Yokoso Michigan E!

My well planed day of leaving the house at 9am did not happen.  I woke up to 2 sick  boys.  One away, one asleep.  The one who slept managed to get sick on 2 futons and 2 pads.  Oh no, I hurried up and e-mailed the owner of Komachiya.  She quickly called me on her 1 way cell(this little cell phone like device with 1 push button that calls her directly) and asked I clean it off and hang it to dry and she will send the cleaning lady over later to look at it since she had to work.  

The cleaning lady was so sweet, luckily my 13 year old rusty Japanese managed.  She put the yucky futons in storage and laid out blankets to serve as the kids beds since they rent the futons and will need to call and see if they can change them.  

So the 2 sick kids stayed behind with nainai(grama) while the rest of us went to the gardens and then off to Otsu!  The sickos were required to go there, so I ran back to get them and the two groups would meet at car 4 of the train, I would pop my head out and yell for them to get on the train.  When we got to their stop, no one was there, I hoped they had left and went to Hamaotsu with out us.  No.  We arrived and waited around for them to arrive.  We missed 3rd cruise, it was past lunch time.  I went to feed my group at Lotteria with their shakem up fries.  They have seasoning packets and you add to your bag of fries, shake and eat.  

Finally the two groups were united and all fed.  We road the shortened 1 hr 4th cruise sitting on the second floor.  A lot has changed, a piano on the first floor, Michigan boat bullseye carpet runners, the cafe set up at the back of the 2nd floor, the side walls and foot soak by the stage and an observation deck complete with binoculars.  It was wonderful to breath the fresh air of Biwako(Lake Biwa).  

After the cruise, the in-laws were tired and returned.  We walked on past the Michigan House to Lawsons.  Had to get some ice cream!  We ate it walking toward the old kendo building.  Unfortunately it was closed about 4 years ago and they have fences along the perimeter so you can't peak in the windows.  

Our dinner consisted of Nikuman(aka Baoza, big steamed dumplings) and Inarisushi(triangle shaped rice, mine filled with salmon and wrapped in seaweed), taken to eat down by the shore.  Poor kids were freezing cold.

Amy and I walked down to Sanjo and had a drink at the Pig and Whistle.  I had my Violet Fizz! 

Keage- Murin-an Garden

Getting off at Kaege station you can immediately smell the sweetness of the cherry blossoms.  Walking a long a stretch of cherry lined old train tracks we turn off the beaten path to go to Murin-an Garden.  At 400yen an adult, it is a quiet secluded secret garden.  It was finished in 1896.  I wonder if they got to stroll all over the grounds when it was built, or were they always restricted to roped pathways?

On the way back to the subway station we spot some girls dressed in their spring/summer yukata.  All this looking at cherry blossoms is making my mouth water for the shrimp cracker flavored with Ume.  Flavored with plum or plum blossoms only sold in the spring.

Komachiya-this old house

     We are staying in a beautiful old traditional Japanese house in Gion.  The outside entrance has 3 large stones set in tiny black pebbles.  You step in, onto cement floors inset with black pebbles sprinkled about.  There is a small garden and 2 seat cushions to sit inside and contemplete/meditate while looking out into the garden.  Modern kitchen and bathroom compliment the old paper walls or straw inbedded in the walls.  Room with 3 sliding walls.  Futons and tatami mats.  From the front sitting room on the 2nd floor I can look down on the brick road.  It's a shopping arcade aka covered mall.  Our neighbors are a butcher and breadmaker.  I would've boughten flowers myself if there weren't already several fresh arrangements in the house.  

And talk about location.  Spitting distance of Sanjo, easy to get to all my favorite places.  

Ikimasho ne

     We got up at 6 am, taxis were off by 7am for the airport.  We got there with 2 plus hours to spare, brought breakfast of hard boiled eggs, baoza and sesame buns with us.  We were taking part in a shared flight, so we had an hour flight got off(still in China), went through customs and got back on the same plane.  But now(since we were the last ones back on) other people decided not to follow their tickets and were sitting in our spots.   But at least we went from sitting 2 by 2by 2 to 3 by 3.

Asked for Ginger Ale on the flight, got the strangest look.  Forgot it's an American thing.  You'd think asians eat enough ginger they would like it?

Once we arrived in Japan it was the same shade of gray due to rain as the smog skies we left behind in Beijing.  We had a nice surprise, my husbands friend met us at the airport to welcome us and make sure we got on the right bus from Kansai to Kyoto.  They are super picky about the money they accept in Japan.  They will only except bills without any creases or many folds. 

Even from the evening light on the highway, you can see how clean it is here.  So glad we chose the bus, since they store the luggage for us and they had a bathroom aboard.  My kids were the only ones using it on the hour and half bus ride to Kyoto.  Luckily we were sitting by it and not in front of the jump seats(pull down aisle seats).  

It was still sprinkling when we arrived in Kyoto, the subway entrance was right there, so I hefted one bag at a time down the stairs.  Didn't even think to look for an elevator(this will not be missed on the return).  Got to our rental house at 7pm.   By 8:30 we were eating Japanese food.  Myself Katsudon shared with the boys, they split the omlete rice.  My mom and mother-in-law both got fried chicken one katsu style the other with grated diakon on it.  My father-in-law a fish & meatball seto.   None of them were impressed with the food or prices.  The highest price was 750yen.    Really this is good price.  The boys didn't get to bed util 10:30(but it was 9:30 Beijing time)

Woke up at 8(7 Beijing time).  Breakfast of vitamin c lemon gel pack, chocolate bread, mikan jello and aloe, white grape drink with peach.  Yumm.  I was so happy when I woke up and saw no rain, as I was in the process of saying we can go to Fushimiinari(my favorite place)  when it started to rain.  Not hard, but sprinkling, I didn't want to chance a slip in fall with the older kids of the group.  So my back up rain plan was to go to the train museum.  Once my friend Amy arrived,  we rode the subway back to Kyoto and took a bus.  Japanese buses you need to push a stop button to let the driver know you want to get off, it will not stop unless they see people waiting for the bus. 

The train museum was pretty cool that they had a round house and the kids could go into the engine and pull on all the levers.  They only had 2 or 3 actual working trains.  We got to ride one of the steamys.  It was maybe a 5 minute ride backing up then another 5 min pulling forward.  Big whoop.  But the kids liked it.  They had several train "coins" to chose and either inset into a necklace or keychain, we also had their names imprinted on them.  Well Ethan lost his before we even left.  We couldn't find it and I wasn't going to buy another one at $7.  Hopefully he learns.

For lunch we ate at my favorite restaurant, Capriccosa!  Yum we had the tuna and ika salad, rice croquet, margarettia pizza and drum roll please the dish!  Ah, I inhailed  the wafting smell of garlic.  Yes the spicy tomato garlic spagetti.  It still tastes as good as I remember it.  While there we ran into another family on holiday, twin boys with parents and grandparents.  We had a chat over the insanity of twin energy.  I can only explain it as a 24 hour slumber party.  They had a much nicer way of saying it,"they are best mates."

Amy left and we went back to the house to meet another friend, Reiko.  A good Japanese friend I met while she was studying in the states.  She now has kids too, so it was fun to get the kids together.  We walked down to Maruyama Park to see the famous cherry tree.  They were just starting to set up the food booths.  Since we went so late in the evening, we got to see them lit up too!  Yeah!