Solo in Japan Day 3

Japan Day 3

Okay so here's the DL. Some people may be antsy about it or it might seem rather unnatural, but so far i've come to LOVE traveling solo.

No places to be unless I want to be there. No obligated sights to see unless I really want to see it. Everything is at my pace and is for my own entertainment. No one to tell me "No Ben you just took that out of the garbage bin, you can't eat that!"

Total freedom. Gotta love it.

Its been a self-serving and indulgent few days. Finally the last day of the Osaka leg.

With the OSAKA UNLIMITED tour pass that i bought, there were literally HUNDREDS (more like 30) sites of free access museums and palaces and gardens that i could have gone to. Not to mention loads of discounts on all the best places in each district.

In the end, I used two free passes and one discount coupon.

All good though since the unlimited free rides on the subway made the pass more than worthwhile. Though instead of going to a new district and riding on old boats and climbing crowded towers- I went to the mall. A real proper mall. First one i've been to in.... nearly 3 years? It was just as showy and noisy as all the other ones back home. Everyone dresses their best just to be seen and goes looking around just to look at things.

Still, self indulgence has a great many benefits. Main one- it makes me happy! Spent the better part of two hours just searching for a serviceable pair of jeans. And guess what?

Found the best fitting pairs EVER. OHMAGAUUUD!

This however is not it.

Still, rather proud of myself to have bought some good clothes without the pestering of a woman to tell me yea or nay. Just believe me when I say its good.

The short and long of it is that i had a great time getting lost in Osaka, but time was that I move on to the second leg of the trip. Time to visit the more atmospheric parts of Japan- meaning Kyoto.

The following day was eventful.

As eventful as 8 hours of walking in silence can be. 

But these older places, the ones shaped with regality- yes they are designed to hook a stampede of tourists with its water downed relics and over stylized sights for thousands of foreign folks to "Ooo" and "Ahh" at...

BUT! 

Those imitations are far superior to any 'authentic' tours I've experienced.

Sights like the Bamboo Grove of Arashiyama.

A whole park with walkways surrounded by thickets of bamboo. Set right outside the major vendor streets, its often stuffed with crowds.

Not so during the bitter cold dawn. Just as you see here, not a soul in sight except those scuttering through the branches.

Not quite in the park itself but just up the next mountain was the Japanese Monkey Park.

A little reserve where the Macaques live in observation but more by choice than captivity. Technically, these fellas live all throughout the mountains and can go where they please- humans are just allowed to pass through.

They're rather used to humans so its no bother to walk right beside them. You could very well sit down and have a chat if you wanted. May as well too since they're happy for the company of new travelers- as long as you've got treats.

As soon as the snacks are gone they're off to sulk.
At least until the next visitor arrives.

There really is so much more to say of Kyoto. The places and sights and foods and people (yes I actually talked with people) but i'm not desperate to share every last bit of it. Because it was my vacation. My time. I wasn't (completely) joking when i said i loved the freedom of solo travel.

I spent my final evening soaking in the hot springs for what might be my last time in a long time. And I can really say i'm content with life this way.

Eventually i'll come home- but i'm more than tempted to take the long way around and spend some months traveling still...