Kyoto is our favorite place.





We stayed at a Ryokan (a type of bed and breakfast) called Shiraume in the historic area of Kyoto, where geishas, now called geiko study, live and work. The area is like stepping back in time, so peaceful and elegant. One morning we even woke to a chanting Buddhist monk walking the streets. I am not sure if it was the area or the amazing service provided to us by the owner of Shiraume, but we never wanted to leave.



As soon as we walked into Shiraume Ryokan we were greeted with cold green tea and a jelly treat to help cool us down from the summer heat. The owner started a bath for us in one of their two natural spring tubs. After the bath we were given yukatas while she made our bed for us in our Umemi room. After the long train ride all we wanting was to relax and take a nap before our dinner. We were served the most beautifully plated eight course meal I have ever had. Some items on the menu were very interesting. I could not eat the raw shrimp or jellyfish but, it was an experience, and I enjoyed every minute of it and all the pampering we were given.




















Just so you know, I still dream about the ice cream above. It is homemade black sesame, and I have been looking for it everywhere. I have tried other black sesame ice cream, but it is no where as good as this one. So good and I can’t find it anywhere. It makes my mouth water just looking at the picture, so sad.
In the morning we tried out the other natural spring bath tub and enjoyed another delicious meal, breakfast to prepare for our adventure to feed some wild monkeys on top of a very high mountain and visit a few shrines.





Before we left the owner gave us a parting gift as a thank you for staying at Shiraume and for good travels. How did she know that I love flip flops?


























Oh, and thank you ANA Airlines for making our trip to Japan even more amazing when you upgraded our flight home to first class and gave us back $800.00 in cash, a sleeping pod, slippers, a robe, the noise canceling head phones, 17 inch T.V. screen, unlimited food and alcohol, and for our attendant who greeted us upon our entrance to the plane by our last name before we learned her name.
We heart you ANA Airlines.











Did I tell you that neither of us slept on the flight home because we were too excited being in first class? Yea, we’re dorks but, we enjoyed every minute of the 13 hour flight.
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