Helpful Websites on Japan

Mandy alerted us to The Cup and The Road, a blog by Athena, a Chinese Canadian, who has a page on a Guide to the Tokyo Subway 1-3 Day Pass.

The 3-day pass costs 1500 yen (about $15) and since most trips cost 200 yen, it is worth the cost if you take 8 trips and it allows you to travel on both subway lines, Tokyo Metro and Toei.  We can buy them at Narita Airport

And we can also buy them at the Shinjuku station, and BICQLO BIC CAMERA Shinjuku East Store, BIC CAMERA Shinjuku West Store, and Laox Shinjuku Main Store.








The Cup and the Road also has a post on the Top 10 Apps to Travel in Japan like a Local.  Of course Athena speaks Japanese so she can use the Japanese Apps better than we'll be able to. She also has a post on My Japanese Diet: 20 Daily Foods (plus a restaurant map) talking about everyday foods that we should probably mark off as having tried, including konbini (convenience store) and supermarket food: "Japan lives off of premade food."

"Eating Tip: Get dinner in the supermarkets after 6pm since the sets are usually at least 20% off! Look out for Life, Isetan, Marunaka, AEON, Atre, Kinokuniya and independent grocers. It’s a great way to try things like nigiri sets and sashimi platters."

Tabelog
Tabelog is the Japanese Yelp, with restaurant reviews browsable by neighborhood, type of cuisine, and cost.  They have an English version, although the user-submitted reviews are in Japanese.  You can look at the photos.

Matcha -- Japan Travel Magazine

This online magazine has articles like "Finding Japanese Souvenirs -- the Best Shopping Spots in Kyoto", "10 Selected Restaurants in Tokyo + Japanese Food Guide" and Japanese Sweets Exclusive To Tokyo Station.

Tokyo Cheapo

Lots of articles, a Youtube channel, and information on events.  One can begin with the Tokyo Cheapo 101: Beginner's Guide to Tokyo.  They also mention the Seven Lucky Gods  (Shichifukujin) Pilgrimage to Shinto Shrines that is done in a few neighborhoods in Tokyo from January 1-10th, such as in Nihonbashi, Yanaka and in Shinjuku.  It might be an interesting walk to do.

Undoubtedly there will be more to come.

More Blogs on Sarria to Santiago

I'll use this posting as a place to store other pilgrims' postings on our section since I can never remember where I read or saw what and I often can't get back to what I've seen before.

Sarria to Ferreiros

The Huffington Post had an article on the Camino last year: "4 Things You Should Know Before Hiking Spain's Camino Trail" and linked to a blog by a woman from Mariposa, California.  Sarria to Ferreiros was her day 42 so she was more seasoned than we will be.  But her photos from June undoubtedly portray what we will experience a month before in May, including the terrain, the rain and overcast skies.  Fortunately she has an index to her 47 daily posts by stage.  Her are the ones that pertain to us (after Ferreiros).  The photos are hers.

Santiago de Compostela

1. Ferreiros to Ventas de Naron (22.4 km)
2. Ventas de Naron to Melide (26.2 km)
3. Melide to Arzua (14.3 km)
4. Arzua to Pedrouzo 
5. Pedrouzo to Santiago (20 km)

The author of the blog also got tired of colorless and monotonous food, like the dishes in this photo she took.

Ah well, I suppose anything tastes good after a day of walking.  We will be sure to fully document our diet on the road.  I might be eating a lot of ensaladas mixtas, until I get sick of canned tuna...

Rome Blogs

So where does one go to find interesting things to do in Rome?  Things that aren't in the tourist books, things that locals do.  You go find a blog, of course!  And because my knowledge of Italian is stumbling, it will have to be an expat blog.

Here's a post on Antica Enoteca, a wine bar off the Via del Corso, the big fashion shopping street that runs from the Piazza del Populo in the north down to the Piazza Venezia just above the Roman Forum.  The blogger goes there for some peace and quiet after the crush of the shoppers because it is cool in summer and cozy in winter.  And also because it is open when regular restaurants aren't.

Then of course there is Katie Parla's blog which centers on food (she contributes to the NY Times).  She has a Rome on a Budget category which should help us find pizzas and pasta.  She has a recent post on Where to Eat in Rome in August, because in August many restaurants are closed, but maybe we can use it as well in November.

This blog eventually led me to the recent Italian film La grande bellezza or The Great Beauty about  an "aging socialite, Jep Gambardella, who once wrote a famous novel in his twenties, only to retire into a comfortable life writing cultural columns and throwing parties in Rome. After his 65th birthday party, he walks through the ruins and city streets, encountering the various characters, reflecting on his life, his first love, and sense of unfulfillment."  It sounds like something we should see before we go and fortunately there are 22 copies in our library system (it wasn't available through Netflix streaming or Amazon Prime of course).

Another Rome blog is Elizabeth Minchilli in Rome and she also has a list of Pizza places: best pizza in rome {2013} so we should be set for cheap meals.  One she reviews is Il Leoncino by the Spanish Steps which is noteworthy for being open for lunch (not just dinner) and for its bean, sausage and onion pizza.  I've placed it on google maps and it isn't quite next to the Spanish Steps but it does have the requisite grumpy waiters and a forno in the middle of the restaurant which makes it cozy in winter, perfect for us in November!

She has lengthy reviews of other pizzerie so we should be set as far as that goes!

Revealed Rome
How did I miss this blog when I posted?  The author has a November posting on "How to Spend a Rainy Day in Rome" and she recommends going to Testaccio, where she recommends visiting the mercato and the MACRO art museum (but not EATALY).