Now that Bob was on antihistamines (kouhisutaminzai) thanks to working out what to say to the chemist via Google, he was no longer sneezing and spluttering and crying as we walked, and was finding the excursions much more enjoyable. He could even enjoy the fact that the autumn colours were rapidly deepening.
Good -byes were made to our favourite statues on the bridge to the market.
Then, we had a "Japanese breakfast" in a cafe by the market, which turned out to miso soup, rice. seaweed strips, egg, ham and pickles, with green tea. The locals, we noticed, were having toast and coffee unlike the tourists.
After that, we wandered along a side street and decided to investigate a traditional merchant's house. The man who owned it was a saki merchant and a money-lender and must have been very rich to own such a huge and impressive property. Business was cconducted in the front rooms where the huge wooden beams were designed to impress.
The downstairs rooms were spacious and opened onto each other. they were beautifully austere and elegant.
We were offered a fragrant, mushroom tea by our hostess by this fire-place, where the family would have gathered to keep warm.
Upstairs was just as beautiful. The rooms made us realise where western architects in the 1950s and 1960s had got their inspiration.
Both upstairs and downstairs looked out onto private gardens
The decorative touches were simple but striking.
Even the non-formal, utilitarian areas were attractive.
We had to race to the station, but I couldn't resist taking a few more pictures on the way.
When we arrived, however, we had to stand in a queue to wait for the station master to let us all
We were lucky to be on the first carriage of the train, so we had great views over the driver's head as well as out of the side windows. Unfortunately, we were both so tired, we fell asleep on the way down the mountains, only waking up for a quick feed from our bento boxes, which were particularly delicious:
We woke up after the changeover at Nagoya, and discovered that the rice fields were going very yellow with the cool change. The further south we went, the bigger the houses and gardens, and the more attractively Japanese in style the houses were. We both decided that we would live in the country and commute if we lived here.
Kyoto station is huge, a great shopping centre, with very helpful information areas. Walking up from the station with our bags, we found the street and the place that our phones said that our hotel was to be found, but it wasn't there. Not happy APPLE! Google is much better! If it wasn't for a kind stranger, we would still be wandering round looking for it.
Turns out that Aranvert Hotel is very swish and pleasant,and we have a lovely, large room with a bath! Yay! I must say my friend Trish has proved to be an excellent accomodation booker! I persuaded (ie bullied) her into doing all our bookings when she was up for a holiday because I loathe doing things like that on line, and she has not failed us yet. Plus, they keep improving! I may bring her back a piece of sushi as a reward!
We were still exhausted, so decided to forego exploring and went out for a quick dinner before bed. Purely by chance, we found ourselves in an amazing restaurant. You take your shoes off at the entrance and put them in lockers, and are escorted to a little alcove with privacy ensured by rice screens. Inside the room is a sunken floor so you are sitting at the foot level of the aisle. Lots of businessmen were dining there.
Bob had beer and I had cassis and orange juice.
The meal was incredible:
A cabbage and beanshoot salad with crunchy little fish.
Fried fish
Smoked mackerel
When it was time for bed, we were very happy with life!
No comments:
Post a Comment