another early morning for me and mr. mouse. he’s feverish and really clingy. i dose him with ibuprofen, hoping it’s just teething, and i’m able to get him a nap while the big fish gets ready for the day.
the one thing i really wanted to see in kyoto is the Fushimi Inari temple and gates. we’d planned a whole day for it and the requisite souvenir shopping. but with missing the railway museum yesterday we were going to have to cram everything into our last day here.
normally, we’d walk but being short on time we grab a taxi. i hate being in cars with the kids and no carseats. but they fucking love it. they’re both looking out the windows and making all kinds of happy noises. it’s probably just the novelty for them, but i am feeling a little envious of the time when this was how you did cars with littles.
i amaze myself again with how much i underestimated the tourist draw to this location. there are stalls with street food, kitschy souvenirs, high end chopsticks, you name it. also a literal swarm of people. i put on my game face and we stroller the shit out of the lower area. we’re bobbing and weaving, determined to not use the strollers to stroll. people who stroll make me irrationally angry.
we reach the main entrance to the 4km hike to the top, ditch the strollers and begin hiking.
the funny dragon/tractor is loving it. he’s full of a million questions and wants to touch everything, which is ok here!
wahoooooooo for kid-friendly monks. he’s ringing bells, stroking the gates, exploring the statues. it’s awesome. but after 40 minutes we realize we’re only a third of the way up and we won’t make the railway museum if we don’t head back. super disappointing, but i can’t stomach the idea of cutting his activity short. and honestly, i’m a little relieved because, like at home, mosquitoes think my blood is divine and are constantly biting me and no one else. the difference is, japanese mosquitoes hurt. not just itch, but feel like jellyfish stings that then itch. and i have accumulated a half million of them. we have spared some time for souvenir shopping, but the throng of people is making me very twitchy and claustrophobic. i grab uninspired crap and we get a cab. (sorry to the people who are getting the uninspired crap.)
the only real thing to say about the railway museum is that thing-one was in the zone. he LOVED it…it beat the monkeys. he was even asking for me to take his picture in front of the trains. there were a lot of other families with young kids and mouse was happy bopping around as well in a completely kid friendly space. doc is now requesting all the thomas trains. i guess it was inevitable.
eating out has proven to be a disaster in terms of happy children and food anyone except derek can eat. so we attempt a local outdoor market but it’s all raw, the kids are cranky, and i’m over big crowds. back to the grocery store. which is fine by me. we realize the train has fallen asleep (not good in terms of getting him to bed). we rouse him with ice cream and hope this staves off a very unhappy little guy. low and behold, it does. he’s not even pissed when he can’t finish it so we can go into the store. i’m tempted to continue this food bribery thing at home…ice cream and cookies for the win. i now understand why old people always have candy in their pockets; you can rewire a kid’s brain with the stuff.
it’s our last night so we eat and pack up. tomorrow’s going to be a long day…
Travels with Larson and Co 