After a morning filled with the beauty and calmness of nature it was time for me to get a bit of a history. I took the streetcar back into town which took a good 45 minutes, but not quite peaceful enough for me to sneak a nap. Conveniently, the A-bomb dome has it's own stop so it was extremely easy to find. This was likely the most tourist trap portion of my trip, I was soon surrounded by westerners, but I felt that it was a must see, especially since I didn't retain much from my high school history classes.
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After an enjoyable overnight bus ride I found myself in the city of Kyoto. As I entered the station I felt like my sleeping pill from the night before was still in effect, it seemed like I was wandering around in a cloud not really comprehending what was in front of me. After a quick change, brushing my teeth and washing my face I emerged back into the station like a new person. I soon met up with Haruka, a girl I met through Couchsurfing , who agreed to show me around Kyoto for the day and provide me with a place to stay for the night. After organizing our plan over a coffee we set out for the Higashiyama part of town, starting with the Kiyomizu-dera temple. This temple was high on my list of must sees so I wanted to head there before the typhoon hit Kyoto. The temple is one of the UNESCO world heritage sites and the name comes from a waterfall that runs through the complex meaning "clear water". The temple is known for the main hall and large veranda that juts out of the hillside offering impressive views of the city.
While living in Korea I rarely became homesick, however missing the holidays wasn't always easy. My first year there I taught a "Thanksgiving vs. Chuseok" lesson and was quickly dreaming of turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie - but then my focus shifted back to the present, the fact that I was leaving for Japan in two days! [the pie can wait]
Chuseok is, simplified version, the Korean Thanksgiving, many go to their hometowns to visit and spend time with family and remember their ancestors, for me it only meant a 5 day weekend. With 5 days off of school what better idea could I have then to venture to Japan. As Friday afternoon came to an end I prepared my escape , left school a bit early and was soon on a bus to Waegwan where I would pack into the train with dozens of other travelers on my way to Busan, to then hop on the ferry. Oh transportation, the love hate relationship I have with you is unreal. |
AsiaJapanRecognized for great Sushi and Ramen, there's so much more to this country than its food. Rich with history and culture this small group of Islands is a place not to be missed. ArchivesCategories
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