Did some packing this morning, then we all headed out for a final bike ride.
All around, people had spruced up their family shrines or neighborhood shrines for O-Bon. They had set up tables and lanterns, set out fresh flowers and candles, and folks sat around and talked and drank. Lots of people were out and about.
We went to the "hundred yen" store at Hyakumanben one last time.
I was taking pictures of the streets, the buildings, the houses.
We passed by the "Looks cute, but I don't know what they sell there" store, the "lots of bikes parked outside but no idea what's inside" building.
I tried to capture some of the familiar views that we have come to love.
I noticed the shops with fresh food and tried to soak in the smells - rice cakes, bento, curry and fried rice.
Benna and I split off from Jana and Aleeza. We rode along big streets and small streets. We saw sweet old fashioned buildings, and ugly modern buildings.
We crossed the imperial Palace grounds with its ancient landscaping, and drove along a river that had been turned into a modern urban park.
We rode past the Kyoto International School.
We saw taxi drivers in their uniforms wearing white gloves, with white seat covers on the seats. We saw gas station attendants waiting for customers to serve. We saw the vertical parking garage next to the pachinko parlor.
I find it hard to imagine leaving this place and never returning. it has become so familiar. I know that it is very possible that I will never see these places again. But I hope it doesn't work out that way.
Sayonara for now, Kyoto!
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