Return from Kyoto!

Wow!

I have just returned (about 2 hours ago) from Kyoto after a 3 day trip to Japan's cultural heart. And boy was it hot! Well, I am not gonna moan about the weather but I will say that it was 35 + each day with at least 65% humidity, so I got my sweat on pretty easily and good job I packed at least 2 t-shirts a day!

Anyway, Kyoto is a beautiful, yet busy city where these huge cultural and spirtual buildings seem to just nestle away amongst the houses. The photo of the Higashi-Honganji temple was right across the street from where I stayed. Speaking of which this was a lovely little place, which was only 5 minutes away from the station (and brilliant bus terminal, where you can catch a bus to anywhere in Kyoto) and run by these two old ladies who spoke no English. However I muddled through in Japanese and had a really good time there. For only 4,000 yen a night (or 20 quid) you can't really go wrong.

As for the photo's of Kyoto, and my experiences, I will divide these up over the coming entries, so please stick with me, if things seem slow or go up a little late...

JOURNEY TO KYOTO

Bags packed I cycled down to Saijo station to board a train for Hiroshima. Now this is in the opposite direction to Kyoto, but I realised that if I wanted to get to Kyoto in under 2 hours I should take the Nozomi Shinkansen. The Nozomi is the fasted followed by the Kodama and Hikari, but it's also the most expensive and I payed out 20,000 yen (100 pounds) for a return ticket.

At Hiroshima station I was prepared to use my pigeon Japanese on the young lady that served me only to be disappointed when she spoke nearly perfect English...Damn it! This is Japan, just speak Japanese....

On my journey to Kyoto I was asked to move by the conductor. Now you have to realise how ridiculous this was to me. I had a reserved seat, and managed to find the right car, where only 4 other people were sat (in about 70 seats). I was in the wrong seat and had to move 2 rows forward to another empty seat. I don't know what it is about the Japanese and this structured seating thing (see my post on cinema), but it's kind of laughable, yet at the same time very honest.

Kyoto

When I arrived it was pissing it down. So, being a good old Brit (PIP PIP), I unruffled my rain coat and purchased an umbrella. As I prepared myself to brave this storm IT STOPPED. Yay! I thought to myself, at least it won't rain...(and how I wished it had).

Kyoto is a beautiful city, and I dont just mean the architecture. Every other girl in Kyoto was attractive...mmm, perhaps I should transfer to Kyoto....

Finding my Ryokan was no problem either. It was a small, unimpressive looking building along a street of other Ryokans. However the lady who owned the place was cool, my room was small, neat and had air conditioning, and I had my own traditional Japanese bath robe....he he he Karate Kid fantasy come true....