More photos and day 1 in Kyoto

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So just when I was starting to feel almost at home in Tokyo, its off to Kyoto. I got to the train okay - the first shinkansen or bullet train I've been on - and it was amazingly nice and comfortable. I talked to the guy next to me a bit. He was a 60 year olf retired engineer but was very friendly and wanted to practice his english. I also practiced my japanese a bit which I havent really had to use at all here yet.

My first view of Kyoto was thatI stood out a bit more here and not as many people were friendly. I found what I beleived to be my hostel with the help of some police and a couple of business men that fought over which directions to give me bu the majority of people just stared if I tried to smile at them. It was a pretty uncomfortable feeling. Thehostel didnt open till 3 and i arrived about noon so I basicaly wandered around for a few hours since there werent really any sites nearby. Finally the hostel opened and I discovered that I somehow managed to print the wrong directions and my hostel was on the other end of town. The man drew a dot on the map and got me on a bu butI still had no idea of the address and ended up having to call home to get it. By this time I'm getting extremely tired of being lost in the heat when this man asks me if everything is okay. I show him the address and he takes me to the police station, gets the directions in japanese and takes me there himself. It turns out the first place was just not the best part of Kyoto because everyone here is quite friendly.

I looked arund a temple near by and then went back to the hostel where I met a few peole who invited me to okanomiyaki - omelettes yo cook on the table - and so we all went out there. One of them was the staff here - a local - and then there were two guys from Britain, and a man from finland. I got bought a few more drinks and then we went down to the riverside which I guess is where the people around here spend their nights. It was Monday night but there wre still tons o people everywhere and a french guy joined our group as well. I was kind of worried about being in a hostel that seemed to be almost all dudes but by the end of the night I actually felt very comfotable. If yopu ever want to meet some new people from different places, a hostel is the way to go for sure.


Today, im off to see some sights in Kyoto and hopefully I'll get to hear from home a bit more. I wasn't around a computer much yesterday and I really miss everyone. Today, Nara, some shopping in Tokyo and then back home. Hope all is well!
-Terri

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Photos

Kamakura
Kamakura