The Ghibli Museum!! This was one of the coolest places ever! We got there real early just so we wouldn't get lost (like we always do) sadly you cant take photos in there, so you'll just have to take my word for it. You get to go through little tiny doorways (not great for a wookie I know) and see displays of how everything is made, and even watch a Totoro movie. There were so many people there even for a weekday, and the gift shop was goin' nuts, but I did manage to buy myself a Ponyo mug, and a Totoro badge. Kawaii!!

I can't seem to remember dates very well while im on holidays, but we ate these burgers.... AMAZING! So if you ever see a Freshness burger joint, you best be gettin yourself one!

The next day we headed to Kichioji and took a ride on a swan boat. They are fun but they are made for little legs im sure of it.

The only man swan amongst all the ladies.

Then we finally started our Ikebana Class. I know we've been dillydallin' around, but it was the first class we could get into. Again we arrived early incase of getting lost..so we played angry birds in the park. The class was really fun. We had a nice little lady teaching us in english, we learnt how to make an upright arrangement in a low bowl.. everyone else got to do crazy freestyle but apparently you gotta learn the basics first.Im looking forward to our next class tomorrow.

 These are our arrangements, mines the pinky. Theres a strict formula you have to follow, which was interesting, i would have liked to do a few other things to it but the lady wouldn' really have a bar of that.

 Pretty blossom and hydrangea.

 Ladies workin' their magic.

 This one was my favourite, the picture doesn't really do it any justice at all. I thought it was so clever the way she used the vase.

I also liked this one, it was simple but effective and the dahlias look amazing!

After class we were in dying need of just watching/resting and not having to think... so we went to the movies, haha! I know it sounds stupid but it was the best thing EVER! We went and saw This means war ( it was all that was on offer, so please don't judge) but they seem to call it black of white for some reason? It was corny with crappy effects but... i actually enjoyed it, haha! The cinema was almost full which was surprising for an english movie, and we were the only ones laughing... loudly.

 A local florist making tiny posies.

 The radish, they're big over here.

 So are the springgers!

We were lucky enough to catch the design festa while we are here. Its a huuuggee building full of artworks and freaks, totally amazing freaks.

 Shibuya crossing, you really gotta be prepared to hip and shoulder your way through.

Somethings that make me happy after a hard day on the ol' licorice sticks.

 Macha frappe and a vanilla chiffon cake. I have had my eye on this cake since i've been here, Amanda tells me its me in a cake...and if thats true well I AM DELICIOUS!!

Geisha bath salts, its like being in a hot cherry blossom.

Bunny fabric

This amazing book of hairstyles I got from the Manga museum

Nyan Sensei, he's the cutest sass mouthin' cat going around.

This beautiful Obi I bought from the market today. 

Now something that doesn't make me happy.. the killer bruise i acquired for stacking it on my bike....ahhh, what a shit!

What do you do wen its raining in Tokyo?... Why you go gaming of course!!

It was pissing down with rain so we headed off for some indoor activities. In Ikebukuro there are heeeaaaps of gaming arcades, the best one probably being Sunshine City, its so massive it has its own aquarium! We spent a lot of coin that day.

 This is what I finally won (the claws were waaayyy too weak by the way, its wasn't a lack of my skill at all)

This little guy is my new favourite, he's from Natsume sensei.. i love him.

We thought we'd take a break from gaming and headed over to Tokyo hands where you can go up to the cat level. Yep, just 6 clams to pat all the cats you can!! I was excited for this but when i stepped inside and saw all the unhappy cats being poked by kids i left pretty quickly afterwards.

 We saw some other cool stuff in between serious gaming and cat patting. 

Today we hopped on the Shinkansen bound for Kyoto. It was crazy busy because of Golden Week, well I assume thats why it was so busy. We got a lot of good kimono sightings here.

We moseyed on down to Gion and found the coolest little bars that make the best G and T's I've ever had in my life! (and yes I know my G and T's)

 This particular bar we found gave you frozen fruit skewers to eat, played 90's music and could only hold about 15 people.

The next day we hired bikes and rode down to Fushimi Inari shrine, it is HUGE and its all about foxes. There was a small festival going on so there were loads of people. The whole place was amazingly beautiful, with crisp green trees and the bright orange wood.

We did a hell of a lot of riding and walking that day so we treated ourselves to an amazing dinner filled with soup dumplings and beers.

 Ok, so we had so many good days it was bound to come crashing down in my face sooner or later.. right?? It was a wet and cruddy day in Kyoto, we wanted to go to the sunday flea market... so we rode there. I was pretty tired form snorey mcsnore and crunchy mcpete in our room last night but i was determined to have a good day still. Then I stacked it on my bike... oooowwwiiieee! It pretty much landed on top of me crushing my legs in a weird position and I couldn't move until Amanda got the bike off me. I wasn't hurt that bad just a few bruises and grazes, I was just stoked I didn't rip my pants!! And yes still determined to have a good day.

The market was good, I bought a nice blue kimono. Then we went to check out a store across the road and some police men came over and said we have parked our bikes illeally. bah! People do it all the time! So we went and moved them, by that stage my sore leg and lack of sleep and coffee had made me somewhat grumpy.... at least until I chugged back 2 espressos and ate some thing sweet.

Look at her mocking me on her bike.

Kyoto was real fun, we saw lots of shrines, visited the manga museum, ate delicious food, drank the best G and T's and bought some really beautiful things. But I think the best thing was this..

Look at him just hanging there! We came so close. we tried again and again but the stupid claw didn't go far enough. Amanda budged the glass a bit with her finger and he started to move... until he dropped! Not 1 but 2!!! 

Biggest achievement yet!