Hakone, Japan: Bathing in Coffee and Swimming in Red Wine - September 2017

A two-hour train ride from Tokyo transported us to the mountainous town of Hakone within Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. This area is popular with locals for its hot springs resorts, referred to as onsens, and is home to the world-famous Yunessun Spa and Resort.

Yunessun is a multi-level waterpark, hotel and retail complex situated in the mountains. The main attraction is a number of hot spring-fed pools mixed with popular beverages.

Accommodation is available at Yunessun or neighboring hotels associated with the spa. We elected to stay at Hakone Kowakien Ten-yu and were wowed by the experience.

While English wasn't prevalent, the luxury hotel provided an authentic Japanese experience. The rooms were ryokan style, traditional Japanese accommodation originating in the 8th century characterized by tatami-matted floors, cushioned ground seating, communal baths and public areas were visitors wore yukata, or closed robes, and geta, wooden sandals.

The stay included half-board, dinner and breakfast, both of which may have been the finest, multi-course meals we enjoyed during our visit to Japan.

While in Hakone, we spent an afternoon at the Yunessun Spa. Crowded with families and young couples, we were surprised that there were only a handful of people who appeared to be foreigners.

We flew down the water slides at the park and watched synchronized aerobics in the central pool, before taking a dip in the famous mixed baths. The beverage baths available were coffee, red wine, green tea and sake with each varying in temperature and color. Aside from the overwhelming aroma, the coffee pool was our favorite and left our skin feeling especially soft.

We also peaked into the mori no yu area of the resort where swim suits are forbidden and bathing is segregated by gender.

The beautiful town of Hakone offers much more to see and do besides the spa. We didn't have time to sail across Lake Ashi on a pirate ship, walk across Mishima pedestrian bridge to gaze at Mount Fuji or sample the black hard boiled eggs said to add seven years to your life, but we did make a note for next time before heading back to the big city.

 

Tokyo, Japan: Bumping Bellies at Sumo Practice - September 2017

Our last morning in Tokyo, my sister and I wanted to experience something a bit more "traditional Japan." There weren't any sumo tournaments scheduled but we managed to get in on an early morning sumo practice at a local stable. Along with only a few others, we watched for more than an hour as the wrestlers stretched and trained. During the session we also learned about the life of sumo wrestlers and some of their training techniques.

According to our guide, Kiyo, the qualifications to be a sumo wrestler include a middle school education, a height of at least 170 centimeters or 5.5 feet, and a weight of 70 kilograms or 154 pounds. Only ten percent of all sumo wrestlers are white belt wrestlers who get a salary from the Japan Sumo Association. All others are considered black belt wrestlers in training who receive no salary and live in sumo stables that pay for their accommodation, clothing and meals.

The regimen in the stables is structured and highly disciplined. Wrestlers train for hours in the morning and then eat lunch. A common lunch for a sumo wrestler is several bowls of rice and chankonabe, a weight-gaining Japanese stew; the wrestler's bowl is three to five times as large as a normal bowl. Following lunch, it's customary for the wrestlers to take a two-hour nap so that their bodies can use the food to make them bigger and stronger. Following naptime, training resumes.

Traditional sumo training techniques include:

• Shiko: a sumo wrestler lifts each leg high in the air and stomps the ground with his legs to stabilize his center of gravity and toughen the legs and loins
• Teppo: the wrestler faces an exercise pillar and slams his hands and feet into it alternately to toughen his upper body and upper arms
• Mata-Wari: opening both legs wide, the wrestler puts his upper body down to the floor to improve his flexibility and help prevent muscle injury
• Suri-Ashi: a shuffling walk without separating the feet from the wrestling ring floor also called the centipede
• Koshi-Wari: a squat that helps improve flexibility and strengthens the loins and legs
• Udetate-Fuse: push-ups to strengthen the upper body
• Sanban-Geiko: a row of training matches with the same opponents
• Butsukari-Geiko: head-to-head training where the wrestler tackles an opponent pushing him to the edge of the sumo ring, followed by the opponent pushing back and throwing the attacker down

During the session we also saw a few mock matches between the junior trainees as the more seasoned sumo wrestlers advised and conserved their energy.

While action-packed, observing the ritualistic chanting and repetitious maneuvers felt strangely meditative. As with any sport, excelling at the art of sumo requires discipline and dedication, and in Japan it is a lifestyle rather than a mere hobby.

 

Top Ten Tips for Traveling Coastal Croatia - August 2017

With picturesque red-roofed towns dotting its nearly 2,000 miles of coastline, the south central European country of Croatia has become a hotbed for tourists over the last decade.

Flying, busing and sailing in from all corners of the globe, Croatia now welcomes more than ten million visitors annually and intends to double that number by the year 2020. While the influx of foreigners means big bucks for the travel industry, not everyone is smiling.

If Croatia tops your list of holiday spots, take heed of these travel tips to ensure an optimal visit.

1. Chat up a local. Whether you're coming to soak up the history or the rays, your stay will be more enjoyable if you take an interest in the local culture. Did you know that Croatia was once a part of former Yugoslavia? How about that the popular dog breed, Dalmatian, hails from the region? While the majority of people under age 40 or in the tourism industry speak English, try out "zdravo" which means "hello," and "hvala," Croatian for thank you, to show respect and appreciation.

2. Keep your shirt on. Remember those ten million tourists who descend upon Croatia each year? Unfortunately, not all have had the reputation for being courteous and polite. After mounting tensions between locals and tourists, the popular island destination of Hvar enacted several purse-lightening laws to help morally-confused visitors. As a result, sleeping in public will get you slapped with a 700 euro fine. Shirtless while walking through the city? 500-600 euro fine. Drinking in public? That will cost you another 700 euro and the list goes on. Know the rules and honor the local customs.

3. Beware of tourist fatigue. Is it that too many locals are tripping over drunken, unconscious tourists on their way to church? Or possibly because the techno music echoes through the old city walls until 3 a.m.? Whatever the trigger, there is a serious case of tourist fatigue blanketing Croatia. Symptoms include a surly demeanor, impatience and a permanent scowl plastered across the face. Tread carefully.

4. Shoot for the shoulders. Peak tourist season in Croatia is July and August. During this time you'll have to push through crowds and clutch your belongings while navigating alleyways and waterfalls alike. Depending on your interests, check the weather and explore options to visit in late spring or early autumn when there are fewer visitors and more breathing room. And, as an added bonus, prices tend to fall during these times as well.

5. Count your kuna. Just because Croatia recently gained its independence in 1991, doesn't mean the country didn't learn quickly how to attract and exploit tourists to make an easy buck, or kuna in this case. It's not uncommon for taxis in Croatia to charge triple the local fare and restaurants and shops in popular areas to ask significantly more than you're used to back home. Look at prices before committing and if you can, get off the beaten path to find more reasonable options.

6. Uber on water. This summer UberBoat launched on the Croatian coast offering speedboat service between coastal towns and islands. While UberBoat is a bit pricey for most budgets, there are other more economical options including traditional water taxis and ferries. Plan accordingly, however, when using Croatian public transportation as ferries and buses are notoriously tardy and ticket sales often exceed seating capacity.

7. Slurp up the seafood. Oysters anyone? Boasting a far-stretching Adriatic coastline, Croatia's selection of fresh fish and shellfish is top rate. The local cuisine also favors its Venetian past with menus rich in pastas, risottos and pizza. While you are at it, try some of the local wine made from grapes grown in some of the country's 300 distinct regions.

8. Sleep in someone else’s bed. For those of you who are kuna-conscious it may be hard to stay in or near the old cities in many popular destinations. Unless renting a car or public transport is part of your plan, a viable option is staying in a home share or hostel. In Split check out options in the Veli Varos neighborhood steps away from Diocletian's Palace, or the areas of Ploce and the Lapad peninsula adjacent to Dubrovnik's Old Town.

9. Stop and smell the flowers. In Croatia you don't have to actually stop because you can't escape the fragrant scent of lavender swirling as you walk past sidewalk vendors hawking everything from oils to petal-stuffed puppets. Not into the purple stuff? Other popular Croatian souvenirs include olive oil, items made from Brac island's white stone and Game of Thrones merchandise.

10. Don't skip the top spots. Croatia is a large country by European standards and it's nearly impossible to see it all in one visit. A few of the top spots include: the well-preserved 16th century Old Town of Dubrovnik where much of the Games of Thrones series has been filmed; the city of Split which contains a Roman palace and sprawling beaches; the party island of Hvar with its hilltop fortress; the Dalmatian coast city of Zadar claiming the world's only sea organ; the historical county of Istria where truffle hunting is a popular pastime; the coastal villages of Ston and Mali Ston home to a world renowned variety of oysters; and Zagreb, Croatia's capital city with its Gothic-inspired and Austro-Hungarian architecture.

Andorra la Vella, Andorra: The Hidden Land with Two Princes - August 2017

Not the smallest country in Europe but quite possibly the most difficult to reach, Andorra is nestled in the Pyrenees mountains between Spain and France. Only one road enters and exits the landlocked country into Spain and another connects the nation with France. Steep mountain slopes dominant the landscape, many dressed with steel netting to capture falling rock.

Nearly ten million visitors flock to Andorra annually to enjoy its ski slopes, natural beauty and duty-free shopping. It is also a tax haven which contributes to goods and services being significantly less expensive than in other parts of the world. The microstate of Andorra is a member of the European Union and uses the euro as currency, but is not a member of the Schengen agreement and therefore provides refuge for visa-constrained travelers.

Andorra is the world's only co-principality partially governed by two princes: the president of France and the Catholic bishop of Urgell in Spain. Throughout the country many villages are perched atop mountains and others carved into rock faces, but the capital city of Andorra la Vella lies in a valley not far from the Spanish border. Andorra la Vella sits at the highest altitude of any capital in Europe and is fragmented by the flow of the country's largest river, the Gran Valira.