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We took a side trip to Kyoto on the bullet train. Frankly, I didn't think the train was any faster than some of the speed trains in Europe. On the way, we were fortunate to catch a glimpse of Mt. Fuji from the train on a rare, clear day. Kyoto is supposed to be where you see more of traditional Japan but I was a little disappointed at how modern the city was. The temples are nice - especially Kiyamizu which is set up on the hill overlooking the city. Cathy and I each bought talisman (a symbolic ornament that is supposed to bring specific luck based on its designation). Our talismen are supposed to bring us good marriages. So we're waiting for our dream men to appear but no luck yet! The days of the Geisha era are gone and we only saw a few women dressed in traditional geisha attire.

We were there for the fall foliage which was quite beautiful, especially in the area of Arashiyama which is on the outskirts of town. You can buy beautiful purses in Kyoto and fabric but otherwise the shopping was mediocre. Kyoto is not a place for single women. Many of the restaurants require an invitation (i.e. from a Geisha or other type of female entertainment). Other restaurants close early and there's not much else to do. I was happy to return to Tokyo except that it meant that our trip was coming to an end.

We spent our last evening with our hosts having a quiet dinner at home. The next day, we ventured out for a short while and went up in the Tokyo tower which is an Eiffel Tower look alike that affords an expansive view of the entire city including a glimpse of Mt. Fuji on a very clear day. No such luck for us. We took the bus to the airport, spent the last of our Yen and boarded separate planes - mine bound for LA and Cathy's headed for San Francisco. Hard to believe that a month had gone by. In many ways it seemed like we had just arrived. I'm so glad I did this trip. Asia is a fascinating place, so rich in culture. It should be a place everyone goes to appreciate how lucky we are to live in the U.S. where we have the freedom to be, do and eat whatever we want.