Hotel-Iroha Kyoto

... listata maailman hienoimpien junareittien listalle...

Takaisin Osakassa oltiin viimein kello 20.30 aikoihin ja käytiin vielä nopeasti pyörähtämässä Osakan-aseman lähellä olevissa valtavissa kaupoissa, etsimässä hiukan kaikenlaista tavaraa jatkoa varten. Nyt on pakko alkaa latautua jo tulevaan...

Jaahas ja tästä alkaa nyt todellinen humuviikonloppu! Tiedossa on kolme päivää silkkaa juhlaa, joten päivityksissä saattaa esiintyä pieniä viivästyksiä... :-)

... noin 10 minuuttia, eikä siinä ehtinyt kuin lyödä ahterinsa penkkiin ja avata teejuoman, niin oltiinkin jo perillä! Shin-Koben asemalta lähdettiin kävelemään (tietysti taas) kohti Kobe Lumierea ja löydettiinkin paikka parin kilometrin talsimisen jälkeen.

Ja kannatti kyllä kävellä, koska tosi komea oli tämä Lumiere ja aivan mielettömästi oli tullut ihmisiä sitä katsomaan. Valoista oli tehty ikään kuin kirkon seinät ja massiivista kirkkomusiikkia raikui ...

Today we spent the morning to touring around Kyoto before catching our train back to Tokyo. We stopped to visit the Nijo Castle which was originally bulit in 1603 as the official home of the first Tokugawa Shogun. Although it didn't have the beautiful gardens like the temples it was still a very interesting place. It even had a moat like European castles. We then went to see the Kyoto Imperial Palace. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to go ...

... countries simply sharing their sympathy with the people of Nagasaki. It was a very emotional morning for all of us, visiting the hypocenter, learning about the bombing at the museum, and then moving on to the peace park. After spending our entire morning at the A-bomb memorials, we only had time for lunch before catching our train back to Kobe. So we stopped by a restaurant recommended by our hostel to try the champon (the delicious local delicacy, a seafood soup of sorts ...

... dinner I had a katsu curry!!! But it wasnt anything like Wagamamas, though still tasty. The curry was beef?!

On the 3rd day we took a day trip to Nara, 45 mins from Kyoto. This area has a nice park full of very tame deer, and another giant buddha- this one is the biggest in Japan. So we visited the temple with the buddha then sat and watched the deer chasing people for food. We wandered through some of the side ...

... an absolute Not to be Missed was arranged to be served in our room by 1900hrs. Most mid ranged and onwards Ryokan bookings will come inclusive of breakfast and the traditional sumptous dinner thus the rates were higher than ordinary Hotels and based on per person per night. For the rate we paid at our Ryokan, we could easily check into a Westin or St Regis. Manz.. but as they all say, once you stayed ...

... Buddha statue or 'Daibutsu', and I don't know how big it is, but it must extend over a few stories. Its magical, because no one dares say a word because you don't feel worthy, so the silence somehow makes it seem bigger.

We were also treated to something rather special while we were in Nara. We were there for Setsuban, which is the day of celebration before the first day of each season. But, traditionally it refers to the Spring Setsuban, celebrated on February 3rd ...

... and bijou. F!*% Off Danvers, leave that computer alone................ Right then, it is back to me now - some portly squat non-Englishman hijacked the laptop! Temples, temples and more temples has been the order of the day. We started at the Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) Temple after a short taxi ride out of town. Not worth the hassle (or potential blisters) walking since the taxis are less than the price of a ...

... him that moment and he almost made me shed tears. I didn't talk to him and I went to the lady's room alone and think that he was really really a jerk!! We left Kiyomizu-dera Temple and going down the hill and heading to the bus stop. He bought me a present and he thought that was the good way to express his apology. Though I was smiling but that moment I was still feeling bad!! Why had him complaint me about ...

Today, I went with a friend to Kitano Tenmangu Shrine's famous Baikaisai, or Plum (Ume) Blossom Festival. We also got to drink tea (I think it was plum blossom tea) and eat a Japanese sweet while enjoying the beautiful plum blossoms. When I first saw a plum blossom this season, I thought it was a cherry blossom, but I found out they are different. They begin blooming in ...