HOM and i relive our youth by checking all of us into a backpackers' hostel, complete with common toilet. J1 and J2 are unconvinced when we try to sell them the charms of f n ez.
we embark upon our exploration of kyoto by foot, armed with our thrift store 2000 edition of frommer's. a challenge this, considering we are hampered by middle-aged enthusiasm and teenage ennui. along the way we are charmed by impeccable japanese service which even gets J1's eyeglasses repaired gratis (thank you, paris miki!), and we learn 2 things about 7-11. one is that the only atm that accepts our card resides in 7-11, and the other is that 7-11 is a treasure trove of snacks for hungry travelers.
towards the end of our walking tour, after we finally locate the heian temple, we stumble onto a tiny, super (never thought i'd ever use this adj.) japanese restaurant for a late lunch. we are led into an alternate reality in tatami and zen minimalism overlooking a tiny, perfect japanese garden, and served a beautiful lunch we did not know we ordered, the restaurant not having any menu in english. oishi. and something to remember for when the traveling years are over.
halfway thru the multi-mile walk i think to myself that i am so grateful to be able to travel with the one man i would like to do it with - HOM. i thank God that my boundary lines have fallen on pleasant places.
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