photoblog – The Wknd Travel

Sakura 2024: NARA, KOBE & HIMEJI Photoblog [March 2024]

Last year, my friends and I flew to Japan to experience the world-famous Sakura season. We had planned to be in most cities during the forecasted full bloom period, but to our surprise, the bloom was delayed by a little over a week due to colder-than-usual temperatures. We continued with our plans and enjoyed the trip despite the delay.

We started our journey in Takayama and Shirakawa-go, then went down to Osaka for a few relaxing / working days. We traveled further south to Hiroshima and Miyajima Island, then returned to Osaka. During our second visit to Osaka, we decided to explore nearby cities such as Nara, Kobe, and Himeji.

Allow me to share some of the photos I took during these short visits to the cities. I had been to Kobe in 2016 and Nara a few times (2016, 2019 and 2023), so I did not take many photos.

Accommodation & Osaka Base

My friends and I stayed in Osaka again for a few days after Hiroshima. Just like during our previous visit, we stayed at The Stay Osaka Shinsaibashi.

It has become my favorite accommodation in Osaka. I have stayed at this property during my last four visits to the city. I wrote about why I love this property in one of the recent “Hostel of the Day” features. I hope you can check out why this is my favorite here.

A few years ago, I wrote about how to apply for a Japan tourist visa. Click here to learn more about getting one for yourself.

JR Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass

We purchased the JR Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass for our visits to Hiroshima and the three cities. We paid ¥17,000 each for a 5-day pass that allowed us to take unlimited Shinkansen rides between Osaka and Hiroshima, as well as limited express and local JR trains and buses within the area. We used this pass to visit the three cities, take bullet trains to Kobe and Himeji, and use the local JR line for Nara.

I took an in-depth look at the JR Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass and evaluated whether it was worth purchasing. I hope you can check out my review of the area pass here.

Nara

We visited Nara to see the world-famous deer park. It was one of my friend’s first times visiting the city.

Kobe

We went to Kobe mainly for the Kobe beef. We had lunch at a local steak restaurant and walked around the nearby temple area while waiting for our Shinkansen to Himeji.

Himeji

We took the Shinkansen to see one of the most beautiful castles in Japan, Himeji Castle. Our visit coincided with the local cherry blossom viewing festival, despite the Sakura not yet being in full bloom.

Our visits to these three cities were full of amazing sights, great food, and memorable first-hand experiences. Despite the delayed Sakura bloom, we thoroughly enjoyed exploring the cities and their unique attractions.

Have you been to Kobe, Nara and Himeji, or are you planning to visit soon? I would love to hear about your experiences or any questions you might have! Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below. If you have any further questions or need more details, you can also reach me directly at contact@thewkndtravel.com. I am happy to help with any clarifications or travel tips.

Thanks for joining me in today’s blog post. In case you missed it, my friends and I flew to Japan for 20 days to experience the cherry blossom season from March to April 2024. You can find all posts related to this trip under the Sakura 2024 category. You can also check out our Takayama, Shirakawa-go, Osaka, and Hiroshima visits.

Before you go, I hope you can like, follow and share my social media pages – Facebook and Instagram. This will help me increase my reach; it will also keep you up-to-date with the latest blog posts, itineraries and flight reports on this website. Thank you and see you next time!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Kansai 2023: OSAKA & NARA Photoblog [April 2023]

Last April, I went on a quick trip to Japan for the first time since Fukuoka in October 2019. I did not make any concrete plans on where to go or what to do since I revisited the same places I had been to a few years ago: Osaka and Nara.

I booked my ticket in November 2022 when Cebu Pacific Air offered a ₱1 base fare sale during 11.11. I flew in via Fukuoka, and then I took a domestic flight to Osaka afterwards. I stayed in Osaka for 6 nights and decided to just go around the city and the nearby cities for the rest of the trip.

In case you missed it, I have been to Osaka and Nara several times in the past. Here’s the list of blogs related to these 2 cities: The Japan Series | 3 of 3: OSAKA (2015), Going Solo in Japan Series: KYOTO & OSAKA (2016), Going Solo in Japan Series: NARA & KOBE (2016), Japan Highlights 2019: UNIVERSAL STUDIOS JAPAN – A Theme Park That Brings You Back to Being a ‘Kid’ Just for a Day (2019) and Japan Highlights 2019: NARA – A Morning Visit To The Deer Park (2019).

This post will be different since I will not talk about where you should go or what you should do in these cities. I will only share random photos of the places I have been on this trip. Spoiler alert! I still saw some cherry blossoms in Nara. Enjoy!

Osaka

Dōtonbori

Hozenji Yokocho

Kuromon Ichiba

Shinsekai

Nara

Todai-ji Namdaimon

Tōdai-ji Chumon

Nara Deer Park

Kōfuku-ji Chukondo & Kofuku-ji

It felt surreal visiting Dōtonbori again after a few years. It also felt amazing to see the world-famous cherry blossoms for the first time in x years of going to Japan.

Thank you for joining me in today’s photoblog. I hope you stay tuned for Japan-related content in the future. I hope you can also visit and follow my social media pages –Facebook & Instagram! Thanks again and see you in the next one.

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Going Solo In Europe: ČESKÝ KRUMLOV – Czechia’s Quaint Fairy Tale Town

After spending a wonderful day around Old Town Prague & Prague Castle & an interesting walking tour around Kutná Hora, I decided to visit another Czech town down south called Český Krumlov. I initially thought of going to the spa town of Karlovy Vary but I figured Český Krumlov is the better option. Join me in today’s photoblog as I show you the beauty of Czech Republic’s quaint fairy tale town in the south of Bohemia.

In case you missed it, I went on a 19-day journey from the Philippines to Europe last October to November 2019. I flew to The Netherlands via Singapore & visited Amsterdam, Utrecht & North Holland. I also spent a few days in Belgium – around Brussels, Ghent & Bruges. I flew to Czech Republic & visited Prague, Kutná Hora & this town, Český Krumlov. I spent the last leg of the trip around Copenhagen in Denmark with a friend. If you want to know more about this trip, check out my Going Solo in Europe Series in this website.

Český Krumlov

Český Krumlov is a small Czech town 170+ kilometers down south of Prague by the Vltava River. The town rose as a settlement of the Vítkovci family in the early times. When the family line came to an end, King Wenceslaus II handed the town to the Rosenberg Family. The prominent Bohemian noble family built the castle in the 14^th century. They also promoted trade & development in town where both Germans & Czechs live.

In the 1600s, the Rosenbergs sold the town to Habsburgs of Austria which was then handed to the House of Eggenberg. The Eggenberg Family ruled the town for a century until the family line came to an end. The town was then handed over to the House of Schwarzenberg. This Bohemian (Czech) & Franconian (German) aristocrat family owned & ruled Český Krumlov until the end of the world wars. The Czech government expelled the town’s German population after the World War II. The government took control of the town since then.

In 1992, the Historic Centre of Český Krumlov made it to UNESCO’s List of World Heritage Sites. Today, Český Krumlov is a popular tourist destination to holiday makers. Big part of the town’s economy comes from tourism. The town’s main attraction is the Český Krumlov Castle. It also has museums, galleries, breweries, shops, restaurants & old buildings which tourists can visit. The best way to explore the town is by foot. The town is so small; one can literally walk to the other side of town in 20 minutes.

Planning to go to Europe once everything goes back to normal? You don’t have to worry about the Schengen visa. It’s easy to apply for one. Check out my blog on how to get a Schengen tourist visa on your own.

Prague to Český Krumlov

I took the subway to the bus terminal.. This is how Prague subway stations look like. Old & unique!

There are different ways to go to Český Krumlov from Prague. The easiest way is to rent a car & drive south for about 2-3 hours. If you don’t drive, you can opt to take the train or bus. Český Krumlov & Prague are linked by a direct train service that takes close to 3 hours per way. Several bus companies operate between these 2 places several times a day. The bus is the cheapest option; the bus trip takes about 3 hours per way.

Seats have personal entertainment screens!

I took the bus on both ways just because it’s cheaper & more comfortable. I booked with RegioJet & paid 368 CZK (about ₱750 return). I took the 7:00 am trip from Prague & arrived in Český Krumlov at 9:45 am. I left Český Krumlov at 5:00 pm & arrived back in Prague a few minutes before 8 in the evening. The bus had comfortable seats, on-board personal entertainment screens, charging & power outlets & a lavatory. I’m glad I took the bus on both ways – it was the cheapest & most comfortable option.

Wiseman Free Walking Tour

You guys know that I’m a fan of free (well tip-based) walking tours. I took these free walking tours in Amsterdam, Brussels, Ghent, Bruges & even in Prague. Český Krumlov also has its own free walking tour in the name of Wiseman Free Walking Tour. Just like the ones I before, this walking tour uses a ‘donation-based’ system where joiners give tips or donations after every tour.

The walking tour starts in front of the Tourist Information Center on the Main Square (Náměstí Svornosti) in Český Krumlov. The tour takes about 2 hours & walks the guests around Český Krumlov, from the old buildings, churches & halls to the Český Krumlov castle grounds & breweries while sharing the story of how the town developed & survived through the years. Our group had a great walk with Libor that day. He gave us a lot of information about the town’s history, way of living & culture. He also answered our questions about the town.

Libor, our guide from Wiseman Free Walking Tour, took us around Český Krumlov for 2.5 hours!

This free walking tours occur ever day at 10:30 am & 2:00 pm from April to October & 10:30 am only from November to March. Just look for the guide wearing a red shirt with a red umbrella in front of the tourist information office.

Allow me now to share with you the photos I took during this DIY day trip to Český Krumlov.

This is *Český Krumlov*‘s main square – it’s not your typical busy & crowded European town square.

Inside St. Vitus Church in *Český Krumlov*

*Český Krumlov* Castle from the Vltava River somewhere in in the town. A magical place to visit!!!

A random beautiful & colorful street in *Český Krumlov*. You can have your photo shoots anywhere!!

The view of *Český Krumlov* town from the eastern part of the *Český Krumlov* Castle. Stunning, eh?

*Český Krumlov*‘s draft beer! Of course I had to try it – this 500 ml pint was priced 46 CZK / PHP 43!

This is Czech’s National Meal – Roast Park with Dumplings & Cabbage. Tbh, bothing fancy there.

I hope you enjoyed the photos! Český Krumlov is a lovely place to visit especially on a sunny cold autumn day. It feels like a fairy tale come true walking around the old houses, the castle & the cobble stone covered streets. The town’s quiet & relaxing. The locals are nice & cheerful. Český Krumlov is easily one of the favorite small towns I visited in this Going Solo in Europe trip.

One last look at *Český Krumlov* town from the castle grounds. Beautiful town – felt like a fairy tale!

What do you think of Český Krumlov based on the photos above? Is it a town you’ll visit when you go to Czech Republic in the future? Share your thoughts in the comments section below. Do you have any questions about the town? You may also send them to me via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com & I’ll answer them soon.

Thank you for joining me in Český Krumlov today. Unfortunately, our time in Czech Republic is soon coming to an end. Watch out for the upcoming blogs on the Going Solo in Europe Series. For the meantime, you may follow me on my social media accounts – Facebook & Instagram.

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Going Solo In Europe: KUTNÁ HORA – Day Trip To Central Bohemia’s Medieval Silver Mining Town

Before coming to Europe, I already knew about the Church of the Bones in Czech Republic. I didn’t know it is in Kutná Hora until our tour guide Katerina told us that they offer a day tour to that site. I got excited upon knowing it & immediately booked a tour for the following day.

After spending the day walking around Prague Old Town & Prague Castle, knowing about the city’s history & culture, I decided to take a day trip to Kutná Hora. Let me share with you the interesting photos I took during this trip outside Prague.

The main altar of Sedlec Ossuary – The Church of the Bones – in Kutna Hora, Czech Republic. 🇨🇿

Did you know that I went on a 19-day trip to Europe late last year? I flew to Singapore then to Amsterdam via Singapore Airlines. I went around The Netherlands & visited Amsterdam, Utrecht & North Holland. I also explored the cities of Brussels, Ghent & Bruges in Belgium. I flew to Prague, Czech Republic after then onward to Denmark before flying home. You can find the posts about this Europe trip under the Going Solo in Europe series category.

Kutná Hora

Kutná Hora is a small medieval town located 70 kilometres east of Prague. This town rose to economic power being the center of silver mining during the 13th century. The town produced a big part of Europe’s silver market at the end of that century.

One of the many quiet streets of Kutna Hora. The town is almost deserted – not much people out.

The town almost completed with Prague in terms of political & economic power for centuries until it succumbed to natural (floods), health (plague) & man-made (wars, invasions) factors. These eventually led to the downfall of the silver mining industry. The town was also affected during the world wars.

In 1996, UNESCO recognized the town as a World Heritage Site. Since then, the town attracts thousands of tourists every year. It has become one of the famous day trips from Prague.

Planning to make your Euro-trip dreams come true? Getting a Schengen tourist visa is easy! Check out my post on how I got my tourist visa without any help from any agency.

Day Trip To Kutná Hora

Kutná Hora is not that easy place to go from Prague. SANDEMANs New Europe offered the day trip for €38 per person. The day tour rate includes transportation in a comfortable coach, entrance fees to all sites & an English-speaking tour guide. Lunch is at the guest’s expense. The tour company has already reserved seats in a local restaurant & took lunch orders (menu provided) in the bus on the way to Kutná Hora. Sandeman’s rate is affordable compared to the €50 half day tours I saw online & in tour agencies around Prague. I forgot to mention this tour is offered in English & Spanish languages.

Our tour guide, Nicolo, met us in front of Cartier shop in Old Town Square at 9:45 & walked us to the coach. We left Prague a few minutes after 10:00 & took close to an hour trip to Kutná Hora. We first went to Cathedral of Assumption of Our Lady & St John the Baptist then to Sedlec Ossuary (the Church of the Bones). After spending a few minutes in the church, we all went to St. Barbara’s Church in town & walked down to the town center. We had our lunch at Restaurace Dačický (I ordered the wild boar goulash with gingerbread dumplings & the Kutna Hora dark beer) & continued the tour around the old town. We went to the Italian Court & St. James Church before walking back to the bus. We left Kutná Hora at 16:30 in the afternoon & arrived back in Prague at 17:30.

Let me share with you the photos I took during this day trip.

This is outside the Cathedral of Assumption of Our Lady & St John the Baptist in Kutna Hora CZ 🇨🇿

One of the main pieces in Sedlec Ossuary – made from bones of people. Interesting place to visit. 🇨🇿

St. Barbara’s Church in Kutna Hora – a Gothic-style church that took hundreds of years to finish.

I ordered wild boar goulash with gingerbread dumplings & Kutna Hora dark beer for 258 CZK. 😋

It was an interesting day trip to Kutná Hora! I am happy I finally saw the Church of the Bones in person. It felt weird at first going inside the church but it eventually became interesting when Nico told us why there’s a church like this. The other sites in Kutná Hora were extraordinary. Taking this tour with SANDEMANs New Europe was a big relief. Our tour guide was informative & very engaging.

One last photo of the Sedlec Ossuary – The Church of the Bones in Kutna Hora in Czech Republic 🇨🇿

Would you have the guts to go to Kutná Hora & visit the Church of the Bones? Are you planning to include this in your future plans in Czech Republic? You should! Do you have any questions about the town or the tour? Feel free post them in the comment section below. You may also send them via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com & I’ll get to them soon.

Thank you for joining me in Kutná Hora today. Next up is a fairy tale town in South Czechia called Český Krumlov! Watch out for that post.

Don’t forget to check out my other Europe posts under the Going Solo in Europe category. Please don’t forget to follow my social media platforms – Facebook & Instagram.

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Going Solo In Europe: UTRECHT- Unplanned Afternoon Visit To Netherlands’ Underrated Canal City

Sometimes, the best things happen when unplanned. True enough, this happened to me when I took an unplanned afternoon visit to Utrecht, Netherlands last October. Yesterday, I shared with you details about my few days around Amsterdam. In those 5 days, I took trips to different cities & towns outside the center – Utrecht being one of them.

I messaged my Europe-based friends weeks before the trip & tried to set-up meet-ups during the trip. As mentioned in yesterday’s post, I caught up with my Amsterdam-based friend Tobias on my 2nd day in Amsterdam. I also got a reply from Megan, another Dutch friend I met in Krabi in 2015. Megan & I didn’t plan out where & when we’ll meet until when I was already in the Netherlands. We then decided to meet in Utrecht, the city where she’s based. This resulted into an unplanned afternoon in another canal city; perhaps a more beautiful & authentic one than Amsterdam.

PS. Did you know that I applied for my own Schengen visa? Yes! The Embassy of The Netherlands gave me a multiple entry visa valid for 45 days. Know more about this DIY Schengen Visa application process here.

utrecht

Utrecht a city found in the very center of Netherlands. This populous city used to be the city center of Netherlands during the Middle Ages. The city lost its center to Amsterdam during the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th century. Currently, Utrecht houses Utrecht University, the largest university in the Netherlands. The city has other academic institutions making it an important city for Dutch education. People normally come & live in Utrecht to study & finish school.

Found this uniquely-designed building outside Utrecht Centraal, near Hoog Catharijne in Utrecht.

Utrecht is 25 to 30 minutes away from Amsterdam via train. I took the intercity train from Amsterdam Centraal & arrived at Utrecht’s main station, Utrecht Centraal. Tickets cost €19 return. From there, I walked around the city, went in & out of different shops & passed by the Oudegracht, the city’s old canal. I met up with Megan after 2 hours of exploring & enjoyed some Dutch snacks over beers.

Let me share with you photos I took during the walk around the city & meet-up with my lovely friend, Megan. This entry will be more of a photo blog – don’t forget to check out the captions to know about the sightings.

The view outside Utrecht Centraal – the left side is modern; the right side view is old & traditional.

TivoliVredenburg is one of Utrecht’s modern buildings. It is a music complex, concert & events hall.

Oudegracht – Utrecht’s old canal which runs through the center of the city. Beautiful sighting!! 🙂

One of the few favorite photos I took in Utrecht during that afternoon visit to the lovely Dutch city!

St. Martin’s Cathedral, Utrecht is under renovation during my visit last October.

The world’s biggest bicycle parking garage is found in Utrecht under Utrecht Centraal. Cool beans!

I love how Utrecht’s weather is different from that of Amsterdam’s. It was a clear sunny afternoon!

Tried a Dutch local snack called *Olliebollen* (translates to oily ball); their local version of doughnut.

I also tried other local snacks – bitterballen (deep fried meat balls), cheese sticks & fried shrimp.

A photo with my friend Megan – the reason why I visited Utrecht. Had a great afternoon with her!

That ends my short but enjoyable visit to the city of Utrecht. It was not in the plan but I didn’t regret any time or money spent in this beautiful city. Amsterdam’s canals are beautiful; but from what I saw in this brief visit, Utrecht’s canals are way better. The canals give a certain local & unique Dutch vibe than that of Amsterdam’s. For sure there were other nice sightings or places to visit in the city but I had to go back to Amsterdam before the dark.

Hold it right there. In case you missed it, I also shared details about my flights to Europe from Manila to Singapore & Singapore to Amsterdam on board 5-star carrier Singapore Airlines. Check out these posts (MNL-SIN & SIN-AMS) to know about my flight experiences.

Have you been to Utrecht before? What do you think of the city & its canals? Which one do you prefer? Share your thoughts & experiences in the comments section below. Do you have any question about Utrecht? Feel free to shoot an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Don’t forget to follow me & please please please also help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

One last photo of Utrecht – look at that peaceful canal & the colorful & tall old houses around it. 😍

Thanks for reading up to this part. I hope you enjoyed the beautiful photos of Utrecht. Watch out for the next post on this Going Solo In Europe Series. I’ll take you to the Dutch countryside next time.

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.