switzerland's canton of Nidwalden, near to Obwalden. The highest point of Stanserhorn is recorded as 1,898 metres above sea level, or the equivalent of about 6,227 ft. At the peak of the mountain is a restaurant, a souvenir shop and an observation deck. Most packaged group tours which bring tourist to the city of Lucerne usually include a side trip to the peak of Mount Stanserhorn.  Getting to the top of Stanserhorn is relatively convenient due to the availability of a cable car service. At the peak, one can look out into the vast mountainous landscape of the surrounding areas. From here, the mighty Swiss Alps is truly a sight to behold. View from the top, Mount Stanserhorn, Nidwalden, Switzerland (2009)

Safeguarding important personal belongings when travelling....... Over dinner with friends during the weekend, one of them related to us about an incident in his recent  trip to Europe. He was on a group tour and one of the travellers in the group had lost her passport as well as all her cash and credit cards. She was the victim of a pickpocket. Apparently, the act occured while the group was in a small crowded lane while moving from one point in the city to another. The pickpocket (or pickpockets) must have had made use of the confusion and the crowd to carry out the theft. The aftermath of that incident effectively ruined the victim's trip. She was left without her important travel document which also happened to be her only form of identification in a foreign land. And she was also left penniless as all her cash and credit cards had been stolen. Thankfully for the lady, my friend loaned her cash and assisted her to contact the nearest diplomatic representation of her

In one of my previous blog articles, I posted a picture of a "Peeping Cupid" in Ginza, Tokyo. On my recent trip to Taipei, I chanced upon a similar statue of a "Peeping Cupid"! While I am not sure if there are similar statues in other cities, it is now two chance encounters with statues of a "Peeping Cupid" in two different cities in Asia. :-) Peeping Cupid, Taipei, Taiwan (2018) This is my previous blog post of the Peeping Cupid in Tokyo.