Reviews written by The Travel Penguin
This was my first visit to a Penn Station East Coast Subs outlet. We arrived at about 2 PM on a Thursday. I found the employees to be both friendly and courteous. However, some of the table tops needed cleaning, the shop temperature was too cool (people were wearing their coats & jackets indoors), and we found our sandwiches...
Dr. Sun (1866-1925) is considered the "Father of Modern China" by both the current Communist Chinese and pre-Communist nationalist government of China. Accordingly, he is revered as a great figure in modern Chinese history. For foreigners who do not know Dr. Sun's part in Chinese history, a visit here may not be of a...
By far, the French Quarter is the main reason to visit New Orleans. It is New Orleans #1 attraction. I've always enjoyed strolling the streets and exploring its jazz pubs and bars (and I don't even drink!). It is an exciting area at night. There isn't much to do here in the mornings, but from lunch time onwards the place...
I came to Benton Park to see the area of the city named for it's park so I decided to stop in at it's namesake park which is surrounded by homes that appear to be built in the 1860s-1880s. The park takes up what would be several city blocks of area when it was...
We were in the area and so we stopped in at the Sheldon Art Galleries which are located right next to the Sheldon Concert Hall which is just down the street from the Fox Theatre. During our visit, there was a display of dresses worn by Hollywood starlets called "Glamour: Costumes and Images from the...
The Moto Museum is a nice private collection of motorcycles mainly spanning the 1900-1975 era. While there are some off-name American brands represented (no Harleys) most of the collection is dedicated to Eastern European motorcycles. You'll even see some 1930-1940s era German Army style motorcycles with sidecars that one might see in a World War II movie. ...
The International Photography Hall of Fame & Museum is a small venue just east of Grand Avenue next to St. Louis University. Is is located on the 2nd floor of a refurbished building and is essentially several thousand square feet of display area. On the day of my visit there was an interesting display of color photo prints of nature...
Sensoji Temple in the Asakusa District of Tokyo is probably the most visited attraction in Tokyo by both Japanese and foreign visitors. A visit here was always the highlight of Tokyo sightseeing tours back in the days when I escorted American tour groups in Asia. Most people enter the Sensoji Temple grounds through the Kaminari...
The Great Buddha (Daibutsu) statue is my favorite place to visit in Kamakura. It is the 2nd largest Great Buddha statue in Japan (the other is in Nara). Pictures of the Great Buddha statue appear in most guide books of Japan. The statue is hollow and you can walk inside. This bronze statue is...
In one word, Sanjusangen-do is OLD! Part of the Tendai sect of Buddhism, this temple hall dates back to the year 1164 and due to a fire the hall was rebuilt in 1266. This makes SanJusangen-do almost 750 years old which is quite impressive for a wooden structure. Inside, you will find over 1,000...
Although not very old, The Heian Jingu Shrine is designed in the ancient Chinese palace style used by emperors in the Heian Era of Japanese history when the Japanese were importing Chinese architectural styles. If you have been to the Forbidden City in Beijing, you will recognize this style - albeit on a much, much smaller scale. For that very...
For those who like "teppanyaki" style foods, Sakura Hibachi & Sushi has a variety of meal types that they cook here in their open kitchen. The taste is like what you get at Japanese restaurants that cook the meal directly at your table. The fast-casual setup here allows you to experience that taste at a lower price. They also have...