Konichiwa!! We are currently at Kyoto, which is a really big city which is famous for all its temples! We went to the Nijo castle which was an amazing structure, with the original nightingale floor which sings when you walk on it. We have seen a million temples which are all truely beautiful places, especially with all the autum leaves.... not so peacefull are the hoardes of people that flock to the temples on the weekends! We visited a famous Zen temple with a beautiful rock garden... your supposed to stare at it and your imagination flows away and it comes to you what the rock formations mean.... I just saw a relly nice rock garden- no moving moments for me!! We also just made it to see the Golden Pavillion, which was a temple made from gold- it was spectacular!
We have expereinced the onsens quite a few times... becoming an old hand at the public nakedness! The most recent onsen had an electric bath... It took me a while to work out why every time I got in my pulse quickened and my breathing went a bit funny -and it was not all the naked women :) It is meant to be good for sport injuries... so I kept jumping back in haha hope it works!
Today we experienced being a sardine on the trains... people were pilled in and the doors could only just close. We were in the middle of the carriage and had to literally climb over peple to get out....the amount of people amazes me! Where are they all coming from and where are they going??? I just walk around with my mouth open all the time.... there is so much too see, so much noise, so many people I am in constant amazement! The people are friendly and laught at out terrible attempts at the language eg trying to explain to the chemist lady that Ray is constipated and we need something to help... lots of gesturing, a few attempts from the phrase book and lots of giggling form the chemist! Very funny!
Ray and I could have been picked up for stalking... haha! We were entranced by some beautiful young Japanese ladies in their traditional Kimono... so with Rays great zooming lense we followed them around the castle snaping photos of them! They were so lovely... very graceful and stylish- their Kimonos were so detailed and pretty.
Today we went to Himeji and visited the one og the biggest castles in Japan. It is the original building from the about the 1200's! It has a 5 storied keep and the whole structure was white... they say it looks like white herron...really beautiful! There was also a garden attached and as we have come to see the Japanese can certainly garden.. wow! It had a really nice pond FULL of all different coloured carp. We were also entranced by a traditional japanese wedding in the garden and even more surprised when they asked us to be part of the photos! It was really funny, ray and I looked like slobs and they wedressed inspectacular traditional wedding Kimono... with beautiful detailing and embroidary! Any way they grabbed rays camer and took some photos for us and even gave us a polaroid to keep! What a great day!!!
We are heading off to Mt Koyasan soon and will be staying with the monks! Early to get up and meditate and yummy veggo food! Then we head south to Hiroshima and Fukuokka. Hopefully in fukkuokka we can see a Sumo match- that would be excellent!! Well we are heading into the final stretch! Then back to reality!
Still no running.... had a brief attempt yesterday, but doesnt quite feel 100%. I am hoping that once we are home and not walking 12-15km a day it will be back to 100%- then back into training! I dread to imagine how slow I will be!!!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
7 comments:
Great trip and report.
I take a hot bath for the medicinal effects too ;) Looking forward to the photos.
Hope Ray got the right medicine.
All that activity and you'll return to training with a spring in your step.
Wow - sounds like a fantastic trip Kit - you will be bouncing off the walls when you get home :-)
It all sounds just amazing Katie.
I thought that maybe when you were staring into the rocks you would see yourself crossing the finish line in Canberra :-)
Can't wait to hear how your stay with the monks goes.
Fantastic to hear how much fun yo're having over there. You'll have to develop our own confidence towards public nakedness when you get back ;)
Sounds really fantastic Kit and I'm glad you're having such a great time. I'm sure Ray will thank you for broadcasting his personal issues on the internet. Must remember to ask him how he is next time I see him ;)
Kit,
Thank you so much for your comment on my blog and for thinking of me while you are away. I really appreciate it :-)
It sounds like you are having a fantastic trip. Looking forward to catching up with you over lunch when you get back.
Take care - and I hope Ray is feeling better ;-)
Jxx
Poor Ray - hope he's feeling much better. Tell him we are all thinking of him :-)) Sounds like an incredible holiday Kit - enjoy!
Post a Comment