Day Six - Kyoto - Planet Japan

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 first day.  We got off as near to the railway station as we could figure out and then tried to work out how to get to our destination.  As we were at the railway station we decided to use our Japanese Rail pass.  Two stops and we were at Fushimi Irari shrine; this was on my list.

Of course, as it is still the Golden Week holiday it was heaving with Japanese tourists (they really do seem to get everywhere, I thought Westminster Bridge was bad).  However, I did not know the this shrine is up a, yes you have

guessed it, another bloody mountain.  I swear I will need a new left knee when I get home.  The shrine was stunning and I mean stunning and it has been voted one of the top destinations on Instagram for the past goodness knows how many years.  What they do not tell you however, is the climb to the summit is around a 2.5-3 climb to the top.  

When we got about level four we stopped for some lunch.  As we have not eaten much every day we did not want to miss the ideal opportunity to sit in a typical Japanese eatery, on the floor, using chopsticks and eating Japanese food. We really could not do it. I think it is one of the highlights of the trip. Ironically, I managed to get tofu and rice too.  I mean, the only vegetarian tofu food and it has to be half way up a mountain.  It really was a lovely experience and so cheap too.

We continued our climb and got to level 7 (this is also sounding like a

playstation game!) only to find that it actually goes up to level 15 - the summit! I mean, really!  Someone was really having a laugh.  We thought we would be clever (not) and go off the path which was going down hill.  So down we went, loads of steps, all very quiet except for toads of frogs doing their thing. Quietly confident that we were descending. However, the end of our route ended up in a dark old graveyard, well we think it was.  We then had to turn round and go all the way up the bloody steps again.  I keep reminding Andy the although I am only 29 years old he is in fact 26 years younger than me!  Not to miss an opportunity to liven things up, part of the path reminded us of the scene in Dirty Dancing when Baby is practicing her dancing down some steps.  I recreated that scene going up the steps. Nobody puts Baby at the bottom of the steps!  You can never let the opportunity of a bit of bling be missed, no matter where in the world you are!  Always remember that my friends!  

By now I had enough of temples and felt well and truly Zenned out!  We had a mooch around the shops and I treated myself to swanky chopsticks with my name engraved on them; one with Karen (obviously) the other with some

squiggles which probably says fat, white woman - but hey it looks good.  When I get back to London intend finding a bloke to take me out for a Japanese meal just so I can use them an show of my wonderful expertise of using the bloody things (however, I do not need a man to pay or do this, but it would be fun).

Back on the train and it was too early to eat so we found, eventually a swanky department store and when to look at the food hall.  It was kind of (again) look what you could have! There was so much wonderful food.  The Japanese do like their sweets and we are wondering if I is because it is a holiday. Personally, I do not like their sweets they like red bean paste in all their sweets and it really does have a funny texture.  By now it was a good time to eat so we found, finally, a restaurant where I had a choice of three, yes three dishes!  Yay, go me.  I opted for spaghetti (yes you did read that) with a poached egg and some yam.  What come out was spaghetti, a virtually raw egg and something with and frothy - have you ever tried eating spaghetti which

chopsticks?  Give it a go.  I had no choice. It as OK actually, I tried not think it was a raw egg and shoved it down.  But it wasn't too bad.

By now we had had enough and ventured back to the Airbnb by the tube, which really is not brilliant.  Called into the supermarket opposite for some snacks and water as tomorrow we are off again.  We have tried to book a taxi to collect us to take us to the station but no Uber here (damn) so we are going to get up and walk to the castle which is just down the road and get a cab there (we saw them the other day).  The bus is a nonstarter and the tube has no lift and there is no way I am lugging my case up and down around forty steps each staircase.  So taxi it is. It will only cost around £14 so that is not too bad between us and well worth it. 

When I said I was coming to Japan quite a few people went oh it is so expensive there.  I do not think it is.  I know I live in London and for many people they

think there is expensive.  Most meals (unless you are daft enough to have the waggu beef) are around £10 a head and are quite filling.  We are buying brioche for around £1.50 for breakfast each morning. We both treated ourselves to water bottle before we come out, something we can use back in London.  A huge bottle of water is approx 45p. So we top that up every morning.  I cashed up £500 in yen and still have around £235 left and have not gone with out (well unless you count not getting any decent food lol, but you know what I mean).  Please do not be put off by my issues with food. Japan is a truly amazing place. Nothing and I mean nothing makes sense.  The people are friendly enough when they need to be i.e. in restaurants and at train stations etc. It is spotlessly clean and I mean clean. I feel totally safe here and would and will, hopefully return and would do so on my own.  There is so much to see and at times it does come across as a senses overload because there is just so much to see and so much going on.  I guess Planet Japan is the perfect place for a Virgo (I am a Virgo).  It is clean, tidy, organised and methodical contrasting with contradictions and nothing making any sense at all.  Now, who does that sound like.

As always, with my love x

Plastic food and still I have no idea what it all is!