Japan (Kyoto) April 2010 D3-D4

1) Arashiyama - at the base of Kyoto's western mountains, the main street and the area around the famous Togetsu-kyo bridge were crowded with tourists, families picnicking underneath cherry blossom trees etc - a great place to unwind and relax your bodies

It was around 19.00 when we checked into our first hostel in Kyoto. The first night, we stayed in Sparkling Dolphins Inn (Y2,500 dorm-RM92) and the 2nd night was in Kyoto Cheapest Inn (Y2,500 dorm). Due to the weekend, most hostels in Kyoto were heavily booked, this was the reason why we had to stay in two different hostels in Kyoto.

2) We spent two solid days in Kyoto as there were plenty of tourist sites here.

3) Our first night accommodation in Sparkling Dolphins Inn, Kyoto - family run, double decker wooden bunk beds and a small cozy kitchen

4) Food glorious Japanese food - lunches at local Japanese restaurants - stir fried noodles and a set menu comprising steamed rice, soba noodles, tofu, miso soup and pickled vegetable. We also had a bite on a piece of yam cake and ice cream - yummy yummy !

5) Kyoto - An old ancient capital, charming, colorful and a touristy place ! Here you can find the best of Japanese art, culture, religion and thought, very Japanese - lah ! Here you can spot some young kids dressed in traditional kimono, they really looked cute and sweet; wedding couple posing for pictures in Arashiyama, ladies in kimono taking a trishaw ride, colorful and artistic souvenirs .....

6) The magnificent temples & shrines in Kyoto - ancient, stylish, large hanging lanterns, pointed roofs, red torii; lots of them in Japan

7) Cherry blossoms in Kyoto - so scenic as we strolled along the river banks and all we could do were just admiring and set our sights on rows and rows of fully bloom cherry trees .... really sensational !

8) Bamboo Forest - tall green swaying bamboo plants greeting at you, another fantastic sight

9) The brilliant Kinkakuji Temple or Golden Pavilion - a UNESCO site, built in 1397 as a retirement villa for Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu (entrance fee Y400=RM15)

10) Nijo Castle - a UNESCO site - Home of the Tokigawa shogun, built in 1603 (admission fee Y600-RM22).

10) Fushiminari Temple

" The Secrets of Life: Your future happiness may well depend on your ability to leave the past behind "

Japan (Hyogo) Apil 2010 D-5

After a two night stay in Kyoto, we moved on and our bus had a stopover in Kasamatsu Park, Amanohashidate (called the bridge over the sky) in Northern Kyoto. Japan has 3 top scenic spots (ie Miyajima in Hiroshima & Matsushima in Miyagi ) and Amanohashidate is one of them . For this trip, we had the pleasure of visiting two of them ie Miyajima in Hiroshima & Amanohashidate in northern Kyoto.

1) The charming Kinosaki town - we took an evening stroll along the canal, both sides lined with rows of cherry blossom trees - the scenery was so spectacular when the pink color lanterns were lighted up hanging on the trees !!!

2) Kasamatsu Park, Amanohashodate, norther Kyoto - a top scenic natural beauty in Japan. Amanohashidate is a sand bar of 3.6km and the sand bar looks like a bridge over the sky. This place looks spectacular when viewed upside down through your legs at the top of the Katsamatsu Park. Cable car ride Y320 (RM12).

3) Kinosaki Town (Northern Kansai) - the best place in Japan to sample the classic Japanese onsen (hotspring bath) experience. A willow-lined canal runs through the center of this town and many of the houses, shops and restaurants retain something of their traditional charm .... At the Kinosaki Spa Ropeway, each of us had a bite of a hard boiled free range chicken egg boiled from a hot spring well - the water was sizzling hot !

4) After visiting Amanoashidate, next was a visit to Kinisaki town in Northern Kansai where we stayed for a night in a small country town in Hyogo. The capital of Hyogo is Kobe, famous for its Kobe beef.

Homestay in Hyogo - one of our Hospitality Club members, a Canadian (an English language tutor and a pub owner) known to Mochan, owned a country home in a small town in Hyogo. Our group of 15 people put up a night at his house and we also had a happy hour evening in his pub in the country town area. Our Malaysian group shouted Yam Seng to all our members drinking in the pub ! What a great hospitality provided by our Canadian host and also our most memorable first home stay experience in this trip.

" The Secret of Life: Life is a big ice cream. Have it before it melts "