Our wonderful tour guide Kim took us to a special place that served a local specialty of  Hiroshima. It was delicious!

Bullet train to Hiroshima

We have 30 seconds to get on .

train is very clean. Maximum speed is 320 Kms/hour.

Cab drivers and just about everyone else always wear white gloves! Love the lace in the cab too….

cab 

Visit to the Memorial Museum in Hiroshima.

we only heard one side of the story of course.

 

These were the only build is left standing.

 

This was what the bomb looked like

Can you believe this chimney was left standing!

We met this survivor and he wanted to practice his English.

Thousands of paper cranes everywhere

Obama bottom left corner

Rose garden planted to show the soil was still fertile.

 

Today we visited the delightful city of Nara, Japan`s first permanent capital. The city witnessed the birth of Japan`s arts, Crafts and literature, as Nara imported everything from religion to art and architecture from China and developed as the political and cultureel centre with numerous tempels, pagodas and places.

Our first visit was to the Today-Ji Temple,which was built in the Nara period (710-794 AD)  chief object of worship is Vairocana Buddha. The statue is made from cast bronze which was pleated with gold.. The reighning Samurai built it for his own Meditation use.

The statue was consecrated in 752 but was damaged and repaired several times.

The building ranks as the largest wooden structure in the world.

There were lots of deer roaming around and we had some fun feeding them!

some deer got quite agressieve, Looking for food and even nibbling on our camera’s.

 

We went for a traditional tea ceremony (tourist short version) and a boat ride along the river Uji.

Another perfect weather day!

 

Enjoying a green tea ice cream

Tea ceremony started with a sweet made of soya and sugar, to sweeten our palette before drinking matcha tea. It is in the shape of a chrystanimum flower.

We  had totale our shoes off,  again  :-)

After the boat ride, we drove back to Kyoto where we visited  the local market as well as a Cultural/Craft Centre where did some/more Shopping.

 

Kyoto is in full swing for Halloween!

Chestnuts are populair here

 

We had our farewell dinner tonight, as four ladies Will not be travelling onwards to Hiroshima with us. Photos did not turn out, but we have the memories of a wonderful last Evening together with wine and beer supplied by WWQ. Off to Hiroshima tomorrow by bulletin train.

We wish Rookie and Elizabeth a safe trip home and will see Lynn and Fernanda  on our flight home later this week.

We are starting the blog with the end of the day. Sorry

Tnis  is where our day began.

There is Simply nowhere more special than Kyoto! It is home to everything that you associatie with traditional Japan: Zen rock Gardens, Imperial places, somptuous cuisine, glitterend kimono’s and golden pavillion.

We started our day by visiting the Kiyomizu Temple.

First Group picture of the day :-)

With so Many people making wishes, it May take decades before they Come through!!!

Our lovely ladies  like having their Photos taken!

We blessed ourselves and wishes for good health, healing and love!

 

Our guide Kim explaining everything to us

Lots of fun school kids

Another opportunity to drink from blessed water and ask for Either wisdom, love or longevity.

Wishing dead children a safe way to wherever they are going…

After the Temple, we did some Shopping and took the bus to the Golden Pavilliion. Gold fool on lacher covers the upper two levels of Kinkaku.

Monks asking for money… And they Will pray for you if you give them something.

Beautiful goden Temple with love reflection.

Jan and I have been travelling together on Many tours!!

This tree resembles a ship, with iTS bow and stils..

Group photo again! Cheese!

Inside the Pavillion, what we did not get to see.

Lovely green Moss instead of grass and you don’t need to cut it !

Make a wish and if your coin makes it inside the target, it Will Come through..

Japan is amazing. Look At these steps.  extra grooves to make sure you dont`t slip and Fall

After this visit, we visited the Ryonanji Temple and its rock garden where we counted 15 Stones and had little time to meditate.. On to the next adventure!

 

Throw money in th pot, and make a wish…

These camelia’s smoked so good!

Peaceful pond..

Now, for the best part of the day: We ot to dress up as a geisha. Some of us decided to have our make-up and wigs done as well. We had so much fun!

The process of putting on the geisha outfit is remarkable. There are so Many layers and strings. The wig is heavy and the Clothes are very restrictief. We have a new respect for geisha’s!

 

Do you even recognize us??

Best Group shot everrrr!!!

After the wig came off… Happy Halloween!

The Evening ended with an outstanding meal At Gion Hatanaka restaurant. We had a very eloborate authentic Japanese meal and a visit by two geisha’s, one 15 and one 24 year  old. They played music and danced and played a game with us.  We had an opportunity to ask questions.  It was a magical Evening and everyone enjoyed themselves!

 

 

 

Shirakawa-go was declarered a UNESCO world heritage site in 1995 and is famous for iTS traditional gasshozukuri farmhouses, some more than 250 years old.

We even dead to go on the suspensoir bridge!

 

We made a special visit to the WADA house, owned by a rich merchant At one time.

After that, we drove a short distance and visited Washi-no-Sato where we made our own postcards using the Gokayama Washi paper making method.

Bubbles made sure everyone`s postcard was done right!

We drove to the  Kenrokuen Gardens afterwards and sadly, it rained.

After this, we drove almost four hours to Kyoto in the rain. Thankfully we have a fabulous bus driver! Went through a lot of tunnels and the longer one was Japan!s second longest At 10,710 meters long!!

We ended the day with a sabo sabo dinner and sake, and then of to our hotel for three nights.

More excitment tomorrow in Kyoto!!

Part. 3 of this lovely day.

 

Festivals are held in spring and in the Fall/ and we visited the Festival Floats Exhibition Hall to admire exact Copies of these amazing mechanical Floats. A sight to behold. ! There were also some very large drums.

We ended our day with yet another wonderful dinner.

 

enjoy these photos of our walk in the market.Photos in the wong order,  but we did kearn how to  make Rice crackers!

After our walkaabout, we learned how to make rid crackers. It looks easier than it is, but some of our ladies are experts!

 

 

This morning we enjoyed the lively city market before we went to the Takayama Jinya,which was a branch office of the Edo Bakufu Government from 1692 to 1868. It contains many offices, an interrogation room with torture devices and a 440 year old Rice granary

The Tokugawa Shogun wielded power for 265 yearsin anciënniteit Edo (todays` Tokyo.

The building is beautiful and peaceful and quite large.

Our wonderful guide Kim explains everything very well.

OK, we Will not use this toilet…. :-)OK,

We walked in this beautiful town past some  morning Markets.  Lots to see, taste and admire! Along our way we noticed the huge Cedar balls hanging from the eaves of several shops, indicating sake breweries.

We drove to Matsumuto through beautiful scenery an away from the rain. We visited this impressive feudal castl, dating back over 400 years.

Jan Will be on TV tomorrow !!

Gorgeous gigantic chrysanthimums

From Here on, we drove to the Ukiyo-e Museum of wood-block print and painting.  We watched a video on this and it was very interesting!

 

After the museum, we went for lunch at a table barbecue restaurant. Every meal is different and an adventure!

After our delicious lunch, /we travelled through the Hida mountains. It was a spectacular drive! We are in Takayama for two nights.

Well, it’s now farewell to magnificent Morocco! This morning we were transported to the airport at 5:00 am for our flight home.

We had a fabulous time in a fantastic country!!!