The Free Day-CC

Yesterday, our well-planned and organized free day, a group of about 8 of us took a taxi to Arashiyama station, from there we began our quest for the Iwatayama Monkey Park. A journey that led us through a beautiful bamboo forest, up countless amounts of stone steps, and across rivers and dirt paths. I was very proud of myself for completing this challenge, I knew that we had reached success when a Japanese snow monkey blocked our way. It sat there, completely oblivious to us and played with its toes. I froze. I had of course intended to go to the monkey park, but the actual monkeys I had not previously considered. We mustered up all of our strength and pressed on past it. The view from the top was beautiful, it was so sunny and clear out that I could see all of Kyoto! There was an indoor area where one could feed the monkeys through a fence, and I captured a Sistine Chapel-esque man hand to monkey hand picture.

I spent the rest of the day shopping in Kyoto and eating toasted mochi. I bought leg warmers that are covered in white fur and create a sort of a yeti effect.

Still safe from the earthquake and associated disastrous events,

Camille