Sanuk Canadian

I have traveled to 29 different countries in the world, predominately in Europe, North America and Asia. In February 2017, I had the honor of celebrating my 30th destination in Varadero, Cuba  (via Trip Advisor). Varadero is home to a 13-mile long white sandy beach which has been listed by Trip Advisor as one of the "top beaches in the world" (2016). Cuba is a very popular holiday spot for Canadians and according to the statistics, 1.2 million Canucks visit the island each year (see  LINK ). I joined my parents for a week long winter break and stayed at the oldest resort on the island -- Club Kawama   (via Grande Caribe), which was founded as a gentleman's club in the early 1930's and currently runs as an all-inclusive beach-front resort hotel. It is the largest resort on Cuba, and the guests are typically from Canada, Germany or Russia (!!). Let's tour the resort and beach itself. Later posts will showcase a self-walk and bus tour I took of the local town. En...

For most visitors to Japan, reaching the summit of Mt. Fuji is a must-do. In order to achieve that, most will follow the popular trails which typically begin at the 5th station. However, if one is fit and able, you can begin from the very bottom of the mountain itself,. traversing upwards from the 1st to the 5th stations. These lower stations pass through the lesser well-known, Mt.Fuji Natural Recreation Forest Trail. Trail sign. I started at the bottom of the Fujinomiya trail, which begins across the road from the main parking area, called Mizugazuka Park. A large map and signpost can be found at the start of the trail head. From here, hikers can enjoy a very quiet stroll through Mt.Fuji's forest on a slightly muddy trail.  Start of this trail. Note: The Mt. Fuji Natural Recreation Forest Trail has many trails of varying lengths and difficulties. Most surround the base of Mt.Fuji and are good for a day hike.  For those who can, it is best to access this trail at M...

This is a continuation of the "Climbing Mt. Fuji" post found HERE . The climb was completed in early September, 2016. For most travelers, the quintessential image of Japan is Mt. Fuji. This symmetrical mountain rises 3,776 meters (= about 12,388 feet) and has been named a World Heritage Site. For many tourists, climbing Mt. Fuji is a must-do adventure. There are numerous routes up to the summit: Yoshida, Fujinomiya, Subashiri, and Gotemba. Gotemba is the longest, as it begins at the lowest elevation (1,440 meters), while Yoshida is considered the easiest, and thus, most crowded. I hiked the Fujinomiya trail which is the shortest and begins at an elevation of 2,400 meters. The trail to the summit is 5.0 kilometers long and information guides state the time to summit is between 5~7 hours. It is very steep in some places and the trail becomes very narrow near the summit; you may have to wait for others to pass by before continuing your climb. Source:  http://www.fujisa...

I've been living in Japan for over 10+ years and have never climbed Fuji. I thought it was tacky and unnecessary; Fuji is best viewed from below to see it's iconic symmetrical, upside-down V. On the final day of the official climbing season, I was dragged along by a Fuji-loving-climber, and surprisingly, enjoyed the hike immensely. This post will focus on the start of the route, how you can prepare for the climb, and secret tips from insiders. Sept. 10, 2016 ~ A perfect day for climbing! First, for the ascent, my hiking partner and I took the Fujinomiya route . It's the shortest, taking 5~6 hours up and 3 hours down. It's also quite steep, and should be attempted by more experienced hikers as there are tough sections where you have to climb up large boulders using all four limbs. Info pertaining to the Fujinomiya route is HERE and a detailed map is HERE (courtesy of Mt.Fuji Explorer & MTG) . Photos at Fujinomiya 5th station,  the starting point: ...

How does one spend X-mas in Japan? Sadly, I cannot afford a plane ticket home, nor do I have much time off for the holidays, so I did what I love most -- headed to the mountains for a climb! Mount Kintoki has been featured on this blog before (see HERE   &   HERE ); I gave it another go and enjoyed a special, yet very nontraditional Christmas dinner at the summit. Please come hiking with me....! Kintokiyama is located in Hakone area and is famous for its view of Mt. Fuji on a clear day. The hiking route chosen started in a parking lot, just off the main road where a map informed hikers of the routes available.  Photos: The start of the trail is marked with Kintaro's axe.  Mt. Kintoki is thought to be the setting of a legendary folk tale in Japan. A boy of great strength named ' Kintaro ' (lit. 'Golden Boy') befriended numerous animals in (supposedly) this area and later, slayed a demon (wiki page with more info is HERE ) who terrorized those ...

Yugawara a small resort town in western Kanagawa prefecture approximately 2.5 hours outside of Tokyo (Shinjuku) by express train (info HERE ; map HERE ). Famous for its hot springs and traditional craft shops, it is a popular destination for Tokyo-ites to spend the weekend at an inn. I had the pleasure of visiting this charming town last fall; while there, I did a little of everything: hiking, autumn leaves viewing, and testing the hot springs. Let's take a look at Yugawara! Photos: waterfall & flowing river                   This hiking trail was actually on the way to the foot baths park, called 'Manyo Hot Water Park' (site HERE -- translation software activated). It's an easy walking trail, paved for the most part and appeared to be wheelchair accessible.  Photo: Pink filter Photo: Completely Zen Hiking here to enjoy the leaves was wonderful. It's not well known, even among Japanese locals, so this ar...