Kyoto Sakura, 4-1-2013

I took the bus to Kyoto today to see the sakura.  The reports were that they were in full bloom and most were.  A few were done, a few not yet fully open, but most everywhere I looked there was a profusion of white blossoms.  I lucked out with the weather as well.  It was supposed to be cloudy all day but after the first couple of hours there were blue skies.  Finally!

 

At the train stop.

Along the Kamo River.

Does anyone know what this bird is?



Alond the Kamo River.

A superhero noodle man.

Along the Philosopher's Path

Testugaku no michi.

Unbelievable!






I had the kiwi crepe - really good.



Don't know what this is.

The torii in marking the entrance to the Heian Shrine.

Boats along a canal.

The canal from across the street.

My favorite kind of sakura - shidare (weeping)

In Maruyama Park.

It was so crowded.

People having picnics or buying food from the vendors.

Or being served (I think) at this make-shift
outdoor dining area.



Food vendors.

Fish on a stick anyone?  Very stinky...





A playground.

Hmmm.  Looks like a Maine lobster to me...

This cafe is called Berry Cafe, it's in the train
station and I think you can buy a
slice of any of these.

For some reason I didn't enjoy this trip as much as I usually do.  The sakura were beautiful but it I didn't leave with the feeling Kyoto usually imparts in me.  Maybe because I didn't go into any temples, it didn't seem as pretty or wonderful.  There were so many places I wanted to go and I had limited time.  So it was just walking along canals and rivers and trying not to get too lost!  (That didn't work too well but I did end up at the station when I needed to be there.) 

As we got closer to the Tokushima station we only had minutes until my bus left.  I resigned myself to taking the train and walking back to my bike, but we arrived at 8:58 and I raced off the bus, ran across the streets and taxi parking lot (not at the crosswalks since the lights were too slow), and hopped on the bus just before the door closed.  I do believe that, very uncharacteristically, the bus left a minute or two late.  There was someone else running from the other direction and the driver probably saw her.  We boarded together.  So I was lucky there, since I would have had a 10 or 15 minute walk back to my bike from the train and my legs and feet were so tired!  I filled the tub when I got home and soaked for a while so I feel much better now.