Kyoto

On Monday, we said goodbye to Toyko and took the highspeed train to Kyoto. It was by far the smoothest train ride I have ever taken, and the fastest. We reached speeds in excess of 150 miles per hour. It was a fast ride, in my opinion, comparable to flying, only with more legroom. There were some interesting things that we passed in the countryside, including lots of rice paddys. The weather was rainy for the first time we've been here, so it was a good day to take the train. After arriving in Kyoto, we ate some lunch at the main train station and traveled to our traditional hotel. The floor is made of tatami mats and we are sleeping on futons on the floor. There is a distinct lack of chairs and we must remove our shoes at the door of the hotel. The doorways are low and some of the group members must be very conscious when walking. All of the doors slide and are made of the "rice paper" style. The owners of the hotel are grateful for our business because the tsunami has really hurt tourism.

The other interesting thing about Kyoto are the school children. Apparently, one week out of every year the school children travel to Kyoto to learn about the country's culture. These children are curious about us, and several have approached us to ask questions. We are planning to do a lot of sightseeing and cultural learning here, and I'm looking forward to it.

Our traditional beds