KYOTO, JAPAN (NOV 2014)

After all the walking I did in Tokyo, I was ready and excited for more in Kyoto 😛 That day I woke up late and missed the bullet train that’s supposed to leave at 6:30AM because well, I woke up at 6:30AM.

And so I arrived in Kyoto station two hours later than I originally planned. Upon arriving the station, my next problem was to find the right exit that will lead me to my accommodation which is a few blocks away from the Kyoto Tower. Because I don’t have a data connection, no Google Maps for me, all I have is a printout of the access map from my accommodation’s website. I walked out of the station, hoping to see the Kyoto Tower outside. I continued walking anyway until I realized that I was walking too far already, I still cannot see the tower. I stopped at the corner of a street, wondering which direction to take. Then a nice Japanese lady approached me and said, “Ogenki desu ka”. I showed her the map. She then tried to explain to me, despite her struggle in speaking in English, that I took the wrong exit. She was on her way to Kyoto Station so she offered to show me the way. I gladly agreed so together we walked back to the station and she didn’t leave me until we reach the exit that will lead me to the street where my accommodation is. That was my first taste of Japanese hospitality and my introduction to Kyoto. 🙂

Konnichiwa Kyoto!

This is the second part of my birthday trip and I’m so looking forward to see this city! There is just so much to see, do, and eat 😀 I must say that my favorite places are Fushimi Inari Taisha, Tofukuji, Keage Incline, and the district of Sagano Arashiyama. I highly recommend that you come early as possible to the more popular sites as they can get really crowded. Good walking shoes are required as there will be a lot of walking – especially for people like me who always have a tendency to get lost. Rent a bicycle if you can, like I did in Arashiyama, so that you can move around faster. This is probably my most exhausting birthday ever but I enjoyed every moment, so many good memories. 🙂