TODAY WE DECIDED TO LEAVE TOKYO AND HEAD TO KYOTO JAPAN, WE SAID GOOD BYE TO SMALL JGH HOSTEL AND TOSHI.
WE BOARDED ANOTHER SHINKANSEN TRAIN FOR A 2.5HOUR JOURNEY EAST TO KYOTO. ON THE TRAIN THERE WAS 3 OTHER TRAVELERS FROM SAN FRAN USA THEY WHERE HEADED TO KYOTO AND STAYING IN THE SAME HOSTEL AT K'S PLACE JUST LIKE US. THEY WHERE DOING SOME HEAVY RESEARCH AND WE ASKED IF WE COULD JOIN THEM FOR SOME SIGHTS, THEY WELCOMED US IN KNOW PROBLEM.
ONCE ARRIVING AT KYOTO STATION WHICH IS VERY BEAUTIFUL AND HAS A GIANT DECORATED XMAS TREE WE DECIDED TO GO STRAIGHT TO HOSTEL AND DROP OFF OUR BAGS. AFTER EXITING THE STATION WE WHERE WELCOMED TO KYOTO TOWER, THAT HAS A SPINNING TOP.
ARRIVING AT K'S HOSTEL WAS LIKE ARRIVING TO A MANSION COMPARED TO OUR STAY AT JGH IN TOKYO. HERE WE ARE IN A SHARED MIXED DORM WITH STORAGE LOCKS BELOW OUR BED AND THE HOSTEL IS EQUIPPED WITH A CAFE/BAR LAUNDRY ROOM COMMON ROOM AND KITCHEN. VERY NICE HIGHLY RECOMMED.
AFTER SETTLING OUR BAGS IN WE WENT DOWNSTAIRS AND DECIDED TO GO OUT IN ABOUT IN KYOTO AND HEAD TO THE TOGETSUKYO BRIDGE IT WAS FILLED WITH BEAUTIFUL NATURE AND NESTELED IN THE HILLS JUST LIKE NIKKO. HERE THERE WAS MANY JAPPANESSE STYLE BOATS FLOATING AROUND IN THE STREAM AND THE HOUSES WHERE ALL TRADITIONAL. NO ONE HERE HAS A BACK YARD ALL HOUSES ARE SO CLOSE TOGETHER. AS WE WHERE WALKING AROUND I DECIDED TO TRY A GREEN TEA ICE CREAM IT WAS GREAT AND VERY SETTLE IN TASTE AND WAS NOT OVER THE TOP FLAVOR.
AFTER WALKING AROUND WE DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO GET SOMETHING TO EAT AND THIS WAS OUR FIRST MEAL IN A RESTURANT I COULD NOT READ ANYTHING OR TELL THE PRICE BUT MY STOMACH WAS SOO HUNGARY THAT IT DIDNT MATTER. WE WENT INTO A TRADITIONAL RESTURANT SOME PEOPLE WHERE SITTING ON THE FLOOR EATING BUT WE WHERE SEATED TO A NORMAL TABLE. MY MEAL CONSISTED OF SOME TEMPURA TOFU RICE NOODLES BATTERED EGG PLANT AND A COUPLE OTHER THINGS THAT I DIDNT EVEN KNOW WHAT WHERE , THE ONLY THING I ENJOYED WAS THE TEMPURA.
AFTER EATING WE DECIDED TO HEAD BACK TO THE HOSTEL AS IT WAS GETTING DARK SO BACK ON THE TRAIN WE WENT AFTER WE GOT TO THE KYOTO STATION WE TOOK SOME PICTURES OF THE BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS TREE AND OF THE TOWER LIT UP AT NIGHT, THERE WAS MUSIC PLAYING IN THE STATION AND PEOPLE WHERE SEATED ALONG THE STAIRS WE DECIDED TO HEAD THAT WAY TO SEE WHAT EVERY WAS LOOKING AT, WHEN WE GOT THERE IT WAS A LITTLE GIRL PLAYING MUSIC ON A PIANO AND KEEPING EVERYONE ENTERTAINED WE SAT DOWN FOR A BIT AND LISTENED. AFTER LISTENING TO THE LITTLE GIRL WE STARTED TO WALK BACK TO THE HOSTEL ON THE WAY THERE WE SAW A KAROKEE BAR AND JOSIE REALLY WANTED TO SING SO WE STOPPED IN AND I HAD MY FIRST DRINK IN JAPAN, I ORDERED A BEER BECAUSE THAT IS THE ONLY THING SHE UNDERSTOOD , IT CAME BACK SERVED IN A GIANT BOTTLE LIKE A BIG BEAR IN CANADA LOL. THE KAROKEE BAR WAS SO SMALL AND REALLY CHEAP LOOKING THE SEATS WHERE BLACK WITH SILVER SPARKELS AND THEY WHERE SHORT AND MINI TO THE FLOOR, THERE WAS A FEW OTHER OLDER JAPANESSE MEN IN THERE AND THEY WHERE SINGING KAROKEE I COULDNT UNDERSTAND THEM BUT IT WAS FUNNY, WHEN JOSIE SANG IT WAS ALL IN ENGLISH. AFTER MY BEER AND JOSIES 2 SONGS WE DECIDED TO HEAD TO THE HOSTEL AND CALL IT A NIGHT AND GET UP FOR ANOTHER DAY IN KYOTO
