Edit page blog/2009/April

[wiki.git] / blog / 2009 / April

diff --git a/blog/2009/April b/blog/2009/April
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--- a/blog/2009/April
+++ b/blog/2009/April
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 == Bernie's brain backup of April 2009 ==
 
 == Bernie's brain backup of April 2009 ==
 

-=== Arpril 24th -- 1 megameter by train ====
+=== Aplil 24th -- over 1 megameter by train ====

 
 We left our comfortable hostel in Kyoto early in the morning for a second Shinkansen
 ride of 360Km, this time on the faster [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nozomi_%28train%29|Nozomi]].
 
 We left our comfortable hostel in Kyoto early in the morning for a second Shinkansen
 ride of 360Km, this time on the faster [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nozomi_%28train%29|Nozomi]].


@@ -35,12 +35,50 @@ sent from all over the world in memory of the little Sadako.
 
 === April 23rd -- Kyoto last day ===
 
 
 === April 23rd -- Kyoto last day ===
 

-We visited a few more places:
+==== Morking: Arashiyama by bike ====
+
+In the morning of this sunny day, we biked to a few locations on the
+east side of Kyoto:
+
+ * [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Dakakuji|Dakakuji]], an active Shingon Buddhist temple
+ * [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Tenryuji|Tenryuji]], another beautiful Buddhist temple with a beautiful Zen garden, next to a bamboo forest
+ * [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Monkey_Park|Monkey Park]], a place where you can closely observe and interact with [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macaque|Japanese macaques]].
+
+==== Evening: a city I did not like ====
+
+At last, I've found a place I actually didn't like much in Japan!
+The first impression of Osaka's central station was that it was old and
+dirty.  Of course one could still eat on the floor, and coming from
+[[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Shin_Kyoto|Kyoto's station]] might
+have compromised my judgement.  There was big crowd of busy people
+everywhere, and if //you// bump into someone, //they// don't apologize
+for it.
+
+Our copy of the Lonely Planet highly recommended [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C5%8Dtonbori|Dotonbori]]
+at night for its "Blade Runner views", so we headed there.  They must have watched
+a version of the movie with bad special fx, because all I could observe in
+Dotonbori was a narrow street sided by neon signs of restaurants and pachinkos.
+Just above average, imho, and certainly not worth the time and the price of the
+train ticket.  Unless you're a moth, perhaps.
+
+We granted our guide a second chance and choosing their highest rated
+restaurant in Dotombori, one specialized in [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Udon|udon]].
+There was no English menu and the only food I could order was a chest of cold
+spaghetti on a bamboo crate with no sauce but a cup of soy sauce, also cold of course,
+in which one could dip them separately.  Or so I understood: the waiters were extremely
+kind but wouldn't speak English, which created even more confusion.  //Dulcis in fundo//,
+the bill was much higher than usual and they wouldn't take credit cards.
+
+We rushed back to the metro to Shin-Osaka, JR train to Kyoto, local train to 
+Arashiyama, where our bikes were still waiting for us for the ride back home.

 
 

- * Hmmm...

 
 === April 22nd ===
 
 
 === April 22nd ===
 

+==== Kyoto day 2 ====
+
+TODO: missing links to photos
+

 ==== Food ====
 
 Eating in japan can a challenge for a vegetarian who also happens to dislike fish and crustaceans.
 ==== Food ====
 
 Eating in japan can a challenge for a vegetarian who also happens to dislike fish and crustaceans.


@@ -79,8 +117,8 @@ Yesterday was rainy, but it didn't stop us from biking around and visiting quite
  * the [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Ninnaji|Ninnaji temple]];
  * the [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Ryoanji|Ryoanji temple]], with its puzzling rock zen garden;
  * the [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Kinkakuji|Kinkakuji temple]] (aka golden temple);
  * the [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Ninnaji|Ninnaji temple]];
  * the [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Ryoanji|Ryoanji temple]], with its puzzling rock zen garden;
  * the [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Kinkakuji|Kinkakuji temple]] (aka golden temple);

- * the [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/NijojoCastle|Nijojo castle]], which is actually two castles for the price of one;
- * a quick tour of the [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/KyotoDowntown|Kyoto downtown]];
+ * the [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Nijojo_Castle|Nijojo castle]], which is actually two castles for the price of one;
+ * a quick tour of the [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Kyoto_downtown|Kyoto downtown]];

  * the [[http://www.kyotomm.com/international/english/|International Manga Museum]] was closed already.  Grrr....
 
 {{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Kinkakuji/00012.jpg|the golden temple of Kinkakuji|maxwidth=800}}
  * the [[http://www.kyotomm.com/international/english/|International Manga Museum]] was closed already.  Grrr....
 
 {{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Kinkakuji/00012.jpg|the golden temple of Kinkakuji|maxwidth=800}}


@@ -98,14 +136,14 @@ Firefox 3.1/3.5 still doesn't grok it with the ##video## tag, but I didn't have
 The [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/UtanoHostel|Utano hostel]] in Kyoto would rival many
 five star hotels I've seen.  Sorry I couldn't take any photos in the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onsen | Onsen]].
 
 The [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/UtanoHostel|Utano hostel]] in Kyoto would rival many
 five star hotels I've seen.  Sorry I couldn't take any photos in the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onsen | Onsen]].
 

-{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/UtanoHostel/00005.jpg|the hostel provides a traditional goan too|maxwidth=800}}
+{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Utano_Hostel/00005.jpg|the hostel provides a traditional goan too|maxwidth=800}}

 
 ==== Impressive station ====
 
 
 ==== Impressive station ====
 

-The [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/ShinKyoto|Kyoto station]] is an impressive modern building,
+The [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Shin_Kyoto|Kyoto station]] is an impressive modern building,

 worth a visit by itself.
 
 worth a visit by itself.
 

-{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/ShinKyoto/00015.jpg|Anime characters by Osamu Tezuka|maxwidth=640}}
+{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Shin_Kyoto/00015.jpg|Anime characters by Osamu Tezuka|maxwidth=640}}

 
 ==== Shinkansen tour ====
 
 
 ==== Shinkansen tour ====