Jun 1, 2011

When we arrived at the Jimbaran village that is home to the sprawling 5-star resort that was formerly The Ritz-Carlton in Bali, we were driven for more than a mile through plenty of greenery. The hotel itself finally came into view after a few minutes of driving, and we were greeted by a smiling staff ready with plumeria leis and the sound of live gamelan music....

Apr 13, 2011

A 5,000 square meter garden, Korea Teien was built in 1990 to commemorate the friendship between Kanagawa prefecture in Japan and Gyeonggi-do province in South Korea. The garden’s style was based on the gardens of provincial royalty in Korea during the Joseon dynasty (1392 to 1910). It is located within Mitsuike Koen, a park in Yokohama city’s...

Apr 1, 2011

Traumerei Hotel, obviously named after Schumann’s famous piano piece, is a resort hotel located in Hakuba, Nagano Prefecture. It is a short drive from Karuizawa, that famed summer resort area of Japan. We arrived there in the middle of summer but it rained and rained that day (and the next). Fortunately, the wonderful dinner and relaxing bath made it all...