I re-visited Singapore and explored Japan
First of all I went to Singapore for some relaxation and for the Grand Prix
I was present for all three days of the Grand Prix - The first and third days I was in the grandstand, the second day I managed to get some proper hospitality.
The races
- here I am in the grandstand
- this is when I was in the hospitality area
- I gave the pit crew some advice
- here's me watching a race
Singapore
- Justin and I went for a curry in a nice place where you sit on the floor
- here I am on the treetop walk
- the view was lovely
- lots of trees and plants
Tokyo
Then we flew to Tokyo - I've not been to Japan before, but everyone was very friendly and I enjoyed all the fresh fish. On the first day I didn't do a lot, but I did go to Roppongi and have a nice meal
- here's Roppongi - very busy.
- I had a nice meal
- then a drink in the hotel bar
On the second day I visited the Imperial Palace and a shrine
- This is me on a railing by the Imperial Palace
- this is just outside the Imperial Palace area
- here's me at the shrine
Hakone
Next day I went to Hakone on the bullet train. After arriving I went on a boat trip. I stayed in a traditional Ryokan. I had a lovely traditional meal (whilst wearing my kimono) and lots of tea and met a nice lady who looked after me. In the morning I visited an open air museum with lots of sculptures
- this is a boat we went on
Ryokan
- I put my kimono on and had some tea
- this is where I slept, on the futon
- this it the volcanically heated hot bath on my balcony
- here it is again from a different angle, it was so nice and warm
- this is Justin and the lovely lady who looked after me
- this is the Ryokan from the outside
- here it is again but a bit further away
Open air museum
- one of the sculptures
- you were allowed to climb inside this one if you were little like me
- this was a maze made up of little gardens
- here I am a bit closer
Kyoto
Then I went to Kyoto. The first day in Kyoto I visited the Golden Pavilion, had some tea, and then went to the Ryoanji Temple (where I met some students)
Golden pavilion
- this is the Golden Pavilion
- I had some tea
Ryoanji
- this is a little shrine
- I met a friendly koi carp who lived there
- there was a lovely lake
- with a nice bridge
- here are the students I met, their English was very good
- there was a zen garden at the temple
The next day I went to Nijo Castle and then to Gion (the geisha district) in the evening
Nijo Castle
- here I am outisde one of the castle buildings
- this is one of the gates
- a big bell thing I managed to climb up
- this is a shot of the gardens
- and here's the moat which went all the way around the castle
Gion and Kyoto
- here I am by a lampost in Gion, Kyoto
- for dinner I went to a sushi train restaurant
- it was delicious and very cheap
Links:
Justin and Alice's trip journal
The website for the Ryokan I stayed at
Hakone open air museum