When we arrived in Tokyo, we were a little jet-lagged (these all natural tablets helped, but there’s only so much you can do when it comes to a 12 hour time difference). So when we found ourselves awake before the sun came up on our first full day in Japan, we decided to make the most of our pre-dawn alertness and head to the Tsukiji fish market.
When we arrived, it took us a few minutes to get our bearings. We got a map from one of the many vendor stalls that are lined up in front of the fish market, which was incredibly helpful in navigating the labyrinthine system of stalls, both inside and outside. Although we were on our own when it came to dodging the crazy mini-forklifts that zipped all around the market.
Frank:
I can’t begin to explain my excitement when I saw how fresh and how diverse the seafood that they had was. Being an ex sushi chef myself I would have given anything to have a kitchen in my hotel room. Instead I had to settle for having sushi at one of the local sushi bars at the fish market. Though it was the most expensive breakfast I had ever had, I also ate the best single bite of sushi I had ever had. The chef served us both a piece of anago (salt water eel), which I had had before, but this was done better than I will probably ever find again… and believe me, I have been looking.
Meg:
Later that day, we discovered that there was a sumo tournament (or as our hotel concierge called it, sumo “races”) going on. We didn’t know what to expect, but we didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as we did. The ritual was interesting, but seeing two giant men clash and hearing the roar of the crowd was incredible.
After the tournament, we headed out in the stadium’s neighborhood for some dinner. We saw the sumo wrestlers, in traditional garb, out and about (they live and train in the neighborhood). It was an interesting contrast to see a wrestler in traditional sumo kimono (yukata) listening to his iPod.
Our first day in Japan served as a crash course in Japanese culture. We ate the best sushi of our lives, and developed an appreciation for a new sport. Not bad for 24 hours in Tokyo.
We kicked off our honeymoon with a glass of champagne during our 13 hour long flight to Japan. It was made bearable by the fact that we were in business class, so at we least had pretty good food and free drinks.
We left at 1pm on Monday and arrived in Tokyo at 4pm on Tuesday. Getting to the hotel was a bit of a challenge that was made somewhat easier due to the fact that I had learned quite a bit of Japanese before we left. However, I could only read two symbols so it’s a good thing most signs and subway ticketing machines had English translations.
Narita airport is quite a ways outside of the city so we did need to take a train. There is a 90 minute train and a more expensive, express train that takes only 50 minutes. But since we had gotten a 7 day rail pass we could jump on any of the JR (Japan Rail) trains, which both trains were, at no extra cost. The train brings you to Tokyo station where you can then take a subway to any part of the city. However, after looking at the map of the subway, we realized that we would need to change trains something like 4 or 5 times, we decided to save our subway navagation adventure for when we aren’t carrying 40 lb backpacks.
Meg:
We arrived at the Prince Park Tower via taxi. Checking in, we got our first real taste of Japanese hospitality. The staff was so pleasant and accomodating. It was really nice to be greeted with such warmth after a long and tiring day.
The hotel itself is impressive. The lobby is modern and spotless with a glass elevator that rockets up to the top (33rd) floor. We got into our room (which was much bigger than any other we would stay in while in Japan) and were immediately floored by the incredibly view. Tokyo Tower and the city skyline – not a bad way to start our time in Tokyo!
We actually made it through… and no one died. Besides a few snafus with the music everything went very well.
We had a great time and hope everyone enjoyed themselves as much as we did. We thank everyone for coming and making our day special. And we have to give an extra special thank you to our friends John and Mo for taking such great photos of us.
We have posted a few here but there are many more on our facebook pages, which you can visit through the link given above.
Meg:
We added some personal touches to our wedding, which we think really made it “us”! After our first dance (the middle school shuffle – we’re not exactly ballroom dancers!), we busted out some karaoke! Also, each table at our reception was named after a place we have traveled to.
We rounded out the evening with another karaoke song (“Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey!). Then we headed out for a little after-party in style – a stretch limo. Heading to The Mohegan Sun’s Sky Bar for martini’s was an amazing end to an amazing night. But the fun didn’t stop there! The next day, we headed back to New York to start the really fun part – our honeymoon!
Photos and video from that will be up soon! Stay tuned!
On September 12th 2009 Meg and I got married. We just got back from our honeymoon. We spent a week in Japan, a week in Korea and a week in Hawaii.
This video was shown at our wedding to our guests to explain how we met and, for those who hadn’t seen our blog, to shed a little light on why our wedding was travel themed.
Venice is not the most fun city to navigate if you are claustrophobic and hate to be stuck in the middle of a crowd. It can feel, at times, like you are being herded off to slaughter. However, there is a reason why so many flock to this tiny group of islands, and that’s because it’s one of the most beautiful cities in Italy, if not the world.
We arrived in Venice by train via Florence, although it does have its own airport on the “mainland” (at which you would still need to take either a train or a taxi out to the islands). If you didn’t know it already, Venice is actually a group of many smaller Islands surrounded by many small canals and with one large, main, canal snaking down the middle.
We stay at the Hotel Vecellio, which is on the northern side of the group of Islands and is featured in the video above.
We had a wonderful time in Venice and was actually our favorite place we visited in Italy (at least so far).
We arrived in Florence in the late afternoon. We checked into our hotel, the Hotel Martelli. It was very quaint and in an excellent location – just a few blocks from the train station and within walking distance to all the major sights. We had worked up quite an appetite by this point, so we headed out in search of some dinner. We had heard wonderful things about the hearty, rustic food of Tuscany and were eager to try some of the region’s specialties – cannelloni beans drizzled with local olive oil, crusty bread fresh from the oven, and regional meats and cheeses. We decided upon a highly-rated osteria, and proceeded to have the most mediocre meal of our entire trip. Everything we had was a little too bland, from the appetizer of local meats and cheese, to my boring cannelloni beans, down to the tasteless bread.
Frank:
I don’t know what I was expecting out of Italian food in Italy, but this surely wasn’t it. For me there are only two schools of thought when it comes to cooking: Make it simple with fresh great ingredients, or take something mediocre or even undesirable and get creative with the ingredients or preparation in order to make it taste incredible. Here in Florence, we got stale, bland food, served at an over-crowded tourist trap, full of people who might call Boyardee a chef and what he serves in a can, Italian food.
I’m sure, now, that there is great Italian food somewhere in Florence. However, you won’t get any help finding it from TripAdvisor.com. By this point in my trip I was scared, thinking everything I knew about Italian cooking was a lie. I was now on a mission to find the Italian food that I knew was around, but I also knew I would need to get away from the hordes of college kids and tourists that would be just as happy with a bowl of pasta served at the McDonald’s nearby.
Meg:
To compensate for our disappointing meal, we treated ourselves to some wonderful gelato. The quality and assortment of flavors cannot be beat. They even have a rose flavored gelato (apparently a Florentine specialty)!
On our way back to the hotel, we stopped at a wine store and picked up some inexpensive regional Chianti. Back at the hotel, we took our wine out to the (shared) balcony and relaxed under the Tuscan stars. The moment we uncorked that bottle, we felt we had our first true taste of Florence. It may have been cheap, but we enjoyed it more than most of the better wines we’d ever had in the States.
After a couple glasses of wine, we decided the night was still young. We took a stroll over to the Duomo. It turned out to be the perfect time to go. We could inspect the famous Baptistry doors up close without being disturbed by other tourists. We could marvel at the artistry of the Duomo’s exterior and take as many photos as we wanted.
Frank:
It wasn’t long before we realized just how much of a college town Florence was. Almost every bar we stepped into, we felt like we could be at some frat pub back home. The tourists had all gone to bed (most likely in order to get up early, so they could get a good spot in line at the museums) and this was the time for the other type of visitors to come out and play. These are the visitors that will spend a semester or two in some sort of study abroad program.
Either way, Florence left a bad taste in my mouth and the only good part about it was getting to see Michelangelo’s David in person and almost in the flesh. Its lifelike beauty will have you waiting for him to take a breath and look down at you.
We woke up at decent hour and made our way to the Galleria dell’Accademia. Again, we were in town during the Italy’s Culture Week and were able to go right in free of charge. We couldn’t believe that the place was practically empty. After spending a few moments trying to take pictures without the guards noticing (this is not allowed) we headed over to the Duomo. “Oh, so this is where you all are,” I thought, eyeing the masses of tourists. I would rather be in time square, I remember thinking. I saw what I had come for so I was ready to go. However Megan had just a few more things she wanted to check out before we hopped on a train for Venice.
Meg:
I had my heart set on visiting the Uffizi Gallery. An art minor in college, I figured I had suffered through enough boring lectures and slideshows to warrant a peek at the real thing. We found the gallery not far from the Accademia – or rather, should I say we found the line for the gallery. It wound around the building and appeared to be endless. We asked someone near the front how long they had been waiting – 2 hours! I read before that it is wise to secure advance tickets, but had no idea how sage this advice really was. We debated a bit, and then decided to skip the museum in favor of some more sightseeing before we had to get on our train to Venice.
We do not regret our choice, as it allowed us to linger on the ancient Ponte Vecchio (a bridge spanning the Arno River), do a little shopping and leisurely wind our way back to our hotel to get our bags. It was a beautiful day in Florence, but truthfully, we weren’t sorry when our train pulled out of the station and headed towards Venice. If we ever make it back, we really hope to dig deeper and discover the real city behind the Disneyworld facade.
When you think of Italy there are few images that pop into your head. One of those iconic images is a tower that leans in a small town called Pisa. Since we were heading to Florence, we figured a side trip to take a picture couldn’t hurt. Especially since it was only a 45 minute train ride away.
To be honest, our expectations were low as we boarded a regional train at Florence. It was a beautiful trip through the Tuscan countryside. We cut through the rolling hills and disembarked at Empoli for a side trip to our side trip. Frank has always been fascinated by Leonardo Di Vinci and the train to Pisa happened to pass close to his hometown of Vinci. At Empoli, we caught a cab to the adorable village of Vinci. There were a couple museums, a church, a few shops…and that’s about it. The scenery was beautiful, but there wasn’t much to do, so we grabbed an espresso, bought a bottle of wine with Leonardo’s face on it, and then caught the bus back to Empoli, where we once again boarded the train bound for Pisa.
When we arrived, we walked brisquely towards the tower. The cobblestone streets were narrow and seemed to meander, but actually all points (many point, anyway) end up at the Piazza del Duomo, home to the Leaning Tower. By the time we had crossed the Arno River and were approaching the Piazza, we were poised to be underwhelmed. Tchotchke vendors were everywhere, hassling us to buy a mini replica of the tower. Jet lag, an already long day, and our New Yorker instincts kicked in and we pushed past them towards the tower.
Frank:
Before even getting to the Piazza I saw the tower peak up between the buildings and I knew I was in for a treat. The tower was one of the most striking structures I had ever scene. The contrast of white marble and dark shadows stood out incredibly against the blue sky. I couldn’t wait to get up close and personal with the 800 year old tower. I had no idea I would be able to go inside and then climb the dizzying stairs to the top.
Meg:
If we thought we were dumbstruck by the building itself, that was nothing compared to how we felt gazing at the view from the very top of the tower (you can even see the Mediterranean sparkling in the distance!). Far from being a lame side trip, Pisa was an unforgettable town. They say hindsight is twenty-twenty – if we had it to do over, Frank and I would have happily traded a night in Florence for one in Pisa so we could further explore that interesting little town.
Everyone has their dream pilgrimage. For some, it’s Mecca or Israel and for others it might be the birthplace of the Buddha. However, for me, it’s the birthplace of my ancestors… and also pasta, Italy.
Before I could really get into this traveling thing I felt that I needed to pay homage to my roots. I decided that I could go no further until I had visited the Motherland. So, I kept an eye on flights to Rome, and while on our trip to Denver I noticed a ridiculously low fare in April. Megan was hesitant, as we had a trip to Iceland coming up in March and a wedding to pay for in September. When tickets got down to $250 round trip and including all taxes and fees, I just bought them. At that price we would sleep on a park bench if we had to, plus I promised Megan no more trips until our honeymoon.
Meg:
I’ve always wanted to go to Italy, too. I have some family in southern Italy, and always imagined backpacking through the whole country, leisurely making my way up the boot while enjoying the scenery, food and wine. When Frank presented this 6-day, 5-night race though Italy, I was less than excited.
Frank:
The plan was to visit Rome, Florence, Pisa, and Venice.
Meg:
I’m always one for an adventure, but this trip was going to put me in the poor house. Not to mention, I was convinced that literally racing from city to city was not the way I wanted to experience this country.
The day we boarded the plane, my attitude hadn’t improved. I had been up early and worked a full day. As we waited to check in at the airport that evening, my mood had gone from unenthusiastic to downright sour as I faced a 9 hour (likely sleepless) flight in coach class.
Frank:
When I went to check in we were asked if we wanted to upgrade to business for a few hundred dollars. Since we had our hotels taken care of by tripfilms.com I figured I could score some brownie points with the surprise comfort for Meg and me.
This was my first time sitting in business class, and I hope it is not my last. I loved it! The seat reclined to an almost flat position, the food is fantastic, and the service is incredible… not to mention the free drinks. The kicker was that we were sitting next to Woody Harrelson and in front of Ed Norton. And let me just say what a surreal experience it is to be trying to take a nap and then roll over to be pretty much staring Woody Harrelson in the face.
We would later find out that they were in town for Selma Heyak’s wedding in Venice. But, we did chat with Woody and his wife about raw food for a bit and since my dad wrote a book on the topic, I recommended it to them.
Meg:
We arrived in Rome after taking a train from the airport (the train is a relatively quick and inexpensive way to get into town – it was 11 Euros each). At Roma Termini, we took the subway (1 Euro per ride, or 4 Euros for a day pass) to our hotel. There was some mix-up with our reservation, but luckily the owner put us up at his friend’s place – the Little Italy Bed & Breakfast. It was situated in an apartment building not far from the Colosseum. We shared the clean, spacious two bedroom flat with a couple from Denmark. Breakfast was provided, and the bathroom was shared. It was a very comfortable set-up!
After we had settled into our room, we fortified ourselves with some Italian espresso (which we both became very fond of) and headed towards the Colosseum. Jet lagged as we were, the beautiful spring weather and the coffee energized us. We ambled through a park and came upon the Colosseum. Seeing it for the first time was surreal. After seeing it in countless photos and movies, standing in front of it was a bit like being in a dream (or maybe that was the jet lag).
Before we arrived in Italy, we learned our visit coincided with Italy Culture Week. All the state-run museum and historical sites were free to the public! While this was great for our wallets, it was horrible for the time crunch we were facing: We had only one day to see Rome. We were leaving for Florence the next day! This knowledge spun around our heads as we helplessly waited in the line for the Colosseum. Luckily, Frank had a stroke of genius: He suggested we go to the line for the audio tour, which was only about 4 people deep. We went, paid the 4 Euros for the tour, but looking at the long line to return the audio devices, skipped actually getting the device. Feeling pretty smart, we headed in.
Frank:
After seeing most of the sights that Rome has to offer, we were exhausted. We took a subway back to the neighborhood that our room was in and hit the bed. It was only 7pm so we only took a nap till 9pm, at which point we left only to get a quick meal of mediocre pasta and then go right back to sleep.
We had another long day ahead of us in the morning, so we needed the rest. Our first impressions of Rome were pretty good, although we were still on the lookout for a real Italian meal. And although we didn’t make it to the Vatican in time to see the Sistine Chapel, I felt happy that it gave me a reason to return to Rome again to visit southern Italy.
By the time our last day in Iceland rolled around, we were exhausted. Jet lag paired with three days of non-stop running around (not to mention our evening of trying to keep up with the Icelanders and their legendary drinking abilities) had worn us down mentally and physically. We were facing a long flight, followed by an immediate return to the daily grind once we touched down in New York. We were desperate for some relaxation.
Lucky for us, we had planned to stop at one of Iceland’s premiere attractions on our way back to the airport – The Blue Lagoon Spa. Located about 20 minutes away from the Reykjavik Airport, the spa is situated next to a power plant at the end of a long and desolate road. “Power plant” and “spa” might not be two words typically used in the same sentence, but this is a unique, environmentally sound power plant that provides the spa with geothermically heated sea water (you can read more about this symbiotic relationship here).
From the moment our bus pulled up to the entrance, the Blue Lagoon Spa fairly emitted a sense of peace and tranquility. Its remote location lent a sense of serenity to the atmosphere, and this was before you even got to the winding walkway, nestled in between volcanic rocks, that led to the main building.
Once inside, we were greeted by a friendly, soft-spoken Spa employee behind the ticket desk, who provided us with plush towels and robes. We put our belongings into a locker and headed to our changing rooms. The men and women’s rooms came equipped with blow dryers and dressing tables, as well as complimentary shampoo and conditioner. You have to shower before you get into the lagoon, so I sudsed up with shower gel they provided and made sure to condition my hair very well (I had read about how brittle the lagoon water can leave hair).
Stepping out of the changing room was like stepping into another world – the lagoon, in its smurf-blue glory, stretched out before me. I met Frank and we exited the glass-paneled building and stepped together into the frigid Icelandic air. The fluffy robes were enough to protect our bodies, but our feet, faces and wet hair immediately felt the sting of the cold. Eager to get into the steaming water, I quickly shed my robe and plopped ungracefully into the lagoon.
The first moments of immersion into the opaque blue water were nothing short of sheer bliss. The water was as warm as a freshly run bath, and within minutes, all the tension and weariness had slipped from my body. It was relaxing and rejuvenating at the same time. Once I was able to see through the dopey, happy bubble of joy I was encased in, I noticed for the first time the carefully created and tended surroundings. Volcanic rocks surrounded the lagoon, and a large wooden deck leading up to the lagoon split off to create small bridges and walkways. There were other people already there, smearing their faces with the white silica mud that is available in buckets scattered around the lagoon. After Frank and I were properly smeared with the white tingly goop, we noticed a man-made waterfall (which gave a great back massage!) and a steam room.
When our fingers started to prune, we decided it was a good time to grab a quick bite to eat. We scurried back into the warmth of the building and the small snack bar and shared a sandwich while we reclined in lounge chairs overlooking the lagoon.
After another dip in the lagoon, it was time to dry off and get ready to catch the bus for the airport. We hopped on that bus completely transformed – from cranky and tired to relaxed and refreshed, all in 3.5 hours.
Frank:
I never did get to see those elusive Northern Lights, which was the reason I started investigating coming to a place called Iceland. But what we did find was interesting cuisine, friendly locals, other-worldly sights, and a very relaxing day at the spa.
The minute we settled upon Iceland as a destination, Frank lit up at the thought of all the unusual food he’d be able to try. Although I was reticent, he was adamant about trying puffin and whale. I, on the other hand, couldn’t wait to try langoustine. We were both excited about the fresh seafood. When we arrived and noticed the price of food, I began to worry how we were going to get to try all of these delicacies without breaking the bank.
As it turned out, I didn’t have to worry! We were lucky enough to find Tapas, a Spanish-style tapas bar/restaurant in the heart of Reykjavik.
Frank:
For the equivalent of about $45 they had a mix of tapas that featured Icelandic fare. It even came with dessert and a shot of Brennivin, an Icelandic potato-based schnapps, which is translates into “burning wine”.
Without hesitation, we ordered the Icelandic tapas. We also added two extra tapas and another shot of Brennivin so we would both have one. It turned out to be a really wise choice.
The meal included the following:
Smoked puffin with blueberry Brennivín sauce
Icelandic sea-trout with pepper salsa
Lobster tails baked in garlic (these were the langoustine)
Pan-fried monkfish with lobster sauce
Grilled Icelandic lamb Samfaina
Minke Whale with cranberry-sauce
Chocolate cake with berry compoté and whipped cream
In addition, we ordered:
Red deer with Calvados sauce
Kangaroo a la Crocodile Dundee
Meg:
It turned out to be more than enough food for the two of us. Even though I was not keen on it (more for ethical reasons than taste), I did try a small bite of puffin (game-y) and whale (like a fishy steak). My favorite was the langoustine – it was lighter and more delicate than I expected. Everything was expertly cooked and tastefully presented. We thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. We even almost polished off the chocolate cake, even though we usually skip dessert!
We found Tapas to be a great place to satiate all of our Icelandic food curiousities in one sitting. It wasn’t a budget-buster by any means, and it turned out to be one of our favorite experiences of our trip!
