2014 | The Travel Thread

Best Places to Celebrate New Year’s

Dec 30 2014

I love the universality of New Year’s. Regardless of race, religion, or ethnicity, almost everyone in the world joins in celebration of a new year.

In Spain, they eat grapes with each chime of the clock during the 10-second countdown to midnight. In Greece, people hang an onion on their door to symbolize rebirth for the New Year. In Denmark, it is custom to throw dishes on a neighbor’s doorstep as a message of friendship and prosperity.

And in a great many countries, New Year’s Eve is celebrated with beautiful displays of fireworks, extravagant parties, music, and dancing. These are 10 of the most fantastic New Year’s celebrations from around the world.

Dec 12 2014

Did you know that Sapporo hosts one of the largest snow and ice festivals in the world? If you’re planning your bucket list by season, the Sapporo Snow Festival is it for winter.

The Sapporo Snow Festival (Sapporo Yuki Matsuri) is held for 7 days every February in Hokkaido’s capital city. Over 2 million people come to see these jaw-dropping sculptures that line the main avenue in the heart of the city.

Dec 08 2014

I have loved elephants ever since I can remember. They are one of the most intelligent, compassionate, and loyal animals. I’m also pretty sure the elephant is my spirit animal, seeing as they are matriarchal, extremely stubborn, and spend about 80% of their day eating. Yep, sounds about right.

So when I found out that I could spend an entire day with the elephants in Chiang Mai, it was quite possibly the best day of my life.

“There’s a sunrise and a sunset every single day, and they’re absolutely free. Don’t miss so many of them.”

– Jo Walton

Dec 01 2014

Best Temples in Kyoto

Nov 22 2014

Kyoto is home to over 2,000 beautiful temples and shrines, so it may seem overwhelming when first planning your itinerary. If you only have a day or two, you may need to narrow down your list to the must-see sites. In my opinion, these are the top 5 temples that you will not want to miss.

Arashiyama Mountains
Golden Pavilion | Kinkakuji
Golden Pavilion | Kinkakuji
Silver Pavilion | Ginkakuji
Silver Pavilion | Ginkakuji
Japanese Garden
Sagano Bamboo Forest, Arashiyama
Sagano Bamboo Forest, Arashiyama
Iwatayama Monkey Park
Kamo River, Kyoto
Pond Garden
Hozu River
Kiyomizudera Night Illumination

Kyoto is one of the best spots in Japan for kōyō, or autumn leaf viewing. Browse through the gallery above for some of my favorite fall foliage shots!

Nov 18 2014

Archive - 2014

Best Places to Celebrate New Year’s

Sapporo Snow Festival

A Day with the Elephants in Thailand

Best Temples in Kyoto

Autumn in Kyoto