Me, Jill, and Jess
10. Beer Vending Machines
It seems like there are vending machines for everything in Asia. I have seen books and iPods in vending machines, but this was the first time I saw beer. I obviously did not pass up on the opportunity.
9. Green Tea Ice Cream with Soy Frozen Yogurt
One of the best parts of traveling is getting to experience different tastes that you haven't had before. When I saw a long line for green tea ice cream, I knew I needed to give it a shot. When I realized there was soy frozen yogurt on top I was definitely excited to try it out. It tasted a lot like what you would imagine it to taste like. It wasn't bad, especially since it was cold and I had been walking around Kyoto for hours.
8. Kinkaku-ji Temple
This is probably the most famous temple in Kyoto. When we arrived at the temple it was overwhelming how many other people where there. It was one giant camera cluster f*@k. Unbelievably green trees surrounding a beautiful golden temple that rests next to still waters. It was incredible.
7. Conveyor-belt Sushi
The food, like everything else in Japan, was super expensive. Traveling there on Won instead of Dollars did not help us either. We were pleasantly surprised one night when we discovered a restaurant with conveyor-belt sushi. Each plate was only 105 Yen ($1.05/1,300W)! There would be two pieces of Sushi on a plate and many patrons would stack the plates double digits high. The sushi was delicious. I had Ahi Tuna, Crab, Octopus, Squid, Tuna Rolls, Shrimp, Eel and dessert! The conveyor was constantly putting new sea food goodness in front of your face and on top of that you could order anything off the menu that wasn't getting to you fast enough. The custom orders would come on a special train track that delivered the food right to your seat. We ate there two nights in a row.
6. Bamboo Forrest
When I think of Japan, images of bamboo are among the first to come to my mind. On our
last full day in Kyoto, we went to a bamboo forrest. Walking in the midst of these huge
bamboo stocks was overwhelming. It was so green and unlike anything else I have ever
seen in my life.
5. Sake Bar
In Korea, everywhere you turn you see Soju. It is a cheap fermented rice liquor that almost everyone drinks. Well Sake is clearly the Soju of Japan. I realize that most of you have had Sake before, but you probably have not had it with the frequency in which I had it on my trip. For starters, it is pronounced "Sah-kay", not "Sah-kee" as I have always pronounced it. I was made aware of this by a Japanese girl I met named "Saki" when she introduced herself to me and I ignorantly responded, "oh, like the drink". I had Sake, in restaurants, in small moonshine containers and at a Sake bar. It was similar to a dive bar in the states, but all you could order was Sake. We hung out with this amazing bartender, whose English included the phrase, "yes we can"! We ate roasted garlic, talked with other bar patrons and drank Sake. Amazing!
4. Geisha's in Real Life
Maybe it's the popularity of the movie/novel that has heightened the mystique of Geishas in the popular culture, or maybe the popularizing of Geisha has taken more from it than it has added. Either way, when you see a Geisha walking through the streets, it arrests your attention. They are captivating and intriguing in their mystery and I was fortunate enough to get to take this picture with one.
3. Drinking Sake on the Hozu River
I already mentioned Sake, but location is everything. Alcohol is a social beast and many of the best conversations I have had in life have been over a drink. When you combine a regional drink with a regional location it creates a euphoric response that I can't get enough of. I have been lucky enough to drink french wine in front of the Eiffel Tower, Cappacino's in Venice, Flor De Cana on a beach outside of Leon, Pilsners in Munich, Makoli in Seoul, and now Sake on the Hozu River in Kyoto. It was a beautiful location. A small little thatched roof building served us drinks as we sat on wooden tables in a canyon of lush green trees. Japanese people enjoyed their holiday on little row boats and traditional boats pushed along by long Bamboo poles. Jill, Jess and I sat and talked for a long time, soaking in the beauty that surrounded us.
2. Eating Cherries off the Tree
Many people are aware of Japan's famous cherry blossoms, well they grow on Japan's cherry trees. As obvious as that sounds, I didn't think about it until I was walking through this busy outdoor market place and stumbled upon a small Buddhist shrine wedged between the commercial bustle of rows and rows of stores. When I walked into the area that held the shrine the noise of the shoppers faded and there was a serene space filled with paper lanterns and cherry trees. I am not sure if you are allowed to eat the cherries, but I was not sure that that was what they actually were so I just plucked one off the tree and nibbled on it. It was delicious. No one else was around, so I figured it would be alright if I had a handful more. I had a huge smile on my face as I walked back into the market place. I'm not sure what it was, but I walked out of there with the feeling that I was getting the most out of life.
1. Fushimi Inari Shrine
I am not sure what to say. It was beautiful. It shows how multiplicity can lead to grandeur . While in Korea a group of us have had the conversation about how we believe that Disneyland has ruined aspects of traveling. Whether it is mountain homes in Switzerland or a castle in Germany there are certain times where you should be overwhelmed by how beautiful something is because you have never been in a particular place before, yet it feels like something you saw at Disneyland. When we were walking at Fushimi we kept talking about how Disney had not ruined this experience. It was like nothing I had ever seen before! For that reason, I am only going to post two pictures. This week, Kyoto made it into the top 5 cities I have ever been to. So, if you want to see more of the shrine, go there and experience it yourself.
