KAWAGUCHIKO – Taking a Shot at Mount Fuji

I’ve heard that there are people travelling periodically to the Lakeland of Kawaguchiko west of Tokyo just to take a good shot of Mount Fuji.

Mount Fuji seen from Kawaguchiko
This is the picture I intended to shoot.

This majestic, perfectly shaped volcano – that erupted lastly in 1707 – seems to be hiding behind clouds most of the time. Therefore, it can be a challenge – or a hobby – hunting the best view. Or at least a glimpse.

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Guide to NAGOYA – enjoy the ordinary

This is a guide to Nagoya, the perfect place to enjoy an ordinary day in an ordinary city in Japan.

Renata Green at the Nagoya Castle on a guide to Nagoya, an ordinary Japanese city
Shogun for a day.

Brands like Mitsubishi, Toyota, and even Shinkansen are settled in Nagoya. I assume they sound more familiar than the city’s own name.

This might be the reason why most foreign visitors just skip Japan’s fourth-largest city located on the Pacific coast in favor of the more glamorous metropoles.

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KOH RONG & KOH RONG SAMLOEM – travelling from Heaven to Hell

Whether Koh Rong or its sister island Samloem – a makeshift beach bar in the middle of nowhere. I’m having a drink, overlooking the fine white sand leading into the turquoise ocean. It’s beautiful.

Chair on the beach of Koh Rong
You might not see it in this picture, but this chair just has my name on it.

It’s Koh Rong.

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KEP – Cambodia between crabs and rice fields

Kep – probably the most underestimated town in Cambodia – has it all. The rice fields in the backdrop of grand mountains, a crab market with all the exotic treats, and a nice little beach where Cambodian families are enjoying food, drinks, and each other’s company right on the sidewalks or in one of the simple cabanas.

One of the numberless fish hawkers on the famous Crab Market in Kep.
One of the numberless fish hawkers in the famous Crab Market in Kep.

After having been in distress when visiting Koh Rong Samloem in unfavorable weather conditions, I sought shelter for one night in Sihanoukville. The next morning, I took off to explore some of Cambodia’s countryside where everything feels just so settling.

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KRABI and AO NANG – the Gateway to Paradise

The city of Krabi and the Ao Nang beach town are good places to hang out, however, they are only the gateway to the true paradise of the Andaman Sea.

Iconic longtail boats on the shores of the Ao Nang in the Province of Krabi
Iconic longtail boats on the shores of the Andaman Sea.

So while I thought places like Ayutthaya, Sukhothai, and Chiang Mai were touristy, thus in an amene way, I didn’t know the half of it till I came to Ao Nang.

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Guide to SEVILLE – Three Days Right Where Andalusia’s Heart is Beating to the Rhythm of Flamenco

This is a guide to the enigmatic and sultry city of Seville where in three days, you’ll find out where Andalusia’s heart is beating to the rhythm of Flamenco.

Flamenco Dancer in Seville seen during Three Days in Seville Andalusia
As fierce’n’fiery as legendary opera persona Carmen: Flamenco dancer at the Plaza de España.

No wonder that apart from Bizet’s Carmen more than 150 operas – like Verdi’s Don Carlos and, you probably guessed so, Rossini’s Barber of Seville – were set in scenic Seville.

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Culture Villages in Korea: Real People, Real Art

In this post, I’m taking you to some of the most prominent Culture Villages in Korea which over the past years have become trendy art districts and hip Instagram backdrops. But despite all the enthusiasm for the wonderful art projects, we shouldn’t forget to also take a look behind the colorful layers of paint, because in Korea’s Daldongnae, behind real art live real people.

Culture Villages in Korea: Real People, Real Art
Painting the village in Jeonju.
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An Easy Day Trip to the Hahoe Folk Village from Andong

An easy day trip from Andong brings you to the Hahoe Folk Village where Korea’s traditional rural life remains unspoilt. Hahoe is a cute little village full of adorable crooked houses. You wouldn’t be surprised if you met Hansel, Gretel, Rumpelstiltskin, and all the other fairy tale characters in the narrow alleys.
And, of course, a Queen.
In 2019, the time had actually come and none less than Queen Elizabeth II paid a visit to the picturesque village in the south-eastern part of Korea. I assume Elizabeth travelled in a pumpkin carriage, befitting her status. Not being a queen, I took the bus to Hahoe on my day trip from Andong – and what can I say, it was a cheap and comfortable ride, and most importantly, the coach didn’t smell like pumpkin.

Hahoe Folk Village visited on an easy day trip from Andong.
Village people at Hahoe.
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