Luxembourg, that hidden gem of an European destination

Luxembourg had been on my radar as a potential destination to visit for a couple of years, basically cause I am running out of new exciting places to discover in Europe and partially because connections from Madrid airport, my hometown, were pretty ok with Ryan Air (yes, I do not like flying with them at all, but as far as they take you to your destination point, I can bare with them).

So Last December, as I gathered a few free days from work, I decided to spend a long weekend with a friend there. We found a hotel not far from the centre with a very nice ratio of quality price, The Double Tree by Hilton, which I gladly recommend as staff was friendly and the double room was really amazing and spacious, feeling more like a suite than a normal double room, and for a very good price considering that Luxembourg is not a cheap country.

Mind to explain first that I would not recommend Luxembourg for staying more than 3-4 days maximum. It gave me a similar vibe to other beautiful European cities that I visited in the past like Tallinn or Bratislava, where you feel amazing when you discover it for the first 2 days, but then can turn boring when you walk the same streets and areas again and again. Luxembourg is small and the offer of places and things to do is limited, but it is still super charming for a short stay.

Another big plus bonus that has is that during our stay, the public transportation around the city and suburb areas was totally free. This makes much more comfortable to have a hotel a few kilometers outside the centre, move around or even explore outside the city centre, and will save quite a few bucks from your wallet, so I was impressed with how comfortable is designed to move around.

As I explained, we visited during December pre Christmas time, and undoubtedly one of the highlights of the visit was to wander around the beautiful Christmas markets. You will find a few scattered around the city centre easily just walking around, and the atmosphere is very nice and chilled. You have a nice variety of bratwurst, sandwiches, fries and other delicatessens to fill your stomach and you can also try different tastes of hot red mulled wine with different flavors, I really loved the one mixed with amaretto. Even in our last evening, close to a skate rink, the Christmas market turned into a kind of improvised rave party with a DJ blasting music and people standing on the benches dancing. I never imagined that a Christmas market could give such a party fun vibe, so even in the middle of the cold winter, the spirits are held high!

Also as commented before, Luxembourg is not a cheap country, nonetheless has one of the highest GDP per capita in the world due to its strong financial system, but you do not need to go broke there. There are plenty of ok options for breakfasts at many cafes, and food in the Christmas markets is not very pricey. A different story is if you want to pamper in higher tier restaurants, where you will have to pay the price. I would say that is expensive but still not crazy for tourists. And on top of that, most of the staff in restoration speak English, French and German, so you should get along ok communicating around.

And you will wonder, so what is worthy to visit there? Well, you have of course some highlights, the Ducal Grand Palace is beautiful to observe from outside, although we did not get to go inside, and the Notre Dame Cathedral is also very nice to step in and savour his beautiful quiet atmosphere and the colorful windows, but probably the best area and more beautiful to see is to wander around La Chemin de la Corniche with outstanding views to the lower Grund neighborhood and the Alzette river.
Once you are there, it is almost compulsory to buy a ticket to immerse in the Bock Casemates, belonging to UNESCO humanity patrimony list, an intrinsic network of subterranean tunnels that acted as defense fortress built in the XVII century. A delight to take amazing photos of the city view, get to know more of the history of the city and country and surely will add some nice memories to your Instagram portfolio.

Heading down to the Grund neighbor is also fantastic for a relaxed walk around, with a perfect mix of beautiful buildings, nature with ducks and birds swimming and flying around, and a lot of idyllic romantic little corners where couples might think of stealing a kiss.

But Luxembourg also offers some nice destinations if you want to go a bit farther away from the city centre. Apart from what it was explained with the free network of transportation that allows you easily to move by bus and train, Uber is also available there, though I would recommend to use it only if really needed, cause the prices are quite high compared to the fees in other European cities.

For those destinations outside the centre, we selected to visit the American Cemetery and Memorial, dedicated to the fallen lives of more than 5000 American soldiers who never came back home during the grueling fights of World War II in this area, stablished in December 1944 and containing the remain of, among others, the famous American General George S. Patton. It was an impressive view taken from a scene from war movies to walk solemnly around there on a rainy day, giving you a small impression of the magnitude of what happened in Europe in mid 20 century.

As my friend and I are very interested in history, we also visited taking advantage of the free trains and buses the National Museum of Military History, and this one I would definitely consider it as a total hidden gem to be visited in Europe, probably due to the distance from the city as you have to travel around 1 hour from central Luxeumbourg to reach it, located in a population called Dikrech.

The entrance fee is fair, I do not remember the exact price but I do not think it was higher than 10 euro per person, and it is totally worthy. Among the 100.000 war utensils exhibited, you will find live size dioramas of how was life during the war time, a lot of real size tanks, artillery, trucks and other war vehicles, and a huge display of all kind of weapons, medical utensils, etc. For the lovers of military history or history in general, this museum is a treat, and it was mostly empty, so you can explore it at your own pace with no stress and take as many pictures as you want. The museum also counts with a small shop and with a dedicated adjacent area to more modern display of Luxembourg military forces in recent years, but obviously the most interesting parts are all the sections dedicated to II World War.

So resuming, would I recommend visiting Luxembourg? Absolutely yes, but a stay of more than 3 days could feel like too much. But if you want to visit for a long weekend and then hop to other destinations around in neighboring countries like Germany or France, I think you should not miss it. It is clean, felt quite safe, it is beautiful to walk, it has some great lovely views, it will not break your wallet if you plan carefully your budget, easy to use transportation and your will learn a bit more about a very important crossroad place in European history. So give it a go!

My renewed strong love for romance Japanese anime (Part 1)

As a middle age man, I would had laugh if last year somebody would have told me that I ‘d be totally hooked to romance anime series. But here I am, discovering new series in my 40s one after another, and totally hooked into them!
I guess a few factors help to that: my interest and love for Japan, its culture and its movies and series in general and also, as many of these series happen during high school years, a sweet memory of probably the best times of my life, where responsibilities were not so big as we thought and we were shaping our personalities while having a blast discovering the world, the people and friends around us, and what was love, shyness and fear of rejection.
I wanted to share with you readers the list of what I have been watching in the last few months with my honest opinions, in case might help you to discover any new unwatched awesome series!!! Here they are, in no particular ranking apart from being listed from the most recent watched first and on.

(Also I have tried to be careful with spoilers, but there are some around, so just please be warned ahead)

MY DRESS UP DARLING

Sono Bisuku Dōru wa Koi o Suru in Japanese, which literally translates to something like “The Bisque Doll Falls in Love”, a series with currently 2 seasons adapted from the manga by Shinichi Fukuda.

The main character of the series is teenager Wakana Gojo, a good shy boy who lives and works with his grandfather sharing his passion for the family business of crafting traditional Japanese Hina Dolls.  Though Gojo is very talented in handicraft, he lacks social skills and experiences in the real world, keeping to himself and not interacting much with fellow students. That is until he meets the co-protagonist Marin Kitagawa, a stunning beautiful, lively and straightforward blonde amateurish model girl who loves Cosplaying (and wearing her school uniform mini skirt really really short….) 

Marin immediately digs into Gojo’s abilities and they create a friendship and partnership, with Gojo helping her to craft the customs for her Cosplay ideas, while romantic feelings between them start to be developed and Gojo starts to experience more things together with her, coming out of his shelf.

What to say about this one?! One of my favorites series already and a surprise as I was not planning to watch it until I saw some recommendations online. Marin ‘s character is absolutely lovable, having a perfect balance of mischievous naughtiness, kindness, straightforward communication but at the same time also a golden heart, shyness and insecurities. Her appearances both when just herself or when cosplaying are captivating, and it does really embody the female sweetness and beauty that would make most of us have fallen totally for her in high school.

The chemistry between main characters is great, and though the romance advances slowly with baby steps, mainly due to Dojo’s inability to read Marin’s clear feelings towards him, as everybody surrounding them absolutely think they are made one for the other, the journey is precious to follow. I like the touches of naughtiness and sexual innuendos (Marin can be straightforward talking about sexual matters and not shy in wearing very daring outfits, it is implied that Gojo marturbates thinking about her, we have a steamed scene in a love hotel where Marin provokes him an erection and the scene does not end up in their first kiss just by the interruption of a phone call… but those touches are very well measured, showing after all that they are still just young teenagers (age around 15) that need to feel comfortable with how things advance. It is lovely to see how they care for each other in their own way, and how they complement each other to grow into better persons, even having different personalities.

The touches of humor are nice, and I also like that the other characters at high school are not mean and they show respect for Gojo as soon as they start interacting with him. The people who surround them in the Cosplay hobby are also nice, and we can see a crush/love interest towards Gojo by another female character, Juju, but it is not deeply explored in the first 2 seasons.

That is maybe the weak point of the series, as the main storyline with the 2 main characters feels amazing, but sometimes I felt like there was just a very shallow exploration of the interactions and feelings with other external secondary characters. With exception of Gojo’s grandfather, a character that anchors very nicely parts of the story and who seems to understand silently what is happening around and enjoys to see how Gojo is maturing into a man seeing and experiencing the world.

So far a 3rd season of the anime has not been confirmed, and that would be a pity, cause following the story of those two is an incredible experience. The manga series finished already all its volumes (it seems that a bit in a rush as the author was having some health issues), and without making big spoilers, I know that they will go into the right direction and I am quite satisfied when I saw the ending arc, so give a chance to the first 2 animated seasons if you have not watched, and if you want more, the complete volumes of the manga series should fulfill you to the fullest

 

CALL OF THE NIGHT

This one I honestly just picked it up a bit randomly from Netflix when I saw it at the home page, and my feelings are a bit mixed about it.

Its title in Japanese is Yofukashi no Uta and is based and serialized from a manga by author Kotoyama.

The plot spins around young high school student Ko Yamori, who adventures into the night unsatisfied with his life in general and with assisting school, and meets alluring female vampire Nazuna Nanakusa.

What should have been just a quick taste of his blood turn into a friendship and strange relation developing between both, as Ko wants to be turned into a vampire and the only way to obtain that is falling in love with Nazuna, which would seem easy except that Ko has no idea what love feelings are and Nazuna is not really the romantic type.

The couple meet at night and then get sorrounded by an interesting cast of secondary characters, some friends from high school and a cast of other female vampires that are often on the verge of killing Ko or becoming their friends and confidents.

A story that mixes teenage love with vampires should sound very interesting, and well, the series is quite enjoyable at moments, specially due to the humor and the multiple layers of Nazuna, who can be wild, strong and hyper sexual, but at the same time is nerdy, funny and inmature. So from the female side, we are covered to have a lovable character, although the part of the story starting so “transactional” with her pretty much craving the tasty blood of Ko is not up to the most romantic set up.

Ko for me does not totally click as main character. I just find him a bit dull and empty, there is never really a satisfactory explanation in season 1 of why he thinks that his life is so empty, and although he grows his personality chapter by chapter, I cannot totally emphatize with him.

Might be that only 1 anime season is not enough to see the development of the characters, and do not get me wrong, there are some very interesting moments there like the fight among Nazuna and a rival vampire, or the sweet kisses that she surprisingly delivers to Ko in a couple of moments, being specially sweet the one at the end of season 1, but so far this is a couple that, different to other series, I do not feel deeply touched with their interactions nor rooting for them to be together. The visuals and art are quite stunning, so if you like anything vampire related, still sure give it a go. It is not bad, but it has not captivated me so far…

THE DANGERS IN MY HEART

I have become an absolute fan of this anime, and with a lot of good reasons. The series, that is actually available in Netflix, has 2 seasons so far and is based on the Japanese manga Boku no Kokoro no Yabai Yatsu also abbreviated as Bokuyaba by author Norio Sakurai

Its plot resembles in quite many ways the main features of the one commented at the start of the article, My Dress Up Girl, in the sense of portraying a socially awkward and isolated main character, Kyotaro Ichikawa, who starts to interact and forge a friendship and romantic relation with popular school beauty and also aspiring model and actress Anna Yamada.

Ichikawa is a really creepy fellow at the start of the show, with a lot of internal self loath and with dark thoughts of physical harm towards the ones around him, including Anna. This creepiness might have put off a lot of potential fans who could not digest the first couple of episodes where characters might seem quite stupid or mad.

However, if you give the series a chance and pass through those first couple of episodes, what you will find is one of the most wonderful rom-com animes ever made so far. Ichikawa shows that behind his lack of confidence, is actually quite a smart, caring and protective guy, and Yamada is just the impersonation of cuteness: she is loving, sensitive, sweet, not (very) narcissistic, full of positive energy and with an insatiable appetite for snacks.

It is a wonderful story between those two lovebirds, and again same as in My Dress Up Darling, we follow their amazing path as they support each other to grow as better young people. But the level of understanding of each other is probably even deeper here, and the attention to details in scenes is amazing. There are so many small cute funny moments thrown here and there, some of them might need a rewatch and you might not realize the care of the creators in building this amazing story, but they are there. I can highlight a few like Yamada not letting the hands go and screaming Ichikawa’s name when introducing him to her agent during a work photoshoot, Yamada holding a small gift that Ichikawa gave her telling the handsome guy hitting on her that she loves another and her hands are full, Yamada fishing for Ichikawa to compliment her as cute, her little jealous moments, Ichikawa growing in confidence screaming that Yamada is only hers or finding the inner strenght to give her an awesome gift in White Day and be able to express how beautiful she looks, Ichikawa’s speech during the graduation ceremony at school where he beats his inner ghosts and shows the great man he could truly become… so many big and small amazing moments of character development.

But here you see more depth also in the relations with the secondary characters and friends with special mention to Ichikawa’s older sister, a character that also grows in our hearts while the show advances and that supports in a very sweet way his little brother, and in a way, after every episode you just end up craving for the next one, like an addiction of emotions you cannot control. Yamada might be one of the cutest, if not the cutest, female character ever portrayed in a romcom, and the emo shy Ichikawa gains the hearts of the viewers taking small but decisive steps to become a better person and be worthy enough to consider himself a love partner for Yamada. It is a great work in his development physical and emotional through the show, where he is able to show that by being able to enjoy life also in the moments that is not with Yamada, he is worthy to enjoy her love too.

I also like that, again similar to My Dress Up Darling, sexual innuendos and dirty jokes are part of the dialogues, as it should be with effervescent teenagers, being realistic but also tasteful without feeling too lewd. A minus in the series, and I think many fans would agree on this, is that we see the story mostly through Ichikawa’s point of view, and would have been lovely to explore also a bit more Yamada’s side of things, which we catch glimpses by her actions and reactions, but we never get the allowance to explore her thoughts from her point of view.

What else can I say? If you have not seen the 2 seasons yet, go for it. I am just hoping that we will be rewarded with more seasons in the anime, while the manga is about to wrap up with a final volume that should be published soon. Let’s hope that these 2 find the happiness they have fought so hard for during every episode!

TORADORA!

One of the most famous anime rom-coms in history, and a very polarizing one for many fans, Toradora! came to my attention after I saw it mentioned restlessly in forums and by anime fans.

Adaptation of the manga by Yuyuko Takemiya, Toradora! narrates the evolving relation of the main character, Ryuji, a good behaved shy guy with obsession for cleaning and with great cooking skills who was abandoned by his father and takes care of his mother, with Taiga Aisaka, a small ball of energy prompted to violent attacks, but with a golden heart inside.

A kind of love entanglement develops with the series, as Ryuji is initially interested in Minori, the best friend of Taiga, a sporty cheerful beautiful girl who seems to be singing to herself all the time, while Taiga seems interested in Yusaku. Though a bit part of the plot is about Taiga and Ryuji trying to help each other to get a relation with their love interests, through the show and through the interactions they have is clearly developed a love relationship between them. Apart from this, there is a third girl, beautiful but narcissistic model Ami, who also joins the school and is interested in Ryuji.

As I said, I understand that many people could develop and kind of love/hate relation with the series. The relation between Taiga and Ryuji is not healthy at many moments and Taiga ‘s outburts of violent and diminishing behaviour could be a turn off. But if you go through that and understand that is a protection facade, the character of Taiga is really sweet, and I find exhilarating her nickname known all over the school as the table top tiger.

The script is awesome in many moments and will leave you some scenes forever in your mind, like Taiga screaming and caring after Ryuji suffers an accident at the pool. I never fully understood nor loved the character of Minori, and although you get here and there details that her personality is not at all shallow and there is an internal debate in her hart, I think that we never get to fully understand her, like if her character might have had much more potential… In fact, the character that I love how develops the most is Ami, who after losing her facade of narcissistic rude bitch, actually grows a lot showing to be the more mature and having a caring and loving hidden side. Probably in my opinion she would be the best suited to be a girlfriend in the real world. Some other subplots and scenes are also amazing, like the fight between Taiga and Sumire, and there are a lot of great touches of humor all over the show.

However, I also understand that the end of the series, although somehow is fresh, surprising and touching, leaves a bittersweet taste to the fans. All the arc of escaping from home feels a bit too forced to me, though it leads to maybe the most beautiful scene in the series with the first kisses between Taiga and Ryuji at the grandparents ‘ place where they spend a night together, a delicate and sweet scene where we also see the sweet and vulnerable side of Taiga. But her sudden disappearance at the end until the final surprising encounter in the classroom… it kind of feels refreshing compared to how many other series wrap up, but at the same time it feels somehow unsatisfying, and we wonder if Taiga is really the right partner you d like to be with, as sometimes feels like interacting with her is walking across a minefield.

I know, after having read online what happens after the series, that the two get a nice happy ending together, but still, as I said, though I did enjoy the show a lot and is a delightful rollercoaster of emotions, and though Taiga ‘s energy can be really captivating, some moments and actions in the show feel a bit off. In any case, it is undeniably one of the best romance anime series ever produced, and although it was broadcasted already quite a few years ago, it has not lost at all its freshness and appeal. A must see if you are into Japanese romance anime or, same like me, you are starting to explore this wonderful universe!

HI SCORE GIRL

Hai Sukoa Gāru in Japanese, the series is based on the manga by Rensuke Oshikiri, and oh boy! For a fan of retrovideogames who lived his pre-teenage years in the popular arcade saloons, this series will always take a special place in my heart.

The story follows a young gamer, Haruo, whose life is pretty much obsessed with videogames both playing with home consoles or at any arcade machine that crosses his path. His life will be transformed when he crosses path with Akira, a silent female classmate (so silent that she never speaks a word all over the 2 seasons of the series) and amazing videogame player, one of the few able to beat Haruo’s ability.

Haruo’s hate for the new challenger will be transforming through the series into a very special and sweet love relation with Akira, with a second female student, Koharu, getting dragged also in the gamer life pursuing her non correspondent love of Haruo.

The series is pretty much amazing, and displays so many anecdotes, historical facts, winks and tricks based on real life from a lot of the most iconic videogames in the 90s that is pretty much impossible not to love it for anyone calling him/herself a gamer. Haruo’s character although at first can be annoying gains the hearts of the viewers as inside him there is a big good naive heart, and it is really amazing how the writers were able to perform so beautiful interactions between them with Akira not muttering a single word. It is even more memorable that in several scenes of the game, the characters are able to express their feelings and the emotions just by how they interact during the games that play together.

The final theme song also by the way got stuck in my head for weeks, a beautiful lullaby that you cannot get rid of. Also, the secondary characters such as Haruo’s mother or Akira’s older sister Makoto are pretty memorable and funny, and round up this beautiful story.

If I can put a weak point, i would just say that I would have truly loved a kiss between them both main characters, though their feelings were clearly expressed in the final airport scene of the series If you like romcom anime, give it a try, though the art and drawing style can feel a bit more childish and not so beautiful like other anime, it is super charming. And if you are a retro video games lover, this series is really a must see!

MY LOVE STORY

I watched it not expecting anything much, just surfing around anything new to kill time a night in Netflix, and My Love Story grew into me immediately. The series counts so far with just 1 season with 24 episodes, being its title in Japanese Ore Monogatari!!; lit. “My Story!!”, created by Kazune Kawahara.

It follows the story of Takeo, a young student with a huge physical frame, hyper talented for any sport activity and with a golden heart, but with no filter in his words and little knowledge of love. He is inseparable of Makoto, his very handsome, shy and book lover friend who seems quite uninterested in girls attention.

Quickly in the series Takeo will help and meet Rinko, a beautiful young student who loves baking cakes and sweets, and with the help of Makoto, Takeo will realize about her love and they will start dating.

Opposite to other series, here there is no suspense about the declarations of feelings and gets resolved pretty early on. So the series is nicely following Takeo and Rinko growing as a couple, as well as Takeo growing as a person and helping others around him all the time. There are a lot of nice details here, like Takeo’s good actions often do not get the credit he deserves, but is lovely to see how Rinko is able to see him through and through while others would get deceptive first impressions due to his physique.

I also love how, although Rinko appears to be like the super sweet innocent anime girl, she actually takes a lot of initiate in meeting Takeo, showing her feelings and also in provoking more physical advances and kisses due to Takeo’s too much innocent heart. And some of the fans might have got nervous towards the end of season 2 when a competitor tries to steal Rinko’s heart. A very nice arc in the way how we see that Takeo would sacrifice anything for Rinko’s happiness, even his relation.

On top of that, I must say that one of the most memorable love actions in the series is not done by the main couple, but by one of Takeo’s friend, Kurihara, who climbs a huge Christmas tree risking his life to grab a decorative start to show to his love interest, Nanako, that he is worthy of her love interests.

A very lovely series, and though Takeo would not be your typical main character in this kind of romcom, he really gains your sympathy with his actions and his huge heart while Rinko is just an overload of cuteness but with the right amount of spicy behavior to cheer things up.

A gem of an anime: Blue Box

I have always loved Japanese anime since my childhood years when series like Dragonball blew my mind and I think all the minds of my friends and school kids around the world, trying to imitate Goku doing the famous kamehameha movement. Mazinger Z, Dodge Danpei, Dragon Quest... so many amazing memories from those years in front of the TV screen.

The anime genre also had some great jewels in sports/romance in those years, I fondly remember Attacker You! or Attack Nro 1 that were nicely mixing love with volleyball sport.

I did not come back to the romance genre in many years, though I have seen in my adulthood many other great anime series like Attack on Titan or The Seven Deadly Sins. I was a bit bored at home wanting to watch something new, so I chose a Japanese series I had no idea what was about: Blue Box.

The series, that is currently available for its 1st season in Netflix, is based on the manga books series Ao no Hako by Kouji Miura, and follows the life of Taiki, a high school Japanese student who loves training and competing in badminton, while having a secret crush on fellow student Chinatsu, the start of the basketball school team. Adding to this, there is Hina, a cute chilhood friend of Taiki, start in the gymnastics team, with a funny straightforward personality and a love for Taiki and starts in secret but she has the nerve to declare to him.

When I watched the first episode, at first I thought, oh gosh this is so slow and lame, just for female teenage watchers, but the show captivated me quickly. The dialogues and situations are very nicely written and developed, slowly but steadily, the main characters are very likeable, the art is beautifully transferred from the book pages to the animation, and apart from the classic themes of love, shyness, misunderstandings and uncomfortable situations of the teenage years, there are also great moral values in the way of overcoming loss, trying to push the limits, working hard every day to give a better version of yourself, and friendship.

The secondary characters sorrounding Taiki’s life, like Hayru, an older player that pushes him to train harder, Kyo, who in the shadows seems to be the first to understand the situations or the funny and I think sometimes underrated Nishida, who has a gold heart even when often blurbs silly comments, are very well balanced. And Chinatsu is lovely from her voice, her actions, and her slowly shift of attention to Taiki. In a way it feels that even if we see the relationship form from the eyes of Taiki, she was already there interested from the first episode, something that Taiki himself does not realize most of the times.

Maybe what hit me hard and deep in this show is the memories that brings of some of the best years in life, when all is new and exciting and the world is full of potential possibilities: being the last one to notice small gestures that your friends notice, dreaming what the girl you like is gonna wear for a date next day, how just holding hands or close physical contact can make your heart race… that beautiful time that will never come back, but that we somehow can live again following Taiki and Chinatsu’s love story.

The show builds up slowly, do not expect here declarations of love from the first episode, but is a visual delight and you really feel like you cannot wait to watch the next one. For the moment Netflix has aired only Season 01, although for what I could see online, there is a Season 02 programmed for this 2026, while the original manga has advanced more in the story. I recommend both the manga books and the series, as the adaptation is fantastic and if you like Japanese anime, sports and a good love/romance evolving, surely you will enjoy this, no matters if you are a young teenager of a man in his mid forties like me. Give it a shot, it is one of the gems recently released for anime fans!

The End of the F***ing World – a hidden gem in Netflix

I have a totally subjective opinion and it is that in the last decade, the overall quality of TV shows is much better than the overall quality of movies. Bigger budget, better casting, nice scripts (if you can except the woke topics that flood many shows) and a consumption rythm that probably fits better the modern society, when people might not have the time, energy or focus for a 2 hour film, but will easily swallow a 25-30 minutes episode before hitting the sack.

I am finding very difficult in the last years to enjoy movies in Netflix, basically cause most of the good ones in its catalogue I already watched in the past, though there is always a nice new one here and there, but with TV shows, I ended up gladly surprised with the quality of 2 that I watched recently. One is Resident Alien, to which I will have to dedicate a separated post. The other is The end of the Fucking World.

The show has 2 seasons so far available in Netflix, and I hope that stays like that. It follows the adventures and misadventures of James and Alyssa, who start in the first season being 17 years old and on the second season they will mature a bit more to reach 21.

They are not your typical teenagers, and the series is not your typical politically correct series either. It is dark, strange at many moments, cruel but also funny and charming. Both James and Alyssa have serious psychological problems and traumas, and you will feel loving one of the characters in one scene and hating the same character 5 minutes later.

The first season is structured as a kind of “teenage Bonnie and Clyde run away on a road trip” and although the characters communicate weirdly (James ‘ favorite answer is Okay), they talk and act inapropiately and their moral compass turns 360 degrees with no polar star to show them the right way, after a few episodes you feel connected to them.

Great blame on this are the great interpretations by the 2 main actors, Jessica Barden as Alyssa is a jewel, and if you are male you cannot less than feel that she could be the kind of girl you would fall in love in high school just to make your life absolutely miserable. James is played Alex Lawther, whom you may recognize from an episode in Black Mirror, and although his role tends to be more passive and can get eclipsed by Alyssa’s energy, he is the perfect complement to the chemistry of the couple all over the show.

In season 02, and we try not to make spoilers, James’ character indeed seems to have matured, while Alyssa seems to be the one that took a bigger emotional toll from all the incidents that they go through in S01. I personally preferred the first season for being something more refreshing to watch, and probably for having more witty dialogues, but still season 02 is quite a nice epilogue and a wrap up for the adventures that the young couple suffers, and the ending at the last episode, although is not your typical romantic ending, feels in a way perfect, heart-touching and satisfying.

Without the need to have a huge budget, striking special effects or a very famous cast, I deeply enjoyed the show and I consider it one of the best I have watched in recent years. Besides, what it has all over its episodes is a superb and amazing soundtrack, kudos to the responsible person to select the songs, which makes up for a fantastic Spotify playlist once you have finished watching the first two seasons of the show.

If you are looking for a new series to watch, and you want something refreshingly different to most of the shows out there, give this one a chance. Dark, witty, sometimes funny but overall very magnetic!

The Sandman S02 – How woke stupidity can utterly destroys a TV show

I have to start the article saying that I am a big fan of Neil Gaiman‘s books, although not particularly of The Sandman saga, but I have enjoyed many other of his works, and in fact, I did enjoy Season 1 of the Netflix TV show The Sandman, even when already the modern trend of having to have a hyper super mega multiracial cast, changing masculine roles to feminine, etc etc is the sad bread in most of the last years productions. It is like if Dream himself has placed any rational man in an endless nightmare of bullshit.

Still, I had just finished watching the amazing “Resident Alien” show on the same platform (its Season 1 is superb, in Season 2 of course they needed to add the feminist woke topics to spoil it…) and I thought it was a good moment to watch the new Season of the Sandman
Oh boy, where to start? Basically Dream character is portrayed all over the season as a manipulative and control freak man by any female character he interacts with, and spends half of the show having to say sorry and show attrition for being a macho asshole. That could be the resume of Season 02 and I would not be exaggerating…

The show does not lack of scenes where The Dream of Endless is emasculated without mercy. Most talks with her sister Death are pointing to him having to change and fix his mistakes (of course is a black sister with a white brother, they are coming from the same family as the Targaryen, it seems). One of those huge mistakes is to have done nothing to save a previous lover, Nada, who has spent 10.000 years in hell. Except that the lady Nada freely chose to go to hell to face her own purgatory instead of staying with Dream…

If you fast forward in the story, Dream, facing dangers, is able to save the ex lover Nada, to come up with a scene where he just says sorry to her like a million times for a choice she did, and he is blamed over and over again for her own choice. Not only that, but she will approach him and slap him too… Would the scene in reverse be allowed? Of course not in a million years, but a woman not wanting to face the responsibilities and consequences of her own decisions, blaming her ex lover and executing physical violence on him was totally fine for the producers and screenwriters…

And the season goes along those lines episode after episode. Dream is also kind and the only character with enough patience to try to help his younger sister Delirium, a classic pixie maniac girl that would not be able to find her way in London underground to any station, and the character still ends up mad at him. Not only, when the sister realizes that in theory Dream is not alive anymore, she just walks nonchalantly home with her recovered pet not giving absolutely a fuck that her brother just died… A fantastic example of empathy, commiseration and love… Once again, men are disposable. She looked very much emotionally affected when a trans car chauffeur she knew for hardly 1 day was killed.

It must be that I am very blind, because although Dream is far from a charity angel in the series and punishes opponents, he usually does so only rightfully when they have tried to harm him or attack him first. Even when he spends most of the time trying to undo injustices, sacrificing his own life or safety for others, trying to be fair, protecting his guests and the inhabitants of his kingdom, etc, he just gets in return hate and recrimination by almost any female character that crosses his way. His death threat of course comes from the 3 female Furies manipulating another woman to go and destroy him and his realm but a kidnapping of a child that he never executed… It does totally feel like an ex wife getting fired up by a team of female feminist lawyers trying to suck all the assets and the child from his naive hard working ex husband after a divorce.

I hope at some point that screenwriters can come back to do sensible scripts and we can enjoy good stories where the maim aim is not only to portray every male character like a criminal against female population. Meanwhile, up to you if you want to enjoy this endless brainwashing.

Perfect Days: the best movie of the last decade?

You know the drill, Sunday evening at home, feeling lazy and overwhelmed with the idea that Monday is around the corner. You choose some movie that have never heard of before in Netflix and that happened to be “Perfect Days” by director Wim Wenders.

After watching it, I cannot stop talking about it. The movie is just wonderful, depicting the “monotonous” life of a mature public toilets cleaner in Tokyo, Hirayama (Kōji Yakusho, who is also superb in the Japanese series Rikuoh which I also strongly recommend).

Nothing much seems to happen in the life of Hirayama, who puts a great effort in the simple tasks of his everyday life, but at the same time a lot of happens even when he speaks very little through the movie. There are unsolved layers there about his past and his relation with his family, but in any case the movie does not focus on past dramas or non reciprocated love or any other tragedy, it just flows with the thrill of enjoying the little good things in life like the early morning coffee from the vending machine, the good music from some old cassette, or the beautiful reflection of the lights in between the trees in a park.

In a period of time where society is struggling with a lack of satisfaction, a continuous search for the next dopamine shot and when people always want to have more and more, this movie is refreshing. Not only for the beautiful depiction of Tokyo, an amazing city that can also alienate people easily, but reminding us that sometimes the joy of life is in the small details that make us smile everyday.

Perfect Days might not be the cup of tea for every viewer, and probably there will be many that can feel bored with it after 20 minutes, but if you enjoy a slow pace quality movie that is degustated like an onion, layer after layer, you will find this film amazing. So far, the best movie I have watched in a very long time.

New authorized official Nintendo store in Bangkok

Nintendo, the most famous videogame company in the world, has just recently opened in Bangkok, the Thailand capital, the first authorized shop in all SouthEast Asia. One more gem to the amazing array of options for the visitors of one of the most vibrant cities in the world.

The shop has a very easy access, as it is located on the 3rd floor of the famous Siam Paragon mall. So the visitors can go there just stopping at Siam BTS stop, which has a direct exit to Siam Paragon, and taking the escalators to the 3rd floor. I visited there last Sunday, and on the positive side, one has to say that the shop looks gorgeous. The fans of Nintendo will salivate with the beautiful displays of consoles, merchandising, videogames and toys.

The shop also counts with some official cabinets where people can try some of the newest releases for Nintendo Switch. So it is a total candy for the gamer’s eyes. On the sides to improve, I found missing some more exclusive products to purchase. There is nothing linking there Nintendo with Thai culture, which would be really cool if they would release some specialized exclusive products.

Also the prices are not cheap at all. Be ready to burn your wallet if you want to purchase there. One exception could be some of the Amiibo figures related to Nintendo videogames, that at 790 baht per unit were not so bad for market prices. Once again, I am missing that they could have some cheaper products, like sometimes they offer in the Nintendo pop up stores in exhibitions around the world, or some outlet products. If for the foreign visitor the prices are expensive, for most of Thai pockets this is a shop to look but not to buy, when for sure they could find the products much cheaper online or in the second hand market.

Give it a try if you are in Bangkok or planning to visit and you are a Nintendo and/or videogames fan. But do not expect any bargains there!

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The most exclusive Starbucks cafe in Bangkok with the best views

Bangkok, like any other big major cities in the world, does not lack of all kind of amazing, great and cosy cafes. You can find them all over the city in a huge variety of sizes, styles, decoration, drinks and food offer, terraces or indoors, more or less picturesque for those Instagram posts that young ladies seem to be addicted to, etc.

Of course among that variety, Starbucks chain is also present in the Thai capital (and not, this is not any sponsored post, I am writing it as a traveller’s tip cause I want to, but if anybody from Starbucks marketing is reading, I am listening for collaborations :) ).

What some of you might or might not know (I did not know until recently) is that apart from the normal Starbuck cafes that the chain spread wide all over the world, there are a few special branded Starbucks “Reserve” cafes that offer some special blends for the really coffee addicted and connoseiurs.

Although is not a roastery one, the Starbucks on the 7th floor of Iconsiam, one of the most visited and breathtaking malls in Bangkok (there is even a small artificial waterfall, similar to what you can see inside Singapore airport, inside), counts not only with the normal array of offer you can find in Starbucks, but also with the Reserve rounded section where you are able to taste some assorted selected blends from all over the world (and I think that bar section sells even alcoholic beverages, which is also you do not see in your normal Starbucks).

But apart from the drinks and food selection that you can get there, the highlight of visiting that Starbucks is that counts with an outdoors terrace space with a breathtaking view of Bangkok’s river and skyline. Bear in mind that tourists will not stop lingering around taking photos, so if what you want is a more relaxed sitting space to chat or read a book, maybe the indoors area is more for you, counting with 2 floors that accomodate clients.

Give a try to the place if you are a coffee lover or you just want to admire some amazing views of the city while losing yourself inside the huge Iconsiam mall on a shopping spree! A must see if you visit that side of the river in Bangkok!

Other great cafes in Bangkok:

A charming hidden gem cafe in Thonglor: Herringbone at Volve Hotel
New amazing cafe for lovers of sports cars opens in Bangkok Thonglor: Curvistan Bangkok

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Retro videogames prices in 2024. Speculation or normal?

One of my new hobbies during the last 3 years has been collecting retro-videogames. I consider videogames an important part of my life, as during my professional career I have worked with a couple of the biggest videogame companies out there in the world, EA and Ubisoft. It also brings a lot of nostalgia, as my first consoles were the Atari 2600 and the Sega Mega Drive. And Bangkok indeed is surprisingly a good place to collect, as it receives a fair amount of material from Japan with a decent price, sometimes with a really bargain price.

So during these years, I have been an avid consumer of material, specially on some specialized Youtubers collectors, as I wanted to learn more about the best games, the prices, the places to find good games, etc.
One recurring topic that comes again and again in the talks about collecting retro videogames is about the speculation. There seem to be a lot of polemic, and a fair amount of buyers, who are not happy with the current increase of prices in most of the retro platforms.

So is there really a problem? This is obviously my personal opinion, and you are welcome to disagree, so here is my take on the topic:

Videogames were never cheap. I was born in 1980, and when we had our first consoles (atari, NES, Master System, Megadrive, Super Nintendo) having own games was a treasure. You needed to save money for many months, or wait for a special occasion like a birthday or Christmas to get a new game. Nobody, except some children in families with a lot of money, had a collection bigger than what you could count with the fingers of one or two hands. What we used to do a lot was renting videogames during a weekend in the videoclubs. So taking that into account, it is still pretty incredible that a wide selection of those games can still be purchased 30 years later for 20/30/40/50 euro per unit.

Then there are a bunch of games whose price has already risen to the hundreds or even thousands of euro. Is that bad? Well I think that in the end it just applies a simple rule of offer and demand, like in any other area where people collect things, such as coins, music vinyls, stamps, etc etc. Some of those games were not produced in highly amount of units and therefore are difficult to find nowadays. You need to add that many of the original owners of those games were children that just wanted to play. Most of the original owners never cared much about the perfect conservation of their games, therefore countless boxes and manuals were thrown to the garbage. Add that to the idea that 30 years ago nobody thought that these items would be valuable, so it was very normal just to give your old console and games away to friends, relatives or they could perfectly end up in the garbage cans when the mothers were doing some spring cleaning in the house.

So why people complain about speculation? Well cause complaining is free. Of course everybody would love to have a vast collection with those amazing jewels per system per 5 euro the unit, but the reality of the market dictates that when an article is valuable and scarce, the price will increase as there will be some people always eager to pay more for an item. I do not think there is any secret conspiracy theory of collectors and companies storing secretly thousand of games for decades so just the prices increase. It is just how the market works with any other collecting item. And I think we are still very lucky to be able to buy and create great collections without spending a fortune.

Also, bear in mind that there are a lot of different ways of collecting retro games, and they are all valid. There is no particular rule, there is no official guideline. A collection is a personal choice, and the most important thing is to make you happy: some people are ok collecting only cartridges, some people want the CIB (Complete In Box) version with cartridge, manual and original box, some people pay a lot of attention to having the game in an inmaculate perfect state and some do not care, some people want to buy a game sealed and just put it on exhibition on the shelf… Remember, it is your collection, so just do what satisfies you more instead of trying to copy some famous Youtubers. You do not need to pay hundreds of euros for a perfect copy of a game to enjoy the hobby. And if you want to pay it, you are free to do it, but remember that the hobby should not create a problem in the economy of your life, as some people can go crazy and even get into money loans to buy games that cannot afford otherwise.

Also remember that at the end of the day, they are just physical items that are not needed as basics in your life. Nowadays you can play most of retro games in emulators, so you do not neccessarily need to buy the original games to enjoy the core of the hobby itself, that is no other than playing and enjoying the games. I collect games cause part of the fun is to search, compare prices, learn and the satisfaction when you find a great addition to your catalogue. But also do not get mistaken, if I would ever have the economical need, I would not hesitate to sell part or the whole of my collection if the shit hits the fan.

Meanwhile, enjoy this beautiful hobby, both if you are an old collector or you are just starting in the hobby. Be patient doing your purchases, and remember that, like in everything else in life, it is impossible to have it all. So just be happy and satisfied with what you have. When your collection grows too big, then you will probably not have even the free time to play to everything you wanted to.

Bangkok hidden gem: Batcat Museum & Toys

Bangkok has a huge offer to discover for visitors of all tastes: amazing rooftops, wild dive bars, beautiful parks, cosy cafes, some of the most amazing temples in the world and interesting museums.

But it is true that like any other city in the world, once you live here for some years, even when there is almost always a new place to discover, you start to struggle with new locations that can put a “Waw” in your mouth.

Last Saturday I was doing a quick search online to find some hidden gems in the Thai capital that I would have not visited yet, and the Batcat Museum & Toys caught my eye.

Let’s be honest, if you are a person who enjoys taking a million selfies in the terrace of a cafe and have 0 interest in cinema, figures or Japanese manga, probably this place would not be for you. However, as my case it is really the opposite and I love retro video games, Japanese toys and figures, fantasy cinema, manga etc, I thought that I would give this place a shot, as I was a bit surprised that in more than 2 years living in Bangkok I had never heard of it.

The museum is not far from the central Sukhumvit area, but it is not in a main street, but in some alley street in Bang Kapi area, so I recommend as the easiest way just to go by taxi/Grab there, which should not cost you more than 150 bath approx. if you are in Asoke area or its surroundings.

Once I arrived, surprises already start to pop in front of your eyes. Graffitis with manga characters, a Batman car model casually parked in the building garage.. this is promising!

I entered the museum, which pretty much is a kind of 3 store residential building converted into museum, and I get greeted by the owner himself, wearing a cool Batman t-shirt, and his little daughter, wearing a twin Batman t-shirt :) Sweet!

The entrance to the museum costs 200b, and in full honesty, first I thought it was a bit overpriced. My expectation was that I would see the exhibition in just 10/15 minutes. How mistaken I was!

After paying the ticket, the owner led me to the upper floor of the museum and just explained me that I was free to roam around all the floors. I arrived at around 16:00 and the place closes at 17:00, so I went right at it. Funnily and a bit sadly, I was the only visitor at that time there. In that sense it gave me the privilege to chat a bit more here and there with the owner, who kindly explained me that he had dedicated 20 years of his life to gather that collection and that the Batman area was his favorite and most pampered, and the one he had put more effort into! He also kindly showed me some vintage figures of Batman when I asked him what were his favorite items, telling that they could cost around 2 million baht (more than 50 thousand euro).

So… what is there to see in the 3 stores of the museum, you might still be wondering… Well, pretty much fucking everything!!! The collection, comprising more than 60.000 pieces, is just breathtaking. I just hope that the photos that I add to the article make some kind of justice to the place, cause wherever you would look at, something amazing was displayed in front of your eyes: figures from Knights of the Zodiac, Star Wars, Kamen Rider, Marvel, Captain Tsubasa, Lego… the list goes on and on. Big and small, in all kind of shapes and colors, and everything displayed with taste, so even with the huge amount of items there, you could feel like it was easy to walk around every floor.

The Batman last floor, as the owner and director of the museum explained, was already a delight by itself. For a fan of retro-video games as myself, I casually spotted some jewels like the Batman Sunsoft for Megadrive or the Batman 2 for Famicom, among the other hundreds of incredible items.

I am a person who has traveled a bit and has had my share of displays of figures, toys and nerdie stuff. I have been in Japan, I have roamed the Mega Mall in Bangkok Chinatown… but still, this was like a dream I did not want to wake up from. Like getting a free VIP personal pass to Willy Wonka’s factory with all you can eat chocolate. I really could not refrained myself from exclaiming aloud in excitement and disbelief to the amazing stuff displayed there.

So… if you have some minimal interest in vintage toys, Japanese culture and manga, cinema… or if you have kids and they do like any of those things, just visit there! You will not regret my advice. I cannot believe that this place is not more popular and nobody talks about it in Bangkok social media groups. I was surprised, I was shocked and I was delighted that in some random Soi in Bangkok could be gathered such an incredible amount of gems. I have no idea how the owner was able to buy all that collection, which must cost a fortune all together, but I feel proud to have been able to experience a little fairytale during the hours I was roaming the place there, and surely I will bring friends there again.

As a final note, apart from the amazing display in the museum, at the end of the tour the building also has a small shop close to the cafe, where you can buy from a small but cosy selection of well priced figures and toys. I got myself a beautiful Batman Hot Wheels model as a small memorabilia token.

Batcat Museum & Toys FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/batcat.museum

Batcat Museum & Toys location:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/STMpw73ZbvmkTodc8

Interested in more Bangkok hidden gems? Check:

Bangkok Hidden Gem: Sam Sen Nai Philatelic Museum
10 Great tips for a date in Bangkok

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10 Great tips for a date in Bangkok

Bangkok, the vibrant and lively capital of Thailand, and probably one of the most touristic destinations in the world.

A paradise megacity of millions of inhabitants that get added to its population many more millions of tourists that pass through its 2 international airports every year. A city that offers entertainment and destinations for people with all kinds of tastes and motivations: from the never-ending party scene to beautiful parks, amazing temples, cozy cafes, and incredible shopping malls.

A city like Bangkok is of course buzzing also with single people wanting to mingle that meet in the streets or with the usual famous dating apps. Once you have established first contact and it is time for the real deal to meet face to face, the question arises: where to go?

Do not worry potential lovebirds, after more than 2 years living in Bangkok, I am here to make your life easier and give you a wide array of choices for a memorable first date that can be considered a success, and that does not necessarily break your wallet too much.

This list is my personal list, and it does not mean that there are hundreds of other great destinations for a memorable first date in Bangkok. But I have personally experienced every single one of the tips in the article, and I hope that can serve somebody as inspiration, not just for a date, but as well for just discovering new places.

  1. Barracuda rooftop Bar

Bangkok is full of amazing rooftop bars, big and small. Some of the most famous ones can be considered some of the most expensive bar destinations you can go in Bangkok, with cocktail prices that had nothing to be ashamed of when comparing to cool European or American bars. Those famous ones tend to be packed and can be quite difficult to find a table or a free reservation in advance. Therefore, I propose you Barracuda rooftop Bar, still with a good location in the center of the city, it is not so popular among visitors. It might not have the most stunning views and the most luxurious decoration, but the building entrance is classy, it tends not to be crowded, it has a nice small swimming pool to chill if you want to bring your swimsuit or bikinis, the prices are not inflated and it gives a charming private vibe to go for a date where you can chat relaxed, get to know, have intimacy all surrounded by a beautiful environment

Link here: https://g.co/kgs/nU5qYqe

  • Chatuchak Weekend Market

A destination very popular not just for a date in Bangkok but for any visitor stepping into the Thai capital.

If you are a person who likes discovering places more than a night party animal, this destination can make a wonderful first date. As the biggest street market in Bangkok, the offer of things in display is unbelievable, both in the market itself and in the surrounding malls. It makes a perfect destination for a weekend day where to observe what is offered in terms of handicraft, souvenirs, clothes, exotic animals, furniture…. Surely you will not run out of topics to talk about and get to know better the tastes of your companion when you are exposed to thousands of exotic animals or all kind of vintage and new items. Around the market there are also some small cozy cafes and bars where you can stop to have a bite or a cold drink

Link here: https://www.chatuchakmarket.org/

  • Cabbages & Condoms Restaurant

A unique restaurant where the main decoration theme all around is… condoms! This sets up the vibe for a first date, right? 

The place is totally worthy to see, and the decoration turns to be charming and beautiful in some of the restaurant areas. For sure it will provoke some giggles with your date when you explore around and then you can just enjoy some good food and drinks. Beware that prices are not so cheap compared to other restaurants in the center of Bangkok, as it has become known as a cult place to visit. But well, it is quite unique and certainly an original idea for a first date. Besides, when you end up having dinner, you can take for free some condoms offered in the desks there… so it might be a signal that things are proceeding well in the date and magic is not far from happening…

Link here: https://cabbagesandcondomsbkk.com/

  • Vivi the Coffee Place

Bangkok is full of cozy and beautiful cafes with a great selection of beverages for all tastes, but not many offer such a romantic location as Vivi the Coffee Place. With a small patio with a fountain where you can even see turtles swimming and a balcony with a direct frontal view to Wat Arun temple, this place offers a fantastic opportunity to enjoy a romantic sunset in good company. Besides, it is not on walking distant from other famous sightseeing locations like the Royal Palace Complex or the Flowers Market.

Beware that sometimes can be quite crowded, especially the best balcony seats in front of the river/temple, as it is a very hot “instagramable” spots for the young generations that enjoy taking 1 million selfies in 1 hour

Link here: https://www.facebook.com/vivithecoffeeplace/

  • King Rama IX Park

Although visitors tend to comment more about the noisy traffic and selection of bars and massage parlous that the Thai capital offers, Bangkok has a fantastic selection of green areas where you can go for long walks, relax, and observe amazing flora and fauna. Out of the most famous centrally located ones like Lumphini Park or Benjakitti Park, one of my favorite ones that I consider a bit of a hidden gem is King Rama IX Park.

Its location is a bit far from the center, but nothing that cannot be sorted out with a Grab Taxi for less than 300 baht from central Sukhumvit. Also, at the entrance you will have to pay a small 10-baht fee to access the park, but it is totally worthy, believe me.

You will encounter a magnificent green scenery inside, with a lot of interesting areas to explore inside the park: thematic small gardens like Japanese garden or English style garden, a huge lake in the center of the park, monitor lizards and turtles roaming around its channels, a lot of birds, a couple of huge green houses that host an amazing array of plants…  The park is huge, so be ready to spend a few hours marveling around.

A great destination to get to know a first date in a more relaxed environment, prepare a picnic on the grass or just walk for hours holding hands.

  • “Find The Locker Room” cocktail bar.

Bangkok is also not short of amazing cocktail bars, some of them will make you feel like you are in New York trying to discover some of their famous “hidden bars”.

In this category of (not so) hidden bar, it is worthy a visit to “Find the Locker Room” in Thonglor. Behind a door that resembles a locker from a gym, you will have 2 floors with tasty decoration and amazing selection of cocktails that will turn your night date into a fun shared adventure, both for the experience to find the place and then to taste the amazing cocktails they prepare.

The service when I have been there is very kind and attentive, but beware that is not a cheap price for Bangkok average pricing, so have your wallet ready.

As an extra tip, not far from there on the other side of Thonglor main street, you can continue the night in another of my favorite cocktail bars in the city: “The Rabbit Hole”.  Another one with great selection of cocktails and intimate environment to create some special bonding with your date.

Link here: https://www.instagram.com/findthelockerroom.bkk/

  • The marble temple: Wat Benchamabophit

Bangkok has hundreds of temples so it would be impossible to recommend just one to visit. But if you are looking for one that is beautiful, not so massified by hordes of visitors and has beautiful romantic gardens around to go for a stroll, I would undoubtedly point for a visit to The Marble Temple.

The temple itself is not very big once you enter, but one of the most beautiful ones you can see in Bangkok. If I remember correctly foreigners must pay a small fee entrance, but that might depend on the mood of the staff/security people around. After you have visited the main patio of the temple and marveled with its architecture and the statues around, it is time to have some well-deserved ice coffee and go for a stroll in the well-maintained garden around, with a picturesque channel crossing them.

A charming destination where you do not need to spend many hours, but that surely will delight you and your date before continuing the day in some other location.

Link here: https://www.facebook.com/watbencham/

  • Tuba bar

Another interesting bar between Thonglor and Ekkamai area. Tuba bar has a very special “kitsch” decoration all over the walls and on the tables, a great selection of local Thai craft beers and an adjacent weed dispensary for those who want to stimulate their brains with the “good green stuff” (remember that cannabis sales are legal in Thailand right now).

A great place to bring a date for first time, for sure not a boring environment!

Link here: https://linktr.ee/Tubabkk

  • Night train market Srinagarindra

Another “semi-hidden gem” of Bangkok is this amazing night market. You can see some foreigners roaming around, but the crowd is mostly composed of local Thai people. A huge area where you can find cozy bars with live music, shops, handicrafts, seafood restaurants and a lot of vintages and secondhand clothing.

I have purchased there in the last years amazing music vinyl, old Super Famicom cartridges and awesome t-shirts and manga figures for an excellent price. But also, beware that shops tend to change and close quickly in Thailand, so sometimes can happen that the place where you buy something a few months before is never to be found again a few months later.

The atmosphere is very chilled, some areas have a hippie vibe, and some areas have some rock music blasting from small speakers, but in general is a great location to explore, where you can see from amazing vintage American cars to cool motorbikes to souvenirs to be purchased for dirt cheap prices. And when you feel tired, the offer to chill with some good drinks/food is amazing. Totally recommended place to have a great first date experience in Bangkok!

  1. Iron balls cocktail bar

One last tip if you want to go to enjoy a fancy drink at night in Bangkok. Iron Balls cocktail bar offers a fantastic “steam punk” asthetics decoration and delicious cocktails where you can start or end the night. As many of the cool fancy cocktail bars around Asoke, Phrong Phong, Thonglor and Ekkamai areas, its prices are not cheap, but it sets you on a great fantastic vibe for the rest of the night to be a huge success. Visit it if you have the chance!

Besides, the name of the place is an open invitation for naughty jokes, right? 

Link here: https://linktr.ee/ironballs.theparlour

Interested in more Bangkok hidden gems? Check:

Bangkok hidden gem: Batcat Museum & Toys
Bangkok Hidden Gem: Sam Sen Nai Philatelic Museum

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My 20 favorite movie scenes

Oh cinema! The art that has given us so many hours of entertainment, the pleasure to feel emotions through the screen and cry, laugh and empathize with the characters!
These are my personal 20 favorite and most memorable movie scenes, in no particular ranking order, that are kept in my mind as unforgettable ones. Share in comments which ones are yours! Do you share any of these ones or what others are your personal favorite ones?

20. Final shooting in “Road to Perdition”

Tom Hank‘s performance, the amazing picture of the scene under the rain, Paul Newman’s final words… I get goosebumps every time I see this one:

19. Jesus can roll in “The Big Lebowski”

The man, the legend, the… Jesus! What a scene in slow motion from one of the most iconic John Turturro‘s character!

18. The chicken scene in “Schindlers List”

So many memorable scenes in this movie that is difficult to choose just one, but my pick will go to this one, where the brutality of war, the irony and the intelligence to survive are masterfully combined:

17. Something forgotten it is in your beer, in “Memento”

What a fabulous script and what a direction by Christopher Nolan, and what great performances by Guy Pierce and Carrie Ann-Moss! But be careful what you drink, buddy!

16. Omaha beach scene in “Saving Private Ryan”

Probably the most realistic, shocking and brutal war scene ever filmed in cinema history by the genius Spielberg:

15. Tears in the rain – “Blade Runner”

Ruger Hauer delivering one of the most iconic monologues in the history of cinema to Harrison Ford, you cannot ask much more than this…


14. The gang is united till the end in “Toy Story 3“

There is no way I can see this scene without some tear escaping my eyes. A gang of animated toys showed us what unconditional friendship is about:

13. What a loving relationship is about in “Up”

We are not done with animation movies that shred a tear. This next one could go as the best ever scene made in any animation movie in history. What a mix of beautiness and sadness the masterminds of Pixar delivered at the start of “Up” movie:

12. The grief of Don Corleone in “The Godfather”

Marlon Brando‘s interpretation of Vito Corleone will go down the cinema history. Here you can see why, in this amazing scene of his grief from a lost killed son:

11. Pen scene in “Casino”

How can you be the smallest and at the same time the scariest guy in a room? Well, ask Danny DeVito about it and he will kindly explain it to you writing it carefully with a pen on you skin…


10. Shootout in “Miller’s Crossing”

We started our list with Tom Hank‘s handling the machine gun like a ghost of death, but has the song of death from a Thompson ever been displayed more beautifully as in this historical scene?

9. Bank robbery shootout in “Heat”

And if we have to remember another memorable scene of shootouts, here is this one from Heat, probably no shootout scene in cinema history has ever had the most realistic, defying and shocking sound as this one:

8. Laser sable fight in “The Phantom Menace”

As a die hard Star Wars fan, I could have completed the list with iconic moments from the saga, but here is my favorite one, something we had never seen before, 2 Jedi masters versus a Sith holding 2 sable swords… the choreography, the music, the epic of the encounter…


7. A final surprise in “Usual Suspects”

This one could very well be considered the most epic twist in the history of recent cinema. What a cherry on top of the cream for such an epic movie and such an epic cast!

6. Nobody puts Baby in the Corner in “Dirty Dancing”

Summer is gone, love seems lost… until Patrick Swayze enters the room and delivers one last epic dance. Brings you back to those times that were the times of your life…

5. The real William Munny shows up in “Unforgiven”

What a powerful performance by Clint Eastwood here. When the old killing machine wakes up on revenge of his old friend, they get to know whom they are messing around:

4. To read about life is not the same as living life in “Good Will Hunting”

I recently spent 10 days at hospital while my Dad was slowly abandoning this world, so it is difficult for me not to cry with this masterful speech by Robin Williams “…because the doctors could see in your eyes that the terms “visiting hours” don’t apply to you…” What a scene!


3. Balrog vs Gandalf in “Lord of the Rings”

Because we all need a friend like Gandalf when the most terrifying creature in Middle Earth decides to wipe us on a bridge. A scene that captures the essence of the book masterfully!


2. Opera to give hope in “Shawshank Redemption”

Shawshank Redemption is my favorite movie ever. A Masterpiece from start to finish. Here is my favorite scene from the movie, a little jewel full of defiance, beauty and hope:

1.Final Scene in “The last of the Mohicans”

This scene compresses to me what cinema is about. Impossible not to be touched by the display of emotions here: the tremendous and powerful music, the sacrifice, the fight, the love… These are minutes of pure CINEMA.






Glasgow Elite Men Road Cycling World Championship 2023 – The best classic of the year?

2023 is a year that has given again outstanding performances in this “golden” age that we are lucky to experience nowadays: The victories of Van der Poel in Milan-San Remo or Paris Roubaix, Evenepoel‘s exhibitions in Liege-Bastogne-Liege or San Sebastian Classic, Pogacar epic win in Tour de Flandes and his epic battles with Vingegaard in Tour de France, Roglic winning in the last time trial the Giro de Italia against the combative old lion Geraint Thomas… and on and on.

But oh, what we were able to see in Glasgow a few days ago was, maybe, the best classic one single race of the year 2023 and one that will be in the memory of cycling fans for years to come (I only remember enjoying a World Championship so much many years ago, the WC in Colombia, with Olano, Indurain and Pantani in the podium after a grueling and super exciting mountain course).

We leave you here the video if you want to watch again this historical event, and we give you some of the analysis of the race:

  1. The course
    It was criticized by many fans and riders alike, but in the end you have to give to the organization that the course track was perfect for entertaining. With no long climbing, but with explosive obstacles disseminated in a very technical circuit with a lot of turns left and right, this race looked almost like a cyclocross race on asphalt. Positioning was the key if riders wanted to have a chance to win in the end, cause recovering positions was really really complicated.
  2. The riders’ attitude
    It is an old saying in professional cycling that the hard a day race is depends more on the riders than on the course itself. Here in Glasgow we saw fireworks from the favorites from… 150 kms to the finish line! Alaphilippe attacking, strong teams like Denmark or Italy trying to break hostilities from the first laps in the circuit, attacks from big names like Van der Poel, Evenepoel, Pogacar, Pedersen with 100 kilometers to go… it was a marvellous madness of a race in an age where so many times spectator has to wait to the last kilometers to see some action happening.
  3. Italy is always there
    They might not have always the strongest riders, although Trentin (sadly out cause of a crash) or Bettiol were serious contenders, but you cannot deny their compromise and their attitude as a team. They attacked when needed to attack, they worked great as a formation and Bettiol’s sneaky attack was just one lap away from giving him the victory.
    The same cannot be said of other teams like Spain, pretty much disappeared without options most of the race, or even the great favourites, Belgium itself, where the team seemed fractured most of the race between defending the interests of Wout van Aert and Evenepoel trying to win his second WC in a row.

    4. The big names do not disappoint

    Van der Poel: He has shown in 2023 that he is probably the strongers classic races rider in the world nowadays. He has learnt how not to waste too much energy through the race and improved tactically to the point that the spots where he launches the final attacks are perfect. And of course, all that backed up with the incredible explosive power that his legs are able to carry. He was the strongest rider of the day, and not even a crash in the final kilometers could deprive him of a well deserved victory

    Pogacar: If you like professional cycling, you have to like Tadej Pogacar. A man not afraid to compete and give everything both in 3 weeks races or in the most demanding classics of the year. To his disadvantage, he had to spend too much energy reacting to attacks way too far from the finish line, and in the last 2 laps he recognized that he was already suffering. But in any case, it is always a big show to see him race and attack. He does not leave anything left in his tank, and the bronze medal is a more than fair reward to his attitude and talent.

    Wout van Aert: Again another silver medal for his collection. And again the feeling for many fans that, even when Van Aert is one of the biggest cycling talents arousing in the last years, he is wasting too many good chances to achieve more remarkable victories year after year. In Paris Roubais was an unfortunate puncture at the end of the last pave section. Today he just lacked the legs to follow Van der Poel in his decisive attack. For many other riders, a silver would be a fantastic result, but for Van Aert, the bittersweet feeling of another great chance missed is there. We hope that some day we can see him wearing the rainbow jersey. His talent deserves it.

    Evenepoel: it is true that with such a technical track, Evenepoel did not have it easy to repeat victory in Glasgow. But from the favorites, his performance was certainly the most surprising. He got himself cut several times from the lead bunch due to bad positioning, then when it seemed like he did not have the legs, he performed a couple of strong attacks, and then again he got cut and gave up on pursuing… For much that he is one of the most talented riders out there, explosive, maybe the best time-trial specialist in the world, and a pleasure to see him attacking faraway, he should improve still a lot on his mental focus if he wants to be a consistent winners against the strongest opponents out there.

Ho Chi Minh – Travel tips and hidden gems of Saigon

Sadly, during the last 3 years living in Singapore and Bangkok, I could not fulfill the dream of most expats in South East Asia: to travel around the region. Luckily, now that restrictions have eased up and traveling has reignited (although flight prices are in general more outrageously higher than what they used to be in the pre Covid era), it was time for my first visit to Vietnam. Destination: Ho Chi Minh, a pearl to discover the essence of Saigon.

It is advisable that depending on your nationality, you check if there is the need to apply for a visa before your flight. Vietnam allows visa free entry to some nationalities and some others not. In my particular case, being Spaniard, we are allowed a stay of no longer than 15 days for tourism with no need of applying and paying for any special visa.

Preparations for the trip

For flights, I tend to use Skycanner search engine and for hotels, booking.com. Hotels in Saigon go in a wide array of price ranges, but you can get a nice one with a good location relatively cheap if you pay attention. I always like reading the reviews of previous users, especially filtering by the recent ones, to have a clear idea of the place I am getting into.

My choice of stay was Singita Saigon Boutique Hotel, located in district 1. Nothing luxurious but clean and tidy, with friendly hotel staff and in a very easy location that allowed me to go walking to many of the sightseeing main spots quite easily. Besides, on my last day, as my flight back to Bangkok was late in the evening, paying a small extra fee, they allowed me to stay until the evening in the hotel room. Even if you do not want to do that, they still offer the chance to take a shower when you want to refresh before going to the airport, so extra kudos for the kindness to them!

Arriving in the city

The international airport of Tan Son Nhat is not far from the city center. Expect some traffic, but in any case, if your place of stay is located in any of the central districts, you should arrive at your destination in 30 minutes or less.

I pre booked a taxi so they would pick me up more comfortably as my arrival time was a bit late in the evening, but if you are tight on budget, you can also order a Grab Taxi from the airport and it will be a cheaper option. In general, I advise you to install Grab app. as you can easily use it in many cities in South East Asia (although it is true that in Bangkok the prices have been raising in the last year). Still, in Ho Chi Minh, most of my rides, when a destination was far away to walk to, were costing 5 euro or less. Quite a bargain, especially if you share the cost with travel partners.

I also recommend doing a bit of investigation when you arrive in the new city and have some spots listed that you want to visit during the next few days. I stayed a total of 4 days in Ho Chi Min, and had more than enough time to see the main highlighted spots that I wanted to see.

Things to see:

  • Cafes

If you are a coffee lover, you are really gonna love Saigon. There are so many cafes and restaurants around, and the Vietnamese there really seem to love the coffee culture, always accompanied by delicious cakes and snacks. When I arrive in a new city, I love walking around and then resting and having a good coffee when I feel a bit tired after a long stroll. The city center is perfect for this. Some nice places I visited during my stay that I recommend:

La Viet Coffee Saigon

https://goo.gl/maps/wm5pdUJtKqsfAaPKA?coh=178571&entry=tt

Charming cafe with free wifi and nice sandwiches. I visited there on my way to Xa Loi Temple and enjoyed sitting on its terrace. Nice variety of cold and hot coffees, and you could see a big crowd of IT nomads around there.

Paris Baguette

https://goo.gl/maps/wm5pdUJtKqsfAaPKA?coh=178571&entry=tt

Big cafe with a nice cozy terrace on the upper floor. Big selection of bakery to enjoy while having your caffeine dose.

  • Churches

Cha Tam Church

Beautiful yellow church. When I visited it was very quiet so pretty much entering inside, I had all the church for myself. Worthy to see

https://goo.gl/maps/xByShGGSqCM173jh8?coh=178571&entry=tt

Tao Dinh Church

Absolutely beautiful pink colored church. The bad side is that it was closed when I tried to visit, so my only chance was to snap a few pictures from outside.

https://goo.gl/maps/d5CfzDt3x58NNeDY8?coh=178571&entry=tt

Notre-Dame de Saigon Cathedral

Nice to walk around, but currently it was undergoing renovations so it did not look so spectacular from outside. In any case, nice to visit as then you can also see nearby the bookshops street and the old Post Office

https://goo.gl/maps/6nbYoX9K6kEod2vd7?coh=178571&entry=tt

  • Temples

Ten thousand Buddha Pagoda

One of the hidden gems in the city and I absolutely loved visiting it here. When you face the building, it looks almost like a normal housing building, but when you enter, the more you climb the stairs, the nicer the temple looks, with a gorgeous last floor that could serve as a background for a videogame scene. Do not miss this one!

https://goo.gl/maps/6eDAkj6ATKzJR3RQ9?coh=178571&entry=tt

Giac Lam Buddhist temple

Apart from the beautiful main pagoda, the complex allows you to visit different temples with a lot of charm and nice statues. Another must see if you visit Saigon!

https://goo.gl/maps/7NcE678sc2FkLFwE8?coh=178571&entry=tt

  • Museums

War Remnants Museum

It displays outside its main building a nice collection of war machines from the Vietnam War era: planes, tanks, motorboats. Inside the exhibitions are really interesting, but beware that they are not for sensitive stomachs, many of the photos displaying death, torture and the cruelty of the war can cause a deep impression in your mind. And obviously, the whole tone of the museum is clearly very Anti American. Very interesting to see, but think if you are ready mentally for the content displayed inside, cause it can sour your day.

https://goo.gl/maps/5GjVveAfzMHWCMAi8?coh=178571&entry=tt

Ho Chih Minh City Museum

Very interesting displays about the city history inside, and you also have a small collection of war machines in the gardens outside. It seems to be a favorite place for the young local ladies to snap millions of photos and selfies of themselves, which can be slightly annoying when you want to see the exhibitions in peace, but still recommended and easy to access in the city center.

https://goo.gl/maps/259h7Eot6dgiWxCx5?coh=178571&entry=tt

Reunification Palace

I put this one in the Museum category as it is pretty much the function that remains nowadays of the old Government Palace. Very picturesque garden outside, with some old war tanks displayed in the gardens, and interesting halls inside.

https://goo.gl/maps/5GjVveAfzMHWCMAi8?coh=178571&entry=tt

Shopping souvenirs

You can buy a lot of small souvenirs around for a decent price, bargaining a bit is recommended as they will try to give you the tourist price. I especially liked buying some presents at the Saigon Kitch shop. It had many interesting items mixing the Vietnamese flavor with Western popular culture characters.

https://goo.gl/maps/jiuUW5VYvqTxRfCs9?coh=178571&entry=tt

Nightlife and Dating

I really did not go out so much during the night, as my goal was more to visit the city during the daytime. However I discovered a very cool cocktail bar with a very friendly waiter and delicious cocktails that I consider another hidden gem in the city:

Nightcap Saigon – Cocktail Bar

https://goo.gl/maps/QekvukVvcHD5p4wK6?coh=178571&entry=tt

If you are a single male looking for some dating and female company, be aware of your surroundings. Many girls look gorgeous, but a big majority will be freelancers trying to get your money. The same applies if you use dating apps like Tinder, a lot of freelancers or girls who have some “professional” intentions like serving you as tourist guide. So pay attention and filter very well before meeting anybody.

When Finns exceptionally scream

Defining Finns as maybe the most socially awkward society in Europe would certainly be not very far from reality. Known for their introverted and shy behavior, one also has to love them after time spent among them when discovering their honesty, transparency and straightforwardness.

Although in many situations, being surrounded by Finns could resemble the attendance to a funeral due to the absolute silence around, legend says that people heard Finns screaming in exceptional situations such as:

1. When someone leaves the sauna door open.
2. When Finland wins the Hockey World Championship.
3. When Finland loses against Sweden in the Hockey World Championship.
4.When reindeers block the road
5.When at any concert of any band, someone asks to play “Paranoid” (including even in a Black Sabbath concert)
6.When you are the co-pilot of a rally car and a stone goes up your ass.
7.At a night bus at 4:00 a.m. returning home from a bar.
8.Belonging to the Choir of Screaming Men of Oulu.