A change in latitude, does wonders to my attitude.

AAAh.. My feet started to itch. Then R had a regional meeting in Tokyo and i decided to pack my suitcase too. This time I had an ally in Marge. One is an acomplished photographer ( Nikon et al ) and the other ( that's me ) a hopeful. Sakura or Cherry Blossoms were the main attraction and we trailed all possible locations of these delicate blooms. Day 1: First stop was the gardens of the Hotel New Otani in Akasaka where we stayed. We took some solid shots of its manicured grounds with its obligatory red bridge, Koi ponds and mini waterfall. After we left for Higashi Gyoen inside the Imperial Palace. Sadly, it was closed off to the public so we half meandered, half got lost and found ourselves in Chidorigafuchi. This was actually the choicest spot we could have wished for. Sakura trees lined the pavements bordering a lake. There was boating to be had, but we decided that we were both too clumsy for a self-manned boat. Pressing on, we moved off to Shinjuku Gyoen to catch the "...

Vienna is Europe's oldest imperial capital and its famous inhabitant: Elisabeth of Bavaria (fondly known as Sisi ), who was the Empress of Austria and queen of Hungary, consort of Emperor Francis Joseph I become the country's icon inspiring many film-makers and playwriters. Her residences at Schonbruun Palace and Hofburg - Imperial palace are "must see" for tourists to Vienna. In the imperial appartments, there are the Sisi museum for Sisi fans and the Treasuries housing the magnificent crown jewels. Nearby is the reknown Spanish Riding School with the Lippizan breed of horses offering public performances. Tickets have to be booked beforehand. Across from the Riding school is the Kohlmarkt street where one has enter the Demel cake shop. This is a tourist stop because it is mentioned in the Austrian tourism website as once being a Purveyor to the Court, hence explaining the presence of camera totting Japanese tourists jostling with Spanish tourists for tables at this ...

Costa Rica's capital San Jose is huge. The city isn't pedestrian friendly and people depend on public transport while tourists like me, were discouraged from roaming by myself. So i had to be dropped off at an agreed spot and picked up at an appointed time. The rest of the adventures were at the courtesy of organised sightseeing trips which were touted by the many tour agents around town. I didn't go looking for them, in fact the hotel conceirge thrusted a few brochures into my hand while he helped us with the luggages. We stayed at the relatively decent Radisson hotel. The staff were friendly and breakfast spread was generous. Gallo Pinto- the national dish made of slightly spiced rice and black beans, enchilladas, casado featured in the buffet spread. That's important because i always like to know the local delights. Plus I liked the adjustable beds fitted with an air pump to regulate the hardness of the mattress. Each morning, i got my freshly roasted Costa Rican cof...

La Havana, the must see destination on every travellers' bucket list. We flew with Iberia Airlines from Brussels to Cuba via Madrid. Easy, no fuss and under 13 hours flying time. We stayed at the Melia Habana hotel, a beach fronted property belonging to the Melia group of hotels. Rooms were large and had a view of the sea. The swimming pool area is spread out resort-style, so one can chill out without intruding on someone else's privacy. The Italian restaurant is reputed to be the best in town and there is a courtesy shuttle coach to the Old Havana daily. During the day strolling along the Malecon, the expanse of blue sea stretches out to the horizon and not a single tanker, ship or boat in sight. At night, locals gather to enjoy the breeze and chat while musicians will try to serenade you hoping for a buck ot two. The tourists like us always stuck out and we were rooted to our spot while five youngsters sang and entertained us. Old Havana proclaimed UNESCO World Heritage site...