I visited Outsider Global Lounge in Hiroshima in March 2014
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I walked through the book store, looked at every book shelf, was quite impressed by their selection of English books, this being Japan. I have never found many books in English for sale in Japan. Here I found many interesting books, was tempted to buy a few.
I visited Terracina in June 2004 and April 2008
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I would start every day with an espresso at Caffe’ del Duomo on the square just outside our apartment. The sun was up, warming up the air slowly. It was so nice to sit down in a chair, relax, enjoy a cup of coffee. The town was still quiet, but starting to wake up. A few people hurried by on their way to work, tourists waking up early passing by on their way to the next site. Walking the old Via Appia, that old Roman road. It was not that warm yet, but you could feel the temperature slowly rising. Eventually I took my jacket off, a t-shirt was enough. A coffee in the morning, outside, watching the city come to life. What a great way to start the day.
I celebrated New Year’s Eve in Japan in 2015.
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As it got nearer to the New Year, only minutes away now, everyone gathered inside. All the staff from TOWA, the soba restaurant next door, owned by the same one who owned the bar, came as well. Not like Norway at all. In Norway we all go out at midnight to watch the fireworks and wish friends and strangers happy new year. Here there were no fireworks, we all stayed inside the bar, the sake was passed around.
I visited Bar Atomic Age in Susukino, Sapporo in December, 2015
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I could not believe it, in front of me was a bottle of Linie Aquavit. Norwegian Linie Aquavit. Named so because it crosses the Equator twice in its production. It is transported from Norway to Australia and back on a ship.
I visited the Christmas Market in Sapporo in December, 2015
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I have been to many different christmas markets, I happen to travel a lot around christmas, but I had only been to markets in Europe. When I saw there was a christmas market in Sapporo while I was there, I knew I had to visit. I have been to christmas markets in Strasbourg and Berlin, Trondheim and Gdansk. They are usually very similar, but all with small differences.
It was the same in Sapporo, at first sight the market could have been anywhere. It looked like any christmas market, but at a closer look you could always spot the differences.
I visited Helios Beer in Okinawa in September 2016
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I had seen the place during my walk through the city earlier in the day. A little too early for a beer then, there was still much I wanted to see in Naha, but now, a few hours later a beer would be just perfect. And an Okinawan beer as well. I love to check out the local beer when travelling. I had been walking for hours, having my first look at Okinawa and Naha. I was tired, needed a rest. To sit down in a bar with an ice cold Okinawan beer seemed like a nice way to relax, regain my strength.
I visited Taipei and the 58 Bar in September 2016
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It became sort of a haven for me, a base, a place to relax in between experiencing Taipei. I would stop by for a beer almost every day, after sightseeing for hours. I would relax for a while, chat with the bartenders, write some in my journal, before heading to a new night market. To feast on all the delicious street food. Bar 58 was a cool place. I liked it. good music playing, nice and friendly bartenders. Lots of Taiwanese craft beer. A great place to wet my throath, rest my legs, digest the events of the day so far.
I stayed at the Orchard Park Hotel in Taoyuan in September 2016
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My flight from Taiwan back to Tokyo was cancelled. The airline put me on a flight the next morning, and checked me into a hotel not far from Taoyuan Airport to spend the night. It was a really nice hotel, the dinner buffet was amazing, but after a while I was full. Room for no more to eat. I left the restaurant.
I visited Taiwan during Typhoon Megi in September 2016
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Branches were falling off trees, down to the road below. Blocking traffic, being in the way of cars. One huge branch fell down just a meter or so in front of a car. The driver just managed to break, saw it as it came falling down. He sat still in his car seat for a long time after coming to a stop, taking deep breaths, before finally driving again. This is crazy. Driving in these conditions is crazy. And there were people out on their scooters as well! Shop signs were falling down from the walls, crashing into the street below. Any loose object could suddenly come flying through the air. And it seemed the wind was picking up. It had stopped raining, but the winds were getting stronger and stronger.
I visited Funky Fresh Bar in Taipei in September, 2016
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I never had time to visit all the places in Taipei they recommended me to go, but the ones I did go to did not disappoint. You only had to ask and they would start writing down places to go. Restaurants, hot springs, night clubs, cool sights. The owners at Funky Fresh were some of the nicest people I met in Taiwan, which was the main reason I kept coming back.