Thursday, April 26, 2007
April 11
Morning! We had requested our breakfast a little bit later, so we occupied our morning with the baths again. This time, I found the open-air hot springs. (Still divided by sex, people). So we showered off and soaked in the tubs for a while. Eventually we realized that not only were the men’s and woman’s baths right next to each other and exposed to the open air, but that we were both alone in our respective hot-tubs. So we talked back and forth as we sat and relaxed and absorbed the warmth and rejuvenation. The view was spectacular too. Then we got out, dried off, walked down the hall, I walked back, picked up the key, and then we went up to our room. I had lost our room key for the hostel at some point too, so from here on in, Jessie was always in charge of room keys.
We waited around for a while then went down for breakfast. We had the choice and Jessie went, of course, for western style while I went, of course, for Japanese style. We went down in our Yukata again, but I’m pretty sure we weren’t supposed to; the other people we saw in the breakfast dining room with us were in their regular clothes. Lucky us, though, there was only a couple other people there, and we mostly had the place to ourselves.
Wardrobe malfunctions notwithstanding, we had a really nice breakfast. They just kept bringing and bringing and bringing my stuff, and I got to try all sorts of little Japanese bits and pieces. Pickled vegetables on their own are pretty intense, but when you eat them with rice they’re actually quite tasty. Jess had some eggs and coffee and toast and a big smile. I’m glad she got something good to eat.
Anyway, after that we strapped on all our gear and left the Hotel. I loved it, Jessie liked it, and those hot springs were really, really nice.
Took the bus back to the station, then got another bullet train down to Kyoto, where we would spend the 11th and the next two days. We were 3 hours on the bullet train, which gave me time to look over some walking routes for the next day. We got to Kyoto, (cherry trees in bloom down in Kyoto too. Sweet!) got off the train, and walked down the street to the first of two hostels we would be staying at in Kyoto. (I couldn’t find a place that had a room for 3 nights straight. Once again, quite glad I booked ahead.) It was actually a pretty nice place. Small, but we got the room with a view of the temple complex right across the street. Very pretty.
We had some time, so we walked out and checked out that same temple complex. (Largest wooden structure in Japan.) The main building was having it’s roof repaired, but we got to see some of the side buildings as well as part of the inside of the big one. Very neat.
My favorite sight in the place? This rope, made out of hair. Of course I took a picture of Jessie next to it.
We walked to another temple down the street, but we were wearing hiking boots and didn’t feel like going through the elaborate process to take them off just right then, so we just walked around the outside.
About this time, Jess started to feel a little queasy, so we stopped at a mart to get some sprite and munchies (sprite’s good on the stomach) and then at a café where I had a sandwich and Jess got some pizza toast. (Pizza is good on the stomach, too). Then we just came home and fell asleep. Not much sightseeing, but still a pretty nice day.
-N
Morning! We had requested our breakfast a little bit later, so we occupied our morning with the baths again. This time, I found the open-air hot springs. (Still divided by sex, people). So we showered off and soaked in the tubs for a while. Eventually we realized that not only were the men’s and woman’s baths right next to each other and exposed to the open air, but that we were both alone in our respective hot-tubs. So we talked back and forth as we sat and relaxed and absorbed the warmth and rejuvenation. The view was spectacular too. Then we got out, dried off, walked down the hall, I walked back, picked up the key, and then we went up to our room. I had lost our room key for the hostel at some point too, so from here on in, Jessie was always in charge of room keys.
We waited around for a while then went down for breakfast. We had the choice and Jessie went, of course, for western style while I went, of course, for Japanese style. We went down in our Yukata again, but I’m pretty sure we weren’t supposed to; the other people we saw in the breakfast dining room with us were in their regular clothes. Lucky us, though, there was only a couple other people there, and we mostly had the place to ourselves.
Wardrobe malfunctions notwithstanding, we had a really nice breakfast. They just kept bringing and bringing and bringing my stuff, and I got to try all sorts of little Japanese bits and pieces. Pickled vegetables on their own are pretty intense, but when you eat them with rice they’re actually quite tasty. Jess had some eggs and coffee and toast and a big smile. I’m glad she got something good to eat.
Anyway, after that we strapped on all our gear and left the Hotel. I loved it, Jessie liked it, and those hot springs were really, really nice.
Took the bus back to the station, then got another bullet train down to Kyoto, where we would spend the 11th and the next two days. We were 3 hours on the bullet train, which gave me time to look over some walking routes for the next day. We got to Kyoto, (cherry trees in bloom down in Kyoto too. Sweet!) got off the train, and walked down the street to the first of two hostels we would be staying at in Kyoto. (I couldn’t find a place that had a room for 3 nights straight. Once again, quite glad I booked ahead.) It was actually a pretty nice place. Small, but we got the room with a view of the temple complex right across the street. Very pretty.
We had some time, so we walked out and checked out that same temple complex. (Largest wooden structure in Japan.) The main building was having it’s roof repaired, but we got to see some of the side buildings as well as part of the inside of the big one. Very neat.
My favorite sight in the place? This rope, made out of hair. Of course I took a picture of Jessie next to it.
We walked to another temple down the street, but we were wearing hiking boots and didn’t feel like going through the elaborate process to take them off just right then, so we just walked around the outside.
About this time, Jess started to feel a little queasy, so we stopped at a mart to get some sprite and munchies (sprite’s good on the stomach) and then at a café where I had a sandwich and Jess got some pizza toast. (Pizza is good on the stomach, too). Then we just came home and fell asleep. Not much sightseeing, but still a pretty nice day.
-N
Labels: Japan, Kyoto, Senkyoro
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