the laundry challenge

Today did laundry for the first time. It's a very simple procedure, really, and it should take you about 2 minutes to put the clothes and the detergent into their own compartments and start the machine. But when the machine looks like this, it's closer to 20 minutes. So I tried to guess what everything meant and hoped for the best. At least it wasn't hard to figure out which button starts the program - probably the biggest one that says "start" on it in katakana.

In other news, I'm starting to understand the layout of this town. I know how to get from here to Kyoto Station, and to school; I'm getting quite familiar with the park around Imperial Palace (went there jogging for the second time this morning); I know where all the supermarkets, banks and post offices in the Imadegawa area are; and I've been to Sanjo a couple of times, which is one of the major shopping areas here, and just a 10-minute bike ride from our dorm. The only problem is that I've only gone there with Laura, so even though I know how to get there, I don't really know how to get around once I'm there, since it's a proper maze with the market area and all. But the most important spots I do remember, which are the inexpensive udon place, and the inexpensive sushi place where the plates go around on a conveyor belt. I think it's literally called conveyor belt sushi.

I didn't even know I liked noodles before coming here the first time.

This just combines my two favorite things in the world: Staring at a screen and eating (sushi).

Below there are a few more photos around the marketplace in Sanjo. It's quite touristy, thus pricy, but full of all kinds of intriguing shops and stalls that just make you want to buy everything. Today I was trying to find mochi - not that you really have to search for that as it's sold everywhere, but I was searching for a tad smaller packages, so I had to look around a bit - and in front of one of the shops there was a lady offering free samples of the mochi they were selling. I tried one and she basically shoved me into the shop, where they gave me a cup of green tea and I got to taste every flavor that they had on display. Luckily they were selling the kind of small packages I was originally looking for, as I was kinda obliged to buy something at that point.

Peek-a-boo!

They've got shrines everywhere, even in the middle of the busiest shopping areas.

Tomorrow, that is Sunday, we're going to Fushimi. Judging by the pictures I found on Google, it's bound to be amazing, but I won't be telling about that before I've actually been there! So that's going to be my weekend trip. I might have to come up with a plan for another trip, as well, for the beginning of next week, as we've got some random holiday in the middle of the orientation period... Any suggestions?