I’m not going to name names, so don’t ask. But a Tokyo-based tour guide recommended to us emailed me to say he was away on a trip while we were in town. He apologised for not being there to meet us and kindly gave us his number in case we needed help. His one piece … Read more
Omoide Yokocho or Memory Lane in Shinjuku, Tokyo, is also called Shonben Yokocho or Piss Alley due to the lack of toilets here for many years. Home to dozens of smoky yakitori and motsuyaki joints, boisturous izakayas, and noodle bars, the atmospheric alleyways of Omoide Yokocho are a popular post-work stop for Japanese salarymen looking … Read more
We’ve always loved sake – since we used to hit the karaoke bars with friends in Sydney’s Kings Cross years ago. We wouldn’t think of eating Japanese food with anything but sake*, but, unlike wine, we knew very little about the drink until recently. Being in Tokyo seemed to be a good excuse to learn, … Read more
“Walk, just walk,” was the advice we received from Carl, the owner of our petite weekend escape in Perpignan, when we asked him what we should do. “Oh, and eat and drink…” And so began a long weekend of food, wine, walking and conversation in Perpignan, one of Southern France’s liveliest cities, which we kicked … Read more
Madrid wasn’t on the Grantourismo itinerary. We were meant to travel over land and sea from Essaouira via Tangier to Jerez, and had planned to drive from Essaouira back to Marrakech, take the overnight train from Marrakech to Tangier, a ferry to Algeciras, and a bus to Jerez… Our plans, however, were foiled by work … Read more