Cold seems to be improving!
Breakfast again at the hotel, last breakfast buffet TG. Had to go a little earlier than I’d have wanted, to get in touch with Brad re: the pedals; he figures that Roger has them. Unfortunately I know that Roger and Helen are having a lie in this a.m. as their plane isn’t until later, but at least I know I’ll get them by 10 a.m. as that’s checkout time!
In actuality it took me about that long to get ready, packing everything into the case and one carry bag (has food etc). Just at the right moment there was a knock on the door and the pedals appeared, they had indeed been given to Roger. Down into the base of the case they went, along with other bike stuff I won’t need anymore. The theory is that I won’t need to completely repack again, but inevitably something I need has disappeared (like laundry soap – slippery stuff that, and shampoo just doesn’t do the same job!) and I end up rummaging in the bottom of the case anyway. We live in hope…
I did luck out in the lobby after checking out as I discovered that Tsuyen is going to the same hotel as me, meeting his next tour there tonight. I was able to ride in his taxi, giving him a hand with suppies, and a good thing as the location is pretty hidden. It’s got a lovely entrance off a very busy street, but if you didn’t know it was there you would definitely walk past it. Explains why Debbie and I had so much trouble finding it on the map prior to leaving….I had pinned it, so would have found it eventually but it was definitely easier with someone who knows the way, esp. as the taxi will drop off on the opposite side of the busy street. The new hotel is quite lovely – much smaller and has more character than the Via Inn, for sure. It has a lovely scent when you go in and is peaceful and quiet, in stark contrast to the busy street. There is also a “living lounge” with free (good!) coffee 7 am. onwards. Luggage dropped off, check-in is some hours away.
So headed out for some sightseeing – first to the Nishiki food market, which was just waking up. Interesting space with all kinds of food for cooking and food stalls, both western and traditional. I wandered around looking at things, unable to find dried Shiso leaves (for ramen) but one could buy pretty much anything else including yuzu sake. (I will get mine in Tokyo as I don’t want to haul it around more than I need to).
Lots of matcha, wagashi (Japanese sweets) for sale – got a chestnut daifuku that was quite lovely. LOTS of tourists here, both Japanese and foreign.
I then turned back towards the metro station that I needed for Kyoto Botanical Gardens, and hit the patisserie street. Lots of lovely, high end patisseries. I made a note of where to come back to and walked by them all, as I didn’t want to carry a pastry around the gardens either.
At Kyoto Botanical Gardens, I was walked through the ticket buying process by an elderly volunteer, who politely asked if I was over 70 (the definition of a senior in Japan) as the ticket would be cheaper. What a bargain cf Van Dusen, it was only $4 (including entry to the conservatory which was an extra $2).
Had a good wander around the gardens, with grey skies threatening rain (as had the forecast predicdted) but it only spat a little. The gardens were relatively quiet, a large expanse with different zones and I took many, many pictures as it was quite lovely. The conservatory was amazing, and there were some lovely fall colours, a bonsai exhibition that was underwhelming, an orchid exhibition that was very artistic (inside an entrance building) and a French formal garden which was charming. There were still roses in bloom, and it would have been comfortable to sit and have a picnic as some family groups were obviously doing. Parts resembled VDG in that they were needing weeding, more the periphery than the main areas which were well kept.
Following are but a few of the many pictures I took, which I dedicate to my relative Morag who died suddenly and tragically at the start of this trip. She was a talented gardener and botanist and would have loved wandering around this garden. She was much in my thoughts as I meandered around.
an interesting one with flowers and fruit directly from the trunk, like cacao
passionfruit!
back outside again, water lillies!
and this quixotic sculpture at the entrance:
Time for lunch after all that hiking so a foray to Gion to the vegan ramen restaurant was the next stop. Another awesome ramen dish… stopped at the supermarket on the way back to get some more miso soup, and yoghourt and fruit for breakfast. Mandarins are excellent right now!
It was back to the hotel for check in after that, and found the luggage had already been put in the room. A nice room with some room to breathe, tastefully decorated in traditional Japanese style. The pillows are the first useable ones I’ve had in Japan; generally they are rock hard, and seem to have rice or something similar sewn into the back of them? They advertise as a combination of hard and soft but I’d never found the “soft” side…
A quick trip back to the pastry street found most of them sold out, but managed to purloin a slice of “Japonais” made with matcha that was really lovely when consumed later that evening. I am beginning to really enjoy matcha, which I didn’t before coming. 10/10 for this one!
A lovey soak in the bath repaired some of the aching in my osteoarthritic joints after all the walking today – no onsen at this hotel alas, and I find walking much harder than cycling nowadays. None of the baths are long enough to stretch out in, but they are deep.
The alarm will be set early for a hike around the Inari shrine tomorrow a.m. so an early sleep is in order.