Day Five - Kyoto - Planet Japan

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 Arashiyama where there is a bamboo forest and a monkey park.

Now this should have been simple, however it was not. We got back on the tube, retracing our steps, walked a whole block to another tube line, got on that only to find that there is no other tube.  All very confusing and typical Japan

where nothing makes any sense whatsoever.  Another point to mention is that it would be so difficult to travel here if you did not like steps.  I cannot tell you how many steps I have walked up or down since I have been here.  It is a nightmare.  We then figured it out that we had to get on yet another different tube, which was not a tube, but in fact something that look like a cable care.  By now I had got my 8000 steps in for the day.  Little did I know that would be nothing.

The cable car journey was interesting and we soon arrived at Arashiyama.  When we did, the whole of Japan were there.  Obviously, this golden week holiday means everyone is out and about, albeit dressed in the most beautiful kimonos.  We decided to give the monkey forest a go first.  I thought it would be like Trentham Gardens - it was not.  I swear to you I climbed a bloody mountain. It was so many steps, just to add to the other steps I had done already getting absolutely nowhere.  Up and up this mountain

(hill) the steps went but I did it.  I am so pleased that I did as once I got to the top it was so lovely to see the monkeys.  We went into an area where for a few quid you could buy some food and feed them.  We had a female monkey who looked as if she may have some young.  She was so gentle as she too the peanut out of my hand. It was such a great experience being so close and also being able to have that trust for her to take the food from my hand.

Unfortunately, it started to rain but I think that was because we were so far up. The moneys just walked around us.  Obviously, we were not allowed to touch them.  There were two who I shall call Romeo and Juliet.  He was after sex[ she just wanted a cuddle.  I did laugh as he turned her around and touched her hips to lift up and he was away. Then just turned his back on her and she cuddled up to him.  Tinder for monkeys my friends, Tinder for monkeys.  In the end she, like most women, had enough and walked away and him, like most me, eventually went after her. Real heteronormative life being payed out in monkey world.

By now I was starting to think that I had to make my way down said mountain, in the rain.  But it was worth it.  When we got to the bottom, it was back to

madness with people everywhere.  We crossed over the river and went to look at the bamboo forest.  It was so beautiful, so much bamboo and it was really good to look at how it grows and how tall it is.  We also found a couple of shrines on the way too.  It never ceases to amaze me how beautiful, yet simple they are.  By now we both had enough and decided to get the cable car thing down to town but first it needed the holiday ice cream. The one thing the Japanese love is their green tea and even ice-cream does not escape this.  It was OK, nothing special and I really do not think it will catch on at home if I am honest.

Back on the tram thing and I and most of the tram fell asleep.  I was so tired and by now very hungry.  I had in the morning a little brioche but that was it apart from the ice cream.  As I have said before, looking or food is a challenge and there is nothing worse than looking for food when you are hungry.  We had seen a couple of places not too far from the airbnb and made our way

over that part of town. Andy wanted to try some waggu beef and we knew finding something for me on the same menu was going to be difficult.  I had seen a steak place previously so we went to have a look. As we were looking a rather easy on the eye gentleman come out of the restaurant.  It turns out he was Australian and said it as OK in there, he had the fish and chips and it was small but OK, so we decided to go in.  This was a huge mistake.

Firstly, the only place to sit was on tall chairs at a bar type table.  Not my favourite.  But we, especially Andy, was very hungry by now. I ordered some vegetable sushi roll things, fish and chips and onion rings.  Andy ordered rump waggu beef which was not cheap, some chips and onion rings.  Then they bought him out a plate of raw beef.  We were not sure what was going on (this is usual) so he ate it up.  They then bought out my dinner and his chips and onion rings.  Then I thought, was that his actual beef he has just ate!  If it was, it did not touch the sides.  We did not have a clue.  I just ate my dinner up then they bought out another plate of cooked beef, again not much.  He had eaten his chips and onion rings by now. All very confusing and all, for him, very expensive.  There are definite advantages for being a vegetarian, at times at least.

We then called into the supermarket (again) as we both knew we were going to be hungry later on.  My fish and chips was literally a handful of chips and three very small pieces of fish, I guess the size of a fish finger each. But I did not pay a huge sum for mine, unlike him :)

So back to the Airbnb and we are both shattered.  We need to sort out how to

get to the temple tomorrow and plan the rest of our day.  This is exactly why I do not call my adventures a holiday. They are not. They are full on, cramming as much in as you possible can in the little time you have.  Let's see what tomorrow can bring, providing I am able to walk tomorrow morning when I get up.  I forgot to say that the Airbnb hasn't no beds, we each have a mattress on the floor, which is all very cosy and reminds me of Thailand and relationships from the past.  Funny old thing life.

As always, with my love x