Kyoto, Japan 8-11 October (Day 2)

 We slight rain on day 2.  It really was really light in the morning for the tour so not so bad.


Our first stop was Nijo castle built in 1603.  It is famous for being kind of bland on the outside but stunning on the inside.  We had to take our shoes off as they has the traditional tatami mats.

next stop, Kyoto Imperial Palace.  This was the residence of the Japanese imperial family until 1868 when the capitol of Japan was moved from Kyoto to Tokyo.  This was a beautiful spot.

 

The last stop for the day tour was the Golden Pavillion.

The rain was coming down a little more by this time.  Lots of umbrellas but everyone took their turn with pictures.

That night Caroline and I took the bus to a restaurant in the north of the city called "Grotto."  

Our first attempt at public transportation.

The chef sits only 12 people a night.  The interesting thing is that Caroline does not like fish. So, it made for an interesting night.  I am not a fan of Japanese food, but I wanted to have a terrific, authentic experience.  So, I grabbed a giant draft beer (food chaser) and started eating.

The chef has one menu a month.  It is a set, 9 course meal.

The first course.....

Salmon roe (Y-I-K-E-S!!).  When I tried to bites down, it rolled around in my mouth and squirted something icky.  I figured out that it is best swallow whole and chase with beer.   But we tried it.

Next course, sashimi.  Not a fan.  But I have developed a taste for it.  There is something about the fish being so fresh that made it good.  I have never liked it before, but this was good.

The eight piece sampler was one of the main dishes.  The lower right is octopus tentacle.  Hey, we tried it..See the proof below.

I do love the Japanese "hot pots."  The food is warned over the fire.  You just take out a little at a time into a separate bowl.  It keep the food nice and hot.  It is pretty to loo at too.

This hot pot had oysters and salmon.  Really good.

The chef was great.  We sat next to a woman from Sydney, Australia.  We are going there in November so we got great tips from her.  We also sat next to a couple from Tokyo.  They were great to us.  Caroline impressed them with her Japanese writing.  She is just about through the Hiragana alphabet at school.

It was a great experience for Caroline.  She was exposed to an amazing atmosphere.