UAE- What I can tell you…

Pete and I are currently in Abu Dhabi, and spent the weekend in Dubai. It has been an interesting, often overwhelming trip.

Ten minutes after we arrived, a real estate agent came to show us a few apartments. She showed us a wide range, to give us an idea of what is available. We saw a HUGE, old apartment with too much space; a brand new, fully furnished, fully serviced apartment in a high rise hotel; a few two bedrooms in buildings that haven’t been completed yet; and an apartment about 30 minutes outside the city. Some disheartening, surprising things were that unfurnished apartments don’t even come with oven, refridgerator, or laundry machine. Furnished apartments often only have a hot plate in the kitchen, and won’t take dogs. We didn’t see one place that had a yard or park nearby. We both finished feeling a little hopeless and wondering if we had made the best decision.

Luckily, a friend of Pete’s who lives here picked us up and we went for coffee. We went to a Mall, of course, and I did some shopping while the boys were chatting. I met up with them and we had a good conversation. He dropped us at the Lebanese Flower for dinner, and we shared an amazing Arabic meal that included Arabic salad (veggies with lemon juice and olive oil), hummous, pickles and olives, falafel, and labne (a soft white cheese) and warm pita. We ate until we were stuffed, and still had some left for breakfast the next morning.

By the time we got home, we were feeling a little more optimistic. The next morning, I went to the HAAD office (the licensing ministry) to apply for my nursing license. It was rejected, which is not a surprise, and we were given instruction on how to reapply. We will be going back on Sunday to try one more time before we leave. I headed back to NYU campus, and we had meeting after meeting with HR people trying to help Pete find a job and helping us sort out relocation details. Seems that we get a pretty good furniture allowance, so that eliminated our concern about the kitchen and extra space being filled. They also had great advice for Pete regarding tailoring his CV for this market and have a large influence on the market.

Pete and I walked the five minutes back in the 100+ heat, but it actually isn’t that bad. We then packed a bag, and were picked up to go to Dubai to spend the weekend with Pete’s cousin, Iyad. On the way, we toured the Grand Mosque. It is stunning. It is all white, with mother of pearl and gold details. It is so big and clean, it is just pristine.

We were in Dubai in an hour, and picked up by Iyad. After going to his apartment and meeting his adorable kiddos, we went out for a double date and to see some of Dubai It was much different than I had expected, not as flashy. There are a LOT of half finished buildings, most of which are likely to remain that way as Dubai is in huge financial trouble. We went to have pre-dinner drinks at the top floor of a tall building that overlooks the city. It was very posh, and very international. As in the rest of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, it is not uncommon to see a group of people, all from different backgrounds, some covered or wearing traditional Arab clothes, and some not.

We then went to dinner at another beautiful spot. It was quite the dining experience. It starts with cold appetizers (grape leaves, pickles, olives, hummous, cheeses, babaganoush, etc), then hot appetizers (cheese and meat pastries). You then get the meal which is grilled meats with lemon and oregano seasoning, chicken wings, and falafel. Finally, you get a huge plate of fruit and dessert. The whole meal takes a few hours, but they go quickly as there was a belly dancer, live band, and a singer. It was a great experience, watching the different cultures interact. It seems everyone is very tolerant here. There were women fully covered, yelling and raising their hands to the half naked belly dancer. People from the crowd (some very old) were getting up on stage and dancing. It was a great party and great entertainment.

The next day we spent at the Mall. (Do you see a theme here? Lots of time in malls is in our future.) It was the Mall with the ski slope in it and we watched as snow fell and people used ski lifts to get to the top. We did some shopping, and then went to a fish market for lunch. The fish is on ice, and you get to choose what fish you want and how they cook it. We had shrimp in garlic and lemon butter, fried calamari, and whole grilled fish. The food was fabulous, and we met another potential friend. That night, we went to a hotel bar on the shoreline, and had some cold beers and danced to a one man band. We then saw the late viewing of Inception (quite good!) and called it a night.

Abu Dhabi

Following a 6-hour flight from Bangkok, we arrived to Abu Dhabi's international airport around noon yesterday. From the moment we arrived, our time here has been defined by a degree of comfort, ease, and air-conditioning that was not completely available during our time in Thailand and Cambodia. Having said that, the intense heat and humidity of the mid-afternoon sun in AD is quite literally breath-taking. Luckily for us, the lingering effects of recent sandstorm have acted to temper the sun's full & direct power...over the past 24-hours, the heat has only managed to reach into the mid-90's, but as the dust clears up over the next few days, triple digit temperatures are likely return and remain through much of August. By mid-september, the temperature should become more mild, reaching a moderate phase between October - June.

You Down with Koh Phi Phi? (Yeah- you know me!!)

You Down With Ko Phi Phi!? (Yeah- you know me!)

After a relaxing few days in Krabi, Pete, Jen, and I caught the morning ferry to Ko Phi Phi. Ko Phi Phi is a set of two islands, Ko Phi Phi Don and Ko Phi Phi Leh, that are 1.5 hours southwest of the mainland by boat. Ko Phi Phi Leh is where the movie “The Beach” was filmed, and one of the few places down here that hasn’t been ruined by tourism. It is a National Park, so there has been very little development and tourists are only allowed to stay overnight there if they camp.

Coming in on the boat, we were surrounded by truly dramatic views. Large limestone rocks jut out into the ocean. The water is clear and green-blue. You can see huge pink jellyfish floating in the water. We found a great place to stay online, called the Arayaburi. As we pulled into the pier looking for our hotel sign to take a taxi boat to our bungalow, it was a little intimidating. Backpackers everywhere, Thai locals shouting to get our attention, and travel agencies set up as far as we could see. We finally found our taxi boat, and were pleasantly surprised when we arrived at our room. Our balcony overlooks a private beach, and the pool is directly behind us, there are no bars or backpackers, and we are surrounded only by the sounds of nature: waves crashing, birds singing, and wind blowing through the trees. Again, we are in paradise.

The first night, we walked to the other side of the island for dinner. We ate at an Italian restaurant that serves fresh caught seafood. Jen had the fish cooked in salt, I had spaghetti with clams, and Pete had margerhita pizza. We then shot some pool and listened to a few songs from a terrible cover band. So bad, yet confident enough to cover both James Brown and Michael Jackson! On the walk home, we came across some people lighting huge lanterns and letting them float up into the sky. They said it was for a birthday celebration, and that we could do one. So, someone lit the fire, and then Pete and I worked in tandem to set the base on the ground and let the lantern heat up. After about five minutes, the top seemed hot enough to give it a try. We waited for a good breeze, and then released. It was so exciting, romantic, and beautiful to see our lantern float away above the ocean.

Day 2

Since I had never seen “The Beach”, we bought a bootleg copy on the island. Ko Phi Phi Leh is a short boat ride away and from our room, looks like Fat Albert lying on his back. In the movie, I gasped when I saw how gorgeous and untouched it was. I couldn’t believe that such natural perfection was just outside my window. We decided to take a boat tour there the next day for some exploring and snorkeling.

We found a longboat tour guide named “Monkey”. We are a group of five, as Jen has two colleagues traveling here as well. Our boat was small, wooden, and the small propeller on the back expelled tons of black smoke as Monkey tried to start it up. Our first stop was Monkey Beach, on Ko Phi Phi Don. It is a little tiny area of beach where monkeys live. He stopped momentarily, but we wanted the real thing. We told him to go on to Ko Phi Phi Leh. It was a little rainy and there were some winds, and he warned us we may experience some waves while going over there. We decided it was worth it, and gave him the go ahead.

Well, waves we got. As soon as we cleared the southern tip of Ko Phi-Phi Don, we could see the waves coming in from the ocean. Our little boat was going up one side of the wave, and dropping down the other. It had started to rain, and it felt like we were on a real adventure. Since Pete and I had taken our motion sickness meds, we were feeling great and hooting and hollering with each up and down of the boat. Our next stop was a bay that we anchored at and got out to snorkel. It was shallow waters, and there were tons of fish. My favorite sightings were big rainbow fish, swimming through a large school of tiny white fish, and observing a fat orange fish eat off a rock.

Our next stop was Ma Ya Bay. Up to this point, the only sand or beach on Ko Phi-Phi Leh were very small. Ma Ya Bay is on the other side of the island, and the opening is hidden between two large rocks. Because of the waves, we decided not to enter by boat, but rather climb a few hills through the inland and reach it by foot. Nature makes you work to appreciate her beauty, because the walk there was treacherous and painful. First, you climb steep, slippery stairs (manmade) to a point, and the climb down steep, slippery stairs on the other side. The landing of these stairs are huge, pointy rocks that you need to navigate over. As Pete observed, watching people walk barefoot across those rocks is like watching some one walk the tightrope. Every step is carefully planned, and arms are out to your sides to prevent falling. Finally, we walked through some jungle to arrive at “The Beach”. It is as stunning and unexpected as you have heard. Truly makes you stand in awe at the beauty of nature. Pete and I raced to the water and played around. It was one of the most romantic days of our honeymoon yet.

Thailand - It just keeps getting better

Pete and I arrived to Krabi yesterday, a small fishing village in the south of Thailand. It is surrounded by jungle and beaches, and is considered one of the most beautiful parts of the country. Since yesterday was a travel day, we decided to have an easy night and found an Italian restaurant in town that is owned by Italians. The pasta was fresh made, and they import cheese! I had an amazing feta salad, and for Pete, caprese. Then we each had wonderful pastas.

We woke up early to go on a “Jungle Tour”. The van picked us up at 9am and took us to Tiger Temple. It is a Temple built on a mountain, that monks are still living at. To get to the shrine at the top, you have to climb 1,521 stairs. It is almost a completely vertical climb. The mountain is home to TONS of wild monkeys, who slide down the stair railings and jump from tree to tree above you. Pete and I proudly made it to stair 459, decided that the stunning view was good enough, and that before getting heat stroke we should probably head down. The view was nothing short of breathless. Krabi is known for large limestone rocks that jut out of the land. They are surrounded by palm trees, and there are scattered lakes, lagoons, and waterfalls.

On our way down, we were amused by the unbelievable amount of monkey activity that was surrounding us. They were sliding down the stair railing, tackling each other, playing, mating, and screaming. Once to the bottom, we spotted a pack of monkeys trailing a monk in orange cloth who was feeding them. I ventured to a cave near the monks living quarters, which was quiet and covered in shade. There were clothing lines with monk robes hanging from them, and a path that led to an old cave with water drips from the same stalagmites it has been sliding down for centuries.

We then went to ride elephants. I know this sounds awfully touristy of us, but this ranks as one of the best experiences on this trip so far (right up there with the baths in Hakone, Japan). We climb onto a 45 year old male elephant named Tong, and are taken through a muddy jungle path. The man leading us is young, can’t be more than 21, and sits right on the elephants neck with a leg behind each ear. The area they walked us through was so lush and isolated and simply paradise. The ride is bumpy and Pete and I marveled at the muscle of the elephants back. Once we got to an opening, the “driver” jumped off and told me to climb onto his neck. He took our camera and gave the elephant verbal instructions so he could take photos. The elephant would walk towards him, turn left, walk backwards. It was unbelievable! Pete took a turn on front too, before our guide came back and led us to the camp. Here, we paid an extra dollar to feed Tong some bananas. It was such a cool experience feeding bananas directly to his trunk. We could feel the air squeeze out of his trunk before he moved the food into his mouth.

The tour then went to natural hot springs. For those of you who don’t know, these are caused by runoff from volcanic mountains, and the water is hot. They are strongly believed to have healing powers, and I cannot argue that the hot water must be good for the muscles and joints. We climbed in right under a small waterfall, and sat in naturally carved out rock hot tubs. The water ran over our backs until we worked our way from rock cove to rock cove.

After a short lunch of Thai food (green curry chicken, cashew chicken, and mixed vegetables) and a watermelon shake (Pete’s favorite discovery on this trip), we went to Emerald Lake and Crystal Pond. These are cool water and come from a different mountain. Because the water comes down so much limestone and calcium carbonate, by the time it reaches us, it is crystal clear. Pete and I wandered to Crystal Pond while the rest of the group went swimming, and were stunned by the clarity of the water. It almost looked like glass. We walked along a very unsteady wooden path, surrounded by the sounds of crickets, cicadas, birds, frogs, and trickling water. It was paradise.

As we had worked up a sweat, we decided to check out the Emerald Lake, which has the same clear water but appears emerald because the stone it formed in is green. Pete made a grand entrance by attempting a front flip that he couldn’t quite finish. It felt great to take a dip after our long day of activity. It truly seems that Thailand just keeps outdoing herself. We are planning an excursion to Koh Phi Phi, which is the setting for the movie the Beach. We will see if she can wow us again.

Cambodia - land of mystery

Pete and I are in Cambodia now, on day 4 of a 5 day break from Thailand.

Cambodia is an interesting place. It is so poor, with very little
infrastructure. Even in Phnom Phen (the capital), there aren't traffic lights.
What is so weird though, is that all these beautiful French Colonial structures
still exist, so it is such a contrast to see such poverty surrounded by such
development and beauty. Also, the sadness and healing is almost palpable, and I hate Poh Pot more and more with every minute I spend here.

Cambodian food is also good. It is like Thai food, but with a French influence. We have been eating a lot of vegetables and fish, and steamed rice and noodles with every meal. The people are very warm, and often touch your arm and laugh during conversation. They speak English very well, and are happy to boast about their country. They also dress very nice, all of them. Everyone from tuk-tuk and motor drivers to restaurant staff are in pressed clothes, and very professional.

We are currently in Siam Reap (Khymer for Defeated Thais) and paid an early morning visit to Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom. Definitely near the top of any list of places to see before you die. The Angkor site is a massive complex of temples built deep in the Cambodian jungle between 800 and 1200 CE, so large in fact, it is one of the few man-made structures that can be seen from
space. Yesterday, we caught a magnificent sunset from atop the three domed Angkor Wat temple, as a massive front of cylindrical storm clouds closed in from the south. A local guard offered to take us to the top main dome for a better view of the sunset ... for a $10 cash "fee" that is...payable, directly and discretely to him.
There were all these signs that said construction and no entry, but he took us back and we were allowed to go up steep stairs and overlook all the trees and other temples as
the sunset. Every pillar is intricately decorated with script and carvings of
people and buddhas dancing.


This morning, we woke up at 4:30am to see the sunrise. Pete and I found a spot
on the water (which was once a moat) in front of the grand temple. All the
other tourists went inside, and we got to enjoy a very quiet and romantic sunrise
over the temple. It was a little cloudy, but beautiful nonetheless. We then
had our tuk-tuk driver show us around. It was only 6:30 so there weren't many
tourists, and in some places we were by ourselves. The most fantastic by far
where the Bayon Temple (or Temple of Faces) and the Jungle Temples. The Bayon Temple is in the Angkor Thom which is surrounded by five gates. Each gates is guarded by 54 gods and 54 demons. The walk in is intimidating and exciting. The Bayon Temple is in the center of the area, and has at least 25 peaks, each with four heads facing each of the directions. You can climb the stairs, and each turn is more fantastic than the next. Everywhere you look, there are eyes on you. It was both magical and haunting at the same time.

The Jungle Temples are temples that have been completely overgrown with trees. The roots of the trees are like nothing I have ever seen before. They are like greedy arms that overhang and grab everything in sight. Many of the large stones have fallen under the weight of the trees that have grown on top of them. There is a small temple inside that if you stand against the wall and pound your chest, it sounds like a drum. They say you can make three life wishes to the spirits of that temple, and pound your chest and they will come true. Everything about the place is a little mystical. Books say that no birds fly over Angkor Wat, and it is believed it is because of the power and spirituality eminating from it. It was true, I kept and eye out and didn't see one bird! There are monkeys that run in the jungle though and we spotted a few of those.

Koh Samet- Relaxin' to the Max

Today, Pete and I rented a motorbike with our new friends and explored the island. The island is tiny, so it is easy to get around. We went to the West Coast and were pleasantly surprised to find a beautiful bay surrounded by trees and fluttering with butterflies. It is said that there are butterflies the size of birds here. We didn’t see any of those, but we did see hundreds of brightly colored ones flying among the trees. We swam for a while and then had some lunch. I had seafood noodles. The mussels were very tasty, as well as the prawns.

We then rode around a little more before heading back to our beach. The afternoon slowly went by to us reading and napping on the beach. For dinner, another meal on the beach and then early to bed.

By the last day in Koh Samet, we were so relaxed that it was difficult to accomplish anything. We did walk into “town” and get some postcards and filled them out on the beach. Other than that, another day of reading and napping and Peter making art in the sand. We are off to Cambodia next to meet up with a New York friend and see Angkor Wat.

From BKK to Koh Samet

Pete and I had a great last day in Bangkok. We went fishing with a group of friends. The way it works is that you go out to a cabin, surrounding a lake that is filled with HUGE catfish. A Thai man then baits the hook, throws the line, and catches the fish, but allows you to reel it in. This is quite the challenge, as most of them weigh at least 50 pounds. The first time I almost had it and the line broke after a 20 minute fight. The second one put up so much of a struggle that I had to pass it over to Peter to finish the job. After 10 minutes more of reeling and pulling, Pete was able to bring it close enough to the dock for the Thai man to net it in. This baby was HUGE! We took the token photo with it and threw it back in.

After that we headed back to Bangkok to get ready for the World Cup Finals. We watched the first half of the game with friends, but were so unimpressed with the level of play that we watched (Pete watched and I slept) the second half at home.

We caught a taxi to the coastline the next morning and took a speedboat to the shore of Ao Pudsa on the island of Koh Samet. The speedboat picked us up with a group of five older Thai women who had obviously been girlfriends for a very long time. They had plastic bags filled with crabs, limes, sprouts, and noodles. They all had beach hats and sunglasses on and were giggling the whole ride. The boat pulled into a bay and anchored. Pete and I waited to see if the women would get off first, but after two minutes of them speaking in Thai, they all just started saying “Bye Bye.” We then realized, this was our stop and they way to get off is to grab your bags and jump into the water. It was like being washed up ashore on the most beautiful white sands beaches.

The island is a mere 6km x 2km. The East Coast is filled with different bays (Ao in Thai means bay), and you can walk from one beach to another quite easily. On the West Coast of the island, there is only one beach, which is quite isolated. For the first day, we decided just to stay on our beach, read in the shade and get Thai massages in the sand.

For dinner, we had heard of a place that has a live band on the beach and then a fire show. We walked 10 minutes north to a beautiful setting. The tables and cushions are on a mat going up to the edge of the water. There is a stage outside and a great cover band playing a dinner set that included Bill Withers and Alicia Keys. A big improvement from other Thai cover bands we had been exposed to. We shared grilled whole fish that they stuff with lemongrass and ginger, and vegetable broad noodles.

Then, the fire show started. Ten boys, ranging in age from 15-24, come out on the beach with fire sticks and fire balls. In front of them is a few cans of kerosene, and in the background they play hip hop. The guys light their sticks and start spinning them. It is really quite amazing. They spin it using their necks, while standing on each others shoulders, and throwing it up in the air and catching it. They are an interesting group and fun to watch.

After the fire show, we decided to listen to some more live music. The band had moved inside and Pete and I were the first ones to sit down indoors. We were hooting and hollering, so they asked us where we were from. Of course, when we replied “New York”, the female lead singer went into Jay-Z and Alicia Keys “Empire State of Mind”. We met a Swedish girl who is living on the island (she fell in love with one of the fire guys and cancelled her flight home a few weeks ago), and she told us of another fun bar.

We walked with her to a place that had pool tables and a happy hour special that you flip a coin for each drink and if correct, drink for free. We played some pool and lost miserably. We met a couple there (an Irishman and a Dutch woman) who were very nice. A local Thai woman kept asking me to dance, so I would dance with her a bit, then shoot pool before she was chasing me again. She told me she wanted to go sing karaoke, so Pete, our new friends, and I followed her to the karaoke bar. It is a cheesy, dingy bar with flashing neon lights. There was a group of 15-20 Thai people in the back of the bar and we took a table in front. I decided to serenade my new husband with the song “Kiss Me” by Six Pence. He loved it☺ , as well as my new Thai friend who danced and cheered the whole time. She then sang a song, and then our new friends sang. I decided to do “I Will Survive”, which was great fun. Then, the unthinkable happened. Peter said he wanted to sing a song! He chose “I Shot the Sheriff” so we did a pretty good duet to that. We ended with our foursome doing “La Bamba” before heading back to the live band.

At this point, the party was rocking and we came in and danced for the whole next set. We were jumping and spinning and having the time of our lives. We felt like teenagers again. On the walk home, I decided that we absolutely should get in the water, and everyone agreed. The four of us ran into the ocean, and under the stars played Marco Polo. After that, we parted ways and Pete and I held hands and walked along the beach to our bungalow. Now, this is what honeymoons are supposed to be like.

Bangkok- Modes of Transportation

July 8, 2010

Woke up early yesterday and went shopping with Prim, a great local Thai who owns several T-shirt shops in the Pratinam shopping district. She took me to the warehouse basement where there are literally THOUSANDS of T-shirts and designs being sold at wholesale prices (read $3). I got some amazing, high quality shirts, and wandered around the shopping area for a while.

I roamed the streets leading up to the big mall. The stalls are crowded and filled with everything from shirts to dresses to jewelry and shoes. Street cooks line up in the middle of the walkways with mini grills selling skewers of meat or fresh fruit. There was a huge maniquen with a sign “We have special sizes” to cater to large non-Thais. I went into the mall for an a/c break, and then caught a cab home.

I met Peter for lunch where we ran into Holly. Holly is a New York bar owner who is friends with Annile who had just arrived to Thailand. Her and I decided to check out some of the sights. We caught a motorbike ride to the river, and then cruised down the river on a commuter boat to the other side of town. Thai people are really so nice. When the boat first docked, we tried to get on and were told “No! No!. Wrong boat”. So, we got off, and the boat driver pulled away and asked where we wanted to go. We replied Wat Po, and they all shouted “Yes! Yes!”. So, they redocked and we climbed on. Everyone on board was laughing and all helped notify us when it was time to change boats.

Interestingly, these canalways are the reason Bangkok is called the Venice of the East. Having been to Venice, I could not see the likeness. The river is polluted, smelly, and the lining houses are old and worn down. It is a wonderful way to get through to the other side of town, and actually a pleasant experience, but the whole time I was dying to take a shower.

When we finally got off the boat, we took a tuk tuk to the Temple. I had little excitement about seeing another temple, as Pete and I had done quite a tour in Japan. I was wrong. Wat Po is beautiful. The ceilings and points are covered in ornate, shiny mosaics. There is a reclining Buddha (which is supposed to be a Buddha about to die and enter Nirvana) that is 150 feet, or the height of a 10 story building, that is covered in gold leaf and his feet in mother of pearl. It is a beautiful sight. There is also a garden of animal statues in different yoga and massage poses that was used to teach illiterate people how to become yogi’s and masseuses.

From there, we went to Kah San Road, which is the backpackers haven of Bangkok. You can imagine the smell and sight of all these travelers. We spent $5 to put our feet into a large pool of tiny fish that live off eating the dead skin of people’s feet. It was so gross that I squealed as they all swarmed me. I took some deep breaths and let it happen, but it was very difficult and my feet were no softer at the end of it.

We successfully navigated our ways home and met up with the boys. We had some drinks at Dave and Prim’s apartment before heading out to a pool haul across the street. A group of ten (Thai and foreign mix) were there and we played pool and feasted on amazing Thai food. Every dish I get introduced to, I like more than the last. The spices are so amazing, and the combinations are sublime. My favorite was a spicy, soupy dish and fried chicken.

From there, we went to a club. There was a live band and it was packed, wall to wall, with young Thais singing along and dancing. There was no room to even stand, so we walked a bit to another club that was playing house. As usual, Pete and I danced the night away.

Bangkok

Yesterday was a travel day. We woke up early in Tokyo, took a train to the airport, and were seamlessly headed to Bangkok. It is a 6.5 hour flight, so I got to catch up on some movies and take a nap. We arrived in Bangkok around 5pm and were pleasantly surprised with our accommodations here. We are staying in a studio of an apartment complex of a friend.

We unpacked, showered, and settled in, then met our friend Annile for dinner. He took us to a neighborhood joint, and we ate some amazing food. A thai seafood dish with a spicy basil sauce, pad see ew with chicken, and a papaya salad. The salad was very fresh and the dressing they use is spicy. All dishes were delicious. And with that food and three large beers, our tab was only $15.

We then went to a bar down the street to hang out until the World Cup. Some of Annile’s friends joined us and we shot some pool and discussed Thia culture with a backdrop of cheesy American love songs, sometimes being covered by Thai bands. Later, a cover band actually came. Aside from some pretty random song choices, the band itself wasn’t bad. It had a female bassist and singer, and the singer really showed her range by singing everything from Frank Sinatra to Etta James to the Cranberries.

We didn’t make it to the World Cup (it doesn’t start until 1:30AM here), but we did have a lot of fun and headed back to our a/c apartment and got a good nights rest. I can barely wait for some Thai coffee and noodles for breakfast!!

Bullet Train to Kyoto

Our morning started with another dip in the hot springs. I absolutely couldn't resist that feeling of jellowy cleanliness and relaxation. We had a quick breakfast, and then headed to the train station to catch a bullet train to Kyoto.

These trains are no joke. They go speeding by and are so fast it, the pressure almost knocks the wind out of you. Our train was on time to the second, of course, and Pete and I got into our seats and started preparing for the Kyoto leg of our trip. We decided to tackle a few sights near the train before heading up to the hotel. The first was a temple not far from the station called Sanjusangen-do Temple. It is a huge wooden building that houses 1000 golden statues to protect visitors. The shrine is built for a huge golden statue of the Goddess of Mercy (this is the second shrine we have seen to her). It is quite a sight. The surrounding grounds are beautiful, with gardens and ponds and tidbits of history.

We caught a cab to the hotel. We were pretty ravenous, and couldn't resist a pasta dish from our hotel. We then walked to another Temple. This one was completely awesome. We climbed a large hill filled with little shops to get there. I bought a coin purse (with little Asian cats on it), and Pete got a green tea ice cream cone. We arrived to the temple, and almost couldn't believe the beauty of it. The entire shrine is 12 buildings and you walk through paths in the forest to get to them. There is a lot of superstition here, where there are places to make wishes or tell your fortune.

We then wound in and out of the tiny streets of Kyoto. It is an adorable city. You don't know what to expect on each street. It may be Old Kyoto with a glimpse of a geisha, or new Kyoto with hip shops and fashionable kids. The streets are narrow and hilly, so each turn brings a new charming street to explore. Our guidebook recommended a bar in Old Kyoto. We walked many streets lined with wooden buildings and an occasional stream running nearby until we found it. We had an afternoon drink and decided to head out to find a vegetarian dinner spot from the book.

After days of watching Peter struggle to stomach meals out of his comfort zone, I thought it would be nice to find a vegetarian gem for him. The place was described as a "homey feel" that is run by a nun and her mother, who are peace activists, and great vegetarian dinner. Pete and I found the street it was on pretty easily, but roamed and wandered for quite a while before finally spotting a little sign that said "Vegetarian food". The restaurant was back from the street, and when we walked in, you could smell the cats. The place is their home, very unkempt and very decorated with peace signage and cat posters. We were the only patrons. An elderly woman insisted we sit at the far end of the bar, while Pete and I instantly started to think of ways to get out of there. She was very sweet and called her daughter in to take our order. We ordered a ginger ale first and tried to explain we were just there for a refreshment. With their limited English and our very limited Japanese, we were ordering food before we knew it.

Aside from the smell, I have to say it was a great meal. I was served vegetable curry with brown rice, and Pete was given tofu soup (best part of the meal), brown rice, and four vegetable dishes: pickeled eggplant, cucumber salad, something like kimchi, and fried potato spring rolls. The food was quite obviously homemade and very flavorful. We had a few hearty laughs during the process, but decided that at the end of it, it was an experience we will never forget.