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The Selfish Years

~ Over 200 cities, 42 countries, 6 continents and counting.

The Selfish Years

Monthly Archives: May 2013

Yummy Yakitori and Karaage Craziness in Kyoto

31 Friday May 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Food & Drinks, Japan, Kyoto

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Asia, Chabuya, Chicken, Fukei, Japan, karaage, Kyoto, Selfish Years, The Selfish Years, yakitori

During our first trip to Japan, Mr. Selfish and I learned that Japanese food is quite diverse. We sampled yakitori, karaage, takoyaki, ramen, udon, soba, okonomiyaki, etc. Unfortunately, the majority of Japanese restaurants in the States only serve sushi and some form of teriyaki.

This post is dedicated to the wonderful chicken that we had in Kyoto, specifically the yakitori (grilled chicken on skewers) and karaage (deep fried chicken). I never knew that chicken could be so tender and delicious until I had it in Japan.

Our favorite yakitori place is called Chabuya (炭火焼鳥ちゃぶや), located at 310−3 Uradeyamacho. We ate here in 2010 with some locals and knew that we had to return during our selfish year. It is a small, unassuming place that is frequented by locals. Luckily, they have an English menu (though we never saw any other English speakers the two times we were there).

Chicken 17

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Visiting Kyoto’s Free Shrines

30 Thursday May 2013

Posted by misterselfish in Asia, Japan, Kyoto

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Heian Shrine, Inari Shrine, Japan, Kyoto, Kyoto Shrines, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Shimogamo Shrine, Yasaka Shrine

As the long time capital of Japan, Kyoto has no shortage of sites.  Designated as a UNESCO world-heritage site, Kyoto actually has 17 UNESCO sites within city bounds, and contains roughly 20% of Japan’s National Treasures.

But a lot of these sites cost money – usually 300 – 500 yen a piece, which can add up quickly – especially once you factor in transportation.  With that in mind, Mrs. Selfish and I quickly set out to find the best free sites Kyoto had to offer.

Heian Shrine 08

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Walking Along the Philosopher’s Path in Kyoto

29 Wednesday May 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Japan, Kyoto

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Asia, Eikando Temple, Ginkakuji, Japan, Kyoto, Nanzenji Temple, Philosopher's Path, Selfish Years, Silver Pavilion, Tenjuan Temple, The Selfish Years

When Mr. Selfish and I visited Japan in 2010, we fell in love with Kyoto and knew that we had to come back. We accordingly spent three wonderful weeks in Kyoto. The city has an astounding amount of places to visit – in fact, 1,600 Buddhist temples and 400 Shinto shrines. Not surprisingly, we never ran out of things to see.

One of our favorite places in Kyoto was the Philosopher’s Path, which is a two-kilometer stone path that Nishida Kitaro, one of Japan’s most famous philosophers, supposedly walked every day to meditate. The path starts at Ginkakuji, which is also known as the Silver Pavilion, and ends at Nanzenji Temple.

The Silver Pavilion, for which admission is 500 yen, is not actually covered in silver. Its name was meant to contrast it from the Golden Pavilion, which is covered in gold. The Silver Pavilion is located next to a dry sand garden. Mr. Selfish and I sat and admired the view of the Silver Pavilion from the sand garden.

Silver Pavilion 06Silver Pavilion 02Silver Pavilion 03

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Relaxing at Ryokan Sanga

28 Tuesday May 2013

Posted by misterselfish in Accommodations, Asia, Food & Drinks, Japan

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

Kurokawa, ryokan, Ryokan Sanga, Selfish Year, Selfish Years

During our previous trip to Japan, Mrs. Selfish and I had the pleasure of staying at a ryokan in Hakone.  A Ryokan is a traditional Japanese hotel, known for a three things: kaiseki meals, traditional rooms and garb, and onsen.

Last time we only stayed for one night, so this time around we decided to splurg and stay for two nights at the Ryokan Sanga.

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Unplugging in Kurokawa Onsen Town

27 Monday May 2013

Posted by misterselfish in Asia, Japan

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Kurokawa, Kurokawa Onsen, Kurokawa Onsen Town, Onsen, Selfish Year, Selfish Years

Bidding a wary goodbye to the Grand Hyatt Fukuoka, Mrs. Selfish and I packed our bags and prepared for 2 days in charming Kurokawa Onsen Town.

The Japanese take their hot springs very seriously, and onsen bathing is a tradition that goes back several centuries.  Over the years, the experience has become more and more modernized, and people have taken to bath houses as well, so we were particularly excited to go to Kurokawa Onsen Town.

While everyone else modernized, Kurokawa stuck with preserving tradition, and the result is a stunning, traditional town with dozens of ryokans and onsens in an spiritually soothing environment.

This is a place you come to relax.

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Use British Airways Avios to Save Major Ca$h

26 Sunday May 2013

Posted by misterselfish in Travel Hacking

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Avios, British Airways, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Travel Hacking

Since starting our Selfish Year voyage, Mrs. Selfish and I have flown a total of 58 flights, 28 of which we paid for with points.  The remainder of the flights we paid for with cash, and while none were completely cringe worthy (other than, perhaps the Air Tahiti flight to Bora Bora), they added up to a sizeable sum when combined.

So when I started looking into booking our additional flights in Japan I turned to an often under-appreciated currency – British Airline’s Avios miles.

ba-award-chart

When to use Avios Miles

British Airway’s Avios miles are almost completely worthless when flying British Airways themselves, thanks to their extremely high fuel surcharges.

However, they are superb points for saving money on short haul flights, especially if your flight matches the following criteria:

1. A short distance flight, ideally less than 1150 miles, or better yet, less than 650 miles. As always, use a tool like the Great Circle Mapper to determine the distance between city pairs.

2. Are you flying in a market where British Airways has strong partners? For instance, are you flying Japan Airlines in Japan? Quantas in Australia? American Airlines in the States?

3. Is the market you’re flying in expensive? Japan is a really good fit here, as is America in some cases.

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One Night to Sample the Delicious Food in Fukuoka

25 Saturday May 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Food & Drinks, Japan

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Asia, Food & Drinks, Fukuoka, Gyoza, Ichiran, Ippudo, Japan, Ramen, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Tonkotsu, Yatai

Upon leaving Seoul, Mr. Selfish and I flew to Fukuoka, which is the sixth largest city in Japan and is located about 680 miles southwest of Tokyo. We had read online that tonkotsu ramen originated from Fukuoka and knew that we had to try it there.

Tonkotsu ramen is made from boiling pork bones, fat, and collagen for an extended period of time. The broth is typically thick and creamy. The first place we tried was Ichiran (1-2-22, Sumiyoshi, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka). Ordering your ramen at Ichiran is an interesting process devoid of all human contact. First, you pick what you want to order and pay for it at a vending machine.

Fukuoka 028Fukuoka 029Fukuoka 030Vending Machine

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18 Hours in Fukuoka: The Grand Hyatt

24 Friday May 2013

Posted by misterselfish in Accommodations, Asia, Hyatt, Japan, Travel Hacking

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Grand Hyatt Fukouka, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Travel Hacking

After bidding farewell to the Westin Chosun in Seoul, Mrs. Selfish and I boarded the 5am airport bus for Incheon Airport.  Two flights and 9 hours later we arrived in Fukuoka Airport, Japan!

When looking at Japan, Mrs. Selfish and I knew we wanted to spend the majority of our time split between Kyoto and Tokyo, and about a week in less visited areas of Japan.

After further research, we determined we’d spend 2 nights in Kurukawa Onsen Town – a charming town on the southern island of Kyushu. The most direct way there involved flying into Fukouka for a one night stay.

Within moments of hitting the city, I knew we’d made a big mistake.  Fukouka is an amazing city, worthy of at least a few days of exploration, and is considered by some to be the food capital of Japan.

And the Grand Hyatt is no slouch either. Coming in as a category 3 hotel, the Grand Hyatt cost us a paltry 12,000 Hyatt points – which I transferred from our Ultimate Rewards pool.

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Savoring Seoul Food: The Chicken Edition

23 Thursday May 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Food & Drinks, Seoul, South Korea

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Asia, Chicken Noodle Soup, Fried Chicken, HanChu Fried Chicken, Myeongdong Dakhanmari, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Seoul, South Korea

Mr. Selfish and I certainly enjoyed the Korean food in Seoul. We loved the bulgogi, galbi, and bibimbap, but there was something missing – chicken. Specifically, we were on the hunt for Korean fried chicken, which is seasoned with many spices, including salt and sugar, prior to frying. We also learned that Korean chickens are different from the ones U.S. since they are typically smaller and have less protein. As a result, the chickens are usually fried whole and then chopped into smaller pieces. The fried chicken is then typically served with pickled radishes of some sort.

Mr. Selfish looked for the best Korean fried chicken places in town, and we decided to go to HanChu Fried Chicken, which was located at 549-9 Sinsa-dong. It wasn’t a fancy place but it sure was tasty.

Chicken 08Chicken 11Chicken 12Chicken 13Chicken 14Chicken 15

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The Second Palace We Visited in Seoul: Gyeongbokgung Palace

22 Wednesday May 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Seoul, South Korea

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Asia, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Seoul, South Korea

Mr. Selfish and I visited Gyeongbokgung Palace during our five-day stay in Seoul. This palace is the largest of the five grand palaces in Seoul. It was first constructed in 1395 but since then, it has been burned and abandoned several times. It wasn’t reconstructed until 1867.

We enjoyed the reenactment of the royal guard outside the main gate (Gwanghwamun). Just like the guards at Buckingham Palace, they will remain still when you pose for a photo next to them.

Seoul 01Seoul 02Guards

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Photography Fun at the Trickeye Museum in Seoul

21 Tuesday May 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Seoul, South Korea

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

Asia, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Seoul, South Korea, Trick Eye Museum, Trickeye Museum, trompe l'oeil

Mr. Selfish and I have posted our fair share of silly photos on this blog. This post is to rule over all of those photos. We went to the Trickeye Museum in Seoul, which is located at Seogyo Plaza B2, 357-1, Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu. The museum uses the technique of trompe l’oeil to make masterpieces and other scenes into 3-D interactive photo opps.

The first part of the museum consists mostly of converted masterpieces.

Trickeye 01Classic ArtTrickeye 04Trickeye 05Scream

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Staying at the Westin Chosun

20 Monday May 2013

Posted by misterselfish in Accommodations, Asia, Seoul, South Korea, Starwood, Travel Hacking

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Selfish Year, Selfish Years, SPG, Starwood, Westin Chosun

Since we were spending our 4-year anniversary in Seoul, I decided to book us in a hotel I knew Mrs. Selfish would love: the Westin Chosun.  After staying at the Westin Munich and the Westin Bangkok, Mrs. Selfish and I were solidly in the Westin camp, thanks largely due to their “heavenly bed.”

The Westin Chosun was a great pick.  Not only did it match the Westin brand (even maintaining the Westin smell, which is kind of creepy), but the location is extremely convenient.  It’s within walking distance of many of Seoul’s historic sites, and only a short metro ride away from Gangnum and other areas.

It also gave me an opportunity to take advantage of Starwood’s buy 4-nights, get 1-night free redemption policy. The Westin Chosun is a category 5 hotel, so booking a room cost us 48,000 SPG points.

Getting There & Check-In

Seoul 036

Getting to the Westin from Incheon Airport was a very smooth process, thanks to the airport limousine bus service, which departs from bus stop 4B/11A.  Mrs. Selfish and I purchased two tickets on the bus for about 15,000 won each (around $14.50), and only had to wait 5 minutes.  An hour later, we arrived at the Westin!

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Savoring Seoul Food: Bulgogi, Galbi, and Bibimbap

19 Sunday May 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Food & Drinks, Seoul, South Korea

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Asia, Bibigo, Bibimbap, Bulgogi, Food & Drinks, Galbi, Namsangol Sanchae Jip, Selfish Years, Seoul, South Korea, WooSung Galbi

Of the primary Asian cuisines, Mr. Selfish and I probably have the least amount of experience with Korean food. We didn’t officially become foodies until our time in Orlando, which does not have much of a Korean food scene. As a result, we knew that we had to maximize our time in Seoul and try as many Korean food as possible.

Bulgogi is grilled marinated beef, and it was listed as #23 on CNN Go’s list of the world’s most delicious food. The meat is typically marinated with soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic, and pepper. It is then grilled and served with lettuce and a dab of ssamjang (a thick spicy paste).

We ate bulgogi from a little restaurant across the street from the Westin hotel that I had discovered from a thread on Chowhound. The restaurant didn’t have an Internet presence otherwise and seemed to be called “Korean Restaurant.” It was quaint, had a great atmosphere with jazzy music, and had traditional real-wood grills for each table.

Seoul Food 30Seoul Food 23Seoul Food 22

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The First Palace We Visited in Seoul: Changdeokgung Palace

18 Saturday May 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Seoul, South Korea

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Asia, Changdeokgung Palace, Selfish Years, Seoul, South Korea

Mr. Selfish and I spent five days in Seoul. Prior to our arrival, we had heard all of the headline news concerning North Korea’s aggressive rhetoric against the U.S. and its installation of missiles on the launch site. I am happy to say that we survived our stay in Seoul, which was entirely without incident.

Seoul has five grand palaces that were built during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897). Most of them were severely damaged during the Japanese occupation from 1910-1945. The first palace we visited was the Changdeokgung Palace, of which only 30% of the pre-Japanese structures are still in existent. This palace is known for being built according to the natural topography as opposed to imposing its architecture on the land.

Seoul 02Seoul 03Seoul 04Seoul 05

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5 Observations on Crazy South Korea

17 Friday May 2013

Posted by misterselfish in Asia, Rant, South Korea

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Korean liposuction, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, South Korea observations

Mrs. Selfish wasn’t particularly keen on South Korea when I booked our Asian flights.  I wasn’t sure what to expect myself – would it be like a knock off version of Japan?  Just how popular is Gangnam Style anyway?  Is eyelid surgery really that prevalent? And what’s going on with those crazy k-pop idol groups?

Although we only had 5 days in South Korea (in the midst of nuclear tensions, no less), we definitely saw some strange things in Korea.

1. South Korea is totally bad ass.

From what we saw, South Korea seems prepared for any craziness the North might inflict upon them.  Most subway stops seem to have gas masks, and many of the underground malls double as shelters.

Gas masks in the subway for fires… and presumably more!

When the s*** goes down, it’s time to hit the ‘bucks!

During our time in China we received tons of worried emails from relatives (thanks mah!), so I was a little nervous when we hit South Korea.  South Koreans, on the other hand, didn’t seem to bat an eye at the antics of those crazy ‘ol North Koreans. Ice. Cold.

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Mr. and Mrs. Selfish are an obsessively organized couple who sold all their junk to travel abroad for a year. Now settled in San Francisco, they have since visited over 200 cities in 44 countries over 6 continents. This site chronicles their travels.

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