Food

Japan 2017: Kyoto, Day Two

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Let me just start this post by saying I am blown away by the iPhone X camera. I lugged a heavy DSLR all over Japan 6 years ago the last time we were here, and I’ve taken pictures today with my phone that rival the ones from that trip. I’ll include a few in the post but please look at the trip album for more, there were just too many beautiful temples to include in one post.

After breakfast at the hotel, we headed out early this morning to visit seven different temples and shrines. It was a gorgeous day, brisk and refreshingly cold – perfect scarf weather – but sunny and inviting. We hit the jackpot on Kōyō, the Japanese leaf change season. Ever since we were here the first time we’ve wanted to come back to Kyoto for this reason, and it couldn’t have been a more perfect day.

Koyo

View of Kyoto City from Temple

We were able to stop in one of the temples and enjoy afternoon Green Tea service. We sat on pillows and a tatami mat in a quiet room. Being in one of the most stunningly beautiful places in the world and having a moment for mindfulness is such an incredible way to recharge.

A hot tea for a cold day

Green Tea and Youkan

Listen, Think, Accept, Practice, Believe

A guide for Mindfulness

Japanese Maple

Sky Fire

Even though we had an idea of what to expect since this was our second Kōyō, we couldn’t have known how much the day would truly show up for us.

Stunning reflection pond

Kōyō

We even saw Komainu protecting the entrance to the Temple!

Japanese Guard

Komainu at the Temple

I saved the best picture for last, I might actually get this framed as it’s my proudest photo I’ve taken:

Having spent a perfect day outside we headed back to the hotel for some rest before dinner.

Yum!

Cold Sake made by the owners grandfather

We had dinner at Mikaku – the same Teppanyaki restaurant we ate at 6 years ago. It was surreal to come back after such a long time – most of our relationship in between – getting to have dinner with my best friend at one of our favorite restaurants of all time. It was a perfect ending to a beautiful day.

Died and gone to heaven

Waygu Filet frying in beef fat

Bamboo shakers

Japanese cayenne and pepper shakers

Modern, beautiful view

This is everything I would want if I ever owned a restaurant

The restaurant is ultra modern with a view of the changing leaves on the street. Our meal included a Kobe filet course, mushrooms in butter, fried onions, garlic fried rice, fried potato, beef miso, potato soup, dessert, and green tea. Everything was incredible, I almost doubted that it would be as good as we’d remembered, but it was.

Delicious

Potato soup

Tomorrow we are off and away to Osaka – thanks for everything Kyoto!

Men’s Volleyball, Women’s Soccer, and a Fancy Pants Dinner

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Here we go… rapid fire blogging!!!

We were at the Men’s Volleyball final – but only for bronze. After Russia was defeated it began to rain (I’m pretty sure Rasputin was at the match as well), and not having anything to cover my camera I suggested we make a run for it.

Holland putting the smackdown on Russia

Holland putting the smackdown on Russia

The next day we saw the final for Women’s Football, or Foo-chee-ball if you are Brasilian, and man soccer is boring. There were a total of I think 3 scores over the course of two hours. I wouldn’t know, I was too busy fantasizing about playing Rocket League instead of watching soccer. I got some good faces on the action shots though.

That face looks like a meme

That face looks like a meme

The Brasilians love the football. Even if they have to root for the Germans.

Germany Defending

Germany Defending

As an added bonus, and as an artist, I felt it only fair that I also captured the face of defeat.

The face of defeat

The face of defeat

For dinner we went to a big party at a private residence. I think the owner had recently died and his sons turned the building into a venue for parties and dinners. The whole place was really beautiful and the dinner was great. I wouldn’t want to cook for that many people, but they did a really great job.

Fancy pants party

Fancy pants party

Since it was night it was difficult to get this huge mountain looming over the property – but you get the idea.

Backdrop to a beautiful home

Backdrop to a beautiful home

The first night of Brasil

/ ceckman / 2 Comments

Hello faithful readers!

We saw the Women’s Beach Volleyball Bronze, Silver, and Gold last night!

Raking the sand before and in between comps

I was beginning to worry the first event we watched we would lose, but Kerri and April pulled it off in the end and took bronze. The stadium was a lot more intimate than I had expected, and even though we were pretty far back the view was still amazing.

DENIED!

Secret signals from behind

We both missed a lot, but we won last anyway!

(I hadn’t noticed until halfway through the Gold game that I had taken pictures of secret teammate communication. I typically don’t look at women volleyball player butts, but once I saw they held the key to strategy I was able to glean some serious trade secrets).The whole event was filled with lots of music, dancing, and of course camera phone blackouts.

Blackout!

 

Millenials and friends

The stadiums are a feat of last minute scaffolding, and although completely safe feel completely life threatening once you know you’re being support by a bunch of skinny pipes. Heavy cheers for Brasil during the second match should have taken down the entire stadium but somehow it stayed standing. Secretly I was Germany fan but I was not going to let anyone around me know it – the people of Brasil are firece in defending their teams… whether they lose or lose. (Technically one team ended up with Silver but neither team won their competeition of the night. It was sad to see most of the fans so defeated. Their teams seemed to take it fairly hard as well).

Something something balls to the face before something

 

Germnay fighting hard to lose a point

Overall the night was really great and as tired as we were we had a great time. We ended up staying for the medal ceremony so we didn’t leave the stadium until 1am. But when we got back the magic food room was open and I had my first taste of pasteis. They were so good, even though we were eating them at 2am. Needless to say – full of Olympic Volleyball, Caprihanas, and Pasteis, we crashed hard last night by 2:30am so we could get up for our 8:30am trip the next day….

Copacabana Palace, our home away from home

 

(Or in English, a Pastel)