I made it to Kyoto and I really want to go back. Kyoto has a pretty cool old school Japan look and feel with a mix of the new tech forward Japan. For those into visiting temples, you may overdose on the awesome numbers of temples.
Note, for a full information over load on the planning end of my travel to Japan, go here.
I am not so big on temples, but I really wanted to see Fushimi Inari (the one with an array of red shrine gates) and walk through the bamboo groves. Everything else were extras.
First day in, I met an awesome partner in crime to discover Kyoto with, hey Nathan! Not gonna lie, most of the things I did in Kyoto was because of Nathan. Left to my devices, I would have spent my time eating through Kyoto, but homeboy loves temples and was more keen on been a tourist. Arigato Nathan for making me experience Kyoto more so than I planned to.
Last day in Kyoto 🙁
Update 4/15/2016: I just remembered a random story about the grapefruit juice store in the picture above! Sooo, I mistakenly dropped my grapefruit juice while trying to move my bicycle, the straws fell out but the juice didn’t completely spill out. In a frazzled moment, I told the vendor to help me hold on to the juice while I got a handle on my bike (language barrier stupidity). Shockingly, he threw it into the garbage and started making a new one for me. He handed me the newly made juice and asked for money, see confusion. When he realized the error, he told me not to worry and he let me have it have at no extra cost with a straight face. I thought all was well in the world.
Then Nathan and I decided to park our bikes right by his store and went off on a trek around the neighborhood. About 30 minutes later, Nathan got nervous and wanted us to move our bikes to a proper parking area, so we went back to pick up our bikes.
Well, Nathan’s senses were on point because my bike was MIA and his had been moved to the end of the block. I should also note that we locked the tires of our bikes, so when the vendor moved our bikes, he had to carry it to move it. Luckily, Nathan spotted mine further down, alongside a building on the main road about 2 blocks away.
I can’t even imagine the effort it took for him to move our bikes out of spite, but I found the whole thing ridiculously hilarious! So yeah, the whole experience went in line with what I learned from many other foreigners living or traveling through Japan; the Japanese are pretty good at giving outsiders a pleasant front even when you piss them off. The moment they can teach you a lesson, it will not be pretty, but they will be pleasant while teaching you that lesson.
