Not Quite Holy Kyoto
Not quite holy, but not bad either
There are also those things that aren’t labeled “holy” that have my attention (even though anything can be spiritual to anyone😉)…
- Beautiful streets, parks and gardens
maruyama park
random bridge
adorable garden in adorable coffee shop
kyoto backstreet
pink painting the sky in gion
katsura river
togetsukyo (moon-crossing) bridge
-
arashiyama
arashiyama street
arashiyama street
sanjo bridge sunset
path of bamboo
bamboozled
looks unreal
types of moss (something from The Hobbit??)
stream
takaragaike park
duckies
takaragaike lake (do you see the huge orange fish?!)
- Being accosted by adorable school children
cute school kids wanting picture with foreigner
Sooo, this was the 3rd time that I was asked to take a picture with school kids. The first time, I had just gotten off of my bus the first day in Kyoto and was trying to find the hostel, and I heard all these people running towards me. I got scared, thinking that I was about to be mugged, so I was deciding what I had on me that I could use to hit someone with. But, turns out, it was six kids – three boys, three girls – in their uniforms, and the ‘leader’ said, “EXCUSE ME! Can we take picture with you???”
The kids in the pic above followed me for about 15 minutes, and then, after much whispering, one of them finally said, “EXCUSE ME!”. I decided that I would get a picture as well this time, and they really loved it when I asked for a picture – they thought it was hilarious😂
So, I was told by a friend who lives here but isn’t from Japan that some people love foreigners because we’re so exotic… (a funny thought that a whitey-white girl from Kentucky is exotic!). He said we can be called “gaijin” by some, which literally means Alien (gai = outsider, alien, or something weird; jin = nationality). Super funny. Love it!
- Rickshaws! They were invented in Japan. The word came from the Japanese word “jinrikisha” (jin = human, riki = power or force, sha = vehicle), which literally means “human-powered vehicle.”*
rickshaws
*source: wikipedia😂
Next up: 30-day Checkpoint
wordsmakesentences 
Absolutely beautiful! It looks like you were in time for some of the fall color.
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This looks like a particularly beautiful and peaceful sort of place. Interesting that they use so much of the color orange in their bridges and temples. Also the great blast of color in the maple trees. I loved the bamboo path! A treat to see you with the school kids. They must think so too!
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yes, so much orange… i don’t know why exactly actually. i’m going to try and figure that out!:) the school kids are so adorable, only a few different uniforms Ive seen, all in that same dark dark blue color (don’t know the significance of them being that color either 🙂
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Yeah, it gets a little boring but that jackets been a life saver ! Where will you be when you get warmer weather ?
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next, in one week, cambodia. 90*
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Love the coffee shop and garden. I can see why the kids want to hang out with you : you look like you’re fun !
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haaa. thanks. i’m sick of wearing the exact same clothes though… and that jacket. it’s awesome. butttt I am soooo sick of wearing it. I can’t wait for change in weather = i can wear other clothes! (over and over and over).
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