Madrid is a fairly large city. However, to a tourist's delight, most of the major sights can be found in just a couple of neighborhoods. Centro is one of those. Centro is the historical city. Puerta del Sol, one of the major squares in the neighborhood, was actually a gate into the old city at…
Some people seem to have a misconception that all Caribbean islands are the same: nice beaches and turquoise waters, but fairly void of interesting things beyond that. Well, this is absolutely not the case. There is as much diversity in the Caribbean as in any place. Some islands are largely flat while others are mountainous.…
Introduction Japan is a truly incredible place, but between the long flight, language barrier, and eastern culture, it can seem a bit daunting for Americans who might want to travel there. Here is a guide to help make that just a bit easier! Itinerary Planning Most first trips to Japan center on Tokyo, the modern…
As I mentioned earlier, I didn't love Kyoto. However, it does make an excellent base for some awesome day trips! As with Tokyo, here are some of my personal suggestions, with one addition from my companion from this trip, Dan, as we did our own things some of the time. 1. See a beautiful castle…
Tokyo is an amazing city, and worth spending time. From exploring its varied neighborhoods, eating its incredible food, to even learning to be a samurai, the experiences you can have there are diverse. However, Tokyo also makes a perfect home base for seeing other places in the region, and the marvelous Japan Rail system (more…
Sometimes there just isn't enough time to spend in each destination. If you are like me, you want to see as many places as possible, even at the expense of being able to completely immerse in a new locale. So if you only have two days to see Beijing, a city with a ton of…
Unfortunately, for most Americans, Mexico City doesn't register as the world-class destination it is. Do you like history? Well, this was the capital of the Aztec Empire, remains of which can be seen. What about art? The museums here are among the best in the world, and the street art is next-level. Food? I don't…
Mexico City is enormous. The city is home to nearly 9 million people, with 21 million in the metro area. There are cultural activities, historical landmarks, and everything else a city of that size would be expected to have. It is, therefore, impossible to see everything on a visit here. So I, like most, have…
It is about 10:45 in the morning on a Saturday, and I walk through the front door of Lakefront Brewery in Milwaukee. There is already a crowd, both inside at the bar and tables, and outside, drinking beer along the jogging path that goes by the riverside. Beer is flowing, tour groups are forming, and…
I had never been to Milwaukee until Saturday. Heck, I had never wanted to visit Milwaukee until this trip. I imagined it to be drab, industrial, gray. I imagined the population to be older, more serious. I was wrong. Milwaukee has a lot going for it. A city of nearly 700,000 (I know, it surprised…