The Path to Philophosy

Kyoto Day 3

The Path to Philosophy, Modern Art and Tempura

If you ever go to Kyoto, and it happens to be in Cherry Blossom Season I order you to complete The Path to Philosophy - it made The Wisdom Path (Lantau Island, Hong Kong) look stark and forboding - I can see now the parallels between Japan and Paris, especially Van Gogh's Cherry Blossom Painting whcih we have hanging in our house. It's the real one too.

It's a 3km trek in the North East corner of Kyoto City against the side of the Eastern Mountains. A small river runs from the Ginkakuji Shrine, lined with - yes - Cherry Blossoms, small shops and food stalls. The small river is speckled pink and white like a moving kaliedoscope; and, giant friendly bees buzz around posing for photo's.Lu bought a hat, but I prefered the alcoholic present - despite it being rude to walk and drink or eat I did both, and you can street drink on the Path to Philosophy. Heaven. I also bought what I think was marinated bamboo, either way it tasted like chicken.

Kyoto Day 4

Arashiyama Bamboo Path and Osawa Pond

Day 3 at any new city is a bit of a mix, the places you must go and take a photo are done - so you can do what you want but you are useley shattered. Louise, who I was now calling "the shopper-nator", had walked me into the ground and was determined to get me to Arashiyama Bamboo Path. We woke early to move our gear to the train station, and this time I did not open and close the locker to double check it work (last time I lost all our money).

After a sh*t breakfast and coffee at Starbucks I was not a happy man, I was limping and needed to log off. Luckily the toilets in Kyoto station are sublime, as I entered the cubicle it was spotless and even smelled... nice!?!? I leaned back and the automated seat warmer kicked in, along with the russle of water trickling (automated audio privacy built in - quite touching really). Things got better, "Nothings Gonna Change My Love For You" eased in on the radio, loud enough for me to hum along without detection. Better yet, weight was of my aching feet and my spirits were rising. At then... the masterpiece, the bidet... and wouldn't you like to know if I used it or not. It had nobs for water pressure and water temperature that alledgely work with pin-point accuracy - pure indulgence.

When I told all of this to Lu, who had seen me leave grump and return smiling she was disgusted.
"Well mine is cleaner than yours, who is disgusting now?" I retorted. I was too tired to care anymore.

The Bamboo Forrest is in the Western precinct on Kyoto - we jumped off the train and bypass the rickshaw runners in their toe boots and little black stocking jocks and decided to walk it, again (for the love of god why!). It was worth it though.
We also hiked up to the XXX lake, which was running an art display in the adjacent Bamboo Forrest. I think they are supposed to be Red Flamingoes. I liked it.

We wandered around the lake, and Lu was determined to get a picture of the waterfall, we finally found it - all of 1m in height from tip to creek... wow.

The Lake was just about the most Cherry Blossoms we had seen, the ground, trees, lake - everything was pink, and it fell like snow on you as you walked.

Elderly locals rested on the balcony having what looked like green tea. But Lu and prefer walking than nice things like that.