3 April 2012
Hello….I’m currently broadcasting from Kyoto, post a pretty epic adventure.
Yes, happily one catfish imminently facing her 40th birthday, finds herself in a land jam packed with extremely helpful locals, copious amounts of tasty food – three days into her first adventure of Japan. We have just returned from a restaurant situated along an impressive stretch of adolescent cherry blossoms, doing their thing for the cherry blossom festival.
The flavours are great, the service is great, the atmosphere is great, the country is great, our tour organisers and guides are great (WALK JAPAN). It couldn’t have panned out better.
Amidst the daily pleasure of selecting one’s noodle (soba or udon), I’m constantly reminded that this place is so easy and enjoyable. Just put your complete faith in the power of plastic food, for all you need to do is identify which item most resembles what you’d like to dine on – there tends to be stand of such outside each restaurant/cafe – and bingo you get the exact replica, only edible and super delicious.
4 April 2012 – Still happily residing in Kyoto
Unfortunately I did find myself last night waking, suffering from a pump action hangover furnished by one SPY wine cooler (which was funny at the time) and half a glass of Saki. Thankfully, the desire to sleep overrode the desire to stay awake experiencing dehydration, so I found myself this morning ready for action.
Embarrassingly, I must admit I can’t speak a word of Japanese, though surprisingly this hasn’t hampered my ability to explore or receive any opportunity I fancy….so the pace has been fast and will remain so, as we have only seven days in the country and we need to experience as much as we can….
Sorry, I’ve just been distracted by a giggling young chap, experimenting with the exciting water massage features the Loos here offer….
Back to the trip – the highlights have been high and so in no set order, I’ll briefly list a handful and then elaborate upon, upon my return home.
- Chado – tea ceremony with Jack, the Tea Master
- The Ginkaku-ji (the Silver Pavillon) and Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavillon) temples
- The Kyoto Museum of Traditional Crafts – Fureaikan
- The Nijo Castle
- Arashiyama, for a top bowl of Soba (and maybe some beer and saki)
- Eating more delicious Green Tea ice cream than probably I should have
- And have just completed a recreation of our own, of a typical Japanese meal of sashimi, sushi, a bottle of Californian chardonnay (how did that sneak in?), supported by hotel robes and pillows on the floor.
And that’s just a taste of what we have done in Kyoto. I’ll need to leave Tokyo for a future update.
Prior to my departure…sorry if you are waiting for some top tips on actual places, for it will come…I’m limited presently however, by my need to satisfy my usual 8.5 hours of sleep and opportunity overload. Rest assured, I shan’t stay quiet, so please prepare yourself.
agentcatfish 