18th - Rest day was going to end in going to the Gion district, well a freak storm came up and we were very hesitant to do anything. I mean serious downpour. First thing we heard the thunder it kept getting closer and closer, then there were some serious lightning flashes, we tried really hard to get a video of them, but all you hear is us screaming and laughing about how cool it is.
Why not - enjoy our silliness
So we held up longer inside. It is funny how these things pass though. Next 30m it was already passed. So I was able to get Grace to eat at the same restaurant I had the meal the previous night. At least I was able to get some rice & meat into her! But you girls will love this. We went to get desert at the 7-11 and walking back to our hostel mind you all these things are on the same 4 way intersection which I will post the view from our first room that way you can see too. Anyway, back to the story, we were walking back from the 7-11 and in broad daylight here his this weird guy just urinating on the plants on the corner of the street. Seriously tried to not see that, but we walked right past and unfortunately we had to stand at the corner waiting for the light change so we were lucky to be near him the ENTIRE time...
Today we had to make up for lost time!
As usual we had our alarm set...like we have had to use it at all this entire trip. If it isn't us waking up it is someone else waking us up. Today again the people down the all got up at the crack*ss of dawn and were in the closet bathroom gargling and choking on god knows what...but you hear everything like it is right next to you. Thank goodness we changed rooms today! Then maybe an hour later 7a there was some crazy guy down on the street with a bull horn yelling who knows what. I swear I was half a millisecond from screaming shut up in spanish at him! I was sooooo pissed, then there are people slamming doors...this is all before 8a. Well needless to say we got up and packed our stuff so the people could move it for us later at the room change.
First things first. Breakfast. We thought we would try Pearl across the street. We thought after we walked in that there wasn't a picture menu or one in English, boy were we glad when the waitress came over with an English menu. Then we ended up having the best toast EVER! Going back tomorrow for hot cakes!
Giant Toast for everyone
My camera was dead first thing when I went to use it...my bad. Then I realized that since we took a rest day yesterday, we ended up missing our reservations for the Kyoto Imperial Palace. So angry at myself. So to catch up to our schedule we headed to Nijo Castle.
So we were on the bus headed there and we were trolling along doing fine, we even got up out of our seats for some old people who were really thankful. But then disaster struck. I had an open can in my arms...bus stops...Erin jerks...can flys onto seat where other older ladies are sitting. MORTIFIED. I was saying sorry left and right, I whipped out my hanky and was sopping it up, the only thing I can be thankful for was the fact that there was very little left. I wish we could have gotten off right then but our stop was still so far away it was like torture. These other ladies behind us even were nice enough to hand me a plastic bag to put the soda in...Thank goodness for leaving that bus!
Onto the castle. Pretty nice though it wasn't as awesome as the Nagoya Castle but still really interesting and we even got to walk inside one of the main building that had models set up in the rooms to demonstrate what they were used for and who you would find in them. Way cool the mockingbird floors that alert the residents to any intruders...squeak squeak went the floor (ding ding went the bell)!
Lalala
Nicey Nice
A LOT of stairs were conquered today
They are everywhere
Then it was walk to the KYOTO INTERNATIONAL MANGA MUSEUM. KIM missions are still getting accomplished! It was pretty dang cool I have to admit all those walls full of manga and then they even had an archive, sorting room, and some history. I thought it was really neat how the museum set themselves up in an old school, it ended up saving the location and putting it to good use. LOVED IT!
Walls and walls and walls...drool...oops
In Erin fashion - eyes closed.
Then we had a bit of a walk, only after we had walked it did we find how truly far it was, Nishijin Textile. There you got to see all the products that they made, people demonstrating the process of weaving and such. Then there was the awesome opportunity to watch a kimono show. They were so cute!
Aren't they gorgeous
Kimono Kat Walk
Then it was time to use the bus passes, enough walking for the time being.
Mel Takes a Ride
Onto Kiyomizu Temple, which is famous for its look out point. I have to admit it was very nice up there and the view was spectacular (the pictures don't do it justice). But it was hell getting there. Up hill, quite a distance, then there were many steep stairs to climb. It was really hot today too, almost to the point of miserable. But, it was worth it to me.
After it was finally the Gion District.
In all honesty, I haven't been as good this trip at remembering and keeping track. I swear I have a bit of senile something going on. Not to mention I am a bit off my game without a compass that works. But, really I just haven't been as good as I hoped. It isn't like we don't get to where we want to be, it just takes a bit longer... I seem to be off in my own little world looking around and just keep on walking, even if I need to turn. I also forget that despite anything that might be hurting on me I just continue walking, but I have to take my travel partner into consideration and then I feel bad because it can end up being a hard day of walking and basically trudging all over the city.
Anyway onward through the fog.
After the last 2 days we would finally get there. It wouldn't be during the night when it "comes alive" but it was good enough to see the buildings and a few Maiko girls ("Geisha" isn't really used as much anymore). It wasn't seeing so much as a stalking. They were quick to get into taxis or run (well not run because of their outfits) into their place of work.
It had been a long day by now and we had walked up one side and down the other, it was definitely time to go home. I showered and decided to go out to dinner next door at this little corner place. Had beef bowl on top of rice, very good.
