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| Kinkaku-ji AKA the Golden Pavilion (who knew) - Kyoto, Japan - February 2017 |
A lot of rambling paired with some fun pics from Osaka, Kyoto (my favorite) and Tokyo. I did many fun, new, uncomfortably-wonderful, somewhat-exhausting, enjoyable things and went to many fun, awe-inspiring, centering, overwhelmingly-stimulating, unique places and talked with many fun, polite, kind, helpful, creative people. The trip was eye-opening, beautiful, cold, enormously-fun (Can fun be enormous?), too short, delicious (in terms of food) and dreamy. I pet an owl which was terrifying because I thought it'd bite me, sad because it was chained up and soft because duh. I ate lots of the best ramen I've ever had, onigiri at every meal and loads of sweet bread. I bought lots of souvenirs I sometimes stare at and remember where I got them and what was happening around me. I talked with people who were thrilled to meet us and excited to help us find our way and take photos that had all of us in them (Where's the button? Oh yeah, where it always is.) I drank lots of coffee made by the hippest people I've ever seen. I walked A LOT. I saw 10 story buildings covered to the top in one square inch ceramic tiles over and over and took photos of them over and over then dreamed aloud with Courtney about what color we would cover a house in — hers: cream/beige/grey, mine: indigo. I'm almost crying of joy thinking about all the things we did and how wonderful of a time we had.
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| Osaka, Japan - Feb 2017 |
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| I was obsessed with their taxis. This was the most boring color of them all. - Osaka, Japan - Feb 2017 |
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| Courtney being her usual thug self - Osaka, Japan - Feb 2017 |
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| Some of the few blossoms we were lucky enough to catch - Osaka, Japan - Feb 2017 |
I urge you to get up, to get out, to go look out and up, to go looking at pretty things, things that you can't look away from. It's so easy to get stuck in the same routine. To look at the same things and not quite see them any longer. But they want to be seen just as much as you want to be seen. (Sometimes I get a bit frantic and worried about others missing the beauty around them. Forgive me.) These pretty things can be so inspiring — if not inspiring, then at least uplifting.
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| Top-notch, tour-guide Courtney and wising-I-had-a-warmer-jacket me - Kyoto, Japan - Feb 2017 |
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| Tourists dressed as Geishas & tourists dressed as themselves - Yasaka Pagota - Kyoto, Japan - Feb 2017 |
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| Look at that sign though! - Nishiki Market - Kyoto, Japan - Feb 2017 |
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| The prettiest pork bun there ever was, also the most delicious - Nishiki Market - Kyoto, Japan - Feb 2017 |
I have taken up running again now that it's light out past five o'clock. Okay let me be clear, I jog, not run. I wish I ran, but perhaps someday. Anyway all this running, sorry, jogging, made me re-fall in love with San Francisco. I love all the green and the beautiful, highly-detailed homes and the crazy, amazing people.
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| Yasaka Shrine from Gion - Kyoto, Japan - Feb 2017 |
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| Me being me - Yasaka Shrine - Kyoto, Japan - Feb 2017 |
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| Tiny one - Kyoto, Japan - Feb 2017 |
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| Lit lanterns - Yasaka Shrine - Kyoto, Japan - Feb 2017 |
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| Stone family - Arashiyama, Japan - Feb 2017 |
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| Looking up in the Bamboo Forest - Arashiyama, Japan - Feb 2017 |
A quote from the book I'm reading reads, "Keep your dreams, you never know when you might need them." And while the first time I read thought I thought it to be sad, I now see it as more beautiful than sad. Following your dreams is terrifying and I understand accidental and purposeful detours happen, so it's nice to know you can keep your dreams for later. They'll always be there, waiting for you. They can oftentimes be too patient.
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| Fushimi Inari - Kyoto, Japan - Feb 2017 |
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| Jenny and Courtney being fun - Kyoto, Japan - Feb 2017 |
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| Refreshing and uplifting, also ginormous - Kyoto, Japan - Feb 2017 |
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| Lunch half-eaten - Arashiyama, Japan - Feb 2017 |
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| Fushimi Inari - Kyoto, Japan - Feb 2017 |
On the other hand, for those who have followed their dreams, we all know the road can be a hell of a ride, and not always the thrilling sort. Keeping your dreams safe allows you to refer back to why and how you got here in the first place, which gets you to persist. I have no idea why I seem to feel road/driving metaphors are naturally associated with dreams. Will the world ever know?!
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| Some cool shop - Tokyo, Japan - Feb 2017 |
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| Tokyo, Japan - Feb 2017 |
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| Space ship, just kidding - Tokyo, Japan - Feb 2017 |
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| Casual stroll in Shinjuku - Tokyo, Japan - Feb 2017 |
Some fun facts:
I still wish everyone I love could live in the same place.
I've been eating a lot of roasted veggies lately — like so many I'm afraid I'll turn into one.
There's been so much to fight for lately; it can be very exhausting.
Dishwashing gloves are highly underrated.
Sparkling water makes every day better.
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| Ceramic tile city - Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan - March 2017 |
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| Tokyo, Japan - March 2017 |
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| The sun came out for our last day - Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan - March 2017 |
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| Twins drinking beers on Route 66 - Cheers to the last day - Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan - March 2017 |
