Kyoto

Last weekend, we met Mary's parents in Kyoto. Unfortunately, we left our camera's battery pack at home. Therefore, all we have are pictures from previous visits to Kyoto (2002 & 2004). The picture on the left shows the Imperial Villa gardens, and on the right, part of the Imperial Palace. It was great to re-visit one of our favorite cities in Japan.

Our hotel provided us with a map of the neighborhood, which let Russ find the local Sento, or public bath. This traditional form of bathing dates back to the times when people didn't have a bath or shower in their house and headed down to the Sento for washing, a soak, a smoke and a beer. The tradition lives on in Kyoto, as does the tradition of the "electric bath" which Russ stuck his foot into briefly. The low voltage was enough to deter further exploration, though it certainly makes one forget one's troubles (in the face of imminent electrocution).