Tohoku: Cherry Blossoms and Nebuta
What the heck is a nebuta? I did not know either. After Tokyo and Disney we headed to the Northern tip of the main island to check out the huge paper lantern floats used...
Driving Miss Karen Blog
Tokyo Disney: The Good, the Bad, and the Crowded
Last time we visited Tokyo Disney Resort was Fall2022 and Japan had just opened up after COVID. It was uncrowded and almost all the rides were functioning so it was a magical experience. This...
Back in Japan: A Weekend in Tokyo
Why are these pictures first? Because travel is about new experiences and traveling for the first time with our friend Bridget from work made us try things we would not normally do. Like going...
Shanghai: We are just here for the Mouse
I know Shanghai is an important cultural city….blah blah blah. We traded cultural enrichment for a visit to our last Disney Park in the world (until they complete Abu Dhabi). Since we took advantage...
Mainland China: Harder China
I really debated this China trip since I have very strong feelings about the lack of freedom there. I decided that most of the benefit would go to the tour company, tour guides and...
Hong Kong: Easy China
Hong Kong has been a Special Administrative Region (SAR) since it was returned to China by the British in 1997. This status means that it has its own currency (Hong Kong Dollar) and the...
Rio de Janeiro Brazil: A Pleasant Surprise
Rio was our last stop and we were frankly worried about it since the headlines were all about police clashes and other issues. I really liked Rio and my stereotypes were all proven wrong....
Iguazu Falls: So Much Water
When you first see the dramatically named Gargante del Diablo (Devil’s Throat) at Iguazu you come up with clever statements like “So Much Water”. Your senses have trouble taking it all in so you...
Argentina: Diverse
We worked our way from the scenic and rural Patagonian south, through the german influenced Bariloche, and on to sophisticated Buenos Aires. Argentina really has a lot to offer and is making a comeback...
Chile: My Favorite
Chile is sometimes described as the only consistently first world country in South America. It was the easiest to navigate, with good infrastructure, food, and safety. It had a variety of climates from the...
Inkan South America: Peru
After aclimating to altitude for a few days we were ready for Cusco at 11000 feet of elevation. Our time in Peru was dedicated to Inka stuff in Cusco and Machu Picchu and Lake...