I present to you, Manhattan’s newest beach: Fine, the official title of Manhattan’s newest beach is Gansevoort Peninsula. And if you thought it was the first beach in Manhattan, well … it’s the first public beach. You see, there’s a small patch of flotsam and debris way up north on the island, near Spuyten Duyvil […]
Infrastructure
Japan Rail Souvenir … with a Catch
O.K., so you’ve added funds to your IC card, and are using the train to your heart’s content. But how do you keep track of all the places that you’ve been? Yes, your phone is likely stalking your location, but how about a less Orwellian approach? Allow me to introduce you to the following Japan […]
Tokyo Rail Travel Hack
If you’re in the Tokyo area, and are carrying an IC card, I’ve got a Tokyo rail travel hack for you. (I mention Tokyo because I am most familiar with it. This hack may exist in other Japanese cities.) Firstly, if you’re not sure what an IC card is, I will help out. IC cards […]
Japanese Sewer Cover Trading Cards. Seriously.
Japan might be the ultimate country for hobbyists. It’s a place where the brilliant train system attracts photographers amateur and densha otaku alike, limited-edition Kit Kats are misnomers, and vending machines sell everything from raw fish to bouquets. Yet, perhaps the most unusual things to come out of Japan in the last decade are sewer […]
Architectural Tourism
Architectural tourism is one of my priorities when traveling. However, there are undoubtedly some controversies involved in how certain structures are maintained. One of the most controversial topics is façadism. In the simplest terms, façadism – also known as facadism – refers to when the front-facing exterior (façade) of a building is preserved. This is […]
Japan Trip Report: JR East Pass (Tohoku Area)
Although I’ve traveled throughout much of Japan, I embarrassingly didn’t once set foot in the Tohoku region until a few days ago. That’s where the rail pass, the JR East Pass (Tohoku Area), was of tremendous benefit. Firstly, let’s define the Tohoku region (in Japanese, 東北 touhoku, meaning northeastern): The Tohoku region is generally characterized […]
Crossing China’s Newest Border with Hong Kong
Last week, after flying in to Hong Kong, I wanted to use the new(est) China Hong Kong border crossing to reach Shenzhen. For background, the Chinese side is called Liántáng (莲塘), and the Hong Kong side Heung Yuen Wai (香園圍). It is located in the Luo Hu district of Shenzhen, in a more residential part of town […]
Downtown Check-In Reopening Next Month in Hong Kong
After more than three years, it appears that downtown check-in is finally returning to Hong Kong. Starting 5 July, passengers on select airlines will once again be able to realize downtown check-in for their flights at the Hong Kong Island Airport Express station, by the ifc Mall in Central. Lamentably, the last time I was […]
