Kyoto

Today was a day of temples in Kyoto. It was also a rainy day (our first one). I went out early for a walk around Higashi Honganji which is just down the road from where we are staying. After that, I collected the others for coffee and pancakes and then we took the bus out to the Golden Temple - stunningly beautiful even in the rain. We came back to Kyoto station for some serious shopping - the first item being a new suitcase for all our loot. I then bought a dress and a blouse and Henry and Ivy bought souvenirs. Dinner was from the local department store (Isetan) food hall - sashima and sushi, so fresh and delicious. We also bought some much needed fruit - beautifully cut orange and grapefruit segments and the most delicious strawberries I've ever had. The fruit cost a bomb ! Probably more than all the sushi and sashimi put together.
We had a very tense half hour or so late at night when Henry got up to go to the toilet then pulled the door closed from the outside with the lock on. We were just considering drastic measures (ie calling locksmith, getting out buckets) when Russ managed to fix it (no need to speak of how). He is amazing !
The kids are getting a little homesick, mostly in the mornings and the evenings. By and large they have been troopers during the day. We have been doing at least 10000 steps, as measured by my new fitbit, and some days closer to 20000.Read more