Monday, July 14, 2025 - Kyoto

 The shower is set in a tub with a high wall. The bathroom is infinitesimal  as is the hotel room. I crawl over Karin's bed to reach my bed and luggage, or she needs to move to let me pass. It's no surprise, for I had been told that hotel rooms in Japan are small, and yet we were surprised after our roomy and luxurious space in Osaka.

Karin and I went to the next door 7 Eleven for breakfast food to eat in our roomm I chose mandarin oranges in liquid in a thick plastic bag  While we ate we enjoyed a very lengthy infomercial praising the wonders of a mattress topper.  People woith joint and body pain laid down on the topper, remained a couple minutes and stood up apparently pain free and mobile and full of smiles. The mattress topper was even demonstrated in a local park. We are enjoying the infomercials. Another good one is for either tablets or liquid which helps seniors become happily active.  From staying at home sitting to walking, hiking, playing golf these seniors, who ages, 71 to 92, were also given.  We decided that was for us, but we didn't know the name of the produt as it was advertised in Japanese.  Oh, well.

Kenji and Leo joined us on our walk to the bus terminal which is located at central train station, much as in LA.  With very helpful bus transport assistance we boarded bus 205 for Gion, an area which has a noisey canal and narrow streets with unique buildings and hanging lanterns. The wooden structures appeared old , and we had read that this area of the city is represents the traditional Japanese lifestyle.  I thoroughly enjoyed just sitting of a block of stone around a tree which was proving shade, listening to the swiftly moving stream in the canal.

It was warm, and we stoped at one of the many vending machines all around, enroute to a unique shopping area. Nishiki is a outdoor, covered mall which is very very long and is full of shops andeateries. Fish and sea creatures were displayed in many forms for people to purchase and bring home or to eat on the spot. The same was for fruits and vegetables as well as toys, souvenirs, even flowers.Karin had scallops, of course, and she shared chicken skewers with Kenji and Leo. I felt too hot to eat anything. we walked and looked and enjoyed looking at the offerings for several hours.

Karin and I headed back to the hotel to deal with a heel blister while Kenji and Leo visited a shrine and its environment of shops. Meanwhile, back at the hotel, Karin and I watched sumo wrestling on tv. We saw not onoly wrestling between professionals, but wee also learned about the spiritual aspects surrounding each match. Slapping their waistbands, bowing, throwing salt, acircling of flags before each of two men, the referee dressed in ceremonial dress, signaling pre-match and match beginning, and the end of the match hand motions of the winner before he receives an envelope with his earnings brough questions which Karin asked Google, and which prompted more questions.  As each match last just a very short few minutes, the pre ane post match rituals are very important. we learned that in training sumo wrestlers eat no breakfast, they train very hard in the morning, they eat a prescribed lunch, they take a nap, and then they manage their fan mail in the afternoon. We were fascinated and glad to be educated about this spiritual pratice.

For supper we waled to the mall in the very new central train statiom. Filled with many clothing, beauty, leather, shoe, and toy stores it also contains restaurants. I had supper of meat on skewers, miso soup, cabbage salad, rise, and sauce. The others had something similar, along with tempura deep fried chicken, and pickled plums. The meal was reasonable-priced, much less than in LA.

On our way back to the htel we stopped at our next-door 7 Eleven to purchasef ood for breakfast to eat in our rooms. Tomorrow we check out at 10 am and will continue to visit Kyoto before checking in at our traditional Japanese hotel.