Back to the routes! World trip to San Francisco, Switzerland and Germany

In June we had to go for a business trip to San Francisco and Switzerland. We took the chance to extend the trip to visit family and friends in Germany. First destination was SF, where we met our friend Arthur.

My colleague Donna, who bought me flowers for my birthday.

Taking the famous cable car...

... to pass by the California Street.

We stopped at our old place, first floor on 720 Stockton Street.

Bay Bridge.

The Ferry Building

The Farmer's Market

Yami Rotisserie Chicken from the market.

You cannot live without it: Fresh kettle corn.

World's best Tiramisu from Stella Cafe.

Sweet french fries from Pacific Catch.

Last day in San Francisco, before we had to board the plane to Switzerland: Celebrating my 29th Birthday.

Delancey Street Birthday Breakfast. I ordered scrambled eggs. They came with fried potatoes and a lot of other stuff. The portions are always so unbelievably huge. Coming from Asia, you are not used to it anymore.

Bastian organized a birthday dessert for me. Sweet :O)

Lunch at Cafe Claude.
It was nice to be back. We definitely love you, San Francisco.

It is Bali again!

Back to Bali for a longer weekend to visit my friend Jasmin and my brother and his fiancee. Three days are just good enough to eat all the food that we have been craving for.

Black Canyon Ice Coffe. Sweet and chilled. Yami.

Soto Ayam at Restaurant Ketupat in Legian. Not nearly as good as the one from Tante Francy. But good enough :O)
Seafood at Bayang Cafe in Jimbaran with my Dad.

Nusa Dua Beach.

Royal Pitah Maha in Ubud. Gorgeous view and...

... delicious fried banana. Is it worth USD 10 though???

Again lunch with my dad at Gubug Makan Mang Engkin.

Seafood is just the best!!!

Dinner with my good old friend Jasmin and her boyfriend Georg.

We definitely had fun and enjoyed the evening :O)

The next day surfing in Kuta Beach.

Japan Holiday Part III

Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Museum

and the Hiroshima Peace Park
This monument stands in memory of all children who died as a result of the atomic bombing. The monument was actually inspired by a little girl, who was exposed to the radiation from the atomic bomb at the age of two. Ten years later, the girl developed leukemia that ultimately ended her life.


Travelling to Kanazawa and again having delicious red bean dessert.

Higashichaya Old Town

Kenrokuen, one of Japan's most beautiful gardens.

Himeji Castle in Osaka

Dotonbori - The heart of Osaka's nightlife

Harajuku Girls

Japan Holiday Part II

Great Boiling Valley in Hakone is a volcanic hot spot full of sulphurous springs.
Famous Kuro Tamago (black eggs), boiled on site, their shells are a mottled black due to a chemical reaction with the sulphurous water, but the inside is quite tasty.

Typical Hakone Onsen Rooms with a hot tub on the balcony.

Day trip to Kamakura. We had a lot of fun with the Daibutsu, Japan's second largest Buddha.

Sanrokuen restaurant in Kawaguchiko, where we grilled our own meal around charcoal pits set in the floor.

From Kawaguchiko you had a wonderful view of Mount Fuji.

Day trip to Miyajima, a small island close to Hiroshima. The island is a Unesco World Heritage Site.

Beatiful Tori Gate on the island.Some wild deers walking around the island. They seemed to like Bastian.

The next days we stayed over in Kyoto. Again, we had so much luck with the weather and the cherry blossoms were in full bloom.

Kiyomizu Temple.

Ryoanji Garden.

Spotting some Geishas on the street.

Philosopher's Path is a perfect place to enjoy the cherry blossoms.

Definitely one of the highlights of our trip: Shimbashi Street in Gion, which is one of Kyoto's most beautiful streets and arguably one of the most beatiful streets in all of Asia, especially in the evening and during cherry blossom season.

Walking through the Tori Gates at Fushimi-Inari in the evening can be quite a spooky experience.

Overall, we have to say that Kyoto is definitely one of the "must-goes" in Japan. More pictures to come from Hiroshima, Kanazawa and Osaka, where our trip ended! Stay excited :O)