My Footprints

View Larger Map
Red - My Route

Friday, May 30, 2008

Taiwan Rocks!

Nope I'm not going to start writing about my Taiwan trip just yet(even though I'm dying to-the trip was filled with so much joy and laughter nothing can contain it), at least not until i have all the pictures and videos about it. And i decided to shift the content to be more informative and hopefully help others in obtaining information. My home in kyoto

With that in mind, the journey in Japan continues.

I woke up to a fresh smell of Japanese lodging, one that is not built as a hotel but as a home and the thought of that is as spiritually lifting as it can possibly get. And so it kickstarts another great day. One which distinguish Japan from other countries and one where i will meet an unexpected someone.
The shrine of the Foxes

Row of tori one after another

A short 15mins train ride away from where we stayed, we started to our first destination, Fushimi Inari Shrine - the shrine of the foxes. It is also the place where Zhang Ziyi ran with the backdrop of many toris in the Memoirs Of The Geisha. But little did we know that this "shrine" actually refers to the whole mountain... With the thought that something good might be waiting at the top, we began our ascend not knowing how far it is to the summit. So our walk up gradually transform into a hike up as we went higher and higher. Even though it is the transition into winter, the hike up was no mean feat. And much to my surprise, a familiar figure emerged from the steps as I went higher.

Mr Foo Kok Wei(is that his gf??)

Mr Foo Kok Wei! My Civics Tutor(which basically means Class Teacher) from my JC. There is a long story between me and him but it will be mentioned here. In any case, it is still a pleasant surprise to see a familar face, especially in such an unexpected place.

Step by step we continue climbing, leaving behind Mr Foo who seems to had age catching up on him. And after an arduous workout, we finally reached the top to reveal a less than spectacular sight. Infact, the sight at the top seems like any other at the foot of the hill. So for those who intend to visit this place, please dont go further than 15mins up the hill, its not worth the time and effort to do it.

Kiyomizu temple

Next destination that we headed to is the kiyomizudera temple - Temple Of Water. The first thing that greeted us is the hordes of students entering and exiting the temple. Even though this temple is a popular site for tourist, it is the same for many class and even school excursion. The temple is a real beauty by itself offering sights that can potentially kill if you hold your breath for too long. Walked around the old streets of kyoto for some snacks and some purse for the ladies. After that its Home Sweet Home!

Students lining up for a group shot

Green Tea Ice Cream

Even though it is not a day filled with fun filled activities or meeting new people, this day shows me the reason why Japan is as it is today, a place yet modern and traditional at the same time.

No comments: