Well actually we did see more than just shrines and temples on this day. We got up and went to the same hole-in-the-wall place for breakfast and then left straight for Kinkakuji, the Golden Pavilion. This was much more impressive than the Silver Pavilion considering it wasn't under construction. Along the path there were was one place where you could try to toss coins into a little bowl by a statue of Buddha for luck or to make a wish or something and I actually got one in! It was only my second or third try too. None of the boys were able to hehehehehe. I also lit a candle for family safety and bought TC a traffic safety charm, since apparently she's starting driver's ed.
Next we walked to Ryoanji, the Temple of the Peaceful Dragon. This Zen temple has the most famous rock garden in Japan. It was pretty relaxing to just sit there in the relative cool of the shade. Next we decided to leave Kyoto briefly and head to Osaka. On our way to the train we got on the wrong sort of bus that didn't take our bus passes but since it was the last stop the guy just let us off for free. We had lunch at the station again and got on our train (though there was some confusion-YR had blazed ahead and got on the train right as the doors were closing and the rest of us didn't make it). We didn't do too much in Osaka but we did walk around and we went to the Umeda Sky Building. We went to the top and had a really good view of the city and we had fun taking goofy pictures. The building itself looks like two towers that are connected at the top and they had lots of interesting little features including fountains, a room with musical seats, and clear escalators spanning the two towers.
After exploring a bit more we headed back to Kyoto so we would have time to clean up before meeting Naho and her friend Rie. For those of you who don't know Naho Maruta (or Maruta Naho if you want to be Japanese about it) she was our Japanese TA from Wake. After some more traveling confusion we finally met them (it's okay though because while we were lost we saw many people in yukata and some people practicing for the festival on giant floats) and we all went to a restaurant. I'm just going to call it a stick restaurant because I don't actually know what it was, but basically we ordered a bunch of little kebabs. We also ordered some other things that didn't come on sticks as well as several pitchers of beer. After a few hours of drinking, eating, and being really loud we managed to convince Naho to karaoke with us (it wasn't that she didn't want to karaoke, she was just worried about getting home before the trains stopped). This was actually the first time I had been to a karaoke parlor and it's a lot more fun than just using the machine. You and your friends get your own room with some couches, a big TV with the lyrics, and a couple of microphones. We sang some fun songs including Bohemian Rhapsody (according to Zac you have to sing this when you karaoke), Barbie Girl, Tainted Love, and a bunch others. Naho and Rie left to catch their last train home (we had missed the last bus so we just walked) and the rest of us went home and promptly went to sleep (though we had agreed to meet up with some other people from the hostel to hangout again, there was nobody there by the time we got back).
It should be apparent that this is the Golden Pavilion.
We actually left this picture (since it was one of our few group ones) on the computer at the hostel. They will print it and put it on a wall with a bunch of other pictures of previous people who had stayed there. (Zac, Kevin, me, YR)
I actually tossed a coin into that stone bowl (not the little one in front but the bigger one in front of the two metal rods). I'm going to assume it gave me good luck or something equally nice.
The rock garden at Ryoanji. You can't really make out the patterns in any of my pictures.
The Umeda Sky Building in Osaka.
A closer view. Those two slanty upward things (good use of my words I know) are the glass escalators.
Me unintentionally (I just wanted my hair out of my face) practicing my modeling skills on top of the building.
We were being goofy and took a picture of our reflection across the big circle (see the picture 2 above this one) at the top. (Zac, Cynthia, Kevin, YR)
Us at the restaurant. (Cynthia, Kevin, Zac, YR, Naho, Rie) Everything was good but the most memorable parts were less the food and more the hanging out (especially teasing Naho)
Karaoke afterwards. Probably one of the less lively songs since everyone is sitting down. (YR, Rie, Kevin, Naho)
1 comment:
So I was glancing over the pictures in this post and couldn't help but notice the Golden Pavilion looked oddly familiar. Then I realized the canned Apple background I've been using for 7 months is actually of the same building (same side too, though it looks like pretty dense forest from behind so that's hardly surprising.
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