Last day and the journey home

The sun had come out for our last day. Before travelling to the airport for our flight home we went for a walk by the river and back to the castle which looked even better in the sun.

These dogwood trees are as pretty as cherry blossom;

We made a bit of a mistake on our train journey to the airport. We couldn't get on to the first train because it was so crowded so waited for the next one. It was a posher train but we got in the unreserved seats carriage so thought all was ok. However the train didn't stop at some stations en route - it was an express. We wondered whether we would get away with it but the conductor came to check tickets. He said our tickets were for the local train only and asked for another 1300 yen. We had used our currency up because of going home and I opened my purse and showed him that we had no cash. He was very nice and suggested we got off at the next stop and waited for the next local train.

So our wonderful trip has ended. Incredible that with 12 flights, numerous bus and train journeys and 21 different accommodations, we only had 1 major blip (the airbnb apartment in Kyoto which we are getting a full refund for). We've seen such different cultures from the chaotic, poverty stricken Cambodia to the ultra civilised Japan. Time to start planning the next trip.....

Kyoto to Osaka

Another journey by local trains took us to Osaka. Amazingly our room was ready early so we could settle in before going back out into the rain again.

Osaka castle was lovely with some beautiful gardens. The couple in the pics were Chinese, not getting married until November but travelling around getting photos for their memory book.

Another group of bird watchers - this time the bird was hiding in the bushes and one of the men was putting down food to encourage it to come out.

Last day in Kyoto

We woke up to torrential rain so had a slow morning in the apartment before venturing out. We rode down some tiny side streets and dodged one heavy shower. Jess had recommended visiting the textile centre where they hold regular kimono fashion shows. (My camera phone could not cope with the bright lights.)

This beautiful kimono was on sale for £462;

The sun was shining when we came out so we ate our lunch before heading to the food market. More interesting foodstuffs and some lovely sake to try.

These mini octopus were about 3" long and people were eating them on the skewer, starting with the head;

These sea cucumbers were covered in some sort of goo and are the most unappetising thing we have seen;

I think this is another type of sea cucumber;

I had seen a notice in the traditional craft museum on our previous visit that there would be a dance performance on the 3rd Sunday of each month starting in April....and worked out that that would be today and we got there with a minute to spare. It was a very gentle dance with certain moves using a folding fan and was performed by a Maiko who is an apprentice geisha. Photos were prohibited during the performance.

On the way home we went around the palace park and watched a game of softball. We wanted to see Nijo castle but it was surrounded by high walls and hedging and you had to pay an entrance fee in order to see anything as well as a parking fee for the bikes.

Arashiyama

News of the second earthquake greeted us this morning. I had a think about if it happens here at night what I'd grab to take with me.

Only a 20 minute bike ride away is the lovely town of Arashiyama - well if it wasn't crowded with busloads of tourists it would be better. We walked along the river and came across some birdwatchers - the bird was small, with a red top half - apparently a rare 'find'.

After walking through a bamboo grove and around the town we sat in the sun before our ride home.

These signs were all over the place;

In Japan all buses, trains and commercial vehicles are spotless - even this refuse truck was gleaming and it played a jolly tune when they stopped to pick up the rubbish!

Kyoto

We woke up to the news of the earthquake in southern Japan on the BBC. We hadn't felt anything despite being nearer than Tokyo where apparently it was felt.

One good thing about the apartment - we have 2 bikes. The city is large so we would save lots on bus fares. Cyclists ride on the pavement which is a nightmare for pedestrians but it is the done thing. When we rode on to the road once where the pavement was packed we even got stopped by a policeman!

As Jess and Ryan have already done the city sightseeing we didn't plan to meet up today and had said "goodbye, see you in 2 weeks" last night.

Our first stop was the Philosophers Walk which was a 40 minute bike ride away. As we turned a sharp corner to get onto a path at the start of the Walk I came off the bike - very gracefully. I have a bruise shaped like a number 9 on my shin. We set off again and lo and behold there was Jess to our left who was out running! After a chat and a second "goodbye, see you in 2 weeks" we rode down the Walk.

There are 100s of temples and shrines in Kyoto but most charge admission fees and we are rather 'templed out' so we got to the end quickly without stopping to visit any on the Walk.

A handicraft centre was next on our itinerary but this was really just an expensive shop with a couple of crafts people tucked away upstairs. They were making some exquisite Amita Damascene with inlaid silver and gold.

Philosophers Walk

Craftspeople and their work

This shrine was lovely - and free! It made a good lunch stop.

Seaweed flavour crisps - quite tasty

After lunch we had a great time at the Traditional Crafts museum. There were videos showing the various techniques of making fans, weaving etc. My favourite was the stripping down of a huge bamboo trunk resulting in a tightly woven basket made from thin strips of bamboo. The attention to detail in all of their ancient crafts still made today in Kyoto is incredible. In a hall in the same building there was a sale of everything required to dress traditionally and there were many Japanese in there buying.

We rode through a park then locked up the bikes and walked around an old part of town.

We plotted our ride home with part of it alongside the river. About 5 minutes into the ride we came across Jess and Ryan sitting having a rest! Couldn't believe it. We had a chat and said our 3rd "goodbye, see you in 2 weeks".

Nara

We met Jess and Ryan at Kyoto station and travelled 45 minutes by local train for a day out in Nara which was Japan's capital in the 8th century. There are white tailed deer here as in Miyajima but some of these have learnt to bow their heads when they know you have crackers to feed them.

Our first stop was a large temple which unfortunately was under wraps for a refurb. There was a model to show what it will look like and you could buy a roof tile for the new roof and write a message on it.

We happened across a 100 year old traditional house which was free to look around - and a bonus; they dressed Jess and I in kimonos.

There is a good reason for this photo;

This was one of the pieces of art dotted around the house. When you look into the rear end of the deer you see a landscape with real people walking around.....honest.

Pretty origami;

We ate our packed lunches sitting by a large pond then carried on walking round shrines etc. It was a good day trip.

Beautiful flowers

The cherry blossom on the trees is coming to an end - except for the double blossom which is still in bloom;

Now the acers, photinia, azaleas, rhododendrons and other shrubs and trees I can't name are flowering so it is still beautiful out and about.

Kobe to Kyoto

The journey to Kyoto wasn't far and as we couldn't access our apartment until the afternoon we needed to fill our morning. We walked up to Ikuta shrine which has been reconstructed following the 1995 earthquake.

Lucky charms to buy;

We took the local train which entailed 3 changes and was a bit of a challenge but we emerged into light rain 30 minutes walk from the airbnb apartment. The first action when we arrive anywhere is to put the kettle on. There were 2 mugs and a kettle......no teaspoon? We searched the tiny apartment inside and out - no cutlery, no crockery, no cooking utensils nor saucepans. An empty space where the 2 ring cooker should be according to the photos on the listing.

We've stayed in 19 different places so far on this trip and taken numerous planes, trains and buses and this was our first hiccup. We wasted the afternoon trying to contact the Chinese owner and quoting her own listing to her "fully equipped for guests wishing to cook their own meals". She eventually admitted her mistake and asked me for a list of what we needed so she could bring them and asked us to leave the key in the postbox as she didn't have her own key.

Jess and Ryan came to the apartment so we could have dinner but, of course we had to eat out. We decided on a place where you order your meal on a machine;

There was some fun working out which tray of food belonged to who when it all arrived. After the meal Jess and Ryan caught the bus back to their hostel and we walked to the apartment. The lights were on and the door locked. We knocked and rang the bell several times - no answer. We were just starting to get a bit twitchy when there was the sound of footsteps hurrying up the communal stairs and a young man, apparently the owner's friend apologised and let us in. Some of the stuff he had brought was inadequate and dirty. At the time of writing we are 'in dispute' with the owner and airbnb are involved.