Kyoto Day 2

Kyoto Day Two.

We awoke from a very refreshing sleep to breakfast being delivered to our rooms.

Sitting on our green cushions around our short table we opened our breakfast boxes filled with the most yummy bread rolls, ham, a creamy potato salad, a hash brown that maybe wasn’t a hash brown (we’re not quite sure what it was but it was yummy), and a small egg omelette type thing.

 

Ninja boys getting ready for bed.

                                                 
The girls room.

We all slept really well and we wondered if it had to do with the pillows.  There are 4 pillows in one and you could arrange it to suit your level of comfort from hard to soft.

Today the day comes with drizzle, a slight breeze with a pleasantly warm temperature.  Our first temple visit was to Kiyomizu 清水寺which means  "Pure Water Temple.   Nestled in beautiful surrounds on a hill we strolled around a rather large temple that had been made with no nails and has stood for over a thousand years.

Standing at the entrance gate.

Rose taking water for luck.

This structure shows how the wood slots in without using nails.

Once we had finished admiring the temple we headed down the market alleyway with wallets open searching for gifts and goodies. 

Eli enjoying a cucumber on a stick (yes they are still eating their veges while away)

We where then escorted to Sanjusangendo temple, the difference being this place was so sacred they didn’t allow us to take photos, so we took some off the internet to show you. 

As we walked into a long building we were confronted with rows upon rows of life sized Kannon statues, the Goddess of Mercy, but all with different faces and many arms.  In the middle was a giant statue.  There were 1001 Kannon statues.  In front of the statues were 25 deities.  It was quite impressive as the hall goes for 120m.    They were also very old. 

We piled back into the van, and headed for another amazing site - the sushi bar.  Who could've guessed that eating food at a restaurant was so much fun. 

Being novices at the start we started to get quite hungry as it took timing and a swift hand to get the plate of sushi off the conveyor belt.  By the end we had mastered the removal of plates and even became confident enough to order our own dishes using a touch screen so that the plate of food got sent on the top conveyor belt especially to you.   Every dish tasted scrumptious and we got to try lots of different types of sushi that we all enjoyed.  There was raw fish like tuna, silky salmon, octopus, prawns and meats like beef and one that even looked like a mini burger on rice! 

To finish off we chose a dessert that was rich but in small servings.  When you have finished eating off each plate you put it into a chute at the end of the table.  You are charged by how many plates you have used at the end of the meal.

It is interesting to note that the table of 5 people ate 32 dishes whereas the table of 6 people ate 23. We shall not name names, but they might look slightly more well fed than the others upon arrival back home.  

We wobbled out of the sushi bar, very full but contented and drove to our next destination to the Nishiki market. This was a great place to stimulate the senses with different foods being sold.  We almost lost all the children to the $2 or 100 yen shop at the start but after nudging them in the right direction we soon explored the different foods that were sold at a market.  We saw octopus on stick, pickled everything (mainly vegetables), flatten dried fish, dried fish bones, and very large grapes and oranges, amongst other things. 

Ms Spencer trying some insides from a shell fish unknown.

The rain had settled in by now so we happily climbed into our minibus and headed off to Gifu, about 2 ½ hours drive where we had dinner with some of the teachers from the school.  It was very nice and lots of laughter and chatter was happening as children got to eat again to their hearts content.  

There were lots of choices but one of the options was to make your own sushi (yes sushi again but how can you refuse when you get to make it yourself).  We didn't realise how much fun you could have with sushi!  Ms Spencer continued with her adventurous eating by trying some noodles with squid ink sauce.  It was quite oishii (yummy), though we had an interesting conversation about how they may get the ink out the squid.  We would be interested in your ideas. 

Well of to bed in our very flash hotel ready for school tomorrow.  We are all very excited but glad to get to bed.