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Japan, May 2009 (album 2)

This is the 2nd album of pictures from my visit to Japan, it covers Osaka and Kyoto

Yippee indeed. OK, so the last day of the public holidays before he had to go back to work, Iain helped me navigate activating my magical JR Pass (one week's open access to most of the country's rail network), and together we went to Osaka Asked what I wanted to do in Osaka (Iain had an appointment there) I could only think of visiting this place, the 'Floating Garden Observatory' ... I'd completely forgotten Iain's vertigo untilwe got in the lift and all the blood drained from his face If you're not terrified of heights (I'm not) it's a breathtaking space I have a dozen shots like this taken from the roof, the city is just as crowded whichever direction you look. Implausibly it's still only classed as Japan's 3rd most populous city.
I loved the views ... and the architecture While Iain went to his appointment I amused myself at the Transport Museum indulging my inner nerd. This is an 0 series Shinkansen. They were withdrawn from service at the start of this century and are now museum pieces - they're also faster than anything in use on the rail network here in Britain. The Subaru 360 is Japan's equivalent of the 2CV, the FIAT 500, or the VW Beetle - it's the car that made cars accessable to the masses. it's also very cute! After I'd finished being a geek, we met back up and took a short hop to Kyoto arriving in this magnificent structure This is the best I managed at capturing the scale and intricacy of the building
I know it's childish but I couldn't help giggling Once Iain had helped me find my Ryokan, we explored the neighbourhood I'd landed in. We liked it. After dinner I chummed Iain back to the Shinkansen and embarked on my first night alone in Japan Oddly the gargantuan transport hub that is Kyoto station wasn't at all daunting ...nor were the signs see - I found my way back just fine...
and brushed up on my guide book a little before bed Morning found Kyoto raining on me, but I didn't mind View from the top of the Nanzen-ji gateway (the huge structure in the last photo) Obviously, it's a temple. It was peaceful... I can't really convey just how peaceful though. I spent ages up there happily watching the trees and listening to the rain ... and occasionally getting up to photograph details I loved the way the ancient architecture plays with the surrounding landscape
Eventually I left the Nanzen-Ji complex and followed the 'Philosopher's Walk' I'd expected to enjoy Kyoto from what I knew before I left, but even so I was astonished by how peaceful and beautiful a city it is *chuckles* At it again with the Maples and the light Ginkaku-ji temple. The orange-ey structure is the famed Silver Pavilion... which sadly was being refubished while I was there :/ After a long day walking around Kyoto I had an appropriately peaceful last night in my Ryokan