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CLASSIC NOMS OF HK // In my opinion, if you’re planning a trip to Hong Kong and looking for places to eat, seek out these OG spots. You won’t regret it! While there are certainly tons of new restaurants in the city, I was more interested in the authentic, local, and sometimes grungy and chaotic eateries that aren’t fancy at all but are just darn delicious. 🎥 On our YouTube channel, we share all of the places we ate at in our 7 day Hong Kong travel itinerary so make sure to watch for more inspiration! Here are the spots featured in this post: 🍦 Mister Softee - We found this right by the Central Pier and Observation Wheel. Just as good as I remember and full of nostalgia. 🔥 The 🟠 icon behind Oi Man Sang where the wok is always flaming with a crazy jet-fan below to keep them cool. The photo after shows the 3 dishes we tried. 🥛 The name Australia Dairy Company always throws me off but it’s another classic you can’t miss especially their egg/ham sammies and steamed milk pudding. 🫖 Sun Hing Restaurant is a bit farther in Kennedy Town but does legit dim sum well. They’re also open as early as 3AM. 🥟 Shek Kee Wonton Noodles is no frills. We suggest you order their 3 treasures bowl. 🥢 Claypot rice can’t be missed and one of the oldest is Hing Kee Restaurant. 🍡 If you’re looking for Chinese desserts, Tei Kou Koon is a great combination with your visit to the Kowloon Walled City Park. 🥛For more steamed milk pudding, go to Yee Shun Dairy Company 🛍️ It’s literally rice rolls in a bag but when in Sham Shui Po, you gotta go to Hop Yik Tai. What are your favourite places to eat in Hong Kong? #goingawesomeplaces #discoverhongkong #hongkongphotography #hongkong #hkig #hellohongkong #hkfood #hongkongfood

FAST AND SLOW HONG KONG // Last year, I said “hello” to Hong Kong after many years and was so happy to be back. Alongside with my parents, I was able to show them many of my old favourites but also got to explore new spots as well. For this carousel of photos, I wanted to highlight some of the captures from the activities we did in Hong Kong that show that just as vibrant and frenetic the city can feel, it can also be slow and tranquil. 😱 As a first on our YouTube channel, we published TWO videos. Part 1 is our video on 17 places and activities you should consider adding to your Hong Kong itinerary. Lots of secrets and tips inside! More on Part 2 later. Check it out on the channel and if you haven’t yet, make sure to subscribe ❤️. Link in the BIO ✌️ #goingawesomeplaces #discoverhongkong #hongkongphotography #hongkong #hkig #hellohongkong #香港好去處 #香港 #旅遊

SOLAR MAXIMUM // Yes, I totally got caught up in eclipse fever last-minute and made the most of what was largely a very cloudy day. It was amazing but we missed most of first to second contact. Even totality was literally on and off. We came away with it WOW’d but know that we didn’t quite get the full experience. It was the imperfect eclipse. Who was in our boat? Here’s how it went down. I’m certainly not an astrophotographer pro but starting from my parents asking me about where to get the glasses, I got drawn into it and realized I had most of the pieces I needed. I just needed to pick up a @kentfaith.official 16.5 Stop ND filter to go along with my @omsystem.cameras gear. FOMO got the best of me days leading up to this and it wasn’t until the day before the eclipse that I decided we needed to go somewhere. I dragged Chantelle along who was a great sport as always. Needing to be back home for dinner, we couldn’t go that far so we landed on Burloak Waterfront Park in Burlington because I liked the rock and beach features there. We got there at 11AM and camped out but it wasn’t looking good at all. Thick clouds dominated the sky but we were committed. An hour before totality, the crowd and anticipation started to build up but it still wasn’t looking good. Still, there was a glimmer of hope with some blue skies in the distance. The question was whether it would make it in time. 30 minutes before totality, a thinner blanket of clouds swept in, allowing us to see the sun for the first time. There was now a chance! With a thin sliver of sun fading, totality began and there was a collective gasp and even a “wow”. As I rapid fired away, a thick pillow of clouds covered what was there and that’s when I struggled to keep up with the manual setting changes. I captured what I could. Our 1 min and 16s was reduced down to probably 35 seconds. With everyone leaving, we stayed for the remaining part of the eclipse until fourth contact. So that explains why I don’t have much of the sun leading up to the eclipse but have the back half of it. Learned lots from this first experience! #goingawesomeplaces #eclipse #eclipse2024 #solareclipse #astrophotography

SNAPS AROUND SHIKOKU // “Are you ready for an adventure that takes you off the beaten path in Japan? Look no further than Shikoku, a hidden gem that promises to leave you in awe. This stunning island, tucked away from the bustling crowds, offers a unique blend of natural wonders, rich cultural heritage, and tranquil landscapes.“ [📌 Bookmark the Shikoku itinerary - check out the link in our bio or head to goingawesomeplaces.com] #goingawesomeplaces #shikoku #visitshikoku #shikokutravel #visitjapanca #visitjapan #japan #japancastle #japantrip #traveljapan #japanvisit #japantravelphoto #visitjapanjp #discoverjapan #setouchigram #setouchifinder #explorejapan #deep_shikoku

HANDS ON IN SHIKOKU // Whenever you can, seek out experiences where you have to get your hands a little dirty. With 12 days in Shikoku, I managed to go beyond just sightseeing but go sightdoing as well! [📌 BOOKMARK THIS and head to goingawesomeplaces.com for the 12 Day Shikoku Itinerary] KNIFE MAKING A full day workshop with @nobuyah and @jessethedeshi, where a raw piece of steel turned into a Japanese kitchen knife. Easily the coolest thing I’ve done while travelling. INDIGO DYEING This is something that Wakimachi in Tokushima is known for. In the Udatsu Townscape, you can drop in to indigo dye an item of your choice and design your own pattern for it. CANYONING In the depths of Nakatsu Gorge, @niyodoadventure runs an awesome canyoning course that managed to test my nerves and was truly a thrill. SOBA MAKING As part of my stay with @kominkayado33kouya, you get to learn how to make Iya-style soba from scratch. Under the guidance of Shintsuke-san, I kneaded, rolled, and sliced my own soba that I later had for dinner. JEANS MAKING Okay so you don’t actually make jeans but instead you get to customize @bettysmith1962 premium Japanese jeans by attaching the rivets and button yourself. You also get to pick your own leather label. The jeans capital of Japan is in Kojima. While technically outside of Shikoku, it’s something you can fit in if you follow our itinerary. Do you try to fit in different travel experiences in your itinerary. Which is your most memorable? #goingawesomeplaces #shikoku #visitshikoku #shikokutravel #visitjapanca #visitjapan #japan #japancastle #japantrip #traveljapan #japanvisit #japantravelphoto #visitjapanjp #discoverjapan #setouchigram #setouchifinder #explorejapan #deep_shikoku

SHIKOKU CASTLES 🏯 // There are 7 castles on the island of Shikoku 🇯🇵 and I was lucky enough to visit 3 of them during my 12 days. Each one is unique in their own way with stories of their own, different design elements and fortifications. OZU CASTLE This is the first castle featured. While the smallest, I loved how prominently it’s featured on the hill above the Hijikawa River. The story behind this castle is that a century earlier, it was demolished because it was no longer safe. It was rebuilt 2004 with the emphasis by the community to only use traditional construction techniques. When you walk inside, you really do get that “new castle smell”. KOCHI CASTLE On the southern coast of Shikoku island is the city of Kochi and at its heart is Kochi Castle. It was constructed in the 17th century and has the unique property of being the only one in Japan where both the original castle tower and main keep are intact. It’s also 1 of 12 castles in Japan where the main keep is intact. At the top of its 5-story tower, you get awesome panoramic views of the city. MATSUYAMA CASTLE This is another one of the twelve castles that have come out of the post-feudal era intact. Since it is quite a large hill, you start your visit by choosing between either a chairlift or gondola to get up. From there, you wind your way through a labyrinth of gates, courtyard kill-zones, stone turrets, and impenetrable walls. In the tower itself, there’s an impressive museums featuring the samurai armor and katanas of lords that presided over the land. You can also wear samurai armor and try a VR experience as well here. To see how you can plan your own trip to Shikoku, make sure to check out the link in our bio or head over to goingawesomeplaces.com for the 12 day Shikoku itinerary. #goingawesomeplaces #shikoku #visitshikoku #shikokutravel #visitjapanca #visitjapan #japan #japancastle #japantrip#traveljapan #naturelovers #japanvisit #japantravelphoto #visitjapanjp #discoverjapan #setouchigram #setouchifinder #explorejapan #deep_shikoku

SAPPORO ❄️ SNAPS // Just a few memorable shots from our week in Sapporo, Hokkaido this winter. [📌 SAVE this post for your future trip!] Here are where each of the photos were taken: 1️⃣ Sapporo TV Tower looking down on Odori Park and the Sapporo Snow Festival 2️⃣ Impressive projection mapping of a massive snow sculpture of Old Sapporo Station 3️⃣ Seafood encased in ice at the Susukino site of the snow festival 4️⃣ Seeing Hill of the Buddha covered by snow is quite magical 5️⃣ Kaisendon at Shihachi where rice is topped with a mountain of seafood 6️⃣ Parfaiteria PaL to have shime parfait, the latest dessert craze that originated in Sapporo 7️⃣ Snowshoeing at Asahiyama Memorial Park 8️⃣ Winter horseback riding at Wild Mustangs 9️⃣ Snowboarding at Sapporo Kokusai Ski Resort 🔟 Sushi making experience at Sushiya-no-Saito Have you thought about going to Sapporo in the winter? 📸 Shot with @omsystem.cameras OM-1 M.Zuiko Digital ED 8-25mm F4.0 PRO #goingawesomeplaces #sapporo #visitsapporo #sapporotrip #japansnow #japanwinter #Hokkaido #hokkaidoadventurelove #visitjapanca #hokkaido_lovers #japan #japantrip #hokkaidolove #hokkiadojapan #visitjapan #japantravel #japantravelphoto #visitjapanjp #discoverjapan #explorejapan #lovejapan #hokkaidotrip #japow #snowfestival #sapporosnowfestival #japanevent

SPLASH! // There were a lot of great photos from our recent trip to Sapporo but I might like the first one the best 😆. These days I usually have the @omsystem.cameras 150-400mm lens with me because I never know when there might be a great birding opportunity. The first 3 in the set is the common Eurasian Tree Sparrow by the @visit.sapporo Former Hokkaido Government Office Building where a flock of them were hovering around the puddle, taking turns jumping in. With bird photography you do your best to anticipate and fire away with fast moving birds and 🤞. The first one didn’t hold anything back in the puddle 🤣. Other birds we saw on our trip were: 4️⃣ White-backed Woodpecker 5️⃣ Brown-eared Bulbul Make a SPLASH this weekend! #goingawesomeplaces #visitsapporo #birding #birdphotography #omsystem #sapporotrip #visitjapan #japantravelphoto #hokkaidoadventurelove #explorejapan

ULTIMATE SUSHI MAKING CLASS // This isn’t your normal sushi making class. At Sushiya no Saito in Sapporo, Hokkaido, you get hands-on instruction from a legit sushi master. With the help of a translator, you’ll get to be part of the end-to-end process of making omakase-level sushi. [🔖SAVE and SHARE this if you or someone you know is going to Sapporo!] 🍣 When you’re done, the class flips to an exclusive omakase dinner with more courses than we could count. It was divine! 🫶 Oh and what happened to the sushi we made? We got to compare Saito-san’s vs ours and OF COURSE his was much better but I gotta say ours wasn’t so shabby. The rest the packed up in a fancy box for us to eat the next day. WIN! 📌 We were one of the guinea pigs for the class and the plan is for @hokkaidotreasureisland to have it up and running by March 2024 so if you’re headed to Sapporo later this year, make sure to give them a shout and let them know Going Awesome Places sent you ✌️. This is the REAL DEAL! #goingawesomeplaces #sapporo #visitsapporo #sapporotrip #sushimaking #sushilovers #Hokkaido #hokkaidoadventurelove #visitjapanca #hokkaido_lovers #japan #japantrip #hokkaidolove #hokkiadojapan #visitjapan #japantravel #visitjapanjp #discoverjapan #explorejapan #lovejapan #hokkaidotrip