Yoko and the Homo - Japan 2018

So time to say goodbye to Hiroshima.  I liked it here.  It was quiet and it seemed peaceful.  Ironically, I briefly saw something on the news app today about FW Trump and his decision to pull out of some nuclear treaty.  Terrifying.  When you saw pictures of what the damaged did to this city and now, some 70 odd years later how they have rebuilt it and do not point the finger of blame at anyone, personally I think we can all learn something from Hiroshima. We did say we would have a bit of a lie in this morning then make our way to the station for 12 noon.  However, I did not sleep particularly well.  The We saw this food advertised in a 'British Pub' as traditional British Food.  I don't recognise any of it! mattress, once again, was like sleeping on a slab.  Both of us were awake before eight.  Originally, we were going to pay to have breakfast at the hotel but after yesterday and me enquiring about a vegetarian option and the...

So this morning it was goodbye to Osaka.  Personally, it was not for me.  It was OK, but just a city where consumerism had gone quite mad.  If you like Peace Memorial Museum shopping, and trust me there is enough shopping to shake a stick at, then you would love it.  If you like food and amusement arcades then you would be fine.  We had planned on going to see the castle but the weather put paid to that and in all fairness, I am a bit castle/templed out, so not really worried about missing out.  I would not say don’t go to Osaka, but I would say consider your options as one night would probably do you. So it was on the subway, in rush hour (of course it was) to Shin-Osaka (the main train station).  I have to smile as Andy writes everything down in a little book; the number of the train, the The eternal flame platform, time etc.  I don’t normally bother, I just normally rock up and figure it out. Needless to say we were ridiculously ea...

The weather forecast today predicted rain.  They were not wrong.  However, first thing (9.00am) it was fine and Andy met up with an old friend from his days at Disney.  Marie is Japanese and lives in Osaka so it would have been rude of him not say he was in town.  She was lovely.  She has a daughter who will be one year old next week and she is intending to return to work next week, so we were lucky to actually be able to catch her.  We went to a place for breakfast and the coffee was actually not too bad.  They caught up about old times and people they both knew.  She really was lovely.  Also, for once we did not have to try to explain or make sense of what the breakfast was as she did not have clue what was going on either.  This kind of reassured me that perhaps I had not done a bad job up until now. The few hours soon passed and it was time to say goodbye, not before taking a c...

Transport day, so case packed, bag packed, showered, brioched and time to get a taxi to the train station.  At least this time we had our seats booked. Up, One of the many similar side streets by the hotel showered, brioched, packed and out.  I had not even reached the end of the road when Andy had flagged down a taxi.  We were en route to Kyoto Train Station.  When we got there it was still mad.  I swear it is the same people just going round and round.  We went for a coffee.  It is still vile. I could not have a sandwich as they had sold out of the cheese and tomato version and the tuna one, leaving only ham or chicken. No thank you. I went to the bakery next door and punched what I thought was cheesy bread only to find it was also filled with cold mash potato.  Why?  I have also noticed that the women when they go to the toilet and wash their hands as there is rarely a dryer or paper towels to dry your hands on they pull out ...

Yesterday I walked 28,000 steps; Andy who also has a Fitbit walked 32,000.  We think, well I think, it is because he flings his hands around all the time!   Needless to say, I did not wake up until late which is amazing for me but I think I am so knackered plus I have my lovely Beetle Juice eye mask on.  Same routine, brioche, bag packed and after shower out of the door.  Today we were going to try the bus. Big mistake. Firstly, it started as soon as we tried to get on the damn bus.  You pay when you get off at the front of the bus and you get on where we normally get off!  I know, can you feel my pain?  Also, you have to have the exact money, but the do provide a machine where to change the money.  We managed to put together the right money only to find that the bus that we were on (the one recommended by our host) does not go anywhere near the main railway station!  Aren't we glad we got a taxi...

The day did not get off to the best of starts.  We walked along to Kyoto Imperial Palace, only to find because it was a holiday they were not open.  It was fine, we walked around the garden and had a good look.  I think we have missed the cherry blossom by a few days; oh well there are still so many things to look at.  One thing to notice (amongst the many) is that no bicycles are locked in Japan. People just leave them to one side. In London, they are locked with at least one lock and still people come along and steal bits off them!  We had planned to go and visit the Fushimi Inari Shrine.  Andy has been the navigator, give him a map and he is happy.  So off we went only to find one day pass tube ticket later, that the map is not true and we need to catch a train.  The problem is, the tube system in Kyoto is not brilliant.  We then decided to regroup and reform and make our way up to Arash...