Signs

 Joining Tom at Signs2

Wordless Wednesday Wordless

American plate, I can't quite make out the state. DO GO ON

And a random license plate (on the Gardiner) that I can't figure out. I think I got it! BENZ FOR ME.

BNZ4ME

Monday Mural

  I'm linking up at Monday Mural

WE ARE TRAVLLING UNTIL DEC 22, I WILL LINK UP IF POSSIBLE. BUT I EXPECT LIMITED INTERNET/WI-FI.

April 2025 - Lisbon Portugal

I had the not so bright idea to walk from Praça do Comércio  to the 25 de Abril Bridge because it looked so close!! NOT!

Cais do Sodré is an area in the center of Lisbon, Portugal, between Cais da Marinha and Cais do Gás. This name is shared by two railway stations and a ferry station in Lisbon.

It was also a pretty boring walk brightened up by murals and we had a good lunch under the bridge.

Brazilian artist @dankaumbert Danka Umbert

The mural features one of Portugal’s most recognizable landmarks, the “25 de Abril'' bridge, a name that reflects the date of the revolution that set the country free from 48 years of dictatorship. It represents values of freedom and connection, echoing the desires of open-minded people who believed in a brighter future. It is a message of hope supported by social and industrial progress. A testament to the idea that nothing is gained without tolerance, resilience and love shared as a united community, and how our everyday actions are what cultivate and preserve this legacy.

Julien Raffin (1985) is a French artist based in Paris expressing his visual creation through the medium of analogue collage and playing with historical and cultural references, in rupture with our contemporary lives. His work offers a poetic and dynamic narrative where compositions in colour and black & white come into opposition, revealing the contrast and dissonance between the past and the present in a disruptive harmony.

Scramble Cafe NOV 28 RECAP

 Linking up with Marg at The Intrepid Reader

Weekend Coffee Share

Sunday Salon

WE ARE TRAVELLING UNTIL DEC 22, I WILL LINK UP IF POSSIBLE. BUT I EXPECT LIMITED INTERNET/WI-FI.

 November 21- 28 2025 - Tokyo Japan - Hanoi Vietnam

Shiboya Crossing Tokyo Japan

I am not going to do my normal weekly recap, I don't have time, internet is slow and I hate this chromebook!

Nov 21 - 22 Transit

Nov 23 Tokyo

Nov 24 Tokyo

Nov 25 Tokyo

Nov 26 Tokyo - Hanoi

Nov 27 Hanoi

Nov 28 Hanoi

JAPAN

Such quiet streets. Polite people. BUT crowded! Nobody gets impatient, nobody blows their horn.

VIETNAM

From dignified Japan to chaotic mayhem! 

Last Week's Post Boulangerie Moderne Montreal

Last Year's Post Yellowstone

Five Years Ago  Allan Gardens Toronto I wasn't doing weekly recaps back then.

Saturday ARRIVE TOKYO JAPAN

Sunday TOKYO

If you've been to Japan recently there's a high chance you've seen this bottle of soy sauce at a place you've eaten since this is one of the most popular soy sauces in Japan at the moment. It is Kikkoman Soy Sauce which should be familiar to most here, but it is their Nama Shoyu which is raw unpasteurized soy sauce. Pasteurizing soy sauce changes the flavor considerably.

I make my own soy sauce and have shown my friends the difference between pasteurized vs unpasteurized and they are always blown away at how much pasteurizing soy sauce changes the flavor. Anyways, the next time you see this, give it a taste and see if you can tell the difference between this and the typical soy sauce you are used to.Also consider bringing a bottle of nice Shoyu back home(it doesn't have to be this one), or buying a fancy type of soy sauce like saishikomi(double fermented) or kombu shoyu.

Monday TOKYO

Tuesday TOKYO

Wednesday TOKYO - HANOI VIETNAM

Thursday HANOI ON OUR OWN

Friday HANOI ON OUR OWN

COOKING WATCHING READING

I won't be updating these sections while we are away.

 In Japanese, “tsundoku” refers to the act of collecting books and letting them accumulate, not as a result of neglect, but rather as a source of joy and anticipation, knowing that they hold untold stories waiting to be discovered.

Take Away Coffee DEC 5 WEEKLY RECAP

 Linking up with Marg at The Intrepid Reader

Weekend Coffee Share
Sunday Salon

WE ARE TRAVELLING UNTIL DEC 22, I WILL LINK UP IF POSSIBLE. BUT I EXPECT LIMITED INTERNET/WI-FI.

I am way behind on my posts! I will update later. 

DECEMBER 5 2025 - Hanoi Vietnam - Hoi An Vietnam

Hue Vietnam

Nov 29 Hanoi

Nov 30 Hanoi

Dec 1 Hanoi - Halong Bay

Dec 2 Halong Bay - Hanoi - Hue

Dec 3 Hue Vietnam

Dec 4 Hue - Danang - Hoi An

Dec 5 Hoi An

This week we have gone from Hanoi to Halong Bay where we spent the night on a river boat, took a speedboat to make our plane to Hue (pronounced Whey), where we spent 2 nights, one of the days in an absolute deluge! Then drove to Hoi An, my favourite so far!

And had Australian steak on Friday!!

Last Week's Post NOV 28

Last Year's Post Michel's Bakery Cafe 

Five Years Ago   Cloud Gardens I wasn't doing weekly recaps back then.

Warm Up dec 14

The Grinder dec 21

Cheers dec 28

Where We Are dec 16

Semana Uno Mexico Dec 24

Semana Dos Mexico Dec 31

Saturday HANOI VIETNAM TOUR STARTS

Sunday HANOI

Monday HANOI - HALONG BAY

Tuesday HALONG BAY - HANOI - HUE

Wednesday HUE

Thursday HUE - DANANG - HOI AN

Friday HOI AN VIETNAM

COOKING WATCHING READING

I won't be updating these sections while we are away.

Weekend Roundup

 WE ARE TRAVLLING UNTIL DEC 22, I WILL LINK UP IF POSSIBLE. BUT I EXPECT LIMITED INTERNET/WI-FI.

As I am away, and will have limited wi-fi access, I have scheduled Weekly Roundup, not knowing what Tom's choice will be. Therefore I'll choose something!!

Welcome to The Weekend Roundup...hosted by Tom The Back Roads Traveler

1. Starts with "W"
2. A Favorite
3.  - Chosen by Tom me

Starts with W (BIGGEST/SMALLEST/LONGEST/SHORTEST/OLDEST/FIRST)

WORD

FAVOURITE

WINDOWS Ottawa ON 2025

CHOSEN BY ME

WILLIAMSBURG VA

Tokyo Monday Nov 24 - Part 1

 Monday Nov 24 - Tokyo Japan

We grabbed a cab for our sake tasting session, it was too confusing to figure out the meeting place. I told the guide and he suggested a meeting place that worked out fine.

Tour Description

Your bilingual guide will introduce the appeal of sake pairing. You’ll learn the basics of sake tasting—how to appreciate aroma and how temperature transforms flavor. You’ll also discover proper pouring etiquette and the cultural meaning of a traditional toast. The meal showcases dishes that highlight uniquely Japanese textures and flavors, including one that pairs perfectly with the gentle, rice-derived sweetness of sake. The course is designed to complement the sakes provided. With an all-you-can-drink menu featuring 20 kinds of sake, plus beer, highballs, and soft drinks, you can explore your favorites at your own pace. You’ll sample 4 sakes in a guided tasting, and you’re also welcome to explore the venue’s all-you-can-drink menu during the time limit. Enjoy a variety of flavors: chicken nanban with a tangy sweet sauce, a savory miso-and-butter dish, a rich sea urchin cream croquette, and a vegetable set served with three kinds of miso. For dessert, finish with crispy-on-the-outside, creamy-on-the-inside fried vanilla taiyaki. The guided flight features four sakes, each with a distinct character. The first offers an elegant aroma and a clean, crisp finish that pairs beautifully with fried dishes. The second enhances the richness of miso and butter. The third is a soft nigori that complements creamy dishes and fava beans, adding a subtle twist. The finale is a sweet sake that pairs well with desserts and spicy dishes. Throughout the experience, your guide will also explain sake’s history and production, the roles of rice, yeast, and fermentation, and how to choose glassware and read labels. Ask questions freely—personalized recommendations are always welcome. This workshop is designed to help you understand the “why” behind sake pairings so you can apply it in restaurants and bottle shops. Whether you come as a group, a couple, or solo, it’s a special experience that lets you savor Japan’s seasons and food culture, one dish at a time.

We met Yuya, our 20 yo university student guide, we were the only participants. He lead us down two floors into a very noisy, busy restaurant.

Yuya walked us through the various types of sake while telling us about himself and asking about us.

All kinds of sake and drinks were included. We didn't take advantage of that. The sake fridge that you could try.

The fish-shaped dessert with red bean paste is called taiyaki. It is a traditional Japanese sweet, made with a pancake-like batter cooked in a fish-shaped mold and filled with sweet red bean paste (anko). Taiyaki is a popular street food and snack in Tokyo and across Japan. It is made in the shape of a sea bream (\(tai\)), which is considered a symbol of good luck and prosperity in Japan.

We had mentioned we were going to find Godzilla's Head and he insisted on taking us there.

I had no idea they were doing this over my head!

This Godzilla, towering over the Toho Cinema in Shinjuku, is probably the most famous in Tokyo. On closer inspection, it’s actually just a head and claw, but it still cuts a pretty intimidating figure.

Every now and then you can hear his classic roar booming throughout the area. His eyes light up, and a neon blue stream of “atomic breath” projects into the night sky—presumably to the chagrin of whoever’s trying to sleep in the hotel rooms directly opposite. If you’re a guest (or cafe visitor) to said Hotel Gracery, you can actually get up to the rooftop for a close-up photo, but the effect is better from the ground.

Shinjuku is known as "the city that never sleeps." The street is lined with nightlife spots open until late hours and restaurants operating well into the night, with neon lights gleaming until the early hours.

Time for a taxi back to the hotel.

In the shadow of modern high-rise buildings are six narrow alleyways jam-packed with a hodgepodge of narrow, two-story adjoining buildings. Unlike the surrounding area, which was redeveloped during Japan’s economic boom following WWII, the Golden Gai (Golden Block) has remained relatively unchanged since the late 1950s, early 60s when it was known as Piss Alley.