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Manuel, in Barri Gòtic, oldness is beauty. It is one of its key features, being one of the city's oldest neighborhoods, dating back to Roman times, and is characterized by its narrow, winding streets, medieval architecture, and rich cultural heritage. Barcelona Cathedral is a well-preserved historical landmark within Barri Gòtic. The entire quarter, including Barcelona Cathedral, exudes unique ancient charm and intriguing mystique, captivating many visitors every year. Although it's not designated as a UNESCO site, it remains a significant historical and cultural area in Barcelona, rich with medieval architecture and historical landmarks.

Chichibu is a small valley, 80-90 minutes from Tokyo, particularly famous for its Kannon Pilgrimage and night festival. The festival attracts many visitors each year, making hotel accommodation and transportation a common challenge. Start planning as early as possible to secure your spot. We started planning in November with no intention of staying overnight, as a day trip is definitely doable. We saw the Paleo Express, a historic steam locomotive, and experienced the smell of engine smoke, the sound of its horns, and the loud rattling as it ran on its tracks-sensations you cannot get on a modern electric train nowadays. We also did a short Kannon Pilgrimage in the morning to get a feel for the small town. Finally, we enjoyed the night festival at length. Start walking from Seibu-Chichibu Station toward Chichibu Shrine before 6 pm to secure your spot. This is where you want to be to see the major actions of the festival before the procession. Gates may be closed to prevent overcrowding. Then, follow the procession toward the city hall, which is about a 10-minute walk from Seibu-Chichibu Station. If time allows, stay to witness the grand finale fireworks. One good spot to watch the fireworks is by the small bridge close to 7-11. The festival concludes around 10 pm. Between 9 pm and 10 pm, you need to be at Seibu-Chichibu Station to catch the train back to Tokyo, assuming you're staying in Tokyo. There will be extra train schedules to accommodate day-trippers. The only problem we encountered was being unable to purchase a round-trip ticket for the Seibu-Chichibu Line from Ikebukuro Station. Early schedules were all taken. We were just lucky to be able to board the 10 am one-way train to Chichibu. As soon as you get there, the first thing to do is go to the ticket counter or self-service machine to purchase your return ticket to Tokyo. There is no online ticketing for the Seibu-Chichibu Line, as it is not part of the JR Line. If you know someone in Tokyo who can help purchase your train tickets in advance, that would be great. Otherwise, as soon as you arrive in Tokyo, take the train to Ikebukuro Station and look for the Seibu-Chichibu Line Ticket office to buy your tickets. It may sound like a big hassle, but trust me, it's all worth it. The night festival is incredibly unique and a once-in-a-lifetime experience, sure to spark lively table conversations. Just do it and you'll thank yourself later on. Hope this helps. BTW, don't forget to bring extra batteries for your iPhone and/or camera.

@@ONEJOURNEYONESTORY thank you for your advice - great information. I actually spied a rare room in the middle of town available (for quite a fee 😄) but figured it was worth it to relax and enjoy the whole night. Hopefully it'll take the pressure off booking train tickets a bit too - it'll be a great experience I hope

@@originalribenababy Relax and you shall enjoy it. I’m happy for you. ：）

Hi, totally agree with you on this one. Thank you for your nice comment. :)

Beautiful hometown !! Thank you for watching. :)

Sorry to hear about your experience. Nevertheless, it is a beautiful place to visit. I'm sure you can find some simple beauty and joy somewhere around you. :)

Nice to hear you’re returning this year. Please enjoy and take care. Thank you :)

What is gelabisti? Thank you

I'm sorry to hear about your loss. I hope you continue to explore the world, as the Dalai Lama inspired me to do so. He once said, 'Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.' It doesn't matter how short or long the trip is; as long as it allows you to see through new eyes and be open to fresh perspectives, gather hope and energy, make new friends, and delight in old ones. This is exactly how I envision my own retirement journey. May you also have many more years filled with fun and travel. Please share your joy and I love to hear. Thank you.

Hey, I think it would take about +/- 30 min on foot between duomo and chinatown. However, we did the incredible cemetery and chinatown walk that took about +/- 15min on foot. Just FYI, if you're planning to visit Milan, please do not miss the cemetery, a jaw dropping display of sentimental arts and architecture. Thank you.

@@ONEJOURNEYONESTORY Thank you so much. I will visit next time I come to Milan. Just discovered your awesome channel this morning, and just subscribed 👍

Yes, that trip transpired on Oct. 15, 2022. :)

Friends in Travel, thanks. :)

Mainly Sony a1. Thanks :)

You'll enjoy Barcelona, but please be very careful of snatchers and thieves. They are aggressive and fearless. They operate in busy areas like subways. Do not put your iPhone on your back pocket. Do not leave your belongings unattended at any time of the day. Hug your bags in front of you. If someone tried to befriend you or hand you a card or something, do not entertain, stay clear and move away immediately. Not trying to scare you, but we had our share of unpleasant incidents. For one, my dear buddy lost his new iPhone and it got its way to Morocco. Exercise the same safety common sense as you would at home and I'm sure you'll like Barcelona. :)

@@ONEJOURNEYONESTORY thanks!!

Hey, friend. I had so much fun working on this one. Not only Philosopher's Path is a scenic walkway, it is soooooo rich in history and culture. This is the kind of trips I like. Thank you so much for liking it as well. :)

Thank you, my friend. Keep on traveling while we can! Wasshoi ... Wasshoi -:)

Hey, Rob. I don't know the answer to your question, but per ChatGPT -- "As of my last knowledge update in January 2022, Milan, Italy, does have a significant Chinese community and a neighborhood commonly referred to as "Chinatown." However, it's essential to note that determining the exact ranking of Chinatowns in Europe can be challenging due to changes and developments over time. At that time, London and Paris were known for having large and well-established Chinatowns, with London often considered the largest in Europe. Milan was recognized for having a growing and vibrant Chinese community, but I didn't have specific information about it being the third largest in Europe. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, I recommend checking recent sources or local demographic data. Keep in mind that developments in neighborhoods and communities can change over time, and rankings may have shifted since my last update in January 2022." Hope this helps. :)

@@ONEJOURNEYONESTORY Thanks, hmmm...London considered largest, maybe it has grown faster than the Chinatown in Paris

Thank you. Yes, Japan is so beautiful. :)

Thank you so much for the encouragement. Happy New Year! :)

Thanks. Happy New Year to you. :)

Thank you, Jim. Glad to know that you like them too. Your feedback helps a lot! :)

Milan's chinatown is relatively new compared to San Francisco and New York's chinatowns, which were formed from the mid-19th to the early 20th century. Expect some oldness in its outlook. However, they are not ghettos, dude. These are American landmarks, rich in history and culture.

@@ONEJOURNEYONESTORY FYI, Chinatowns in the U.S. are reminders of America's racist past, when the Chinese railroad workers and their families were segregated into ghetto-like neighborhoods called 'Chinatown' where the 'Chinamen' lived. To this day, these Chinatown areas in L.A., Seattle, NYC, etc. look old and run-down and are not the safest part of town.

Ghetto? Aren't America's chinatowns usually in the most expensive parts of the city?

@@kayflip2233 au contraire, you should read up on American history and its racist laws. Until World War II, Chinese were banned from living with the white people or marrying them, so Chinatowns were created like Jewish ghettos to house them, usually in bad areas. And because of the "Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882" that banned laborers, more restaurants and small businesses were opened in Chinatown. The Japanese in U.S. were treated worse, they had their homes and businesses confiscated by FDR's government and were shipped to internment camps during the war.

@@papagen00 You know Asian Americans are the best educated and richest ethnic group in the US per capita right? Who cares about what happen in the 1800s? 🤣 I make almost 7 figures at 32 years old and live on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in a 2 million dollar coop now. All of my neighbors are WASPs, the partners at the PE firms that hired and promoted me are all White men, and my professors at Wharton were half White. None of these people are discriminating against me, in fact it's the opposite, they're probably giving me preferential treatment because I'm Asian American. I'm nowhere close to the ghetto.

Thanks, Shane.

You're welcome!

Thanks, Mr Koi. I've always enjoyed this kind of trips. More up-close and personal than following crowds in ticking boxes of places to go/see - :)

I've always enjoyed leaf peeping. One reason to travel again in search of Fall colors. Thanks for the comments. Hope you're travelling again. - :)

Thanks. :)

Thank you, Lucia. That's because I fell in love with Sagrada Familia. :)

Thank you, Stacy. I hope you and your family/friends can find time to visit Ventura someday. :)

Exactly, Judy. I enjoyed Ventura over Santa Barbara. Check it out. :)

Thank you so much. Morocco is beautiful.

@@ONEJOURNEYONESTORY merci bcp encore une fois et vous êtes toujours le bienvenu

@@otmanovanony8206 Question - was Meknes badly affected by the recent earthquake in Marrakech region?

@@ONEJOURNEYONESTORY non heureusement...Dieu soit loué

@@otmanovanony8206 thank you for the update. You take care now.

Let there be Peace and Joy on earth. Thank you. :)

It took us 13y before we returned to Florence again in 2022. Many things have changed since then, and this trip was like a first time visit for us. Yes, a scenic graveyard in shade of gray and white makes the atmosphere more eerie and dramatic, I thought. Thanks for the comment. :)

THANK YOU for your wonderful music. It made my family vid more meaningful -:)

Thank you so much for the encouragement. We happened to be in the right place at the right time when the light show held its premiere night. Just lucky and very grateful we did the walk on that day. :)

Thanks, my friend. :)

Yes, you are absolutely right. Thanks for the heads up. :)

Thank you for the nice comment. I still have many things to learn. And thanks for the encouragement :)

Thank you so much for the nice comment. Glad that you also like it :)

thanks

th-cam.com/video/44UEg2dt-zg/w-d-xo.html&feature=share

Glad that you like it. Thank you

Hi, Priscilla. No, I don't think it's a nightly show. For sure, it happens on special nights during certain times of the year like the week of Christmas and New Year. That FREE artistic show we witnessed on May was part of the one week event in celebration of 200th anniversary of Paseo de Gracia. Hope this helps. :)

Thanks Zac. :)

Still trying to learn the difference. This is great info you shared. Thank you so much. :)

Yes, the students made Bologna happy and lively. It's a place that I'd like to visit again in the future. Thank you for your nice comment. :)

Entrance to the grotto is through the church of St Publius, which is a smaller church annexed to the Basilica of St Paul. And I believe, it is also connected to Wignacourt Museum. Hope this helps. :)

Lovely, indeed. Thank you for watching. :)