Ghibli Museum in Tokyo

Picture by: Tomi Mäkitalo

Ghibli studios are the creators of some of Japan's most amazing animated films, such as Totoro, Spirited Away and Kiki. The studio has won several awards for its beautiful films. In 2001, the Ghibli Museum, located a bit outside Tokyo, was opened dedicated to the studios movies.. The museum is influenced by European architecture and the building itself is part of the exhibition. Already a bit from the museum you can see the big robot from "Laputa Castle in the Sky", which is the museum's own guardian. At the entrance you are warmly greeted to this imaginative museum by Totoro. Once inside the museum there are both permanent exhibitions based on their own films, but there are also several temporary exhibitions during the year. The motto of the museum is "Let's become a child again", which has influenced the entire exhibition to have a child-friendly and playful impression. Tickets for the Ghibli Museum must be booked one month in advance.

 Please visit their website for more information,
http://www.ghibli-museum.jp/en/welcome/

Molise - the best kept secret in Italy

 

  

If you want to discover a still unexplored part of Italy, travel to Molise!

Molise is one of Italy's smallest and most authentic regions. You find Molise on the Italian east coast and borders to Abruzzo in the north and Puglia in the south. Even though the area is small, there is a lot to explore, medieval villages, archeological sites, the Matese mountains, where you can ski in the winter, and of course the Adriatic Sea and it’s clear water.

My friend Karin Bergqvist lives in the medieval village Ripabottoni where she runs a small and very nice B&B with a beautiful garden. The village is quiet with breathtaking views, people are warm, friendly, curious and eager to help.

In the village you find a couple of grocery stores, a pharmacy, a butcher, a post office and a couple of nice bars, one with a small trattoria. Almost every day farmers come to the village to sell their vegetables and fruits and once a week the fishermen come from the coast to sell their fish.

Karin wants her guests to explore and get a feel of the region, it’s rich history, culture and traditions, food and wine. She gladly gives you advice on where to go and what to see and she organizes cooking classes, wine tastings and visits to farms to taste the locally produced cheese, salsiccia, olive oil and truffle products and much more.

Please visit www.artandbreakfast.it for more information or contact Karin directly on Karin@artandbreakfast.it

Art & Breakfast B&B

Corso Vittorio Emanuele 50

860 40 Ripabottoni (CB)

Tel. +39 377 954 69 55

Soup Stock Tokyo - A great healthy & good priced meal

SOUP STOCK TOKYO has since it's opening 1999 in Odaiba, Tokyo is constantly expanding in Japan. It is a great way to eat a light lunch or dinner in Japan. Here you get a soup, a curry with rice and a drink for 1290 Yen ( 11 US  dollars)  and that is their most pricy meal. You can chose from many different soups. On the picture you can see a lobster bisque. a chicken & tomato curry with a fresh ginger drink.
The decoration is simple lines with concrete with light wood.
One place to visit Soup Stock Tokyo is a the Shinjuku station South Exit next to Flags shopping building.

http://www.soup-stock-tokyo.com/

Were to eat ice cream in Firenze - Italy?

When in Italy you just cant stop to eat ice cream, can you?
In Firenze the 2 best places to enjoy Italian ice cream are the following;

Gelateria S. Trinita, Piazza Frescobaldi, 50125 Firenze
This place is in my opinion number 1. Located by the Arno river this place is always full of people.

Grom, V.d Campanile An V d Ocho
This is a chain but has fantastic ice cream as well. Can be found all over Italy and in Paris as well.

This is original ice creams that are not full of artificial things and just full of sugar that so many of the ice cream places are in Italy now Enjoy!

Japan Rail Pass - The best and cheapest way to travel in Japan!

The best way to travel in Japan is to travel with a Rail Pass. There are many regional passes to chose from but if you want to travel all over Japan the best way is to buy a JR Japan Rail Pass. This pass can be bought for 7,14 or 21 days both in ordinary and green car (first class) A 7 day pass has the same price as a round trip from Tokyo Narita Airport to the city of Kyoto. The rest is just a bonus. This pass has to be bought outside Japan. When you enter to Japan you will get a stamp in your passport that shows that you are a tourist and permits you to exchange the voucher to the actual Railpass. You can travel on most trains but be careful check if the Railpass is working on the train that you wish to take. When you have your Railpass in Japan you can make your seat reservations at any station for free. It's a great way to travel Japan. A good thing to do is to use the Railpass in the middle of a longer trip to Japan.

For more information about Japan use the search engine in the left corner.

Gérard Mulot - My favorite bakery in Paris since many years!

The Gérard Mulot bakery in St Germain has been my favorite for many years. They make great cakes! Try the lemon tarts, the fruit cakes. the eclaires and now the coolest of the coolest - The kougloff!

Here you can eat in or do take out! Not to much to talk about, just make a visit!
Metro station - Odeon
2, Rue Lobineau, 75006 Paris

Bassin de l'Arsenal - The small boat harbour and park at La Bastille in Paris

Most people do not know that there is a small boat harbour right downtown in Paris at La Bastille. Here the Canal St Martin starts from the river Seine and goes up north to La Villette and further outside the city. At parts it is under the ground like here at the Bastille. So right next to the Marais, The Opera de Paris and the Bastille you can actually sit down ether at the Cafe de Grand Bleu that is seen to the right in the picture or to bring some picnic and sit down on the grass in the park or by the boats. It is really nice to do on a sunny day. On Thursdays and Sundays you can buy your picnic at the local foodmarket at the Bastille as well.  

Enjoy!