After two days immersed in the wetlands of the Camargue, the shift inland was immediate and noticeable. We left Aigues-Mortes behind and drove north toward Combaillaux, trading open marshes and wide horizons for vineyards, low hills, and narrower roads. That evening in Combaillaux was…
I’ve written about the Azores many times before. My mother is from the island of São Miguel, and we’re incredibly lucky to have a family home there, a place that has anchored countless summers throughout my life. As I’ve gotten older, and work priorities…
After a full day exploring Arles, we left the city behind and headed south into the Camargue. Breakfast was at our accommodation, followed by the familiar routine of packing up, preparing a simple lunch, and loading a cool bag with an ice pack. By…
After a full first day arriving in Occitanie and exploring Nîmes, we woke up in Arles, ready for a slower but no less layered day. While Arles is often grouped mentally with Occitanie, it actually sits just across the regional border in Provence, and…
We had been living in Barcelona since November, and by early spring the idea of a road trip had begun to take shape. Having access to a car made it feel easy in a way it hadn’t before. We had visited Spain many times,…
After several days immersed in Kyoto’s temples and neighbourhoods, we decided to take a short day trip to Nara, Japan’s first permanent capital. Just under an hour away by train, Nara offers a remarkable concentration of historic sites set within forests and parkland. To…
After two days exploring Higashiyama (both the Northern and Southern areas), we dedicated our next day in Kyoto to the western hills. Arashiyama and the Sagano area offer a very different side of the city, one shaped by mountains, rivers, and quiet temple paths.…
After spending a quiet day exploring the temples and gardens of Northern Higashiyama, we turned our attention south to another side of Kyoto. While the northern district felt secluded and contemplative, Southern Higashiyama revealed a livelier rhythm, shaped by pilgrimage routes, historic streets, and…
After two lively days in Osaka, we picked up our luggage from the hotel, took the train from Shin-Osaka Station to Kyoto Station, and then took a short taxi to our hotel. Kyoto immediately felt different, quieter, softer, and more measured. The streets were…
After a few days exploring Hakone, it was time to move on to Osaka. We took the Romancecar to Odawara Station, where the station’s many bento stalls caught our attention. The sheer variety was amazing — beautifully arranged boxes filled with rice, pickles, grilled…