Thursday, October 24, 2013

Kamo River heron and Pontocho geisha


Even if it's not a real life geisha, it's still nice to spot 
a geisha in a picture along Kyoto's Pontocho

Twenty-one blog entries after my first one on Kyoto, it's finally time to bring my Kyoto chronicling to a close.  I know there are regular readers of this blog who reckon it's high time I did so.  (After all, I was there for just a few days.) In response, I'll say that my days there were remarkably full and my blog entries really are a good way for me to record my thoughts about various aspects of this wonderful Japanese city -- for myself, if not general posterity.

What with my final day in Kyoto being very short due to my flight out of Kansai Airport being in the morning, my fifth day in the city (during which I visited Fushimi Inari shrine, walked along the Philosopher's Walk, and dined at Honke Owariya and drank at the Asahi Super Dry Super Cold bar) actually was effectively the last day of my holiday.  Hence my trying to make the most of it, and also trying to make it last longer than my normal day in the city.

In between my first drink of the evening and dinner, I went and walked along the shores of the Kamo River, whose flood waters from a week or so back had fortunately receded.  It was a lovely scene in the early evening -- one that was laid-back and relaxing.  And it was interesting to hear and see African drums being played by an assorted group of individuals even while romantic couples were out and about in the same area.

Some people may think that at times like this, this avowed single might start feeling a tad lonely.  But the truth of the matter was that I truly was happy to just step back, hang out and take in the overall scene.  And for those who're wondering: Puppet Ponyo didn't feel obliged to pop up of my backpack.  Hence my having no photos of Ponyo on Pontacho -- something which, in retrospect, I really should have tried to go for! ;b

3 comments:

Diana said...

In those few days you did so much and yet it all looked so peaceful and relaxed. Thanks for sharing! Love the heron in the water, so idyllic.

eliza bennet said...

Thank you for sharing and also for the food recommendations (although I failed to put them to good use - the people I was with chose a kaiseki restaurant but it ended up being a good evening after all)

YTSL said...

Hi Diana --

Thanks for reading and looking! I did a lot in Kyoto but it really was a de-stressing holiday. :)

Hi "eliza bennet" --

Re the food recommendations: well, some of those places have been in existence a while, so hopefully will stay in business for years to come -- and you can use my recommendations the next time you visit Kyoto! :)