Kurashiki - Bikan

We had a lovely wander around the historic Bikan centre yesterday morning. We checked out the tourist shops and the local craft shops. We wandered the laneways and pottered around. We found a tourist Lawson (which is an omnipresent convenience store with a blue logo and does not usually contain local souvenirs). We had curry for lunch and then returned to the hotel to offload our purchases and to have a bit of a rest.

We ignored the rain, though we couldn't have a canal boat trip because they had been cancelled for the day because of "bad weather"

In the afternoon it had more or less stopped raining and  we visited Ohara House and the Honeiji Temple.

Then Lindsey went running up a hill to look at a shrine. 

I had no wish to be running up hills or steep stairs so I stayed at canal level and went for a mooch around.

When we were having dinner in the restaurant on Tuesday evening, we noticed gardens and buildings through the window. I went to see what they were, and found a lovely little Zen garden next to the Art Museum

I sat there of a while, in a small shelter, and enjoyed the peace and the water - and the fact that I was undercover from the rain, which had returned.

I notice that I have been particularly interested in the trees and water and gardens this visit. Perhaps my gardening mojo is belatedly making a reappearance.

I had better start getting organised. Today we are moving from Kurashiki to Austin's place. and we need to be out of here in 25 minutes!

Lindsey finally found some bacon that
hadn't been stewed.
And I had some corn soup.
Happiness all round