We headed to DC to see the cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin this morning as the NPS declared peak bloom yesterday. Although the sky was mostly overcast, it was warm and the flowers were beautiful as usual. And, of course, it was busy!
Continue reading “DC Cherry Blossoms Peak Bloom”New Year’s Day at Niseko
We woke up early for Hatsuhinode, the viewing of the first sunrise of the year, up on Niseko Annupuri. No sun was to be seen. We returned for breakfast at the Hilton and then headed out for our first ski day of the trip. After, we headed to Hirafu for a very late lunch and % ΔRΔBICΔ before returning to Niseko Village.
Continue reading “New Year’s Day at Niseko”Enoshima
After waking up at the Mercure, we headed over to Enoshima by train, getting breakfast on the way. Once we arrived at the island, we had an early lunch before visiting the island’s temples and the Sea Candle. We then went to the Enoshima Caves before leaving Enoshima around sunset. We had dinner on the way back at Yokohama Station.
Continue reading “Enoshima”Mount Takao
After waking up at the Mercure, we went up to Tokyo Station where we had tsukemen for breakfast at Rokurinsha. We then took the train to Takaosanguchi, a chairlift partway up Mt. Takao, and then walked up to the summit. We enjoyed the view as well as the Takao-san Yakuo-in before returning to Tokyo. We then went to see the winter illuminations at Tokyo Midtown and Tokyo Midtown Hibiya.
Continue reading “Mount Takao”Christmas Season in Zurich
After breakfast at the Kameha Grand, we headed out for our last full day of the trip. We took the tram to Tiefenbrunnen, by Lake Zurich, and walked back to the Altstadt. We visited the Chinese Garden on the way as well as the large Wienachtsdorf, a Christmas market. We walked through the Altstadt, visited more markets, and saw the evening’s Singing Christmas Tree performance before walking around the city a bit more.
Continue reading “Christmas Season in Zurich”