Nijo Castle

OK, this one is going to be a lot of pictures. We have to use public transit to get to church, which we are still not quite sure where it is located. We're also not sure what time it starts but will figure all that out before next Sunday. Anyway, we went out to get a handle on the trains and the picture above is a map of some of the lines and a place to buy tickets. They have normal trains, subway trains, and shinkansen (bullet trains) all in the same place and you have to make sure to buy your ticket for the correct type of train. Also you don't buy for a certain route you just pay for the distance you want to go. You walk up to the gate, slip your ticket in, it pops up on the other side and the gate opens for you to go through. It's efficient. We picked a place in Kyoto, Nijo Castle, to see if we could get there and three transfers later we arrived. The BOB was too big for most of the gates and one of the stations had no elevator but we just carried it up the stairs or rode the escalator. 

I have yet to see food in a vending machine but the Japanese must be a very hydrated people. These are everywhere, train stations, back alleys, street corners, everywhere but inside actual shops and businesses. 

This is the view of Nijo Castle from the subway station exit. Nijo is just the street that the castle is on.

The gate was big and pretty and it was so crowded. We saw a few Americans, some french, and a LOT of Japanese. We think it was a school trip or something going on. 

This was Alexander's favorite part. Playing with rocks, touching rocks, trying to eat rocks. 

OOH! More rocks! 

This cherry blossoms or Sakura are blooming and they are so pretty, but my absolute favorite are the plum trees which are a deeper pink. 

Bamboo dragon! I have no idea of the point or significance of this but thought it was pretty cool. The castle, is actually a large complex or fortress with different buildings, huge gates and walls and even a mote. It also had gardens and a small market/souvenir shop. It smelled delicious but I couldn't tell what half the food was. 

This is just more of the gardens.

This is a better view of the complex from up a bunch of stairs that Kevin climbed. 

I think this is a picture of the Shouguns main quarters, which was HUGE and a really incredible experience to walk through. They don't allow you to take pictures from the inside but on the sides of the building they have a place for you to take your shoes on then walk inside. Even though we were carrying Alexander we still had to take his shoes off too. The wood floors are made of these ginormous wood planks that are about a foot wide each The ceilings and walls are painted intricately with flowers and nature scenes. They had mannequins in place of where samurai, daimyo and the shougun would sit, and the shouguns ladies in attendance. I was itching to snap some photos because it was my favorite part. For being a big heavy wooden building it was actually filled with light from a lot of well placed windows. They take a lot of pride in preserving the history and I can see why. We have nothing like this in America simply because their civilization is so much older than ours. I think the closest equivalent would be the history back east in and around WA, NY and Boston.

Don't mind the strangers we just wanted to take a picture of the tree covered walkways.

Ta Da! I wanted to make sure I included a picture that wasn't just scenery or strangers. 

This is a better one of the plum trees. Getting to Nijo was fairly stressfree, getting home was a nightmare. We got confused and waited a the wrong line with a very done-with-everything baby and tired feet all around. Finally we found the right train but it was going the wrong direction, we thought. Apparently some trains can go both directions, so Kevin shouted to get on the train (which was about to leave) and I boarded the nearest car which happened to be for women only. Kevin had to get into the next car but everything worked out and we made it home safe and sound. 

This is the view at 5:30 AM from our rooftop. I really wanted to check it out and the gate to get up there was unlocked. It just so happened that Kevin didn't know one of the Kanji on the sign so we went on up. Nothing bad happened, but when we got back down he looked up that Kanji which was authorized personel. Oops.

This is the view from the other side. I love it. I just wish it would stay sunny and clear skies. The weather starts out clear every day then within a few hours is really overcast. In other news, we've done several loads of laundry and our clothes probably dry faster hanging up outside then they did in the dryers at out apt. which required a couple rounds of quarters.

I've gotten more homework done in the short time here than I think I did the bulk of last quarter. Without TV or access to shows I do a lot of textbook reading. It's not a bad thing, and I'm learning a lot more by actually doing the readings. I think I may get a little burnt out on routine and being in such a small space though so I'm going to have to get creative on how to entertain Lex. It's usually time to clean the apartment and play with blocks and things in the apt. til nap time. Nap time is when I get my homework done. Then we eat lunch, go to the park, then take a walk in the stroller. By the time that is all done Kevin should be about home.

The park isn't my favorite. I love letting Alexander romp and roam but feel like a total creeper because I don't talk and if someone does talk to me I have no idea what they are saying. A few people know very limited english and that helps a little. The kids just really don't comprehend though that no matter what they say or how they say it, it isn't going to make a difference. I still have no clue what you are trying to say. Lex also has this thing where he tries to go down stairs hands first and ended up with a cut up lip and face full of snot and dirt yesterday. Hoping todays park experience will be better.