<![CDATA[FI TRAVELGUY - All Travel Posts]]>Mon, 22 Nov 2021 20:58:00 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[Where to Eat | Siem Reap Cambodia]]>Thu, 07 Jan 2021 08:00:00 GMThttp://fiwiththetravelguy.com/all-travel-posts/where-to-eat-siem-reap-cambodia
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This was the list I used when I went to Siem Reap! My trip was short so I obviously wasn't able to check them all out.
1. Pub Street
This area is lined with bars and restaurants but I read Red Piano for Khmer curry is the best!

2. Cuisine Wat Damnak 
This will be more expensive that other places as meals are about $20 USD but they are listed on Asia's 50 best. They serve local Cambodian food. 

3. Haven 
With local foods around $3 - 5$ but only take cash. 

4.  Sita Sousdey
Local foods and on google they have 202 reviews and average 4.7 stars
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5. Tevy's Place 
Local food that was cheap and delicious. The service was great and the people were friendly! 

6. Golden Pumpkin Restaurant 
A wide variety of food only a 5 minute walk from Pub Street.

7.  Bong Srey Mith Laor Restaurant
Local food at a cheap price near the night market and Pub Street. 
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Tevy's Place
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Tevy's Place
8. Rohatt Café
Known for their fish amok and I had the beef lok lak and would recommend that! They took credit cards which was an awesome plus for us. 

9. Nom banh chok 
Known for their khmer noodles!​​
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Rohatt Cafe
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Rohatt Cafe

What to Bring

See what I bring on all my trips here!

If you are interested in getting travel insurance I recommend TravelInsurance.com. They are considered one of best in the industry, you can easily compare coverages and get the right one for you.

Tours


​**This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you and allows me to keep the lights on around here. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ​​ ​​​​
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<![CDATA[Seeing the Angkor Temple | Travel Tales]]>Thu, 07 Jan 2021 08:00:00 GMThttp://fiwiththetravelguy.com/all-travel-posts/seeing-the-angkor-temple-travel-tales
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See what I did, my recommendations, and how I rank Siem Reap
Thursday, July 11th, 2019 
We didn't land until like 10 P.M. and were able to get to our Airbnb by a man in a tuk tuk that our host arranged. It was pretty late and our phones weren't working so we were just along for the ride!

Friday, July 12th, 2019
It was time for the main reason we went to Siem Reap, our sunrise tour to Ankgor Wat! Angkor Wat is a temple complex spanning over 402 acres which makes it the largest religious monument in the world by land area and is amazing to see in person!
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We then stopped for breakfast at Sala Russey. it wasn't the best but they did try to do an American style breakfast and it was for sure owned by the same company as the tour. I know this because when I tried to pay with my card and wasn't able to we went back to their offices afterwards where we were able to. 

Next stop, Ta Prohm!
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Ta Prohm is said to be one of Angkor’s oldest temples and the first built entirely of sandstone. The temple also gained a lot of notoriety as it was highlighted by Angelina Jolie in the movie Lara Croft: Tomb Raider.

Next stop, Bayon Temple in Angkor Thom!
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Bayon Temple was built in the late 12th- and early-13th-century as the official state temple of King Jayavarman VII. It was the only Angkorian state temple to be built primarily to worship Brahma and Bayon temple is best known for the huge faces carved into the stone towers.

All of these temples were neglected for centuries and now have huge restoration work taking place so areas may be blocked off to the public. 
After our tour we took a brief nap since we hadn't gotten a lot of sleep the night before and after that we got up and made out way to Pub Street. The airbnb we were staying at had bikes we could use, which was awesome, but the tires were half flat which was not awesome!

We biked through what felt like some sketchy areas and on a busy roads before finally arriving at Tevy's Place. The place was small but had good food and the people were super friendly! We were able to meet the owner and also the investor who help make her dreams a reality. ​
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We then made our way over to the shops before going to a bar and grabbing roller ice cream. The area is pretty gentrified and not at all what I was expecting. We then got the offer for free drinks if we went to Bar X and I imagine it was because no one else was in there but there was no catch the the free drink so that was okay with me. ​​
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Saturday,  July 13th, 2019

We woke up and grabbed our bikes and made our way to Little Red Fox Espresso for coffee. The area is actually really cute and has fun French architecture.

We were running low on cash and needed to find a place that took card so we went to Rohatt Cafe. The restaurant was really nice and the food was awesome! Get the beef lok lak!
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The last stop of the day was at Wat Damnak which is the largest pagoda is Siem Reap.  When it was first built, it was King Sisowath’s palace before it was moved to it's current location. After the king moved out, it was transformed into a working pagoda for the public use. It also has monks currently live there and is home to a public primary school.
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Siem Reap Sentiment

Things To Do: 7/10
I was pleasantly surprised with how much I was able to do in Siem Reap! I was expecting to only be able to do the temples and that was what I was most interested in for there were nice neighborhoods, Pub Street was fun, pagodas, a zipline course, night markets, and more. There aren't the typically things of your bigger cities and who needs a bunch of museums when you have temples to visit! 

Food: 7/10
I didn't explore or have the chance to have a bunch of food but there were some high point and low points but I think overall the food was pretty decent. 

Getting Around: 6/10
There are tuk tuks, Grab (their version of Uber), and bikes which are actually all pretty easy to use. Navigation around the city is pretty simple and if you stay downtown it seems pretty walkable. But there is no real public transportation and you might be hesitant to do those things at night even though I found it safe!

Overall: 6.75/10
This is surprising but I really enjoyed my time in Siem Reap. Obviously our trip was super quick and only like 36 hours but we were busy the entire time. I'm not sure if we stayed any longer I might not think of it as fondly. Although I enjoyed my time there I felt there was nothing left to do in the city other than spend more time doing the things we had already done. We could have spent more time exploring neighborhoods on pub street or checking out the shops but we kind of got the jist.  My recommendation would be to go but make it a short trip. 

Non-Obvious Siem Reap Recommendations:
  1. We took a sunrise tour because we only had on shot to get it right but if I could I would have hired a car to take us around. Although I appreciate the information I just feel taking the tour took added time that we could have cruised through a lot easier. 
  2. If you do a sunrise tour just understand you wont be alone. It is a very popular attraction and get there extra early if you want to be at the reflection pool!
  3. This was the most shocking thing to me but most things were listed in USD. We converted money into Cambodian Riel and shouldn't have..
  4. Tourism is one of, if not the largest, industry in Cambodia so the city is interesting. You'll see patches of poverty right next to towering luxurious hotels. 

What To Bring

See what I bring on all my trips here!

If you are interested in getting travel insurance I recommend TravelInsurance.com. They are considered one of best in the industry, you can easily compare coverages and get the right one for you.

Tours


​**This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you and allows me to keep the lights on around here. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ​​ ​​
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<![CDATA[Where to Eat in Chiang Mai, Thailand | Travel Tips]]>Sun, 27 Dec 2020 08:00:00 GMThttp://fiwiththetravelguy.com/all-travel-posts/where-to-eat-in-chiang-mai-thailand-travel-tips
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Here is the list I used when I went to Chiang Mai! If you click the names it'll take you to the restaurant to get more information. Hope this is helpful!
  1. Khoa Soi – Coconut curry flavored soup with yellow egg and chicken
    1. Khao Soi Mae Sai (local hot spot)
    2. Khao Soi Nimman – broth more sweet and more expensive
    3. Khao Soi Kuhn Yai - popular among tripadvisor and touristy
    4. Khao Soi Arak
    5. Khao Soi lam Duan
  2. Khantoke Diner - lanna culture and entertainment (old chian mai cultural center). It is a popular way of serving food using a red pedestal tray and has various Northern Thai food in it.
  3. Good Morning Chiang Mai Cafe
  4. Bird’s Nest Café
  5. Free Bird Café
  6. Akha Ama
  7. Suki Koka – near cowboy lady order Thai Suki
  8. Midnight Chicken
  9. Blue Diamond natural herb
  10. Mit Mai
  11. Ploen Ruedee Night Market
  12. Khanom Krok - coconut rice pancakes
  13. Clay Studio Coffee
  14. Tong temtoh
  15. Huen Phen
  16. Ristr8to - Latte Art Champs with unicorn lattes!
  17. Pun Pun restuarant
  18. Century Egg (Somphet Market)
  19. Cha Yen (Thai Iced Tea – Ceylon tea that is sweetened and topped with condensed milk)
  20. Sticky rice with mango - is a treat you'll have to get somewhere!
  21. Huay Tung Tao Reservoir (Traveling by motorbike would be your best option to get to the Huay Tung Tao Reservoir. From the old city travel west on Huay Kaew Road and turn right on Highway 127. Travel north for about 4 km and then turn left when you see signs for the lake. If you come to Highway 107, you have gone too far. You could also order Grab car (Asia’s version of Uber) and it should cost about 100-150 baht. Another way to get there would be to talk to a songthaew (red truck) driver and negotiate a price. You would probably play about 100 baht per person and you would need at least 4-6 people. Cost: There is a 50 baht entrance fee for foreigners. If you enter before 7 a.m., it is free.
  22. If you like street food, don't miss the famous Cowboy Hat Lady featured on Anthony Bourdain's show Parts Unknown serving Khao Kha Mo (Thai-style stewed pork leg). Her stall is located near the north gate of the old city at the Chang Phuek Market. The pork and rice dish can be served in a small size (40 baht) or a large size (50 baht) and it literally melts in your mouth. Insider Tip: We don't like fatty pieces of meat, so order ours “mai ow nang” which means without skin and fat.
Rooftop Bars in Chiang Mai
  • Akyra Manor: Lounge beside their rooftop pool with a fancy cocktail in hand. They have 2 for 1 drinks for their happy hour special from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Enjoy the views as the sun sets behind Doi Suthep.
  • Xanadu Rooftop and Restaurant: This classy rooftop is on the 17th floor in the Furama Hotel. You can get great views of Nimman and Doi Suthep as you order a meal and drinks.
  • Oasis Rooftop Garden Bar: Tucked away in the northeast corner of the old city, Oasis presents a relax vibe and a nice place to meet up with friend

Where to find live music
  • Northgate Jazz ClubThis ultra-popular venue can get super crowded, especially on Tuesdays when they host an open mic night. Expect to be standing on the street, mingling with other music-lovers.
  • Thapae EastThis venue is super cool and hosts many events.
  • 7 Pounds: This bar is a hidden oasis, and we’re obsessed! With a garden lit by fairy lights, decently priced drinks and a big stage for performers, this low key bar is tucked away in a quiet street not far from Maya Mall and will make you feel as if you’ve discovered a local secret!
  • Manung Bar: This 50’s diner themed bar is popular with a young Thai crowd and is a great place to catch some live music. We arrived around 8 p.m. and it was empty, so we had a cute vintage booth to ourselves. But beware, this place fills up fast once the music begins! There were hardly any foreigners in this bar, which gives it a totally different vibe than many places in Nimman.
  • Mellowship Jazz ClubLive music every night of the week. A little bit more upscale, but a pretty nice place if you want seating, food and nice drinks while enjoying live music.

What to Bring

See what I bring on all my trips here!

If you are interested in getting travel insurance I recommend TravelInsurance.com. They are considered one of best in the industry, you can easily compare coverages and get the right one for you.

Tours


​**This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you and allows me to keep the lights on around here. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ​​ ​​​​​​​​​​
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<![CDATA[What to do in Chiang Mai, Thailand | Travel Tips]]>Sun, 27 Dec 2020 08:00:00 GMThttp://fiwiththetravelguy.com/all-travel-posts/what-to-do-in-chiang-mai-thailand-travel-tips
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1.  Doi Suthep
The most famous attraction and like the Eiffel tower is to Paris. Doi Suthep is a Theravada Buddhist temple or a wat in Chiang Mai. The temple is often referred to as "Doi Suthep" although this is actually the name of the mountain where it's located and it’s real name is Wat Phra That Doi Suthep . It is a sacred site to many Thai people. The temple is 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from the city of Chiang Mai and situated at an elevation of 1,073 meters which means from the temple you can see downtown Chiang Mai. The original founding of the temple remains a legend and there are a few varied versions. The temple is said to have been founded in 1383 when the first stupa was built. Over time, the temple has expanded, and been made to look more extravagant with many more holy shrines added. A road to the temple was first built in 1935.
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2. Nimmanhaemin Road 
Just outside the Old City walls is a street of stalls for you to go shopping!

3. San Kamphaeng Road
Also known as the Handicraft Highway, another strip of stores to shop at!

4. Warorot Market (Kad Luang)
This is where many locals shop for clothes or home goods. It's cheaper than the tourist markets but is only open during the day.
5. Doi Inthanon
​This is a National Park that is home to the highest mountain in Thailand. Near the mountain's base was a pond where many crows gathered. The name Doi Inthanon was given in honour of Inthawichayanon, last King of Chiang Mai, who was concerned about the forests in the north and tried to preserve them. He ordered that after his death his remains be interred at Doi Luang, which was then renamed in his honour. Today, the summit of Doi Inthanon is a popular tourist destination for both foreign and Thai tourists, with a peak of 12,000 visitors visiting the summit on New Year's Day. 

It is also home to the King and Queen Pagoda which are cool! Just try to see it when the sky is clear. 
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Queen Pagoda
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King Pagoda
6.  Chiang Mai Grand Canyon
Chiang Mai has their very own Grand Canyon just like the United States. The one difference is this one has a water park in it!

7. Long Neck Karen Tribe
The Karen are a tribal group who have historically lived in the hills in Myanmar (formerly Burma) side of the Thai border. Best recognized for their elongated necks. I didn't do this but I would recommend you try to learn about their culture and not just look at them if you go!

​8. Traditional Thai Massage from an ex prisioner (Chiang Mai Women’s Correctional Insititution)
The institution schedules two massage sessions a day, with pickup times typically at 8:00am and 11:30am for transit from the city centre to the correctional centre.

​Pro Tip - ​Traditional Thai massages involve a lot of cracking and stretching, and can leave some people sore. If you don't think you'll like this "hands on" massage, try a "Neck, Back and Shoulder Massage" or a "Foot Massage" instead. They are quite a bit tamer.
9. Old City Temples
     1 . Wat Phra Singh
700 monks currently live in there. Wat Phra Singh stands as one of the most visually impressive temples in Chiang Mai. The main temple building is the star of the show, featuring iconic slanted Lanna-style roofs and an intricately decorated façade that shines brightly in the sunlight. There’s also various stupas and pagodas around the grounds, which are free to enter. 
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     2.  Ruins of Wat Chedi Luang
Wat Chedi Luang is a Buddhist temple in the historic centre of Chiang Mai, Thailand. The current temple grounds were originally made up of three temples — Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Ho Tham and Wat Sukmin.

The construction of the temple started in the 14th century, when the King Saen Muang Ma planned to bury the ashes of his father there. In 1468, the Emerald Buddha was installed in the eastern niche. In 1545, the upper structure collapsed after an earthquake and i n the early 1990s the chedi was reconstructed, financed by UNESCO and the Japanese government. 
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3. Wat Phan Tao
Intricate teak Buddhist temple with gilded accents & colorful mosaics, founded in the 14th century.
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     4.  Wat Pha Lat 
To hike to Wat Pha Lat, you must reach the end of Suthep Road, just by Chiang Mai University. You can take a songthaew (the red shared “taxis”) to this point. 
10.  Wiang Kum Kam, Underground Ancient City ​
Wiang Kum Kam is an historic settlement and archaeological site along the Ping River, which was built by King Mangrai the Great as his capital before he moved it to Chiang Mai. ​

11. Monk Chat at Wat Suan Do
Wat Suan Dok, also known as Wat Buppharam is a Buddhist temple in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand. It is a Royal Temple of the Third Class. The temple is on Suthep Road, approximately one kilometre west of Suan Dok gate at the west side of the moat.

And every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 5-7 PM they have provide a chance to chat with a monk!

12 . Tourist Markets
  1. Chiang Mai Night Bazaar: Open every night of the week, vendors line the street on Chang Klan Road selling every souvenir you can imagine from t-shirts to stuffed elephants to pillow cases to jewelry.
  2. Saturday Night Market: Starting from the Old Pagoda by the south gate and stretching down the Wua Lai Road, this is another souvenir market.
  3. Sunday Night Market: Tha Phae Gate is where this market starts and the vendors and crowds pack down Rachadamnoen Road into the old city. There are plenty of food stalls and vendors selling anything and everything.
  4. Malin Market: (Favorite) This is our favorite market to get dinner and do some shopping. If you are over by Chiang Mai University, pop over to Malin Night Market. There are artists selling jewelry and clothes stalls with cheap price tags (not souvenir-type items). The food court is great too! You won't find many forigners here -- mainly Thai university students

13. Free Yoga
  1. Nong Buak Hard Park: Free classes daily from 9 - 10:15 a.m. If you don't have your own mat, you can rent a straw mat for 15 baht. Join the Yoga in the Park - Chiang Mai Facebook group for more info.
  2. One Nimman: Every Tuesday (Hatha) and Thursday (Hatha Vinyasa), there are free yoga classes at One Nimman from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. They also offer free Swing Dance and Salsa lessons throughout the week. This article has more information. (It is in Thai, but you can have Google translate it.)
14. Muay Thai boxing
As with all competitive contact sports, there are definitely health risks involved but the keyword here being “competitive”. Muay Thai fights in the ring can be brutal -and bloody- with flying knees, sharp elbow strikes, hard kicks to the guts, and swinging punches. But this is Thailand's most popular sport.

15. Sticky Waterfalls (Bua Thong Waterfalls)
Visitors can climb up this waterfall that sees fast running waters passing over limestone rocks.

16. Huay Kaew Waterfall and swimming hole  
Seasonal waterfall with a short walking trail in a picturesque, natural setting.

What to Bring

See what I bring on all my trips here!

If you are interested in getting travel insurance I recommend TravelInsurance.com. They are considered one of best in the industry, you can easily compare coverages and get the right one for you.

Tours


​**This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you and allows me to keep the lights on around here. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ​​ ​​​​​​​​​​​​
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<![CDATA[So Many Temples | Travel Tales]]>Sun, 27 Dec 2020 08:00:00 GMThttp://fiwiththetravelguy.com/all-travel-posts/so-many-temples-travel-tales
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See what I did, my recommendations, and how I rank Chiang Mai
July 8th, 2019

We didn’t get in until late afternoon. While at the airport when you walk out there was an option for a taxi service. The price they were listing was way more than what I was reading online that I should pay (research helps) it was something like 500-600 baht. I tried to open up grab (Thailand’s uber) but wasn’t able to. My girlfriend then looked around and found a taxi that was 150 baht which was way more reasonable. We took that into the city and checked up. We needed food so we headed over to Huen Phen and I had the curry khoa. I was reading that this is a regional speciality dish and wanted to start the trip off right.
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July 9th, 2019
We were only in Chiang Mai for what felt like a short time so we hired a tour, which turned out to be a personal tour, to take us to some of the bigger tourist attractions like Doi Suthep and Doi Inthanon. But first, coffee! We went to Coffee Lovers, mostly because it was close to where we were staying and luckily for us it was good!

The one advantage we had with doing the private tour was by the time we were leaving Doi Suthep around 8:30 - 9 was when we saw the car loads of people showing up. While we were there it felt like we had the place to ourselves which was awesome
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We then checked out some of the forests, rivers, waterfalls, coffee plantations and more in the Doi Inthanon. It is also home to the highest peak in Thailand. ​​​
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Doi inthanon was really cool but when we went to the peak and the King and Queen Pagoda it was kind of disappoint because it was rainy and foggy. It was cool, but the pictures online look way better!
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Highest Point in Thailand
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King Pagoda
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Queen Pagoda
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King Pagoda
After the tour was over we made our way over to the One Nimmam area. My uncle had recently had a long stay in Chiang Mai and recommend we check out La Pizza. The place was cool and is attached to a brick courtyard that had live music and lights. The pizza was like $18 each so it was a bit pricey.
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La Pizza
July 10th, 2019
We woke in the morning and went to an elephant sanctuary.  The experience was cool to be able to interact with the elephant but it for sure felt like a business but there was nothing that was unethical that took place. They did provide a rides, lunch, and an opportunity to shower which was cool
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When we got back to town we cruised around to as many temples as we could before grabbing coffee at Moon Pie.

We then went back to our hotel to get ready for dinner. We randomly had a craving for sushi and went to Cook With Love Sushi which was surprisingly pretty cool.

We ended the night at the North Gate Jazz Co-Op which I thought was fun and would definitely recommend if you are into live music.
July 11th, 2019

Needed some coffee we went to Ristr8to. They won several latte art championships and it shows, plus the coffee was good!

We then walked over to Khao Soi Mae Shai. I wanted Khao soi and my girlfriend was feeling more adventurous and got something random that turned out to be congealed blood which is why having a translator app can always be helpful.

We walked next door to Seasons Ice Cream to use their wifi to hail a Grab and heading back to our place.
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Khao Soi Mae Shai
In Chiang Mai there is over 20 buddhist temple and over 300 temple so we went back around to explore around to see all that we could. While we were out we were hungry for lunch we went to Ratchadurmnerm Coffee for sandwiches. ​
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It was now time to head to the airport to head to the next city and we took a red car

Chiang Mai Review

Things To Do: 8/10
There are over 300 temples and 24 Buddhist temples in the city which that alone gives you a lot to look at! You can venture off into the Doi Inthanon National Park or see Doi Suthep. There are hour long massages for only a few dollars you can get! Then what a lot of people go to the area for, elephant sanctuaries. You can stay really busy with finding things to do!

Food: 8/10
There is a wide variety of restaurants from local Thai dishes which are great to sushi and fancy pizza we had which was also good.  If you are into coffee there are upscale coffee places or more locals. 

Getting Around: 8/10
If you are in the Old City it is extremely walkable and if you want to catch a ride you in a red truck you can do that for cheap and really easy or take a Grab, which is their version of Uber.

Overall: 7.75/10
Chiang Mai provides a wide variety of things to do whether that is trek through the jungle, go to Thailand's highest point, see elephants, or stop by one of the 300 temples. The city has a mix of local options but because there are so many ex-pats living there you'll find nicer homes, nicer restaurants, or nicer shops mixed in with a cheap cost of living. That low cost of living means you can enjoy life's pleasures like a thai massage at a very cheap price! This means that you can find a variety of food ranging in prices but all delicious. The city is easy to get around  and the people are friendly!

Non-Obvious Chiang Mai Recommendations:
  1. This was the first private tour I did and would recommend doing something that to experience those things with less crowds.
  2. You'll need to go to Ristr8to even if it's just to get a unicorn latte.
  3. Here is our rule of thumb for songthaew costs: 
    1. Anywhere within or around the Chiang Mai Old City: 30 baht per person
    2. Chiang Mai Old City to Nimman Road area: 40 baht per person (sometimes only 30 if they already have a load of people)
    3. Chiang Mai Old City or Nimman Road to Airport: 50 baht person
    4. Old City to Doi Suthep Temple: 60 baht per person one-way
  4. Say hello (sah-wah-dee) to the driver and tell them the general area you are going. It may confuse them if you request a specific hotel or restaurant. We typically request one of the old city gates, or a popular market, and then just walk the rest of the way. 
    If they know where you are going, they will either say "Okay" or state a price per person. If they don't say a price, it is understood that the price is 30 baht per person. 

What to Bring

See what I bring on all my trips here!

If you are interested in getting travel insurance I recommend TravelInsurance.com. They are considered one of best in the industry, you can easily compare coverages and get the right one for you.

Tours​


​**This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you and allows me to keep the lights on around here. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ​​ ​​​​​​​​​​
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<![CDATA[10 Things To Know Before Going To Nashville, Tennessee]]>Thu, 24 Dec 2020 08:00:00 GMThttp://fiwiththetravelguy.com/all-travel-posts/10-things-to-know-before-going-to-nashville-tennessee
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To see this article with better visuals and in video form click here

​To see what I did click here or 20 things to do tap here

1. Where To Find Live Music

Nashville is a major center for the music industry, especially country music and christian music and because of that, Nashville is commonly known as "Music City". That’s no how it got that name and there is a lot of debate around that which we aren’t going to get into.

There are things like the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum, the Johnny Cash Museum but also live music, which I’m sure you’ve heard about

Potential singers and song writers flock to Nashville for a chance to make it big and you’ll find live music at all times of the day! The easiest place to find music is on Broadway but it will typically be loud and for sure more of a party scene. There were times we were listening at one bar and we could hear music from other bars in the background.

But if you are looking for live music in a more intimate setting with song writers you may know or who have written songs on the radio you’ll want to check out places like the Listening Room CafePuckett’s, the Ryman, The Grand Ole Opry, or the Blue Bird.
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The Listening Room Cafe
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Puckett's

​2. Stay Downtown

This will put you in walking distance of almost anything you’ll want to do while in Nashville. Whether it is strollin’ up and down broadway, going to a Titans or Predators games or catching a giant concert at Bridgestone arena.
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​3. No Great Public Transportation

Other cities around the US have subway systems, light rail systems or are extremely walkable. If you stay downtown and your only goal is to hang out on Broadway and honestly do most of the top attractions you should be fine. But I typically try to explore more of the city and get out of the super touristy areas and we either had to walk long distances or catch an Uber.
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​4. Hot Chicken and Meat and 3 

Nashville Hot Chicken is a staple and it is up for debate on where the best place to get it is. Some people prefer Prince’s and other Hattie’s Bs. We went to Hattie’s B’s and the line was crazy so we ordered online, went around the corner for a drink, and came back. I would recommend it!

A meat and 3 is another common thing you’ll see listed and it is just a serving of a meat of your choice with 3 sidesArnold’sPuckett’s, or Katie’s are all popular meat and three diners in Downtown Nashville. We went to Puckett’s and reserved a table when they were going to have live music. ​
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Hattie B's

​5.  Broadway is a Tourist Trap

Okay, that isn’t necessarily true but this is where all the tourist will be. Whether that is crowds of people coming into town for fun, bachelor or bachelorette parties, or just locals coming to rage. This is for sure where you’ll find the expensive drink, large crowds and all the souvenirs. It wasn’t really our scene for multiple nights but you have to check it out at least once!
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​6. You Can Buy Liquor on Sundays

Whether you heard about it or not there used to be a law that said you can’t buy packaged liquor on Sundays. That has since changed but you still can’t buy it on Christmas. ​​

​7. Celebrities Will Be in Brentwood, Franklin or Music Row

If you are hoping to bump elbows with celebrities the best time to see them is during the week since most tour Thursday - Sunday and in Brentwood or Franklin, TN. Whether that is at place like True Foods Kitchen, the grocery store or seeing them heading to a meeting on music row you’ll need to keep your eyes open. ​​
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​8. There is a Parthenon

A few miles southwest of downtown Nashville is a full-scale replica of the ancient Greek Parthenon at Centennial Park.  The Parthenon was built in 1897 as part of Tennessee’s 1897 Centennial Exposition. The idea was to replicate a monument that was considered the pinnacle of classical architecture. Random but at least I got to picture what it’d look like when since when I went to Athens it wasn’t the same.
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Nashville, Tennesee
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Athens, Greece

​9. The Best Places for Treats

Head to the Goo Goo Shop for a Goo Goo Cluster which was the first combination candy bar. It has is peanuts, caramel, and marshmallow and coated it in milk chocolate. It was invented in 1912 and they have their own store in the heart of downtown. I thought it was more about the experience and they do have ice cream which I thought was better.

5 Daughters Bakery is best known for their 100-layer donut–the combination of a donut and croissant is rolled in sugar, filled with cream, and glazed. 

Legendairy Milkshake Bar is just that, legendary. They pile mason jars full of ice cream & toppings. 
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Goo Goo Shop
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5 Daughters Bakery
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Legendary

​10. Best Bars Off Broadway

We had success finding bars in midtown that were still nice and not as rowdy as broadway. Bars like WinnersLosersRed Door Saloon, or Tavern are great and we enjoy fancy cocktails and liked Patterson House. It’s a speakeasy that sits under a real fancy restaurant. You’ll need a seat to get in but you’ll enjoy snacks and custom crafted cocktails. ​​
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Winners
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Tavern
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Patterson House
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Patterson House
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Patterson House

What To Bring

See what I bring on all my trips here!

If you are interested in getting travel insurance I recommend TravelInsurance.com. They are considered one of best in the industry, you can easily compare coverages and get the right one for you.

Tours

​**This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you and allows me to keep the lights on around here. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ​​​​
​​
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<![CDATA[20 Things To Do In Nashville, Tennessee]]>Thu, 24 Dec 2020 08:00:00 GMThttp://fiwiththetravelguy.com/all-travel-posts/20-things-to-do-in-nashville-tennessee
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​1. Broadway

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Broadway is a street in downtown Nashville that consists of several honky tonks, places to see live music, and is probably the place you think of when going to Nashville. We wont spend so much time going over it because I'm sure you already know about it! 

And if not, this is the touristy part of Nashville with an abundance of restaurants, rooftops bars, and people!

​2. Walk Pedestrian Bridge

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Named Pedestrian Bridge because it was only designed for pedestrians only as no cars are allowed on the bridge. It provides a nice walk over to East Nashville and a unique view of the Cumberland River. On the other side of the bridge there is much more than the Tennessee Titans football stadium.

​3. Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum​

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This three hundred and fifty thousand square feet of space is solely dedicated to country music. You’ll find unusual artifacts, cars of the stars, costumes, and a permanent exhibition outlining the history of country from its roots to the present day are on display. 

There are rare vocal recordings, films to watch and listen to, photos and interactive media which educate visitors on the genre.

​4. Country Music Walk of Fame

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Right outside the Country Music Hall of Fame is the Walk of Fame. It has plaques on the ground which allows you to take pictures by your favorite artists name. It is interesting to see who got the stars and when!

​5. ​Johnny Cash Museum

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Johnny Cash is one of the greatest country stars and singer-songwriters in the history of American music, a published author and film actor.

If you are wanting to check out memorabilia of the man in black than any other museum worldwide, including the Grammy Museum in Downtown LA. 

​6. Belle Meade Plantation

Belle Meade Plantation is known as the "Queen of the Tennessee Plantations" and was constructed in 1853 in a breathtaking Greek Revival style. At the center of the plantation is the mansion (its columns are peppered with bullet holes from the Civil War), where guides dressed in period costumes offer tours of the mansion's antebellum-style interior. You're invited to explore the grounds, which are home to the country's first and best thoroughbred breeding farms (the visitor center is modeled after a traditional Southern paddock) as well as the renowned Iroquois Steeplechase, the oldest in the United States. During the summer and fall, the Belle Meade Plantation hosts numerous events, including Easter egg hunts and antique auctions.

There is also a tour that includes wine tasting and lunch.

​7. ​The Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park

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A gentle walk around the park you'll see various exhibits that teach you about the history of Tennessee State. There is a 200 foot granite map of the state, a 95 bell carillon, a memorial to World War II, a Pathway of History and the Rivers of Tennessee Fountains. Each year this charming park puts on a variety of free events that draw the community together. The highlight being the Tennessee History Festival that is held each year in the fall.

The historic Tennessee State Capitol building, designed in a Greek Revival style,  is one of the oldest working capitols that the nation has. You can go on a tour of this grand facility where you will get to see the chambers, house of representative and the old state library. The building was first opened in 1859 and was designed by the famous architect William Strickland. 

​8. Hot Chicken

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Nashville Hot Chicken is a staple and it is up for debate on where the best place to get it is. Some people prefer Prince’s and other Hattie’s Bs. We went to Hattie’s B’s and the line was crazy so we just ordered online, went around the corner for a drink, and came back. I would recommend it though but you'll be able to find it at most restaurants around the city.

​9. Meat and Three

A Meat and 3 is another common thing you’ll listed and it is just a serving of a meat of your choice with 3 sides. Arnold’s, Puckett’s, or Katie’s are all popular meat and three diners in Downtown Nashville. We went to Puckett’s and reserved a table when they were going to have live music.

​10. Live Music

The best way to do that is to stop in to the many bars that line Broadway, downtown Nashville's main thoroughfare. Lower Broadway is nicknamed "Honky Tonk Highway" because of the numerous establishments that host live acts daily with no cover charge, so you can bar hop as you please.

While all the bars host live music acts, each venue has a distinct atmosphere that makes it stand out from other honky-tonks along Broadway. 

If you are looking for live music in a more intimate setting with song writers you may know or who have written songs on the radio and hear the stories behind the songs you’ll want to check out places like The Listening Room Cafe, Puckett’s, the Ryman, The Grand Ole Opry, or the Blue Bird.
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The Ryman Auditorium
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The Listening Room Cafe
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Puckett's

​11. ​Pro Sports Game

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Tennessee Titans Stadium
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Nashville Predators
Across the Cumberland River from Broadway is the stadium for the football team the Tennessee Titans. While a short walk away from Broadway is Bridgestone Arena with is home to the hockey team the Nashville Predators. It's that silver curve building in the picture up above.  If you go when either season is active you can head to a game and be a short walk away to hit up the bars on Broadway afterwards.

​12. The Parthenon

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A few miles southwest of downtown Nashville is a full-scale replica of the ancient Greek Parthenon at Centennial Park.  The Parthenon was built in 1897 as part of Tennessee’s 1897 Centennial Exposition. The idea was to replicate a monument that was considered the pinnacle of classical architecture. Random but at least I got to picture what it’d look like when since when I went to Athens it wasn’t the same.

Inside the Parthenon is a 42-foot Athena statue inside. You have to purchase a ticket to the museum located inside the Parthenon to see Athena (and the numerous other exhibits detailing Tennessee’s rich history), but entry for adults costs just six dollars per person. Even if you don’t end up visiting the museum, however, by merely spending an hour or two strolling Centennial Park which spans 132 acres. 

​13. Vanderbilt Campus

Nashville is home to Vanderbilt Campus which is a private research university that was founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and rail magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided the school its initial $1 million endowment.

The campus is sprawling with brick buildings, large trees, and grass fields to try and absorbs some knowledge.

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​14. Andrew Jackson Hermitage

The Hermitage was the plantation home of Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United States, from 1804 until his death in 1845. Completed in 1819, the main house is a two-story Greek Revival, brick mansion.

I'm not exactly sure why it's called a Hermitage, but maybe because he used to hide away in there like a hermit?!

​15. RCA Studio B

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RCA Studio B is a music recording studio in Nashville, Tennessee built in 1956. Originally known simply by the name "RCA Studios", it became known in the 1960s for being an essential factor to the development of the production style and technique known as the Nashville Sound.

A sophisticated style characterized by background vocals and strings, the Nashville Sound both revived the popularity of country music and helped establish Nashville’s reputation as an international recording center. Its adjacent building, RCA Studio A, was also later central to the development of this technical artistic sound.

The studio is located centrally in the historic Music Row district. Currently studio B is managed by the Country Music Hall of Fame and it runs scheduled tours of the facility. Beyond the countless recordings made by legendary music artists here, Elvis Presley is known to have made more than two hundred song recordings at this location. 

​16. Five Daughters Bakery

5 Daughters Bakery is best known for their 100-layer donut–the combination of a donut and croissant is rolled in sugar, filled with cream, and glazed.
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17. ​Goo Goo Shop

You can go to the Goo Goo Shop and get a Goo Goo Cluster which first combination candy bar was invented is peanuts, caramel, and marshmallow and coat it in milk chocolate in the city. It was invented in 1912 and they have their own store in the heart of downtown. I thought it was more about the experience and they do have Ice Cream.
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​18. Belmont Mansion

Belmont Mansion is an Italianate Villa constructed between 1849 and 1853 and covers an area of 19,000 square feet. Initially the building was used as the summer home for a local socialite known as Adelicia Acklen. Other uses for the building have included being the headquarters of the Union army as well as an all-girls college. The buildings are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the house operates as a museum.

​19. Tour the Jack Daniels Distillery

Nashville is in the heart of Tennessee whiskey country. It would be impolite not to see how the locals get things done on a distillery tour. You can take a pretty drive in the countryside to go tJack Daniel’s Distillery or stay in the city and check out Corsair Distillery and Taproom. If you want something completely different, grab a whiskey doughnut at East Nashville’s Donut Distillery.

20. Legendairy Milkshake Bar

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Legendairy Milkshake Bar is just that, Legendary. They pile mason jars full of ice cream & toppings. ​​

What to Bring

See what I bring on all my trips here!

If you are interested in getting travel insurance I recommend TravelInsurance.com. They are considered one of best in the industry, you can easily compare coverages and get the right one for you.

Tours

​**This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you and allows me to keep the lights on around here. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ​​​​
​​
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<![CDATA[Hittin' The Honky Tonks | Travel Tales]]>Thu, 24 Dec 2020 08:00:00 GMThttp://fiwiththetravelguy.com/all-travel-posts/hittin-the-honky-tonks-travel-tales
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See what I did, my recommendations, and how I rank Nashville
To see 10 things to know before going to Nashville here, or 20 things to do here
Wednesday, June 17th, 2020
Weather 81/63
Distance 2 miles

We arrived late in the afternoon and quickly checked into our airbnb before heading to The Stillery to get some moonshine and hot chicken. The restaurant is slightly off Broadway, which is the main street in downtown Nashville, and the first thing you notice is the live music coming from all the different bars.
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There is a pizza under all the arugla..
After dinner we walked up and down Broadway to check things out before stopping by Bailey's for live music.
Thursday, June 18, 2020
Weather 84/65
Distance 3.9

​We started the morning, as we do on most vacations, by going to Frothy Monkey, which was one of the few coffee shops in downtown. We then took the coffee over to the Cumberland River to enjoy the view.  
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We had been on the road for a bit so we went to Hill Urban Market to pick up some groceries and did some laundry. 

After our clothes were sufficiently clean we went back to Jason Aldean's Bar to enjoy the rooftop view. There was no reason why we choose this one in particular other than hoping to just get a rooftop view and this fit our need. It was okay and I'm sure would be comparable to any of them. ​​
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We then walked by the Johnny Cash Museum, went into the Goo Goo Shop before cruisin' by the Country Music Walk of Fame and Country Music Hall of Fame

If you are wondering what the Goo Goo Shop is, well it's home to the Goo Goo Cluster which was invented in 1912 and was the first combination candy bar which has peanuts, caramel, marshmallow and coated in milk chocolate in the city. 
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We ended by walking around the Pedestrian Bridge which doesn't allow cars to go on and provides a cool view of the downtown.  After we headed back home to get ready for the night!
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View from the bridge.
Trying to get a different sense of the city we headed to Midtown to check out some of the bars in that area. We started at Patterson House which is a speakeasy that sits under a real fancy restaurant. You’ll need a seat to get in but you’ll enjoy snacks and custom crafted cocktails. ​​
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Patterson House
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Patterson House
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Patterson House
We then walked by WinnersLosersRed Door Saloon as well. 
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Winners
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Red Door Saloon
Friday, June 19th, 2020
Weather: 91/66
Distance: 9.2

After our trip to New Orleans we were on a biscuit kick and trying them out whenever we could and headed to Milk & Honey for coffee and biscuits. Around the corner is an Instagram famous mural that people were lining up to take pictures of.
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Milk & Honey
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We then walked through Music RowVanderbilt, before going to Centennial Park to see the Parthenon
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We then walked over to Five Daughters Bakery which is best known for their 100-layer donut–the combination of a donut and croissant is rolled in sugar, filled with cream, and glazed.  We then wanted to try some real Nashville Hot Chicken and went to Hattie B's. It is claimed to be one of the best places along with Prince's and it didn't disappoint. 

The line was crazy to order so we just placed a pick up order online, went over to the Tavern for a drink and hung out. Both were great! 
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5 Daughters Bakery
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Hattie B's
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Tavern
We ended the night by get a meat and 3 which is another common thing you’ll see listed and it is just a serving of a meat of your choice with 3 sides at Puckett's. We made sure to reserve a table for when there was live music and went over to Broadway afterwards of course. 
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Puckett's
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Saturday, June 20th, 2020
Weather: 92 /68
​Distance: 5.1


We started by going to Crema Roasters for coffee which was good a decent walk along the Cumberland River. We then went to the State Capital home for a bit before going to Legendairy Milkshake Bar
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Crema Roasters
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Given the name this is just what you'd expect, a legendary shake which is a mason jar filled with deliciousness! Needing to walk some of that off we walked back through Broadway. 
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We ended the night by going to the Listening Room Cafe which was a more intimate setting with song writers you may know or who have written songs on the radio. The quality of the singers were better than what we had seen anywhere else. Over Broadway a bit we grabbed some cocktails and enjoyed them down by the river. 
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The Listening Room Cafe
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Sunday, June 21st, 2020
Weather: 91 /68
​Distance: 1

​We had a mid morning flight out and stopped by Another Broken Egg for breakfast which was a standard diner but was nearby in downtown. 
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Nashville Nugget

Things To Do: 7/10
While in Nashville there is quite a bit to do but it is all generally targeted to the bar and music scene.  There are parks to go  or you can rent a car and try to go hiking in the mountains or walk in the woods but a lot of the city is centered around Broadway. Which isn't a bad thing but at times it just felt we were going from bar to bar catching the next live performer looking for something to do. If you are into live music and country music history this place is great! With the artifacts that can be found in museums around town and all the intimate settings to listen to great performers and song writers you'll have a blast. I was just looking for more diversity. 

Food: 7/10
The food, coffee, and drinks were all pretty good. Some places stood out like Hattie B's, Patterson House, and Legendairy but for the most part nothing felt unique. This is also someone who lives in the United States and has access to very similar food.

Getting Around: 4/10
If you are staying downtown you can easily get anywhere you need on Broadway and you can can even get to the Parthenon if you want to make the hour walk but there isn't any get public transportation.

Overall: 7/10
Nashville is known as Music City and for great reason! As you walk up and down Broadway you'll be engulfed with the sound of live music as you pass by all the honky tonks. If you are looking for a more intimate setting to see singers and song writers and get the behind the scenes look at some of the songs they wrote you have that opportunity. I didn't feel there was much to do other than that but we also didn't have a car which made it a bit more of a challenge. There were some places where the food was great and others were your standard bar food and I had no complaints. Overall, I really enjoyed my time in Nashville thought the live music was some of the best I've heard. I was just left wishing there was a little more to do. 

Non-Obvious Nashville Recommendations:
  1. Plan ahead and look to try and get a good time slot of places with live music to make sure you see someone good!
  2. Legendairy Milkshake Bar is an obvious must do, just look at that picture. 
  3. The further you get away from Broadway the more mellow and relaxed the vibe of the bar/restaurant is. Midtown is a great alternative if you are looking to not get so rowdy. 

What to Bring

See what I bring on all my trips here!

If you are interested in getting travel insurance I recommend TravelInsurance.com. They are considered one of best in the industry, you can easily compare coverages and get the right one for you.

Tours

​**This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you and allows me to keep the lights on around here. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ​​​​​​
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<![CDATA[2 Day Itinerary For Tokyo Japan | Tokyo, Japan]]>Mon, 21 Dec 2020 08:00:00 GMThttp://fiwiththetravelguy.com/all-travel-posts/2-day-itinerary-for-tokyo-japan-tokyo-japan
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If you want to see this in video form click here, to see 6 free things to do in Tokyo click here or see what I did while there here
I stayed in the Ginza area of Tokyo which is the most famous shopping, dining and entertainment districts.

Day 1

Your typical Western breakfast is obviously not typical in Japan but if you are looking to find something you can head to  Eggs n’ ThingsI felt the food was good, a bit over priced. Maybe because it was located in Ginza or you pay buy the ounce of whip cream. It did provide a cool patio view of the city though.

While in Ginza you are easily able to check out Ginza Six Mall which is a fancy shopping center which have some of my favorite cookies at a world wide chain, Ben’s Cookies 
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Eggs N' Things
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Ginza Six
You can then head over to Tsukiji Fish Market ​which is a sprawling wholesale fish market with an array of seafood & viewing areas for a popular tuna auction. I tried sushi here which was decent but it felt more touristy for sure. I did go around the corner after leaving and saw a line forming for this bowl of meat, or what I think is meat, and got that and it was waaay better.

​A 25 minute walk or 9 minute car ride away is the 
Tokyo Imperial Palace.  they obviously don’t let you go all the way up  but I still thought it was cool.
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Imperial Palace
If you aren’t interested I you can easily take the subway, which is what I used to get around Tokyo, and found it really easy to Ueno Park
Ueno Park has a bunch of things to do such as Pagodas, Temple, Museums, Cherry Blossoms in the spring, live performers, a zoo and more!
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Ueno Park
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Ueno Park
Nearby is Senso-Ji Temple  was completed in 645 and is Tokyo's oldest Temple. It was built to honor Kannon, the goddess of mercy. 
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After a day of exploring I recommend you head over to Bar High Five! Which used to be ranked higher but is currently the number 48 bar in the world according to the website worlds 50 best bars. They don’t take reservations and have limited seating. From my experience they don’t have a menu and just ask the kind of liquor you wanted, flavor like fruity, etc and made it based off that. I thought the drinks and snacks were on point though!
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High Five
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High Five

Day 2

The Shibuya Crossing located in the Shibuya ward is rumored to be the busiest intersection in the world. At peak times over 1000 people cross at the same time, coming from all directions.

Takeshita Street is a pedestrian shopping street lined with fashion boutiques, cafes and restaurants in Harajuku in Tokyo, Japan.  
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Takeshita Street
Meiji Jingu Shrine It is a Shinto shrine in Shibuya, Tokyo, is located in a forest that has over 120,000 trees from 365 different species and covers an area of 170 acres. Other things to see are giant toriis which are traditional Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition from the mundane to the sacred. 
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Meiji Jingu
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Meiji Jingu
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden ​ is a former estate is now a 144-acre park with diverse garden areas, grassy expanses & a greenhouse. 

​You'll need to get ramen at some point and I went to 
Ichiran Ramen. The experience was interesting since you have your own little cubby but the food was good!
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Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
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Ichiran Ramen
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building which is the tallest city hall in the world. There are two panoramic observation decks, one in each tower on the 45th floor. Entrance is free to the public and has gift shops and cafes.  The observation decks are open between 9:30 – 23:00, but the two observation decks alternate the dates they are open.

From the look out you can Tokyo Tower, the Tokyo Skytree, Mount Fuji and Meiji Jingu Shrine.
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If you are looking for more of a nightlife you can check out Kabukichō  ​area. This is also home to the robot restaurants. I read before going mixed review on whether the area was safe or how they try to take advantage of touristy with prices. I didn’t stay long or experience any that. 

Afterwards though you can head over to SG club which is currently #10  or Bar Ben Fiddich  - #40 like I did for a drink. 
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Kabukichō
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Bar Fiddich
If you have extra time you can try and do Mario Kart in the streets, watch a Sumo Practice or the Odiaba area. Odiaba has a Statue of Liberty and a Giant Ferris wheel. I stupidly tried to walk there and it was way too long and gave up once I saw that the ferris wheel wasn’t lit up.

Tours

What To Bring

See what I bring on all my trips here!

If you are interested in getting travel insurance I recommend TravelInsurance.com. They are considered one of best in the industry, you can easily compare coverages and get the right one for you.

​**This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you and allows me to keep the lights on around here. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ​​ ​​​​​​​
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<![CDATA[6 Free Things To Do In Tokyo, Japan]]>Thu, 17 Dec 2020 08:00:00 GMThttp://fiwiththetravelguy.com/all-travel-posts/6-free-things-to-do-in-tokyo-japan
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If you want to see this is video form that is here, how to spend 48 hours in Tokyo, or see what I actually did here. 

1. Get A Free View of The City

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Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building is tallest city hall in the world. It is located in Shinjuku and the design of the building was meant to resemble an integrated circuit, while evoking the look of a Gothic cathedral.
 
It consists of a complex of three structures, each taking up a city block. The tallest of the three is Tokyo Metropolitan Main building No.1 which is 48 stories tall and splits into two sections at the 33rd floor and that’s what we are going to focus on today.
 
There are two panoramic observation decks, one in each tower on the 45th floor. Entrance is free to the public and has gift shops and cafes. The observation decks are open between 9:30 – 23:00, but the two observation decks alternate the dates they are open.

From the look out you can Tokyo Tower, the Tokyo Skytree, Mount Fuji and Meiji Jingu Shrine

2. Meiji Jingu Shrine

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Meiji Jingu Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Shibuya, Tokyo, that is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife.

Construction began in 1915 and was built in the traditional nagare-zukuri style, using primarily Japanese cypress and copper.

It was formally dedicated in 1920 and completed in 1921. The original building was destroyed during the Tokyo air raids of World War II and rebuilt through a public fund raising effort and completed in October 1958.

Meiji Shrine is located in a forest that has over 120,000 trees from 365 different species and covers an area of 170 acres. The trees were donated by people from all parts of Japan when the shrine was established.
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Other things to see are giant toriis which are  traditional Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition from the mundane to the sacred. 

Barrels of sake (nihonshu) donated to the Meiji Shrine These barrels are a decorative display giving honor to the gods since the people of Japan have always had a connection between the gods and the Sake they produce.  Each year barrels of Sake are donated after being used in religious festivals. ​

3. Sensoji Temple

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Sensoji Temple is an ancient Buddhist temple located in Asakusa, Tokyo. It is Tokyo's oldest temple, and one of its most significant. 

Adjacent to the temple is a five-story pagoda, the Asakusa Shinto shrine, as well as many shops with traditional goods.
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4. ​Shibuya Scramble

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Shibuya Crossing is located in the Shibuya ward and is rumored to be the busiest intersection in the world with at peak times over 1000 people cross at the same time, coming from all directions.

That isn’t the crowd I saw but still quite the experience. ​

5. ​Ueno Park

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Ueno Park is a spacious public park in the Ueno district of Tokyo. The park was established in 1873 and was one of the country's first public parks. It is home to a number of major museums and cherry blossoms that bloom every springs. 

In recent times the park and its attractions have drawn over ten million visitors a year, making it Japan's most popular city park.

The park has some 8,800 trees, 24,800 m2 of shrubs and a Shinobazu Pond which is a small lake, extensive lotus beds, and marshland. 

The park also have numerous museums such as, The Tokyo National Museum which was founded in 1872 after the first exhibition by the Museum Department of the new Ministry of Education. In the same year the Ministry of Education Museum was opened, now the National Museum of Nature and Science.
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The National Museum of Western Art was founded in 1959 and the building has been nominated for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Other museums include the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, dating back to 1926. The park was also chosen as home for the Japan Academy (1879), Tokyo School of Fine Arts (1889), and Tokyo School of Music (1890).There is the first western-style concert hall in the country, the Sōgakudō Concert Hall of 1890 (ICP). The Tokyo Bunka Kaikan which is as a venue for opera and ballet. The Imperial Library was established as the national library in 1872 and opened in Ueno Park in 1906.
 
Basically there is so much to do in this park. You’ll have to check it out.

​6. The Imperial Palace

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The Imperial Palace is the usual residence of the Emperor of Japan. It is a large park-like area located in the Chiyoda district of Tokyo and contains several buildings including the main palace, some residences of the Imperial Family, an archive, museums and administrative offices.

I wasn’t able to go all the way up, which is kind of understandable. It was cool to see but don’t necessarily consider it a must do. 

Tours

What To Bring

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