Wednesday 11th May 2016 (Updated)

It seems Jools and I needed a holiday, as every morning we sleep long and deep, with the result Jen calls us about eight each day to see if we're up, so we can rush round and get dressed and meet her by half past to eat. There is fruit, there is bread and a limited supply of coffee. But we survive. Thankfully.

Our destination today was Arashiyama.

Why there? Well, a few years ago on Flickr, I saw a shot of a walk through impossibly high bamboo, and it being right here in Kyoto, it seemed that it was something we should try to see.I ask at the front desk the best way, and she made it seem to bloody easy. I had a map of the metro, and the route marked out in felt tipped pen. Simples.

Of course when I say it is right here in Kyoto, what I fail to point out is that it is at the edge of the city, many miles away, but as I wrote above, it seemed easy enough.

Out of the hotel, turning left and over the bridge spanning the shallow river to where there was the entrance to the subway station. Down the 50 steps to the concourse, and we can find no signs anywhere. It is huge, i am taking pictures, but really should be leading the way. So get the map out.....

However, in the cold light of day, when standing outside a metro station, the map seemed to make no sense, and that the metro station we were outside seemed to be on the wrong line.

We walk back up the 50 steps, back over the bridge, past the Italian place, the hotel, turn right at the junction and up to the main square and down yet more steps to another metro station, which as it turned out was on the same line as the first station we went to, but hey.

We took the metro to the end of the line, and the map we had suggested there was another station nearby. We climb yet more stairs up to the street, and I spy what I thought was a tram stop, as each side of the station the tracks ran on the streets in traffic. So we crossed the road and waited on the platform for the tram to turn up.

Only when it did it wasn't really a tram. Nor a train. Something inbetween perhaps? It was a vintage single car electric railcar, and at least there was room for us to get on, and were close enough to the front to be able to see the way ahead as the line mixed between running on streets, in gaps between houses or on what looked like a standard rail line. It was wonderful, the train rattled and shook itself as we rumbled down the road, then turning off and heading in a gap between more houses. It stopped at tiny stations, more people got on, and so it was quite tight on the train.

By the time we arrive at Arashiyama the tram is full, so we all pile off, and so much for me worrying that there wouldn't be anywhere to grab something to eat, as it seemed we had arrived at the Japanese Margate, with street food, tat shops and the ubiquitous rickshaw rides all on offer, and for the most part smelling rather wonderful.

There is also a coffee shop on the station, so we pause there for a refuel and to watch the trams come and go, and admire the columns of the station, all of which had been decorated in kimono fabric, thus creating the kimono forest. Simple but very effective. In fact the columns are wonderful, and all were gently lit to show their colours to best effect.

Out on the main street outside, there are people everywhere, mixing with the traffic trying to get past, and the rickshaw drivers who are everywhere.

The bamboo walk is well signposted, and I realise that I am not going to get the shot I want, I mean I wanted the perfect shot with no people and it to be a work of art and all that.

We join them turning right up the hill towards the bamboo walk. And at least the rain had held off so far, and I would get to see it. And snap it too.

The street is lined with more restaurants, ice cream parlours and shops. Lots of shops. And the road is busy, with buses and trucks rumbling up, with tourists and families walking in the arrow pavement up to the entrance.

We turned sharp left, through a gap in the houses, and up a wide path, up with taxis and rickshaws would also come along. At first there was just houses, gardens and a simple graveyard. But suddenly, there was bamboo.

I don't really know what I was expecting to be honest, some kind of art installation perhaps, but in the end it was a walk, a path wide enough to be a road. And indees taxis did come up dropping the infirm or American tourist at the top of the walk, this sparing them the 400 yard walk. The path switched between a normal wood and the bamboo grove. A grove which was some 50 feet tall and filled with bamboo as thick as your leg, and so tall turning to all shades of green as they reached for the sky.

As has been pointed out to me, bamboo is just big grass, so we were, in effect, walking through a very long lawn!

At one point I found a place where there was a vantage point over the heads of other walkers, and just as I lines the shot up, the sun came out and brought the greens to vivid life.

Happy with my shots, we walk back to the station, but then Jen and Jools decided to take a rickshaw ride. So I try some of the street food whilst I wait. One is certainly chicken, but the rest could be, well anything. But was tasty. They also partake in the fast food when they get back, and talk about buns of steel that the rickshaw blokey had. Or something.

We walk along to some of the souvenir shops and top up on gifts for friends, as well as nice things for ourselves, because we're worth it.

We go back the same route as the morning, and was very painless indeed. We managed to get off at the right street station, then make our way over the street and down the stops to the subway. And then getting off at the right station. As we climbed up the steps from the metro station, I said if I right there should be the RC cathedral just along here. And it was, which meant the hotel was just a 100 yards further along.

And now the rain had given way to milky sunshine, we thought a fine evening wandering around Gion again taking shots or I did at least. At least that was my idea and Jen and Jools agreed, as long as I said there would be dinner involved.

So just after dark we take a cab to Gion, get out on the main drag with the historic area laid out before us, and only a few folks about.

As we walk back to the main drag, I see a Geiko in full make up tottering along on her wooden shoes. It seemed rude to take her picture, so I let her pass me, but funny thing was, was there was a group of about 50 tourists all armed with cameras following her on the other side of the street, seemed silly really.

We pass an old house that offered food, so we agree to go in. We are presented with a menu, but really even in English the meals gave us little hint of what we might get. Jools and I go for something called beef shabu-shabu, and I also chance it with a bottle of hot sake.

What we got was a pan filled with broth, and in the centre of the table, a lid was taken off revealing a gas burner. The pan placed on the burner and it lit. A plate of thinly sliced beef and assorted vegetables. Our server showed us what to do once the water boiled, poach the beef for a minute or so, then take out, dip in soy sauce and then sesame sauce and gobble down. Yum.

Even the sake was good, and I drink the whole bottle.

From there we go to the coffee shop for another cup of Java, then walk into the touristy area which was lines with bars and clubs. Now, in the coffee shop, there were a number of statuesque Japanese women drinking and smoking, all of them tottering on high heels and with perfect make up and clothes, looking like business women. But as we saw many of them standing on street corners, clearly not business women, but women working in a different business.

We flag a taxi down and get him to take us the mile to the hotel away from sin city so we can find a 7-11 from which we can buy beer, gin and tonic. We then walk back to the hotel and to our room to play more cards, listen to the radio and drink a little. As we seem to do every evening now. A pattern was developing.