Big Sur, California—

I drove to Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. Here are the pictures along the California Highway 1.

Japan—

I visited Japan for the first time just before Thanksgiving in 2018. Amazing country!

Day 1 - Tokyo

Hamarikyu Garden -> Tsukiji Fish Market -> Meiji Shrine

Day 2 - Tokyo

The Imperial Palace East Gardens (not recommended) -> Asakusa (so many people)

It was raining after I visited Asakusa.

Day 3 - Nikko

Shin-kyo -> Rinno-ji -> Tosho-gu -> Shoyo-en

Day 4 - Tokyo

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden -> Shibuya -> Akihabara

Day 5 - Hakone

I was only staying at Hakone for one day, and it was pouring. If you are looking for an Ryokan, I recommend Hakone Koyoi. Semi open-air bath with a mountain view, good breakfast, and amazing customer service.

Day 6 - Hakone -> Kyoto

Day 7 - Kyoto

Shimogamo Shrine -> Kyoto Imperial Palace (Not recommended)-> Sanjusangendo Temple -> Higashi Honganji Temple -> Guilo Guilo Hitoshina (Dinner)

Day 8 - Kyoto

Higashiyama District -> Kiyomizudera Temple -> Maruyama Park -> Nishiki Market/Gion -> Chion-in Temple -> Ginkaku-ji Temple

Day 9 - Kyoto

Fushimi Inari (a lot of people until you reach the top) -> Tenryu-ji Temple -> Arashiyama Bamboo Grove (too many people) -> Togetsukyo Bridge (Arashiyana Yoshimura) -> Monkey Park Iwatayama -> Gio-ji temple

Day 10 - Kyoto

Nanzenji Temple -> Eikando Temple -> Heian Shrine

Day 11 - Nara

My gear:

Sony Alpha a7IIK Mirrorless Digital Camera with 28-70mm Lens

Gobe Variable ND8-128 MRC 32-Layer 55mm ND Filter

Peak Design Everyday Backpack 20L (Black Camera Bag)

Peak Design Slide Lite Camera Strap SLL-BK-3 (Black)

Gitzo GT3542L Mountaineer Tripod Ser.3 4S Long (Black)

Vancouver, Canada—

I fell in love with Vancouver when I visited it the first time in 2017. When I visited this place again, it was during a period of stress and frustration. The Pacific Ocean, the Canadian Mountains, and the great British Columbia calmed my mind and let me forget about work and enjoy the gift nature has offered to us.

If you are visiting Vancouver for the first time, you can find my itinerary in an earlier post. For this visit, I rented a car (Jeep Wrangler) for 7 days and stayed at the Sheraon Wall Centre.

The first place I have to recommend is Sea-to-Sky Gondola. When I first heard about it, I simply thought it is a Gondola that takes you to the top of a mountain. It is much more than that. It does take you to a viewing platform which offers a great view to the Sky Pilot Mountain and Mt Habrich. You can also enjoy multiple well marked and maintained trails in the mountain. I easily spent 2-3 hours taking pictures and completing two easy trails. But you can take as much as you want to enjoy the breathtaking view.

The next place I recommend is the Sea-to-Sky Highway (Highway 99 West) and the surrounding areas near Whistler. You can access Whistler by Highway 99 West. Sea-to-Sky Gondola is a great midway stop on your way to Whistler. Unless you are a fan of skiing, the Olympic Village in Whistler is not worth a visit. It is a very commercial area with live music and hotels. However, the surrounding parks are peaceful and have great views.

Along Highway 99 West, there are marked viewing stops. Look for those signs and you will be rewarded with amazing views.

A quintessential thing to do in Vancouver is to climb the Grouse Grind, a hiking trail with 2,800 feet elevation gain. Unfortunately, it was closed for spring maintenance during my visit. So definitely check out its opening hours before you plan the visit.

A few other places I visited are Horseshoe Bay, Capilano River Regional Park, Gold Ear Park, and Lighthouse Park. I witnessed a wedding happening in Capilano River Regional Park. Imagine taking a vow in front of a wooden frame covered by white flowers, with the Great British Columbia as the perfect backdrop. That was a fantastic location for a wedding!