Catsoos and Dogoos

By Scott--It's raining "catsoos" and "dogoos" today in Kyoto. Strange day. First the train ride from Takayama, then the "shinkansen" (rhymes roughly with Wisconsin, and I always want to sing "On Wisconsin" when we're on it...), then a taxi ride from Kyoto station to our machiya. Nobuko, Liv, and Kathy's driver got misdirected and lost--both--but finally arrived, where Koji, Tor, and I were waiting for them. Our "machiya"--a traditional merchant's house that's had a nice modern makeover--is very nice, and a good value, less than a hotel. It's at the end of a little walking alley, it's two stories, has a nice kitchen, two western-style beds and a tatami room where we'll throw down some futons. It's really very cozy, our own little home away from home.

After a noodle soup lunch Koji and Nobuko went their way, to their hotel. Tonight we're going to eat at a Russian restaurant, the owner of which Koji knows.

I was the only one who ventured out in the rain in the late afternoon. First for cash, which is a little adventure in itself (only special international ATMs will do), then to a Buddhist temple not too far away--Rokuharamitsuji. I know "roku" means six, but that's all I know. It was beautiful and mysterious. It was near closing time but I got in, and bought a 50 yen candle and lit it--and "prayed" for family peace, after an intermittently stressful day travelling, etc. Being together brings out both the best and worst in us. It's usually us against the world (in a sense), but sometimes that flips and it's us against us. If you know what I mean. If you're a member of a family--ha ha, who isn't?--you do. After the temple I looked for a supermarket that was on the map, but couldn't find it. So instead I went to a cafe and had a nice little bottle of sake, looking out the window at the rain.