At a Van Down by the River.

Brad, our fearless tour guide, always armed with at least two maps, lead us all around Kyoto. Thanks Brad!


We visited Nijō Castle (二条城). It's known for its "nightingale floors" - wooden flooring which makes bird-like squeaking sounds when stepped on. It really does sound like birds! The garden around is was beautiful. It made me miss my own garden. I'm anxious to get home and see how much everything grew in ten days.




We walked trough a neat food market. I tried my first authentic Japanese tempura. It was covering Japanese eggplant, sweet potatoes, a bundle of peas onions, and a beautifully shaped vegetable called lotus root. It was VERY crowded. I didn't too to well with all the people but it was really interesting to see all the food.

Next stop, Fushimi Inari Shrine (伏見稲荷大社 ) which is dedicated to Inari, the god of grain. The fox is the god's messenger. The foxes are said to be helpful, but others are said to be dangerous and bewitch people, sometimes even in the guise of beautiful woman. The fox spirits are said to be able to possess people by slipping through their fingernails. There are stone fox statues all around the shrine.

I bought some candied ginger here. Tim and I love this stuff!



We had some Inari Zuchi sweetened sushi rice wrapped in fried tofu, which is said to be the favorite food of the fox.





Then once you pass the buildings, there is a path 4 km long of solid red gates. It is quite a site to see.



When we returned to Toyko via the bullet train. We got cleaned up and went out for Karaoke. Wow. That was a blast. We drank sake and plum wine with soda. I sang Lisa Lobe's "Stay" as well as many other songs.

And now to explain the title of this blog. After karaoke we took a taxi and got off by the bridge between everyone's apartment. We weren't quite done talking so we sat down under the bridge. We ended up sitting around a heater by a van down by the river. The van was also a bar. Cool. Beer please. (Wait, do I even drink beer? I guess so!) So that's how I ended up drinking a beer under a bridge by a van down by the river in Toyko, Japan.

[Videos of these adventures may (or may not) be coming soon.]