Today we left Tokyo and said goodbye to our super tiny hostel and Toshi our new friend we made there. We took the train into Kyoto and met three Americans from SanFransico. They happened to be staying at the same hostel as us so we decided to take along with them today. When we checked into this hostel I got to see what a "normal" hostel is really like. We could actually stand with our bags on in this one, both of us at the same time! and the shower wasn't in the kitchen right where everyone could see with only a curtain to hide yourself. So this was definately a step up. Anyways we tagged along with these American guys and went to this place that started with a T I know its horrible I dont know but when you don't know how to even say the name how are you supposed to remember how to spell it....I will come back to this and type it in later. Anyways this place had all those traditional long Japanese boats on this river that streamed over these rocks and it just looked beautiful to see them as the sun was setting. We didnt get to Kyoto till late so there wasn't much time to do anything to spectacular. But we did eat at our first japanese restaurant. which was cool but i dont live outside the box and only got soup that looked like faand this little bun thing that had hamburger on the inside of it. when you get a meal here it comes with a lot most times i think cause stacey got breaded shrimp, eggplant, rice, noodles, tofo, and a scoop of icecream. and again its presented so nicely. But the highlight of my day by far was the karioke bar. we were walking back to our hostel and the guys are like want to go for a drink and im like ya so they stick their heads in this one bar to take a peek and are like oh its just a karioke bar. and you know me my face just lights up and i'm all over it!! so we go in and this old asian lady who i think must own the place invites us in and looks so eager that she has foreigners in her little pub. Were the only white and young ppl at this bar. All the Japanese turn and look at us when we walk in. they are all older and singing songs that sound like frank sinatra in japanese. it was hilarious. and the lady just kept going sing sing pressuring us to make a choice like she wanted our buisness so badly. so finally i pick my song. and this karioke system seems like its from ages ago but hey the music is modern and they had some english tunes. but there were like pictures going in the backround with the words while you sang and everytime there was like a intermission in the song they would start clapping. and everytime i finished the song they would come up and give me to double high fives and say thank you thank you. it seriously made my night. i forgot to mention how nice kyoto station is. with the kyoto tower beside it adn the huge xmas tree inside decorated like the one in nyc it was quite the site to see. there were children playing amazing on the keyboard for passers by to hear everyone just sat up on the stairs listening to them it was insane cause they were only like 7-12 yrs old. i was going to write more but im pooped! so thats it for tonight.
