still Kyoto...

ok i don't know i thought Kyoto was so cool on the first day. I mean it was cool. But after two more days it is even more cool. I love this place. yesterday I walked around the Gion district, some parts touristy, some parts not. On the east side of the main road in this area is the eastern hills of Kyoto with steep narrow streets (gotta love a steep narrow street) winding up to all different temples. I cannot get over how disgsuting ly humid it is. If anyone is thinking of coming to Japan, then DO NOT, under any circumstances contemplate coming in the middle of summer. The only relief is the afternoon downpours, but then it is still really hot anyway.
The other side of the main road seems the more 'real' part with again tiny alley streets with lots of wooden tiny facades of little buildings. Every time I pass another street it looks so intereasrting i just have to walk down it. That is why I am always lost. But not really, becasue I'm not usually trying to find my way in the first place. I'm only really lost when i try to find the bus stop and it takes an hour.
SO i did that most of the day yesterday, then decided i would rest from about 3-5pm back at the hostel so i could go out to the lantern festival. The Lantern Festival lasts for three nights leading up to the 17th July and lines all the main roads with Lanterns and floats and at night the streets close off and packed with people, especially young people in kimonos (girls and boys) and lined with stalls for hundreds of metres every direction selling all sorts of food. It is the biggest festival of the year in Kyoto. It was so fascinating that i went back there again tonight and didn't each much today to save room. But that wasn't necesary as i wasn't hungry all day anyway. Must be the heat. 34 every day so far. Also, last night wandered a side road and down another alley lined with lots of tiny sushi bars and small restaurants. It was such a beautiful sight with all the tininess and the lanterns and the timber slats, the 'road' so narrow that two passersby would have to squeeze past each other (no room for cars obviously). This alley stretched for blocks and blocks but just felt like one long street. The other side of the tiny restaruants was the river, so they all had little view of the river. It was all so private though. Anywhere else and there would be glass windows and diners sitting right in the window watching everyone go by. But i had to put my face to the slats just to see anyone or see inside the restaurant. Even the doorways have a bamboo cutain pulled down to about knee level so all you see is the floor of the entry and no people. In somewhere like Vietnam all the living happens on the street - families eating etc, but here it is all behind shutters and blinds. Very hard for a tourist to see how people live. That is why it is good i'll be staying with Kazumi.
Also, that is why the Lantern Festival was such a contrast. The markets right there cooking out in the open and people sitting all over the road and over the median strips eating barbecued fish and sausages. I had this delcious savoury crepe thing with crunchy bits of prawn and cabbage and chunks of fresh ginger all bbqd and rolled up in chopsticks and smothered with sauces and more ginger. Aggh it was delicious.
I keep taking so many photos of cool buildings. Actaully that's mainly my photos.
I know everyone says this, but it's true - I am done with temples for a while. Except today I went to the Golden Pavilion, expecting just another temple, but the gardens, up in the north-west of Kyoto with bright green maple leaves and moss everywhere really was nice. And then the temple itself is spectacular. I thoughtit would be "golden" as in not really, but it really was golden and in a beautiful setting. Maybe it was my imagination but i think they streaked the lake with gold as well (?).
Hopefully I can put up some photos soon, tomorrow i leave for Yokaichi to meet Kazumi (via Nagoya). I hope it's a bit cooler (?) maybe not.