Smell Ya Later, Kyoto

After 8 days and 8 nights, Lydia and I are just about to leave Kyoto and continue on to Takayama. We've actually done quite a bit this week, but we've been terrible bloggers. When internet access costs 100 yen for 20 minutes, the last thing you want to do is upload pictures and compose posts, especially when there are so many youtube videos of So You Think You Can Dance waiting to be watched.

We'll post our pictures of Kyoto eventually (fingers crossed!), so stay tuned. Some highlights include:

+ our stay at a Zen Buddhist temple

+ the Gion matsuri

+ temples...lots and lots and lots and lots of them

And no, unfortunately we did not see any geishas despite our many hours of geisha hunting. That, I think, will be my greatest regret. I possibly may have seen one during the matsuri, but she might have been a fake.

Anyway, as I said, Lydia and I are headed to Takayama, a small-ish village known for its Edo period architecture. I'm actually really excited to take it slow these next couple of days since I think that all the uber touristy sightseeing has left me and Lyds burnt out.

We're going to be staying at a traditional inn, where--listen to this--there are only communal bathing rooms. That means in a couple of days, we will either be incredibly comfortable with public nudity or we will be incredibly smelly. We'll see...