Kyoto

We've been in Kyoto for two days now, the first night was pretty much just sleeping and being slightly cold (forgot to turn the heater on). We are staying in a traditional Japanese house, so no shoes inside, and ladder like stairs ;-). It's actually very nice and located right in between two centers of town, I think we've only been to one so far, but lots of cool stuff around us. I think our first lunch was a at an all natural curry place, absolutely amazing food! I loved it, and the atmosphere was just fantastic. In fact we never would have gone to the place, except we stopped in a small organic food shop and Eli struck up a conversation with the shop owner. After about 20 minutes I think he told us his family owned most of that street and it was all natural food, that's when he showed us to his mother's restaurant.
After that we went shopping for food to cook at home. We got some eggs and toast for breakfast and spaghetti fixins for supper at the F mart next to the Family Mart, personally I think they both wanted the name Family Mart and one just compromised....
I ended up making supper which was really nice, kind of like returning home for a bit. Ooo and I made garlic bread with like no utensils, it was awesome!
The Kitchen.
Supper!
Conner cleaning up after supper, sooo helpful!

The next morning after eating toast, eggs and for me cheese and peperoni we went to Osaka to meet Eli's mother and walk around town for a while...
Eli spotted a tiny kitten, super cute!

A park on the way to the train station...

Tako Yaki (fried octopus dumplings)...In Osaka

Okay, I totally tried it and while I love octopus, surprisingly takoyaki did not sit well with me :-(

Strip mall in Osaka...

Tomomi and Yuni (Eli's little sister)

After being in Osaka for a bit and meeting part of Eli's family for a brief time, we went back to Kyoto on the bullet train which takes about 15 mins maybe less...We went to the most amazing Japanese restaurant, I can't remember what it's called, but you basically pick what ingredients you want and then it's made to a pancake right on the table in front of you. Very cool way to eat, I was unadventurous and got sobayaki which is fried noodles, I got mine with vegetables. It was fantastic I'm so glad I got it and lots of pictures :-)

For those who got the pancake, you mix up your own bowl of ingredients...

Then you pour all your pancake mix onto the table top stove in front of you...

Aren't they pretty?

My food being added...

The end product YUM!

Have I mentioned my favorite meal yet? ;-)

The end product...

Outside the best food ever...

Because the level of maturity on this trip fluctuates from philosophic debates to well this...

A steam run machine, making a cake type dessert filled with sweet bean paste...

Anyhow I practically skipped our first day in Kyoto, but I'm tired and really didn't want to upload everything. Don't worry I'm sure it'll make it into the scrapbook ;-).

Later,
Hannah.