I had heard so much about Kyoto that ai was glad we set aside 8 days to visit. It truly is a marvelous city, but arriving at the station you are blown away by the 12 story structure of steel and glass. Not just a rail and bus station, it's flanked by a huge hotel one side and a department store the other. Top floors are all restaurants, looking out over the downtown area, a huge variety of food, especially superb fish and seafood. We ate in the station one night and found succulent black cod on the menu.
Our nice little 30 room ryokan was near the station, close to two temples and a nice park, which we never really had time to investigate fully. But walking distance to tons of restaurants too. We had a western room, i.e. Two single beds, so didn't have to sleep on the floor and pack our beds away.
We eventually got the hang of the bus and subway systems but spent too much time on wrong buses getting to the outskirts of the city sometimes.
There are so many beautiful temples and especially gardens here, shogun palaces, fortresses, gold leaf wall paintings galore. And of course, its famous for its geisha district, where I bagged 4 one afternoon - but you ahve to have your camera at the ready as they swoop from one appointment to another on the old street. They do performances for tourists now, a thing unheard of in the past when you spent vast sums of money to have them entertain you.
One of the interesting things about the buildings and the Japanese fixation on security, was the Nightingale floors, which are made to squeak when you walk, warning of approaching threats...
One afternoon we chanced upon a flower arranging contest (ikebana) at one of the famous temples. There was a tea for special guests, but anyone could view the magnificent arrangements and the matrons of Kyoto were out in ful swing in their gorgeous kimonos.
Vast temple precincts are scattered all over the city, along with exquisite smaller ones with mesmerizing Zen gardens and beautifully laid out water, dry and moss gardens too.
It is the centre of many Buddhis sects, one interestingly set up for followers just to repeat the name of Amitabha - that would concentrate the mind I'm sure...
All this walking has brought out a heat rash on the back of my legs again and the only way to combat it is to wear support socks (per the dermatologist) so I am trying that, with cortisone cream. It is hot and humid, near 30 and heavy rain some days.
Our nice little 30 room ryokan was near the station, close to two temples and a nice park, which we never really had time to investigate fully. But walking distance to tons of restaurants too. We had a western room, i.e. Two single beds, so didn't have to sleep on the floor and pack our beds away.
We eventually got the hang of the bus and subway systems but spent too much time on wrong buses getting to the outskirts of the city sometimes.
There are so many beautiful temples and especially gardens here, shogun palaces, fortresses, gold leaf wall paintings galore. And of course, its famous for its geisha district, where I bagged 4 one afternoon - but you ahve to have your camera at the ready as they swoop from one appointment to another on the old street. They do performances for tourists now, a thing unheard of in the past when you spent vast sums of money to have them entertain you.
One of the interesting things about the buildings and the Japanese fixation on security, was the Nightingale floors, which are made to squeak when you walk, warning of approaching threats...
One afternoon we chanced upon a flower arranging contest (ikebana) at one of the famous temples. There was a tea for special guests, but anyone could view the magnificent arrangements and the matrons of Kyoto were out in ful swing in their gorgeous kimonos.
Vast temple precincts are scattered all over the city, along with exquisite smaller ones with mesmerizing Zen gardens and beautifully laid out water, dry and moss gardens too.
It is the centre of many Buddhis sects, one interestingly set up for followers just to repeat the name of Amitabha - that would concentrate the mind I'm sure...
All this walking has brought out a heat rash on the back of my legs again and the only way to combat it is to wear support socks (per the dermatologist) so I am trying that, with cortisone cream. It is hot and humid, near 30 and heavy rain some days.
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