I have a treat for many of you– a domestic Iran flight. Buckle up for a seat on Iran Aseman Airlines, from Tehran Mehrabad (THR) to Shiraz (SYZ). FYI, aseman means “sky,” or “highest heaven” in Farsi; the privately-held company was founded in 1980, and is based at THR. Earlier this month, I traveled with Key2Persia […]
Restaurant Review: Hanasanshou at Park Hotel Tokyo
One night earlier, I had a very nice dinner at The Dining, the only restaurant at Shiba Park Hotel, sister property to Park Hotel Tokyo. But whereas The Dining was open for various meals throughout the day, Park Hotel Tokyo’s Hanasanshou is only open for dinner, from 17:30 to 22:30. Hanasanshou, which translates as “flower […]
Restaurant Review: The Dining at Shiba Park Hotel
Late last year, I had the pleasure of staying at Tokyo’s Shiba Park Hotel. However, due to my always being busy in the Japanese capital, I rarely have the time to sit down for dinner. Fortunately, I had a rare few days of break on my most recent Tokyo visit, so I was able to […]
JR East-South Hokkaido Rail Pass
Ever since my first trip to Tohoku two years ago, I’ve been yearning to visit more of that northern Japanese region. What better better way to do so than with the JR East-South Hokkaido Rail Pass? Meanwhile, for a quick refresher on what constitutes the Tohoku region, here’s a map, with each prefecture’s most important […]
Hotel Review: Imperial Hotel Tokyo
Even if you weren’t specifically interested in architecture or history, you’d be in for a treat at Imperial Hotel Tokyo. Location & Access The Imperial Hotel Tokyo, close to the Imperial Palace, Ginza, and Hibiya Park, also has very good rail connections. In addition to being a hop and a skip from Hibiya metro station, […]
Two New U.S. Routes for Aeromexico
Stand by, SkyTeam members, and Mexico fans alike: two new U.S. routes for Aeromexico are coming your way. Let’s start with Mexico’s capital, Mexico City. From 5 June, Delta’s partner south of the border will be inaugurating flights from the city’s main airport (MEX) to Philadelphia (PHL). Capable of seating 160-166 passengers depending upon the […]
Korean Air Starts Airbus A350-900 Service
As of 27 January, Korean Air starts Airbus A350-900 service. The inaugural flight of KE’s newest aircraft type connected Seoul Incheon (ICN) to Osaka Kansai (KIX). Indeed, with Japan being a rapidly growing center of inbound tourism, it was no surprise that Korean Air opted for a short-haul across the Sea of Japan. (the second […]
Japanese Theme Trains
Whereas I might take issue with Japanese rail bureaucracy, Japan is still one of a handful of countries where I consider it a pleasure to travel by train. Whether it’s the 15-car trains running every two minutes during Tokyo’s rush hour, the tracks running right along the sea, or the peculiarly named stations, one could […]