The truth is you can get by in Japan knowing virtually none of the Japanese language, but there are a few words that will make things a little easier. Words like okay in Japanese, and toilet of course.
For more advanced conversations, you can simply use Google Translate! Type what you want to say into your phone and a free...
Culture
Winter Swimming with Kids in Iceland at Laugardalslaug: The Most Popular Pool in Reykjavik
Catherine - 0
Believe it or not, Iceland wasn’t the last time we went winter swimming. There is something entirely primal about confronting below freezing weather in your skivvies and jumping into a slightly less cold pool. It kick-starts your heart, makes your bones jump and fills your lungs with the breath of a dragon. Swimming is a natural pastime in Iceland,...
Tokyo is an awesome melting pot of weirdness combined with electronics, combined with futuristic tech, combined with history, combined with masses upon masses of people, combined with karaoke. Oh yes, this article is all about karaoke in Japan.
Not just karaoke in Japan, but fantasy karaoke in Japan. Aaaaaah yeah.
Yes, This is Why You Need to Experience
Private Karaoke in Japan
What...
Culture
Braving the Elements: Driving in Iceland During the Winter with Toddlers and Failing Miserably at Seeing the Northern Lights
Catherine - 0
Driving in Iceland in the winter can, and most likely will be terrifying and treacherous. Many of the roads are actually closed during the winter because driving conditions are so poor, including the entire northeast region. Driving in Iceland isn’t too bad in the city, but once you leave Reykjavik, country roads aren’t a priority for snowplows. In addition...
Culture
Dos Ojos with Kids | Swimming in the Cenote with Two Eyes in Quintana Roo, Mexico
Catherine - 0
We wasted the day lazily away at Tulum, enjoying every minute soaking up the historical scenery, architecture and powerful location of the most important trade post in the Mayan civilization of the 13th century and didn’t want to stop swimming in the shadow of El Castillo, but nearby was Dos Ojos. Dos Ojos: The cenote with two eyes.
We don’t...
Grocery shopping in Japan is like stepping into an alternate universe. The staples are there, bread, meat, fruit, candy, drinks, etc., but the availability of items on the island versus the mainland, and specific items that are exclusive to Japan is wholly different. Not to mention, the culture of Japan is totally ingrained into the grocery shopping rituals in...
No, we didn't take our three year old white water rafting, even though that is what comes to mind when we talk about this excursion and everyone’s jaw drops to the floor.
Actually, this is better. This is a Caribbean escape, bamboo rafting under a canopy of trees on a warm river made of silk with no distractions.
Bamboo River...
Culture
Cliff Jumping at Mexico’s Cenote Cristalino with Kids | Swimming in the Jungle of the Yucatán Peninsula
Catherine - 0
On our first trip to Mexico we were only able to visit one cenote: Dos Ojos. It was love at first sight. Swimming in a cave clear as crystal, shared with local fish where you can see to the very bottom depths, surrounded by a natural cave in which stalactites are covering the ceiling while wading in crisp fresh...
Culture
Our Family Trip Touring the Archaeological Ruins of Chichen Itza with Kids | Wonders of the World with Kids
Catherine - 1
Not one, but two of the Wonders of the World revolve around lost and abandoned cities of Mayan civilization. One being in Peru: Machu Picchu, and the other in Mexico: Chichen Itza. These civilizations had complex and layered pyramid shaped temples, miles of networked roads that connected each city, and the summer and winter solstice each year manifest celestial...
One of the stops during our guided tour with Alma’s LDS Tours was the cenote Ik Kil, even though our time was short. We spent a long time at Ek Balam and Chichen Itza with no complaints. The fascination of these ruins were too compelling to tear ourselves away, so we had just 30 minutes to spend the last...