Greetings from Kyoto,
Just watching a fascinating doc on on the building of the Shinkansen.
Yesterday the Travel Gods might have laid low dreaming up some more spanner tossing, but the Weather Gods were front and centre. According to the news the area received over 299 mm ( that's over 12 inches in the old) in the 24 hour period- Friday/Saturday So I was a bit loth to venture out while it was still bucketing down. I watched a bit of terebi (TV)and then finally went for something I don't often do- went for a local wander.
Walked up to Kyoto Station then along the Main Street in front of the station to the side street where the first ryokan I stayed at a few years ago. It's still there of course.
Then in true round trip fashion I made my way along side streets to AEON Mall and had a squizz at the shops. Shopping malls here are a treat. Always something of interest and the shop names are priceless. The big wish would be being able to afford the shoes. They are without doubt the most stylish imaginable and seem to be $200 plus. No room in the luggage anyway. Back via Family Mart for provisions.
This morning I thought lets go to Shoren-in. I had printed off a guide but I had forgotten the main reason for wanting to go there( or at least it's "satellite" site- Seiryuden where a Japanese artist has built a glass teahouse where the tea ceremony is performed. Unfortunately not today. There was an article on the wall at Shoren-in talking about it and I very brazenly hijacked a lady guide who was being paid to take a family around to quickly confirm that indeed the teahouse is at Seiryuden and that there is a shuttle bus which runs from the car park. The car park man laughed out loud "hasn't run since Dec 25 last year" he chortled. He said you could walk, take a taxi or his car. I said " let's use your car" and we both laughed heartily. He gave me a map and said it should take about 30 minutes. Those are Japanese walker minutes and I was just glad I hadn't attempted it earlier as the hill would have literally been a river of water, mud, etc.
I got ther in about 45 mins and was pretty proud of myself. The teahouse is stunning and the most amazing thing was the benches around it to sit and contemplate the structure are made of glass as well and even though it wasn't blazing sun it was at least 30+ degrees and yet the benches were cool. Astounding.
The gardens were as usual gorgeous. It is reall something seeing these gardens covered in moss and all the trees, especially the maples in full leaf.
I felt that I had done pretty well to walk up the hill and didn't need the glory of falling down. So I did something I haven't done before and may never do again. I took a taxi. The man at the ticket booth orders it for you and I got the description of gaijin in a blue tshirt as how to identify me. Cost ¥1150- about $11:50 and dropped me off at the station (Hisashiyama on the Tozei line). Where I had started from in the morning.
One other quite amazing thing. When I got to the station on the wat to Shoren-in there were posters everywhere adverting an exhibition of paintings from The Louvre but another poster caught my eye a Magritte. I thought u can bet bottom dollar here it has just finished or starts next week. None of that it was ON so I made a detour to the Kyoto Municipal Art Gallery for an exhibition of 130 Magritte paintings. Trust the Japanese to get surrealism. Well worth ¥1400. After the exhibition I stopped off at 7/11 for onigiri where they had set up seating in the car park and doing a roaring trade. 7/11 is the best konbini and as much as I love Family Mart, wish there was one close by.
Tomorrow I will go and book for a Japanese only one hour guided tour of the Sento Imperial Palace which is in the grounds of the Imperial Palace and probably have a look at Nishiki Market and the Mikoshi at Teramachi.
Til Tuesday,
Lotsalove,
Tim
Just watching a fascinating doc on on the building of the Shinkansen.
Yesterday the Travel Gods might have laid low dreaming up some more spanner tossing, but the Weather Gods were front and centre. According to the news the area received over 299 mm ( that's over 12 inches in the old) in the 24 hour period- Friday/Saturday So I was a bit loth to venture out while it was still bucketing down. I watched a bit of terebi (TV)and then finally went for something I don't often do- went for a local wander.
Walked up to Kyoto Station then along the Main Street in front of the station to the side street where the first ryokan I stayed at a few years ago. It's still there of course.
Then in true round trip fashion I made my way along side streets to AEON Mall and had a squizz at the shops. Shopping malls here are a treat. Always something of interest and the shop names are priceless. The big wish would be being able to afford the shoes. They are without doubt the most stylish imaginable and seem to be $200 plus. No room in the luggage anyway. Back via Family Mart for provisions.
This morning I thought lets go to Shoren-in. I had printed off a guide but I had forgotten the main reason for wanting to go there( or at least it's "satellite" site- Seiryuden where a Japanese artist has built a glass teahouse where the tea ceremony is performed. Unfortunately not today. There was an article on the wall at Shoren-in talking about it and I very brazenly hijacked a lady guide who was being paid to take a family around to quickly confirm that indeed the teahouse is at Seiryuden and that there is a shuttle bus which runs from the car park. The car park man laughed out loud "hasn't run since Dec 25 last year" he chortled. He said you could walk, take a taxi or his car. I said " let's use your car" and we both laughed heartily. He gave me a map and said it should take about 30 minutes. Those are Japanese walker minutes and I was just glad I hadn't attempted it earlier as the hill would have literally been a river of water, mud, etc.
I got ther in about 45 mins and was pretty proud of myself. The teahouse is stunning and the most amazing thing was the benches around it to sit and contemplate the structure are made of glass as well and even though it wasn't blazing sun it was at least 30+ degrees and yet the benches were cool. Astounding.
The gardens were as usual gorgeous. It is reall something seeing these gardens covered in moss and all the trees, especially the maples in full leaf.
I felt that I had done pretty well to walk up the hill and didn't need the glory of falling down. So I did something I haven't done before and may never do again. I took a taxi. The man at the ticket booth orders it for you and I got the description of gaijin in a blue tshirt as how to identify me. Cost ¥1150- about $11:50 and dropped me off at the station (Hisashiyama on the Tozei line). Where I had started from in the morning.
One other quite amazing thing. When I got to the station on the wat to Shoren-in there were posters everywhere adverting an exhibition of paintings from The Louvre but another poster caught my eye a Magritte. I thought u can bet bottom dollar here it has just finished or starts next week. None of that it was ON so I made a detour to the Kyoto Municipal Art Gallery for an exhibition of 130 Magritte paintings. Trust the Japanese to get surrealism. Well worth ¥1400. After the exhibition I stopped off at 7/11 for onigiri where they had set up seating in the car park and doing a roaring trade. 7/11 is the best konbini and as much as I love Family Mart, wish there was one close by.
Tomorrow I will go and book for a Japanese only one hour guided tour of the Sento Imperial Palace which is in the grounds of the Imperial Palace and probably have a look at Nishiki Market and the Mikoshi at Teramachi.
Til Tuesday,
Lotsalove,
Tim
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