== 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]].
The one-way ticket was "just" 10,250円, equivalent to $105 or €80.
+{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Hiroshima/00085.jpg|The A-Bomb peace memorial near the epicenter|maxwidth=480}}
+
Unlike Kyoto, there aren't many sites of historic interest in Hiroshima because, quite
unsurprisingly, every building in the city center is at most 64 years old.
With [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiroshima_Peace_Memorial|one notable exception]].
their first-hand testimony with the help of black and white photographs and melted
items from the museum. After causing so much horror and observing its consequences,
what did we do about it? We quickly built **thousands** of bombs much more
-destructive than [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Boy|Little Boy]]. Smart indeed!
+destructive than [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Boy|Little Boy]]. Smart move.
As usual, I couldn't refrain from taking [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Hiroshima|a load of photos]] here too.
These probably can't deliver the pain in the chest one gets by visiting the museum,
Shinkansen for another 690Km ride to another location which will be revealed
in due time. Don't miss the next amazing episode of Bernie's Adventures!
-{{http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/Gambaku_Dome_of_Hiroshima.jpg}}
+{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Hiroshima/00079.jpg|"Peace" written with origami cranes|maxwidth=480}}
+
+Also check the story behind the [[http://www.city.hiroshima.jp/shimin/heiwa/crane.html|millions of paper cranes]]
+sent from all over the world in memory of the little Sadako.
=== 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 ===
+==== 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.
* 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 [[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 ====
-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.
-{{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 ====
projects / wiki.git / blobdiff