Happy New Year’s to Everyone

By Tony and Thomas on Dec 31, 2016 | Thailand

We are wrapping up 2016 in Bangkok, one of our all-time favorite cities to celebrate Christmas and New Year’s. We are wishing all of our family and friends a happy new year, and we hope we have inspired you with some of our travels.

In 2016, we made it to eleven countries on four continents traveling through Germany, Italy, Portugal, the U.S., Spain, Morocco, Gibraltar, the Czech Republic, Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand. While 2015 was all about nature and wildlife, 2016 was all about cities and food. Yes, South America left us a bit starved for nourishment. Continue…

Merry Tri-National Christmas

By Tony and Thomas on Dec 25, 2016 | Japan | Taiwan | Thailand

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If you are one of those people who complains about how early the Christmas decorations go up each year, Asia is not for you. Starting the day after Halloween (there’s no Thanksgiving here), the Christmas trees started popping up around us in Osaka. The tinsel and the carols followed us to Kyoto. We explored the temples and fall foliage to a sound track of Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer and Jingle Bells. From Japan, we made our way to Taiwan where we discovered crowded German-style Christmas markets filled with bratwurst, gluhwein, pretzels and Chinese dumplings.

Yes, we swayed to Stille Nacht (Silent Night in German) as we stared up at Taipei 101, Asia’s most stunning skyscraper, and basked in the light of fake log fires and a sea of twinkly Christmas lights. From Taiwan, we Continue…

Krampus at the Christmas Market in Munich

By Tony on Dec 15, 2016 | Germany

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Ah, it’s December in Bavaria and the Christmas markets are in full swing. The Alps are shrouded in cool mist and half-timbered houses are decked out in twinkly lights and boughs of mistletoe. Locals are huddled ’round their fires drinking hot glühwein as holiday tunes float through the air.

Suddenly, the sound of synchronized cracking whips break the silence. Groups of Krampus and Perchten, Christmas devils and fur-clad Alpine monsters armed with bundles of twigs, rush into the crowded streets. The fiendish Christmas beasts dance through the crowds chasing rotten children and whipping them with stinging bundles of twigs. Adults laugh and stuff themselves with gingerbread as children run screaming in all directions. Yeah, Christmas in Germany has a bit of an edge. Continue…