Kyoto! (part 1)

Landed at Kansai Airport in Osaka we directly took the train for Kyoto where we stay about a week. This was our third trip to Japan and the first that we've been in Kansai plain. Kyoto is, of course, smaller than Tokyo (about 1.500.000 inhabitants). One of the old capital of Japan, Kyoto is historically very rich. Less oppressive than Tokyo, it's very pleasant to have a walk along the Kamo-gawa river and reach the hills around to visit many temples and shrines.

Probably our first common memory... As we couldn't find the Uno-House (I recommend this place for a short stay. It's not expensive and that's probably why it's not really comfortable but enough to sleep http://www.hostels.com/en/hosteldetails.php/HostelNumber.11504), Chris and I decided to have a walk around while both Julien were waiting at metro station with our luggages. All I can say, is that we walked a very long time (and most of the time in the wrong way...), asked women, men, policemen, cook working in their kitchen, taximen and eventually it's a guard who made a quick map to explain where it was... Finally, after more than a hour we found it!

Welcome to our bedroom! As I wrote below, the comfort is very rudimentary. No windows, futons quite tight... Anyway it was enough for us. I probably had my shortest night of my life in this room... For our last night in Kyoto we went in a club (of course!) and had a late party. I came back (alone, because the others came back earlier) at about 7 o'clock in the morning (completely drunk...). Find the room (and probably awoke the half house...) then sleep... 30 minutes later the alarm clock rung and we had to get up to catch the coach at 8 o'clock in Kyoto station... I don't know how we did it, but we managed (Chris, Julien and me) to be at the coach station 3 minutes before the departure of the bus. Chris totally wet after struggling with his suitcase of about 85 kilos in the metro stairs (which are quite short without anything to carry), Julien happy to be on time and me still a bit under the influence of my whisky coke... We reached Tokyo in the early night.

The Kamo-gawa river.

Some beautiful hills around Kyoto under the fog... Looks like a painting.

The heaviest rain I have ever seen in Japan. We were quietly strolling in Kyoto when suddenly the rain made us absolutely soak...

Kamo-gawa river, a quiet place to have a walk or some rest.

Crossing the river on the stones. Some of them are carved in a shape of tortoise.

Kamo-gawa river.


Probalby a tiring day for those two young women who definitely deserve some good rest along the river.


We can see one of this tortoise in the top of the picture.