Arashiyama's Bamboo Groves | Kyoto, Japan | 2 of 2

When we were walking through the bamboo groves in Arashiyama, I was reminded of the fight scene in "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon." After watching it again, I see the ridiculousness of that scene. Could you imagine trying to stand on top of a bamboo tree and then doing some sort of martial art?  Anyway, enjoy the final installment of photos from Arashiyama's bamboo groves. If you're ever in Kyoto, make sure you visit. It's a beautiful tranquil spot that I have yet to see anywhere else in the world!

John Hancock Center | Chicago, Illinois

The city of Chicago definitley does not lack towering buidlings. They city skyline is absolutley beautiful and when visiting it's hard to choose between Willis Tower and John Hancock Center.  Last fall, my brother Chris came to visit and he really wanted to go to Willis Tower. Since it was a holiday weekend, the place was packed and the wait was three hours. Also added to the wait was a hefty price tag of $19.00. Now I know it may seem like a low price to pay for a beautiful view, but when you're unemployed, it's a week's worth of lunches. I quickly did some research and found a better and more relaxing alternative, the John Hancock Signature Room.

The John Hancock Signature Room is a lounge/restaurant that is located on the 95th floor of the building. It has amazing views and a comfortable atmosphere. When we arrived, there wasn't a wait and even though we didn't get a window seat, it was still a great experience. For about $4 less, you can order a cocktail and hang out for as long as you want. If you're a beer drinker, they have a decent selections at around $8.50 a bottle. If you aren't keen on alcohol, they have other drinks and snacks as well. It was an amazing experience and one that I greatly enjoyed. Who wants to be stuck in a line with heaps of other tourists for hours? I would rather chill out with a cocktail and an awesome view!

Arashiyama's Bamboo Groves | Kyoto, Japan | 1 of 2

I know I've said it before, but Kyoto is absolutely beautiful. The city has so much to offer and it was spectacular. Another must see spot is the bamboo groves of Arashiyama. It's a bit of a trek out of the city center, but it's worth it. I've seen bamboo forests at the Morikami Museum in Florida, but nothing can compare to this. It feels like the bamboo goes on for ages and it's quite tranquil. I love the sound of bamboo swaying in the wind. Its the perfect place to stop and ponder the wonders of life.

Fushimi Inari Taisha | Kyoto, Japan | 2 of 2

While Markus and I were hiking through Fushimi Inari Taisha, I distinctly remember feeling extremely calm and peaceful. Despite spending three hours hiking up a mountain on a hot August day, I had an amazing experience. I was spending the day at a beautiful shrine with my husband in Japan. How many times would I experience something like that again? We had a great time and spent most of the time discussing our pet project, The Lost Land of Yehey. Everything we saw inspired us and came up with some great ideas for our story.  I think that's my favorite part of traveling with Markus. Even though we're on vacation, we still continue to create new worlds and I wouldn't have it any other way!

Japan Cheap Eats #3: Matsuya | Kyoto

This is part of a series about eating on a budget and I've titled the series, "Japan Cheap Eats". Many people think Japan is expensive, but I'm here to prove them wrong! We found many budget options and I wanted to share them with you!

Just like most countries, Japan has many fast food restaurants. They have Mickey D's, Wendy's and my personal fave, KFC. You know me and fried chicken, we're soul mates. In addition to these places, they have even better options. They are on a completely different level when it comes to fast food, which isn't surprising, because it's Japan. Throughout the country, they have various gyudon shops. Gyudon literally means beef bowl and it's incredible. Delicious simmered beef and onions are served over white rice. The first gyudon place we visited was Matsuya in Kyoto and it was an awesome experience.

After an afternoon of hiking through Fushimi Inari Taisha, Markus and I were starved. Up to this point, we ate a lot of mart food and we wanted something a little more sophisticated. We scoped out a few places that were within our budget. We almost settled on some burger place, but then we happened to walk by Matsuya. It was like a beacon of light and we couldn't help but go in.

Places like Matsuya have everything down to a science and it's really efficient. The inside is set up like a diner and usually manned by one or two people. I think they wanted to limit as much human interaction as possible. You don't even order through the employees, but through a ticket machine. It's actually kind of cool. I liked that there wasn't any pressure to make an order right away, especially in a place where I don't speak the language. After we placed our orders, we sat down and gave the guy our ticket. He quickly whipped up our order and it was ready in less than 5 minutes.

The gyudon itself was really delicious and I enjoyed the flavors. The meat was both sweet and salty and was complimented by the rice. It's not going to win any awards, but it gets the job done. It's a great healthier alternative to burgers and fries. Overall, we both enjoyed Matusya and gyudon so much that we stopped at almost all the other similar shops. If you're in Japan, this is definitley a great budget eat and something that should be tried, even if it's to use the ticket machine to order your food!

Cost Breakdown:
Large Beef Gyudon Bowl: 480
Medium Beef Gyudon Bowl: 380
Miso Soup: free with beef bowl
TOTAL: 860 yen or $8.41