-
[review] Le Méridien Suvarnabhumi, Bangkok Golf Resort (Thailand)
Between Vietnam and Bhutan, we spend a night in Bangkok because there is no direct flight between Vietnam and Bhutan. JB chooses a hotel near the airport (20 minutes by car) that has a free shuttle to/from the airport. This is a hotel belonging to the Marriott group, so we can use our miles and can be upgraded thanks to our Gold status. Our room costs 147€ (Booking link). This hotel is absolutely gorgeous, it’s a resort with a spa (that’s typical) and a golf course (that’s less so). There is an infinity pool, a spa, a fitness center, and two restaurants. By opting for the paid breakfast, we get…
-
[2024] Back to Hanoi (Vietnam): Leathercraft Class Round 2 & Foodie Adventures
After Osaka, here we are in Hanoi, Vietnam. My hometown. It’s been 2 years since we last returned to Vietnam, and this time, the city hasn’t changed much. Probably due to the economic slowdown, many people are struggling, losing their jobs, and trying to survive while waiting for better days. We spend the first few days at my parents’ house and enjoy Dad and Mom’s home cooking (spring rolls, free-range chicken, vermicelli, cốm, fruit…). Before we arrived, I placed a big order of books that my father took the time to receive, and I’m thrilled to have them all with me to either scan or read. These are books not…
-
Review of our second trip to Japan
The first time we set foot in Japan was in 2018, a few weeks before the cherry blossoms bloomed. That year, the cherry trees bloomed two weeks early, and we were able to enjoy them fully, much to our pleasant surprise. Japan is a country with a high cost of living, but the yen (the Japanese currency) is in free fall. We take advantage of the opportunity to return in 2024. Thanks to the yen’s devaluation, we can afford to stay in hotels instead of necessarily looking for Airbnbs. However, to save some money, we decide to avoid the cherry blossom season and go two weeks later, in mid-April 2024.…
-
A few days in Osaka (Japan)
After Kyoto, we’re spending a few days in Osaka before our trip to Vietnam. I would have loved to take a special train (the one with a mini Japanese garden), but unfortunately it’s only available on holidays and weekends. We try our best not to bother the locals with our luggage, so the shinkansen remains the best option (rather than the crowded local train). When you want to take any shinkansen, just buy a ticket at the gate for your destination station, and get on any shinkansen that allows “unreserved seats.” Generally, cars 1-2-3 are for those without assigned seats. Arriving in Osaka, we’re surprised to see young people smoking…
-
We spent Golden Week in Kyoto (Japan)
After the road trip, my parents are going back to Vietnam while we still enjoy Japan (in Kansai) for about ten more days. We take a shinkansen for the first time from Tokyo, heading to Kyoto. Kyoto is a fairly expensive city, so JB chooses a hotel for us in the outskirts of Kyoto. We’re right in the middle of Golden Week, a week with lots of public holidays, when the whole of Japan goes on vacation. Our hotel in Kameoka has an onsen on site, which JB loves because he only has to go down three floors to enjoy the hot and cold baths and the sauna. There’s even…
-
My made-to-measure leather trunk bag / little suitcase
I’ve always had an obsession with small suitcases. When we lived in Paris, all my DIY tools were carefully kept in cardboard suitcases. I even sewed a suitcase (with a lot of difficulty, mind you) out of cotton. Since then, I’ve had huge respect for fabric suitcase makers. Last year, JB signed us up for the Journées Particulières at Vuitton , and and Moynat and we got to see how trunks and suitcases are made. It’s a tricky craft (and a dying one), still largely done by hand. While trunks don’t appeal to me, I fell for this little suitcase at Moynat. It’s tiny and looks completely useless (it holds…
-
Toiletry bag / organizer in bull leather – Custom made
Recently, seeing a huge hole in my tool bag (which I carry everywhere in case a DIY project comes up), I thought I needed a sturdier organizer that I could also use as a toiletry bag. Lots of thinking later, I have a rough idea of the bag I want. I get information from one of the Vietnamese leatherworkers I usually order custom products from. He tells me what can or cannot be done. I buy the leather directly from 3Q (a Vietnamese supplier), who ships the leather straight to the leatherworker. For the exterior, I went with Gochoki bull leather from Rémy Carriat, a French tanner. It’s nubuck with…
-
Buying a fan in Kyoto (Japan)
To easily find your way around Japan and rediscover your favorite shops, opt for a Holafly eSIM ! You’ll get unlimited data during your stay, plus the Always On benefit: 1 GB/month of backup data included to stay connected no matter what. My latest obsession is the Japanese fan. Luckily for my wallet, they’re not very expensive. I bought my fan at a specialty shop in Tokyo and I was really happy with it. But I told myself I couldn’t settle for just one fan. Last time, I lost my only Japanese fan during a heatwave in Istanbul and suffered every time it got hot; I need at least a…
-
Taking the shinkansen between Tokyo and Kyoto
This is our second trip to Japan, but last time we preferred to fly between Osaka and Tokyo because it was cheaper. This time, we need to go to Kyoto from Tokyo, so we opted for the shinkansen. The shinkansen website is incomprehensible; JB can’t even create an account because his credit card won’t go through. However, in big cities, there are automatic machines to buy your shinkansen tickets. We were in a small town when we decided to buy a ticket, so we simply bought it at the counter. They asked us “reserved seats or not?” and we said “reserved seats” since we’re leaving the day before Golden Week…
-
Shopping in Tokyo (Japan): Ozu Washi, Fans, and Tsukiji Market
We still have one day in Tokyo before leaving for Kansai. Since JB has been driving non-stop for about ten days, I do my little visits alone in the morning and we meet up later at Tsukiji Outer Market. Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal Ozu Washi I’ve always been very interested in Japanese papers, and despite my small washi workshop a few days ago, I still visit the Ozu Washi, in operation since 1653. This shop, specializing in washi (Japanese paper), now functions as a cultural center dedicated to washi, offering exhibitions and workshops on calligraphy and ink painting. Used for its exceptional durability…
