If you haven’t had enough of Bangkok’s spectacular markets (see my two posts on Chatuchak here and here), consider visiting a slightly different Thai market– in Bangkok’s Chinatown. While it might not seem obvious to visit Chinatown in Thailand, Chinatown is very much a part of the local Thai culture. I’ve visited Chinatowns in New […]
A Reader Shares her Favorite Souvenirs Shopping from Udaipur, India I love when readers share their favorite souvenirs from their travels, especially when it’s a place I haven’t had a chance to visit yet. While I still haven’t made it to India, a reader shared some gorgeous souvenirs, mini silk paintings of elephants, while visiting Udaipur, […]
On my first trip to Japan, I really wanted to get a fortune (called o-mikuji (御御籤, 御神籤) at one of the many Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples offering them. But I didn’t, because I was absolutely terrified of accidentally bringing bad luck home. Japanese Fortunes: Don’t Bring Bad Luck Home You see, in Japan, fortunes […]
As I’ve said many times here before, I can’t resist any souvenir that brings good luck. I’ve collected many lucky souvenirs over my travels, but my favorite symbol of good luck is the Maneki-neko cat from Japan. The maneki-neko (‘beckoning cat’) is a popular Japanese lucky charm, originating in the Edo period. The Maneki-neko cat […]
In Japan, there is a culture of cute known as “kawaii” (critical note: the “i” is pronounced like “Hawaii” not “Kauai”–which means the opposite of cute– dreadful. Trust me once you make this mistake once your Japanese friends will never let you live it down). Symbols of kawaii are absolutely everywhere in Japan. While you would […]
When thinking back on favorite experiences in a country, sometimes it’s not the big attractions that stand out in your memory so much as the unusual quirks. Which bring me to the wonderland of the Japanese 7-Eleven, one of the more memorable stops in Japan. And it’s not just me who is obsessed with Japanese […]
