Day 8

 . . . . . . . . .The 'Golden' Bullet


BIG day today . . .  we are off to Kyoto.  Kyoto is about 320 miles away from Tokyo and the only real way to get there is by . . . . the Shinkansen (Bullet Train)!!!

Scott was looking forward to the trip on the Bullet Train.  So, early to rise . . .  we were up before 6 (and on a holiday too!!) and off to Tokyo Station to catch the Bullet.  

However, before we could do anything else, I HAD to get my breakfast.  The journey was going to take about 3 hours so I would need something to keep me going on the journey.  As I have mentioned before, the Train stations are huge and a lot of them have shopping malls and Department Stores (some of them bigger than the Bridges or Eldon Square).  You could literally live underground for a very long time.

There are also loads of snack shops and a particular favourite shop is the Bento shops.  I just had to have a Bento box for the train journey.  This was a huge decision - plus the fact I wasn't too sure what I was getting . . . but this is an adventure, there's nothing in these boxes that could kill me - is there?!?!?  

Box chosen, we went off to find our platform.  The Shinkansen have their own platforms and a special part of the station so it wasn't too hard to find . . .  well it would have been if it was just me, but thankfully Scott has stuck with me - so far.

We were on the N700 Series . . .  not that anyone will know what that is unless some of you are closet train spotters!!!  Now this is not my photo . . .  I couldn't take a photo as the train was already in the station and I could see either end of it.  They are bloody long trains you know!

We didn't reserve any seats, so we could only use cars 1 ~5 but as each car hold about 80 seats, we would be OK.  We chose car No. 5 and made ourselves comfy.  The seats are huge and there is a load of leg room - even Scott could stretch out easily.  We noticed that some people getting on with buggies were able to out them in front of them in the gap between seats!  This means nothing gets left in the aisle!  The seats also reclined without disturbing the person behind you . . .  great stuff.

There are 16 cars on this Shinkansen, some are for reserved seats only, some are Green Class (first class to you and me), some are unreserved and at the back there is a smoking carriage!  There are toilets (western and Japanese style) and a little room you can go and sit in if you are nursing or if you feel unwell!

All ready to go . . .  the train was due to leave at 07:33 and it left bang on time!  If all went according to plan, we would be in Kyoto by 10:15.

Time to get breakfast out . . . .  my lunch box today had 30 essential items in it . . . 

The 30 items in my box

So, if you read Japanese, please can someone tell me what I had for breakfast on Sunday morning!  I ate it all apart from one thing - and I think it was a gherkin type thing and was quite nasty - I don't even like them at home - so I ain't gonna eat them in Japan!!!  I washed all that down with a bottle of Pocari Sweat (water!) - job done!

I had been faithfully guaranteed that I would see Mt Fuji on the journey - and  . . .  well - he wasn't quite there!

If you look really really closely, you can see him.  No - me neither!  He is out there somewhere - apparently!

During the journey, there is also a very nice lady comes up and down the train with a drink and food cart.  However, as I had already had my brekkie, we didn't partake of her services.

At one point Scott decided to go on a walkabout to see that the rest of the train was like.  I think I have mentioned before that the kids keep staring at Scott.  Unfortunately for Scott, he went through a car that was full of school kids and they all decided to say 'Hello' to him.  But when Scott says 'Hello' back, they all burst into fits of giggles!!!!!  I think he is getting a complex hahahaaha!!!!

So, we arrived at Kyoto station at exactly 10:15.  Another huge station - with lots of platforms and department stores and shopping malls!  But very pretty

The Kyoto Station Roof!

The first thing we noticed was that it was hot . . .  . very hot!  And very humid.  It was reaching about 28 degrees.  Not to worry though, a 10 minute walk to the hotel and we could go out and about.  Ooooh - if only you knew!  It got worse when we left the station, but onwards and upwards.  The sun was very strong . . this I can just about cope with but mix it with the humidity - and that's a different matter altogether!

It took a l-o-n-g 20 minutes or so to find the Hotel and by this time, both of us were absolutely dripping.  We couldn't check in until 2pm, so we dumped the suitcase and went off to explore (and find somewhere to cool down!)

Right next door to the hotel is a MacDonalds. . .  now don't start . . .  you weren't there!  It was very hot and we were very narky, so we needed to sit somewhere cool, have a drink and plan the day.  Two Strawberry Milkshakes later, we were sitting in a nice cool, aircon'd MaccyD's.  Oh go on then - judge if you must!

We had passed a temple on the way to the Hotel, so we thought we would go back there and check that one out first.

These were the Nishi and Higashi Hongan-ji Temples and are for the Jodo-Shinshu sect.  They are under restoration at the moment and the Japanese have built a proper 'real I am' building around it to preserve it while it is being done, so photos of the Temple under this building didn't come out too well (can't use flash photography inside temples)  This Temple normally has a lot of treasures, but they were not on show today.

 A drum!

 A cleansing bath - to cleanse your hands before going into a Shrine

We wandered around here for a while, then decided to make our way to the next Temple which I had been looking forward to - the Kinkaku-ji Temple (Golden Temple),

This Temple is completely covered n Gold Leaf and has a bronze phoenix on top.

This is an absolutely spectacular temple and I loved it.  Unfortunately, you can't go inside, so we had to make do with staring at the outside.  The Temple on a lake surrounded by a gorgeous garden so we had a nice stroll round.

 People throw coins to the statues and try to get the money in the pot.  We had a go, but didn't manage it.

By the time we left Kinkaku-ji, it was gone 5pm and we were now travel weary and the heat was knocking us for 6.  We had walked quite a bit today and now had quite a long bus journey back to the hotel.  Plus we really needed to have a shower and get changed - not just for us, but for the people around us as well!!!

To be honest, we were going to go out and check out Gion and search for geisha ladies, but we were completely shattered.  

We are staying in the Citadines Apartment hotel, and the one thing this hotel had over the Bunker, was it had a BATH!  Scott has needed a bath all week to soak his poor legs and feet, so he was quite excited at the prospect of a soak in the bath.

What he (and I) forgot, was that the Japanese don't have baths like us . .  . ie soak in bubbles for a long time, plus they are quite a bit smaller than Scott.  Needless to say - the bath was a bit small - very deep but small!  Oh and we had a new toilet to play with . . . .  the buttons were on the wall in front of the toilet . . .  you have to have a go - don't you?!?!!?

 Small - but deep bath!

Push a button if you dare!!

We did go back out for some food and supplies but went back to the hotel for a cool relaxing evening.  More to do tomorrow - and it was apparently going to be another hot hot hot day!  Oh - the room also had some Yutaka's (a lightweight Kimono).  Scott put his on:  He's my Japanese Boy!!!

Yeah!  He'll kill me for putting that on here!!!

My T-Shirt tan is coming on a treat . . . .  should be able to give it a real good top up tomorrow!!!