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Croatia’s Secret Genius: Sculptor, Artist, Designer…Meet Ivan Midzic

3 Comments / Europe, Shopping, Sights to See, Solo Travel, Travel / Pamelahawthorne

Travel is about discovery and amazement. An “older than time” Buddhist temple in Thailand, a vast and detailed Dubrovnik cityscape, the Taj, the David….the big “aha” moments. Sometimes though, it’s that random glimpse of genius that commands my attention. Wandering the cobblestone streets of Rovinj, Croatia on a lovely summer afternoon, a stunning display of […]

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A Hike of 10,000 Torii Gates: Kyoto’s Fushimi-Inari-Taisha

Leave a Comment / Asia, Sights to See, Solo Travel, Travel / Pamelahawthorne

Thousands of vermilion Torii gates blazing in the August sun which straddle a network of trails behind its main shrines. The trails lead into the wooded forest of the sacred Mount Inari. I was fortunate to visit on a steamy August day… A torii is a traditional Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance

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Visit Astonishing Takayama: Opulent Festivals, Sake and the Art of Onsen

1 Comment / Asia, Blogging, Shopping, Sights to See, Solo Travel, Travel / Pamelahawthorne

A morning walk along the Miyagawa River finds farmers and craftspeople selling sansai (mountain vegetables), wasakana (river fish) along with selections of local pottery and vintage kimonos repurposed as ornate handbags and a subtle rainbow of silk jackets. This remarkably preserved city of 80,000 is in the mountainous Hida region of Gifu Prefecture. Takayama retains a

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Japan’s Ultimate Shopping Experience at Tsukiji and Nishiki Markets

Leave a Comment / Asia, Blogging, Food and Wine, Shopping, Travel / Pamelahawthorne

An afternoon at Tokyo’s Tsujiki Outer Market introduced me to the art of Japanese shopping. This is Japan’s “Food Town,” featuring every imaginable traditional Japanese food. It’s raucous and noisy but in a very polite, Japanese way. One main and three side streets feature stalls of the finest, just off the hook sushi-grade fillets in

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A Must See! Tokyo Lights Up Guinness World Record Attraction

Leave a Comment / Asia, Sights to See, Solo Travel, Travel / Pamelahawthorne

Spanning almost 150,000 square feet, Tokyo Night & Light is the largest architectural projection-mapped display in the world! “Tokyo Night & Light” is a projection mapping display which uses light and sound as an expression of multi-coloured art, with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, one of Tokyo’s main landmarks, as its canvas. Travel Weekly Asia

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Amazing Istria: Opatija to Rovinj and the Mystery of St. Euphemia

3 Comments / Blogging, Europe, Sights to See, Solo Travel, Travel / Pamelahawthorne

Opatija, Croatia is a beautiful seaside town with a long tradition as a tourist destination and a 7 mile shoreline promenade called the Lungomare offering sparkling vistas from sunrise well into the indigo evenings. Hotels all offer breathtaking views. And of course, there are the legends. Every town in Croatia has at least one. Here,

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Croatia’s Ultimate Summer Refreshment: Hike Plitvice National Park

1 Comment / Blogging, Europe, Natural Wonders, Sights to See, Travel / Pamelahawthorne

Since most of the world is dealing with scorching summer temps, here’s a cooling visual reprieve. Croatia’s first national park since 1949 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Plitvice Lakes is the country’s oldest and largest with sixteen lakes and innumerable waterfalls. Located very close to the Croatian border with Bosnia, it’s about a two

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Hvar and Korcula Islands: Brilliant Jewels of the Adriatic

1 Comment / Blogging, Europe, Sights to See, Solo Travel, Travel / Pamelahawthorne

My first stop along Croatia’s coastline was a ferry ride to Korcula, only 20 miles long but 6th largest of the collection known as the Dalmatian Isles. It’s old town is charming with streets designed in a fishbone shape and walled since the 13th century. Built for protection from the sea winds in the winter

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Nine Really Remarkable Things I Discovered in Dubrovnik

Leave a Comment / Blogging, Europe, Sights to See, Travel / Pamelahawthorne

It’s impossible not to be impressed by (1) the sheer immensity of this walled city and it’s legendary fortress. But an impressive distant past beginning with 7th century onslaughts of Slavs, followed by Saracens, 11th century Venetian rule and, through canny diplomacy, good relations with neighboring countries…even the Ottoman Turks, allowed the city to flourish.

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Visit the Most Holy Relic of Thailand’s Most Sacred Temple

Leave a Comment / Asia, Blogging, Sights to See, Solo Travel, Travel / Pamelahawthorne

The climb is a 306 step staircase bordered by mythical serpents called naga. Presiding over the city at the top is Wat Phra That, one of northern Thailand’s most sacred temples. The golden spire glitters near the summit of Doi Suthep, a 5,499-foot mountain outside Chiang Mai. Lanna was an ancient Thai state located in

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