Arashiyama and on to Gifu

Arashiyama is such a lovely place. I liked it a lot

Plenty of other people think so too! There were lots of Japanese visitors, an amazing number of school parties, plenty of German, American, Italian and Eastern European visitors. A surprising, to me at least, lack of Australians.

There was a huge queue for the coffee stand along the river. I queued anyway. Lindsey, not being a coffee drinker, went in search of ice cream instead. She had found, bought and eaten her ice cream before I emerged with my coffee!

Waiting for my coffee to be ready.
The people outside are in the queue
waiting to order

Lindsey's view from outside

We wandered up the river towards the (famous) bamboo forest. The recommendations are that you should go early in the morning or later in the day to avoid the crowds. The recommendations are correct. However, we were engaged in eating breakfast early in the day and we would be gone before the crowds dispersed in the afternoon. It was very crowded. And I suppose the bamboo groves are rather magnificent. But I was a little underwhelmed by it all. It was just, well, bamboo. A nice enough walk. But I think I preferred the river, with the views of the mountains and the people in little pleasure boats and the street food vendors, and the trees. I am told there are smaller, less famous stands of bamboo in the Kyoto area which people do not flock to. Perhaps I might go and look at them one day.

I preferred this:

We ended up in the tourist tat shop street. That was lots of fun, although equally crowded. There is a Snoopy Chocolate shop, a Miffy shop, lots of Hello Kitty stuff and lots and lots of tourist tat.

We fortified ourselves with one of these each

Chocolate mochi, filled with chocolate custard,
strawberry on top

I would very happily come back to Arashiyama. There is more yet to do. And perhaps next time we will go to the bamboo early in the morning, before the crowds get there, and see if it is any more impressive.

You remember the school groups? A positive horde of them were at the Shinkansen platform heading towards Tokyo at the Kyoto Station. I said to Lindsey that there enough of them to fill an entire train. And then - an entire Shinkansen came, just for them. And on they all got and away they went. I know not where they were headed but it had to be somewhere on the Gifu, Nagoya, Yokohama, Tokyo route.

We got onto the (FIVE MINUTE LATE!!!!) Shinkansen to Gifu, where Austin met us at the station. A visit to Liquor Mountain and then onto their place where Kaori had prepared a chicken curry rice dinner for us

Breakfast

You've got to see the breakfast we've just had at the Yado Arashiyama. It would have been worth every yen even if we had had to pay for it but fortunately it was included in our room rate:

 

There was also rice, of course. And green tea. I didn't bother with photos of them

Arashiyama, Kyoto

The flight to Osaka left on time, to my surprise. The last couple of times I have flown from Cairns to Osaka, the flights have been very delayed. The flight was uneventful, and landed around 20 minutes early.

If you should be planning a trip to Japan, may I suggest that you take the trouble to fill in the online entry form on Visit Japan Web. It's not compulsory but it does make your journey through Immigration and Customs very much easier. It does not mean that your luggage will appear any faster. (Looking at you, bright orange suitcase belonging to Lindsey!!!)

We stayed, as is our habit, in the airport hotel which begins to feel a lot like home. We know where everything is, including the convenience stores and other useful things. I did not know that if you buy your breakfast vouchers at checkin you get a ¥2000 per person discount. I did know that seniors get a discount. A double discount!

"You must be excited," people would say in the run up to my leaving. I am never excited until I am in the hotel room with a glass of wine in one hand and an onigiri in the other. 

Breakfast is expensive, even with the double discount, but it is an extensive, all you can eat buffet with top quality food. I may have had two breakfasts!

Accidentally carb-free

Also mostly carb free
Also accidental

View from the hotel room

We took the Hello Kitty train to Kyoto. She's decked out for autumn. I hadn't realised that the Hello Kitty decals were seasonal

I like the train ride to Kyoto. It's about 80 minutes and is pleasantly relaxing, allowing me to get my head gently back into Japan Mode. We had considered all the alternatives for getting from Kyoto Station to Arashiyama. We discounted the bus almost immediately. It is possible to do it by train, but the direct route comes into a station 1.5 km from our hotel. The route to the closest station required two changes. Neither of these would be problematic, except that Lindsey has a lot of luggage, accommodating a two week holiday in Japan followed by a business conference in the Gold Coast. Plus, of course, chocolate and snack supplies for Austin and Kaori.

We took a taxi - which was a little over $A40. It cost me almost that much to get from my place to the station in Ballarat, which is significantly closer.

Arashiyama is a delightful part of Kyoto. Our hotel is seriously cute. We are close to the Monkey Park and the bamboo grove. We are close to the river and to street food outlets and to gift and tourist shops. The location is phenomenal

We were much too early to check in so dropped our luggage and headed to the monkeys. To get to the viewing station you have to climb what is quite a steep hill on a very uneven path. I got about half way up and decided that I would be perfectly happy sitting in the little seated area while Lindsey carried on up to the top. My knees and ankles were definitely not happy! I was happy. It was a peaceful spot to sit, surrounded by trees and many passing people. Some people chose to sit and wait in the same spot. Others rested there and carried on.

I saw a monkey. Lindsey saw lots plus some deer up at the viewing station at the top.

Back at the bottom, we had an ice cream and then went for a wander

The leaves are just starting to turn into their autumn colours.

We picked up lunch/dinner supplies at the convenience store at the nearby station, had a picnic very late lunch/early dinner and checked into our very cute hotel room. The only downside is that there isn't a kettle in the room. You have to go down to the little Scandi-style lounge area to use the tea and coffee making facilities there.

Which I am just about to do. My first cup of tea is long gone and I would be happy to have another. The cups are small!

Cairns

You find me in the International Terminal at the Cairns Airport, waiting for a flight to Osaka.

The flight (so far) has not been delayed.

The airport is busier than it was the last time I was here, when it was practically empty

I do not know why, but the domestic terminal is chockers full of shops and eateries. The international terminal - not so much.

Anyway, we flew up to Cairns yesterday afternoon and stayed in the Coral Tree Inn, close to the city centre. It's a budget hotel but had everything we needed: a large enough room, reliable wifi, nice and comfortable twin beds,  close proximity to The Esplanade with its eateries, harbour view and shops.

View of the hotel pool and breakfast area, 
from a landing, not from our room

We walked to The Esplanade for dinner and ate at the Little Sister restaurant

This was the view from our table:

Lindsey ordered the Moreton Bay bugs. I ordered the crispy barramundi. Lindsey was commenting that you pay a premium for eating in a coastal tourist area. And then our food turned up:

We had chips and green vegetables on the side. And you cannot complain about the amount of bugs or barra that we got for our money!

I wonder where the passengers on that VERY large 
cruise ship were off to

We had breakfast this morning at the hotel. $35 for two at a buffet style restaurant. Good enough value for money. Both hot and cold options, including scrambled eggs, potato gems, cooked tomatoes, veggie potato cakes, fruit, pastries, tea, coffee, toast. Even better value for money when you consider it was an all you can eat buffet, and I've just paid $34.50 for a soft drink, sparkling water, iced coffee and a (not very) blueberry muffin at the airport!

Last Week

Last week was a busy and slightly confusing week.

I was at work on Tuesday and Thursday, which meant that Thursday felt like a Friday - except I was also at work on Friday! I had a lot to do, before heading off for three weeks' holiday.

I think I did get it all done.

Lindsey and I headed out for some last minute shopping on Saturday, plus we made a trip out to Elaine to the Farmgate Shop.

It took for ever to convince my printer, after I had installed new ink cartridges, to talk to my wifi router. Eventually I persuaded it.

 Lindsey and I headed out to Meredith to the pub for lunch on Sunday, and very nice it was too.

The weather has picked up quite a bit, notwithstanding the sudden, sharp storms that have visited us. I have pulled the snow pea and garden pea plants, harvested the peas and weeded their beds, ready for planting when I get back. I might not have harvested the peas quite so early but the snails were eating them nd they would need picking anyway while I am away. The brassica bed still needs doing and the rest of the front beds need weeding. That will have to wait now. I have run out of time. But there isn't really any hurry.

The purple and green beans are starting to come up in their tubs out the back, as are the experimental plantings of snow and garden pea plants in small tubs. I have been eating the asparagus (I had a really lovely omelet last night with snow peas, asparagus and feta cheese), the sprouting broccoli and the silverbeet.

Brandy and Whiskey have been enjoying the sunshine.

I am nearly packed and almost ready to head off tomorrow morning. The cat and house sitters are in place, I have bought cat supplies. I have done the washing and ironing.  I still need to clean the bath, in case Freyja wants to use it, and to sweep and vacuum the floors.

Apart from that ...

Sun Worshipper Whiskey 

Spring view from my front porch

Open souva for me at the Meredith pub

and backstrap with feta for Lindsey

Whiskey, dancing around, chasing butterflies, helping with the garden, having fun:

Brandy, not so much 😂 :

Funeral

Lindsey and I were at a funeral on Wednesday afternoon, at the Greek Orthodox Church in Ballarat.

I had not realised that there was a Greek Orthodox Church in Ballarat, although it turns out that I have driven past it many times.

It is very cute - and VERY tiny. So tiny that it is absolutely dominated by the very large church hall that stands next to it. I have, in fact, noticed the church hall but hadn't realised that it was a CHURCH hall. I assumed it was a school hall or a community hall or some other sort of hall. But no, there is a church next to it.

The church itself is so small that only the immediate family sat in there. Everyone else went into the hall, and the service was streamed into it. It was also streamed online for people who were unable to travel to Ballarat.

People who could, did travel to Ballarat. The hall was absolutely packed. Fortunately, Lindsey and I had got there early so had managed to get seats.  People who came later had to stand at the back. Julia and her mother, plus our nephew Christian were there. The churchy bit of the service was conducted in Greek and in English. The eulogy, spoken by Theo's son Zoy, was in English.  Zoy also sang one of Theo's favourite songs. It was a lovely service.

Zoy is a longtime very close friend of Austin's. Lindsey and Ian's children were at school with Judy and Theo's children. Theo, Judy and Zoy travelled to Japan for Austin and Kaori's wedding. Their family and ours have been loosely intertwined for a very long time.

Theo, Tokyo

Theo, Judy and Zoy,
Austin and Kaori's wedding

Theo and Judy, Hill House

Jim and Theo, Hill House