Took a day trip to Kyoto today for a little walk around. It's really a location you'd have to spend more than one day in to see a lot of things. Probably best to stay in Kyoto too. Though it is only a short 30-45 minute ride, it's still better to have that time go for something while you're already there.
First was Nijo castle. The grounds here were very nice and inside the shoguns home there were many wall paintings that were interesting to see. The scenery depicted and style used was considerably different from anywhere else in the world I've been. Also, there is
uguisubari
or nightingale flooring in the main house which was pretty awesome. Essentially it's floors designed to make noise and squeak when walked upon. Gotta stop the ninjas from getting you, y'know. I was fairly successful in avoiding making noise. Would have been a fun game to play if: 1 - I had someone to play it with. 2 - You could roam anywhere you wanted. I really wanted to test it out more but it's hard to when there's lots of elephants walking behind you making noise.
Left the Nijo castle and started walking to the Imperial Palace. Saw this fun little shop for food along the way and had to stop. I remember getting ebi-ten-don (if i recall correctly) from Tan popo before it became Takara sushi (also before I really tried sushi) and loved it. This too, was good! I like rice bowls. Pork is just as good as shrimp too.
You ordered using a ticket machine. Which is like a vending machine for food, though it only prints you a ticket that you then give to the workers who bring the food. It's a handy little system. Some people from Australia came in and sat down. Elderly couple with their daughter, her husband and their two kids. They had somehow bypassed the whole ticket = meal thing. After it became very clear they had no idea what was going on I jumped in and helped them out. They did eventually get their meal!
After that I made it to the Imperial Palace and wished I'd remembered that you have to apply to enter the palace! Stupid me. Fortunately the grounds are very beautiful and it was pretty open as it's a cloudy, rainy, windy day. The rain was off and on and nothing like Nagasaki thankfully. Getting that wet would have been bad.
With the wind going so strong there were a bunch of
Sakura-fubuki (cherry flowers dancing in the wind - Thanks Mrs. N for that knowledge!). I have no idea if these images captured it. I have quite a few. But again.. I can't tell much detail with what pictures I choose.
Next was on to Fushimi Inari Shrine. Where there's thousands of torii gates. Literally! One particular path that I went on has 1,000 by itself. It was a nice place and very pretty. Also goes up into the mountains and if you've been keeping up with my travel. I like mountains!
Except perhaps when I'm running short on time, on a bike, and at the bottom of said mountain.
One problem in the lower section where all the lazy people stay is that you're going to get tons of people in your shot. I don't know if you've noticed, but I try to get people out of my shots! However, I wanted this one in it. I helped the couple that was taking this shot by blocking the path so nobody would get in the way and when I asked if I could take a shot they said ok. Victory (I really wanted a shot like this)!
As you go up the mountain it becomes a lot easier to find spots with nobody around.
I think cats are ok to have in your pictures.
The style of koma-inu here is much different than other places I've seen. Koma-inu are present at every entrance to the shrines and throughout. Thanks again Mrs. N for educating me on that!
I think there was a festival coming. From all the decorations and things it sure looked like it anyways.
And now dinner. I met a nice couple who helped me translate the menu a bit as there were no pictures inside or something I could point to outside. I knew what it was inside but wouldn't have been able to order. I talked with a businessman a little bit using my bad Japanese and his small knowledge of English as best we could. And afterwards sat and talked with the couple for a while. They had bought me a beer but being a diabetic I don't drink. Felt kind of bad as it was a very kind offer. They were very cool. Was fun to talk with them!
The white part is actually egg. Never had anything like that before!
I stopped on a shop on the way home and saw these. So yes, I had to get them. Fruit and veggie fruit snacks! Look at me being all healthy.
They were actually pretty good.
Tomorrow I'll meet and hang out with Mrs. N and Mr. K. Been looking forward to this for a long time! I'll spend Saturday and Sunday with them and it should be a whole lot of fun. I'll do my best to update at least a little each night but no guarantees.