My travels have certainly taken me to some of the world's most interesting places; and not just interesting historically, culturally, spiritually, nor those pertaining to amazing views, food, shopping, and partying.  Some of these places have been insanely crazy (in a fun way) and Haw Par Villa in Singapore definitely belongs in that category! In a nutshell, it's a theme park featuring a recreation of hell complete with demons and tortured souls; one that has scared generations of kids (the writer included when I first visited the place back in the 90s)! A note from the writer: this is a pre-pandemic tale.

Amusement parks do not only cater to families, they also make for an awesome venue for a date with one's significant other. I was lucky to have experienced it both ways! Opened in 2010, Universal Studios Singapore is the first and only Universal Studios theme park in Southeast Asia and is a must visit when in SG. Located on Sentosa Island, a massive resort playground just south of mainland Singapore, USS covers almost 20 hectares; small by Universal theme park standards but packed with all the crowd favorites. It is also part of the larger Resorts World Sentosa complex, which includes a casino, SEA Aquarium, and several luxury hotels. A note from the writer: this is a pre-pandemic tale with additional post-pandemic photos. Here's a pic of us back in 2019.

Owing to its status of being arguably the center of the modern world, New York has become a true melting pot for cuisine; showcasing Michelin-star gastronomical masterpieces, world-famous restaurants, food trucks, and holes-in-the-wall from almost every culture on earth across its five boroughs. At the time of this trip (back in good ol' 2016), we had the opportunity to go on the Best of Brooklyn Food and Culture Tour, one of Tripadvisor's most highly-rated activities in NYC. * And apart from the fantastic dishes that we got to enjoy that day, we got a solid sightseeing tour of Brooklyn, NYC's most populous borough. A note from the writer: this is a pre-pandemic tale.

When one thinks of the word "megacity", Singapore definitely comes to mind. No other city in Southeast Asia, maybe even the world, balances the skyline, technology, and infrastructure of the first world, with the intricacies of its multi-cultural inhabitants, as well as Singapore has. And all this happened.. only in the last 40 years!  * Hard to believe that this whole country was once just a swamp-filled jungle. Today, Singapore's world famous Merlion is the figurative "king of the jungle" and the country's most famous tourist attraction. A note from the writer: this is a pre-pandemic tale with additional photos post-pandemic.

On any journey to the Iberian peninsula, it is easy to focus all of one's time, budget, and attention to the more popular and glamorous cities of Madrid, Barcelona and Lisbon. However one cannot truly appreciate the richness of Spanish culture, without experiencing the city of Cordoba. One of the most important cities back in the Middle Ages, yet overlooked today, Cordoba has been inhabited for thousands of years; with its earliest inhabitants thought to be the Neanderthal humans whose fossils can be found all over this area of Spain. * Later on becoming a Roman settlement, whose people left their mark by constructing this fascinating and sturdy bridge that still stands to this day running across the Guadalquivir River! 

There is undoubtedly no other city as iconic as New York City, whose five boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, and Staten Island are rich in history, character, and culture; forever immortalized in numerous movies, TV shows, stories, and songs. Originally a Dutch colony settled in 1624 named New Amsterdam, New York City has grown to become what is is now: the most populous and visited city in the US, home to the United Nations and the Statue of Liberty, the fashion, media, and financial capital of the world, the very symbol itself of the great United States of America. And it is said that in New York City, even buildings, squares, and streets are world famous. Here are some of NYC's most famous tourist locations: Part One Times Square * At the center of New York is the pedestrianized intersection of lights, sound, and spectacle known as Times Square.

Definitely one of the advantages of staying in a hotel right in the middle of the city center is the ability to wander around and experience the city after the sun has gone down. A Spanish city changes at night. Somehow it becomes even more vibrant and authentic as locals, offered a temporary respite from the hustle and bustle of the daily barrage of tourists, are now free to come out, dine, and socialize; the Spanish way of rewarding one's self for a hard day's work. * And in Old Town Sevilla, the UNESCO World Heritage Site is wonderfully lit and conducive for romance.

Helsinki, capital of Finland, is your quintessential ideal European city: heavily pedestrianized, fantastic public transportation, full of green open spaces and mid-rise buildings, and a general feeling of safety especially for foreigners. It is also known as the credit card capital of Europe; and indeed one can buy anything (even street food) with a Visa or Mastercard on hand!  * A fact which came in handy in the city's Market Square!

No trip to Osaka would be complete without a stopover at the enchanting city of Nara. While history and culture buffs will love the collection of temples, shrines, and ruins that altogether make up the UNESCO World Heritage "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara" list, most travelers come for a different activity all together: the feeding and photo opportunity with wild Japanese deer. Tōdai-ji Temple * And the most popular location for this activity can be found on the grounds of Todai-ji Temple.

Along with the futuristic megacity of Tokyo and the foodie heaven of Osaka, no trip to Japan would be complete without visiting its cultural capital, Kyoto. Home to the Japanese imperial court for over a thousand years, Kyoto is full of palaces, temples, shrines, and gardens; which thanks to not being targeted by Allied bombing during World War II, has been preserved in all its authenticity. This is Part 3 of our Kyoto Series: Shrines. Fushimi Inari-Taisha * And hands-down, the most requested photo spot in all of Kyoto, is this pathway leading to Fushimi Inari-Taisha. Prepare to battle with dozens of tourists over what is essentially the same shot (lol!).

While sailing across the Baltic Sea has historically been of the raiding type (i.e. Vikings sailing along the coasts of Scandinavia, Northern Germany, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Finland), there is a much more extravagant, comfortable, and blood-less way to get around, and that is via an overnight cruise. Here are some memories from our voyage from Stockholm, Sweden to Helsinki, Finland. * Our home for tonight, the dazzling Silja Serenade: full of restaurants, indoor pools, duty free shops, a night club, casino, and several drinking spots (hurrah!).

The end of the Cold War in the early 90's ushered in a lot of positive changes for Europe: military deescalation, the emergence of democracy in the former Soviet Bloc countries, a more relaxed atmosphere across the continent, and the opening of tourism. Finally, Western tourists found themselves being able to take a peek behind the Iron Curtain and actually visit Russia itself.  From Finland's capital, Helsinki, we drove past the densely wooded countryside of Finland, into the no man's land that signified the neutral zone between the former adversaries of the Soviet and Western powers, and finally into Russia. * Unlike border control procedures within the European Union, the experience of entering Russia is an adventure in itself! Entry can take over a couple of hours with immigration officials having the discretion to take as much time as they wish.

It is a fact of life: people LOVE amusement parks! And while most visitors to Osaka may come for Universal Studios, some of us get our culture fix by exploring castles, temples, markets, and souvenir shopping areas. * Osaka Castle is one of Japan's most famous landmarks and is a must-see stop when visiting the city.

After exploring Portugal's imperial capital, Lisbon, and its nearby seaside resorts and medieval towns, we prepared to make our way to España. Portugal and Spain, together, make up the Iberian Peninsula, and have a common history of both Muslim and Christian rule; yet they also share a common history of standing apart as separate kingdoms. * The Humberto Delgado Airport, also known simply as Lisbon Airport, is Portugal's main gateway to the world.

While the general public is very much aware of Moscow, as the capital of the Russian Federation and the former Soviet Union, and of St. Petersburg, the most European and Imperial of all Russian cities, few know the history, vastness, and grandeur of the early Russian people. Russia in all its greatness started as a small city in the patch of land directly between Moscow and St. Petersburg; the city known as Novgorod. * It was my great pleasure and honor to be able to visit and explore the Cradle of Russian Civilization.

The Gamla Stan is Stockholm's old town, located on the island of Stadsholmen, full of medieval buildings, cobblestone streets, and picturesque alleyways. If you have but a few hours to spare in this majestic city, every minute of it spent here is a minute worth spent. * When in Stockholm, to find one's bearings, one must look to the sky.

Osaka, home to over 19 million inhabitants, is Japan's second largest metropolitan area after Tokyo, and is unofficially known as the country's culinary center. The city is also a great starting point for one to explore the nearby cities of Kyoto, Nara, and Kobe. Personally, I preferred my experiences in Osaka visavis Tokyo. While both are sprawling megacities, full of neon lights, and efficient citizens, somehow I always felt that Osakans were warmer as a people, and that I could more easily find my bearings here. * And the most popular tourist destination in Osaka is without a doubt Dotonbori, famous for its neon lights, shopping selections, and street food.

Sintra is one of Portugal's most visited (and Instagram featured) tourist destinations!  A triumph of Romanticist architecture, the town is stocked-full of areas to explore: palaces, ruins, historic estates, villas, gardens, cafes, and Michelin star restaurants. * And from this view, we can see why Sintra is one of the Iberian peninsula's most sought after real estate markets; home of some of the wealthiest people in the European continent!

There really is something special about them Scandinavians. From the land of the "world's happiest people", Denmark, we now travel across the narrow strait, to the "world's cleanest country", Sweden. And lets not forget the land of attractive blonde men and women, Swedish meatballs, pop music hits, and ABSOLUT Vodka. At the center of all of this is Stockholm, capital of Sweden; a city spread out across fourteen islands, linked by over fifty bridges. * Stockholm is exactly how I imagined it to be: architecturally impressive, progressive, extremely walkable, and clean.

Usually, city attractions take the form of monuments and squares, museums and palaces, boulevards and shopping plazas; but sometimes, the sights shine most brightly underneath the surface. Touted as one of the most comprehensive, most efficient (minimal delay rates), and most well-maintained train stations in the world, the Moscow Metro can also add to its list of accolades the title of most beautiful and most nationalistic. And indeed, several of them are tourist attractions in itself! * The adventure starts at ground level! Built during the Soviet era, the Moscow Metro is the perfect example of the State proudly exhibiting its most positive virtues: nationalism, productive citizens, efficient systems, unification, organization, and coordination.