28 October 2017
Artful rain dodger
Exploring Gion in the rain in Kyoto
Now I am in Kyoto and its time for more weather talk dribble.
It rained most of the day but somehow I never got wet.
I got back to my Shizuoka hotel this morning just as it started raining, I then went underground to the station.
On the bullet train it was raining the whole way, but luckily they put a roof on the train so I didnt get wet.
To get to my hotel from Kyoto station was underground in a shopping mall, so I didnt get wet.
When I left to go to walk for an hour to find dinner, it didnt rain until I got to the main Shijo dori street that has the overhead canopies, and as soon as I stepped under, it poured with rain.
I walked around under cover and found dinner, when I came out, it had stopped raining so I went to places without cover.
When it was time to go back to the hotel it started raining so I went under the road in the very long pedestrian tunnel.
When I came up it stopped raining until I once again made it to my hotel, it started raining whilst I was in the convenience store next door buying hot chocolate in a can.
Unfortunately its forecast to raiin tomorrow, until 4pm, and so far hour by hour forecasts have been spot on. So most likely I will get wet, and I will have to alter my plans.
Now for my tax rant. In Australia we have GST, a form of consumption tax, its currently 10%, but it doesnt matter what it is set to, stores must show the price including GST, for everything. Not the case in Japan.
Some stores show you the price excluding, and a tiny price including tax, but many places dont show it to you at all! Its very frustrating. I had no idea until just now that Japan is currently 10% also, however it used to be 8%.
So now that I am armed with the knowledge that its 10% when I buy something for 172 yen I will know to find change to really pay 189.2 yen, I assume they would round that down, but who knows! Alternatively they could just tell me the damn price on the price tag so I can find the right change.
This is the second tiniest hotel room I have ever been in. The tiniest was actually in Austria. This one is much, MUCH nicer than the Austrian one though.
It has everything I need, blazing fast internet, an 80 inch tv in an 85 inch room, and a large bathroom complete with a small bath, which is weird given how small the room is.
Its also in a great location, in Kyoto, on a weekend, for under $100 a night on average over the 4 nights I am here. So I wont be complaining.
Here we have a long exposure of the temple on the main road between the station and the shopping area. You can take the subway 2 stops if you are lazy.
I should also mention that when I arrived at Kyoto station earlier, a Saturday afternoon, it was ridiculously busy, hard to move, I am amazed I got a hotel room at all.
I dont think I have ever stayed in Kyoto on a weekend before, its normally far too expensive.
I wanted curry, so I found curry, in an alleyway.
It was good, the store was run by one guy, and he was doing an amazing job of greeting, cooking, serving, cleaning, taking payment, yelling various things, engaging in banter and occasionally dropping things.
The meat on top is slices of aged rare beef, very delicious.
Curry is the hardest thing to photograph in an appealing way.
Mario is peaking right now. Here he is playing a guitar. I may have photographed this before! But was he playing a guitar before? Who knows.
I have definitely taken this photo before. I was in here whilst it was raining.
Now its time for west streets, hand held night shots. I like to stand in traffic and get in everyones way.
Its Johnny Depp, with a wolf. I once rode on a train with him from London to Paris. He smelt bad.
Redundant photo of well lit corner. I have been to Kyoto 4 times now but never been in there, the top floor looks like a food court. Tomorrow night perhaps.
A bit more damp night photography.
Another long exposure. I was enjoying the warm but wet night.
One of the famous alleyways full of restaurants. I have been noticing lots of westerners with guides, in Tokyo and here. Groups of 2 people who have a young Japanese girl to show them around. Why?
I am going to get one and have her take me on a 30km hike up a mountain path that disappears so I can ask her the way down.
Also, I can use her as bear bait.
I think this is the spot I photographed before that is currently the wallpaper on my phone, only they have ruined it.
It used to have nice slate tiles, but it appears to have been dug up and replaced with quick set bitumen.
Actually I am comparing again now, it might not be the same place, more investigation required!
This display was just hanging off a random wall for no particular reason. It really is very tiny.
OK, one more of these. Who knows it may be dry the remaining nights, not as good for light reflections.
And the quick way back to bypass the throngs of slow moving pedestrians with their umbrellas open under the rain canopy is to descend into this old tunnel. The map confirms its over a mile long.