rkold | Imperial Villas (Reply)

This post will be picture intensive. In happy news, I discovered that the veggie place that replaced CafePeace looks awesome and I can't wait to try it! *__*

On Thursday, I caught an early train so that I could make it to Katsura Imperial Villa for my appointment. It turned out to be surprisingly easy to get to thank to the Hankyu line. The villa was just amazing. It involved following narrow stone paths and crossing delicate bridges through a garden. <3 I might have to try to go back. I helped some other foreigners get to the train station and then went to downtown Kyoto to try to track down this veggie restaurant. It turns out it is right next the the First Kitchen where I went with

muscatlove and

yanchamonkey when we were watching the marching bands. I sort of wish I'd known about it then cause I was sort of hungry and there was nothing I could really get to eat at First Kitchen. The cafe had a yummy tofu sandwich and it was even not that expensive! Plus the waitress asked me repeatedly what I would and would not eat so I could get my sandwich without mayo!!! (I detest mayo, though I do eat eggs) Post lunch I headed up to Shugakuin. It was around this time I discovered 2 major problems. Problem #1, I had to be back at Kate's before 7 to eat dinner with her host family and my tour started at 4. Problem #2, my feet were hurting, a lot. I think if I could have cancelled the tour I would have but it was not an option. I made it to the villa and it was interesting and in places very pretty but not as cool as Katsura. The tour was also 1 1/2 hours making my chances of catching a train even dimmer. The pretty pond which was supposed to be one of the highlights of the villa was being dredged so they could work on one of the bridges. ~.~ Though my husband would have loved this villa since it was surrounded by actual vegetable gardens. The vegetable gardens are enclosed in electrified fences to keep out the monkey, deer and wild boar. All I can say is wow, and this is in Kyoto! (Though of course I have seen deer in NYC, but monkeys!! lol) I took a cab to the Keihan station for $12 because by this point my feet were in agony and still did not manage to make a Keihan train that would let me make my connection to JR in time to make the 18:03 from Shin Osaka. So I picked up some take out and changed for the 19:03, sad that I was missing the meal with Kate. When I got back to Kate's I discovered my toes were bleeding! Lovely! Next time I am so bringing a pair of Crocs with me just in case of emergencies. >>;

Katsura

the pebbled isthmus is supposed to represent Amonoshidate

Lux also liked Katsura lol

Shugakuin Imperial Villa

I bet it is gorgeous in Fall

The view from the upper pavilion. The pond is normally full but it's been dredged to work on a bridge. This garden is famous for using "borrowed" scenery. i.e. the mountains in the background.