Kyoto

I went to Kyoto in late November of last year on a stopover from Singapore to Miami between meetings. I was on a red-eye out of Miami and they originally had me going through Tokyo and then spending a day in Miami. I changed it to go through Osaka. When I got there, I got a bus to Kyoto, which was about 1.5 hours away. The ride was mostly city, until you got a ways out of Osaka. I actually always liked flying through Osaka. The airport is right on the water and you can see the ships and port well and I liked the maritime feel of the place. Anyway, the mini-bus took my right to my hotel, which was actually a small inn. The place was nice. All tatami mats inside so you had to leave your shows at the door. I had no bed, but at thin futon on the floor. I put on a fleece, bought a bus pass and a map and started walking. The day was beautifully cool and clear. I walked through a fairly normal neighborhood until I reached an older neighborhood with smaller streets then I walked up a hill and began going in a series of temples.

This was the Asia you dream about and you see in movies and postcards. Red, yellow and orange maples covering the hills and walkways. Bamboo groves nestled in the foothills. Raked zen gardens next to ponds filled with slow moving koi. The buildings were lovely with the large thick roofs with the rounded eaves. You took your shoes off in many of the shines and temples as you walked along in their open raised platforms above the gardens and ponds. By mid-morning the large Japanese tour groups had arrived, but with them the touristy geishas wandering the small streets. The streets were full of vendors selling different snacks. I tried quite a few, not knowing what almost any were. Most were good. A few a discreetly chucked when I got to a trashcan out of view of the seller. I saw very few non-Asian tourists. I ate at this little ramen bar at night. Gyozo and udon from this giant steaming pot that was almost vat-like in dimensions

The striking thing is how different it is than China. So clean and orderly. None of the pushing, pollution and dirtiness that characterizes so many Chinese tourist locations.