America is in the grip of an ammunition shortage right now, with much of the manufactured ammo being purchased directly by the government for law enforcement and military agencies. Why is this relevant? Well, during our visit to Texas, the friend we were visiting suggested that we head to a firing range with her gun…
The blog will be quiet for the next couple of weeks while I jet off around the world. You might already be familiar with Earthquake, the Cat Who Loves Suitcases. Well, she’s impeded my packing again, falling asleep in the suitcase before I could finish. I’ve been sure not to pack her, and will be…
City Hall is often overlooked by visitors to New York, but is worth a little planning if you’d like to visit. Tours are free of charge and take place every Thursday (for individuals). You must have reserved in advance via City Hall’s website or by telephone. Tours are available for groups (if you are travelling…
I last visited the USS Intrepid in January 2012. I like to pop in to the museum whenever I’m in New York, as I’ve always been a bit of an aircraft nerd. The downside is that, as the USS Intrepid is a floating museum constructed in World War II (as an aircraft carrier, not as…
Central Park is vast. It covers 843 acres of land, 80 acres of which are woodland and 106 acres are consumed by the JKO Reservoir. At two and a half miles long by half a mile wide, the park is around six percent of Manhattan’s total land space. Thankfully it’s protected from development. You may…
For twenty years, this was the longest suspension bridge in the world. That might not seem so amazing now, but the Brooklyn Bridge was finished in 1883, and it was a phenomenal piece of engineering. The first land connection between Manhattan and Brooklyn, it’s a tremendously Gothic structure, and an instantly recognisable icon. Approaching the…
La Liberté éclairant le monde has seen better days, bless her. She’s had her torch replaced after the original failed to impress spectators. She’s had extensive repairs because she was starting to fall to bits. And now, after Hurricane Sandy, she’s had yet more renovation work. But damnit, she’s not going down without a fight!…
Everyone knows what the Empire State Building is. You neither need nor want me to spout a Wikipedia article at you. So let’s cut to the chase here: Yes, it’s super touristy. And for years that put me off. But you know what? It’s actually surprisingly awesome. Why? Well, from up the top, you can…
It’s a new week, readerfolks, and as you can see from the lovely widget on the front page, I shall be heading off to Texas in under a month. Until then, let’s throw the reigns over to you! What would you like to hear about? Let’s have a poll! If you’d like me to write…
Time and again visitors to Japan are lured into booking their hotel through familiar sources, whether those be the website of a Western hotel with branches in Japan, or through online travel sites which do the searching for you (and whose search results are frequently Western hotels with branches in Japan). Let’s not deny it:…
The variety of trains and train companies in Japan can seem complex to visitors, and I’m not going to lie to you: it is. What it isn’t is impossible, and fortunately I am a huge train nerd, so buckle in and I’ll walk you through it. Train Companies The main operator is Japan Rail, or…
As is traditional with shrines and temples, the road to Dazaifu Tenmangū is lined with shops and restaurants. This grew from the need to provide those on pilgrimages with supplies, and so stalls sprung up selling everything from buns to sandals, and over the centuries this has grown. You may have heard of the Starbucks…
Dazaifu Tenmangū is a large shrine complex in the town of Dazaifu, Fukuoka, dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane. As you may recall from my post on the Yushima Tenmangū, Sugawara was a Heian-era scholar and poet who was, after his death, deified as Tenjin. Sugawara was born in Kyoto in 845, and was writing poetry…
Kurashiki is a city in Okayama Prefecture, about two hours west of Osaka by train. Within it, along the canal, is the Bikan Historical Quarter where many buildings are preserved in their Edo Period state to show what the city was like two hundred years ago. The city has even gone so far as to…
Himeji Castle is staggeringly beautiful. I’m not prone to hyperbole – in fact, if anything, my English nature tends toward understatement more often than not. When I say, then, that Himeji Castle is one of the finest castles left standing anywhere in the world, I really do mean it. The downside? Well, I’m afraid Himeji-jō…
Troo Adventure 