NARA TO KYOTO TO YOKOHAMA

Our stay in Nara was, well, nearly perfect.  Yesterday, we did not see a cloud, so the sunlight enhanced the oranges and reds.  Today, it was cloudy all day, on our train rides from Nara to Kyoto to Shin-Yokohama to Yokohama Station. 

But about Nara, we did not expect much, but it was the highlight of our Fall Colors visit.  While the cruise was fine, Hokkaido was a disappointment, which largely carried through in Tokyo and Nagoya.  Then everything got better and better.

Need to show a couple more photos I missed enclosing yesterday.  First, we saw a persimmon tree where you couldn't count the number of fruits.  What is your estimate?

That was in Nara Park.  Secondly, Nara has all that history and religiosity, but is today mostly a sprawling city.  While Nara Park is truly a national treasure, the city itself is nicely symbolized with this photo.

You say, why?  See the middle of the above photo?  Then target that religious middle.

In essence, that has happened because of "progress" and "infrastructure."  Nara itself has totally lost any spirituality.  Still, worth a see.

If you're planning to visit Nara, the hotel of history and character is Nara Hotel.

• Five stars.
• Located on a hillside overlooking Nara Park.
• Opened in 1909.
• Designed by Tatsuno Kingo, the sensei of numerous famous architects.

• 
  Emperors, Sergei Prokofiev, Bertrand Russell, Albert Einstein, Charles Lindbergh, Charlie Chaplin, Helen Keller, Richard Nixon, Joe Dimaggio, Marlon Brando, Nehru, Pope Paul Vi, Yul Brynner, Audrey Hepburn and the 14th Dalai Lama have stayed there.  Amazingly enough, this is a photo of Einstein playing a piano at this hotel.

This link shows that it would cost you $186/night today.  The J.W. Marriott is $279/night.  Then if you are at a certain level, you wil have access to an excellent Club Lounge.  At one time this hotel had no rooms available, so we signed up for the Fairfield, another Marriott place...for $98/night.  Was it worth paying three times more?  Yes, if you are a Platinum member.

So the day started with breakfast at the JW Marriott.

Noticed more hats and caps at breakfast.

The shuttle took us to Nara Station, where we were bade goodbye by my Blue-Bar Pigeon.

The rapid train from Nara to Kyoto.  If we caught the local train, we would have missed the Shinkansen.

Green Car on the Shinkansen from Kyoto to Shin-Yokohama,

Had a great bento meal with sake and beer.

Took this photo of a mountain with snow in case we missed Mount Fuji again because of the weather.

But, aha, Fuji-San.

Sometimes the scene is marred.

This interval only lasts around 3 or 4 minutes.

Then a couple minutes later, a final aloha.

Made it to Shin-Yokohama, and caught our third train for the day to Yokoyama Station, where the Sheraton Yokohama Bay is located.  Had a light dinner with Johnny Walker Black Label on rocks, Suntory Beer and champagne.

What a good day.  Walked 4148 steps.  

We have a free day tomorrow.

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