Japan 2015 - Day 3 Kyoto Here We Go

Our stay at Seta Urban Hotel includes a breakfast, as far as I am concerned I simply love Japanese meal and it's surely a good food to start off the day.

We really enjoyed cycling at the outskirt it is relatively quiet with beautiful sight as we moved towards the city of Kyoto even though it was a wet and cold morning.

Rainbow Bridge is linking Mariyama and Otsu with a dedicated bicycle lane which I wasn't sure if there is one when I was back home checking at Google Map. Now I am sure I can use this bridge across Lake Biwa.

I also found out that this bridge is part of a popular cycling route around Lake Biwa, Here we were about to reach to the other end of the bridge.

Instead of cycling northward we have to go south to seek for a U-turn and we saw this attractive park and I reckon it's called Hatarudani Park which is just opposite Ishiyamadera Station. We stopped for a couple of photo shots.

The joy in a pubic park with full of cherry trees and its blooming flowers.

The ride continued in the vicinity of Zeze and Otsu.

My GPS device slowly bringing us into a remote area quiet and on a uphill ride.

Later I found that we were travelling on a hill trail at Ostu, Shiga. Over here we were about to pass by a cemetery.

It was a long and hilly trail indeed but we went slow and steady with full of confidence that we were on the right track.

The anxiety has finally ended as I could see civilisation across a massive highway and the next was how to cross to the other side.

We managed to across with a few mistakes here and there and the thrill of entering another horizon was great. It looked like a small community and again the sakura is every where.

The ride through the remote moved on.

A stop at Daimaru Yamashina for lunch.

Nothing like a good lunch after a strenuous ride. I think I am addicted to Japanese noodle.

The ride from Daimura Yamashina Mall to Philosophy's walk was still far and poor Jo had to tackle the uphill ride again at this stretch.

What a relief when we see crowd of tourists from a distance and surely it must a destination we could stop and visit too.

Suddenly we became like visiting tourists and we behaved like one.

One of the entrance into Nanzenji Temple and Ginkakuji Temple and between these this the famous Philosopher's Walk.

Nanzen-ji (南禅寺) is a Zen Buddhist temple. It is also the headquarters of the Nanzen-ji branch of Rinzai Zen. The precincts of Nanzen-ji are a nationally designated Historic Site and the Hōjō gardens a Place of Scenic Beauty.

Slowly we rolled our bikes and enjoyed the scenic view and observed the tourists from all over.

The Philosopher's Walk (哲学の道 Tetsugaku-no-michi.  Path of Philosophy) is a pedestrian path that follows a cherry-tree-lined canal.

This 2km path is a popular destination for tourists to visit in Spring for a hanami experience.

Jo entered Ginkaku Ji Temple as I waited outside for some refreshment.

One of the many shots taken by Jo while she was in the temple.

Our next place was the Imperial Palace of Kyoto.

After a busy day visiting so many places in a day we treated ourselves back at Isetan, Kyoto Station for ramen again. I have gone nuts over the taste of ramen in Japan.

This time we tried Tokyo famous ramen at the popular food outlet at Isetan, Kyoto Station.

Sorry ramen again....

Jo's pick for the evening.

That's it a tough Day 3 as we wait for a train back to Seta from Kyoto Station. Good night.