Seeing up close the most emblematic festival of Japan
After the marvelous experience of glimpsing Mount Fuji through the clouds, my journey led me toward a different kind of joy, Joy in Motion —the pulsating heart of the Awa Odori festival in Tokushima. This modest city in Tokushima Prefecture has long sustained itself through … Continue readingCapturing Joy in Motion: the Awa Odori Festival
After my visits to Shinjuku and Shibuya, despite a canicular heat in Tokyo, by the time I caught the bus at Shinjuku station, for Mount Fuji, it was starting to get gloomy. And as I got on the way, torrential rain started hitting the highway, … Continue readingFuji behind the clouds
After three long years of COVID restrictions, I yearned for the vivid contrasts of Tokyo’s nights – from the blazing neons of Shibuya’s towering screens and scrambled crossings, to the cozy izakayas tucked away in Shinjuku’s Omoide Yokocho. … Continue readingScrambles & Izakayas: Tokyo Nights in Shibuya & Shinjuku
Writing about Kyoto is also writing about the Japanese essence, as the city is so much enshrined in traditional Japanese culture. As autumn paints the city in vibrant hues, Ginkakuji becomes a true embodiment of the Japanese essence. Fall gives to this garden which is … Continue readingGinkakuji in fall: experiencing the Japanese essence
It did not take long from the arrival of omicron in Hong Kong to the downfall of Hong Kong with its “zero Covid” obsession. In shocking scenes observed last week, on 15 February 2022, elderlies and mentally disabled COVID patients were left outdoors in cold … Continue readingZero Covid: the downfall of Hong Kong
It was just a matter of time, and no matter how much scapegoating there was going to be on the origin of this outbreak, the reality has always been the same: there would be one day where Omicron comes to town in Hong Kong. Despite … Continue readingOmicron comes to town in Hong Kong
After almost two stiffing years in Hong Kong, for the first time, as mass competition was allowed by the Hong Kong authorities, under the form of the Standard Chartered marathon. I knew that one of my goals was indeed running such a race, but I … Continue readingRunning the half-marathon of Hong Kong barefoot
In my previous post, I talked about my visit to Fushimi-Inari shrine at dawn, and how I thereafter headed to the historical center of Kyoto. Visiting ancient Kyoto is a bit akin to traveling back in time, as the whole area is pedestrianized. The number … Continue readingAncient kyoto: travel back in time
The COVID-19 pandemic has slowed down life for many, and obliged to a lot of lifestyle changes. In my case, it was sadly 2020 was a year where my training efforts went dramatically down compared to 2019. It was thus that the appearance of the … Continue readingBAREFOOT TRAIL RUNNING DURING THE PANDEMIC
When the National Security law was implemented about one year ago, the HK government kept repeating that its scope was limited and those concerned were few. One year later, it seems the scope is ever-expanding and the tentaculous reach of this law proved itself once … Continue readingHong Kong: The Fall of The Apple