Today tested Mick’s knees quite a bit, and the language barrier tested Tom’s patience even more.

The group headed off (happily by the looks of Mick in the first photo) in snowy conditions to go on a river cruise that Tom had booked through the hotel concierge.

They headed to a place called Arashiyama which was one train stop away (and taking only 17 minutes). But when they arrived, they realised they were at the FINAL destination for the cruise and not the starting point. The should have travelled three train stops – but by then it was a moot point because even if they did get back on a train, they would miss the cruise.

They took some photos of the location the cruise would finish at in an hour or so, but they had decided they would not wait to see it.

Not too daunted by the ‘cancelled’ boat cruise, the group decided to visit the nearby (Google told them 400m away) monkey park: Iwatayama Monkey Park – it is quite famous. What they found out was that while the entry to the commercial park was 400m away, the actually monkeys were located on top of Mount Arashiyama, and that involved quite a lot more effort.

It was in fact a 3km uphill walk, involving a 160m vertical climb. It was tough, but they all made it. Emma sent me a message saying Mick had “done a bloody good job!” (with the climb).

But he does look a little tired in the middle photo – grateful for something to rest on.

The park is inhabited by a troop of around 130 wild Japanese macaque monkeys, apparently each with his or her own name, and each with distinguishing characteristics. Despite being wild, the monkeys can be fed food purchased at the site (now that is very handy isn’t it?).

The brochure says the spectacle of the monkeys frolicking and running around is amazing, but they weren’t the words Emma used to describe it.

One of the challenges of living out of a suitcase while holidaying is the need to do some washing. So, today was also laundry day.

Now of course they needed to find somewhere warm to rest while they waited for their clothes to swirl around and around, and luckily they found a very handy bar a few steps away.

While I may not be in Japan with Mick and the others at the moment, I have been inspired to do some ‘research’ about where they are visiting. I was interested to read about Kyoto’s long history; I learnt that it has around 2,000 Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, including 17 World Heritage Sites. Now that is impressive. And it was its history and cultural significance that in fact saved it from destruction during WWII. Then Secretary of War Henry Stimson persuaded President Truman to remove it from a list of cities to be bombed on the basis of its cultural importance. Unfortunately for Nagasaki, it was chosen as the replacement city.

I have also been provided with a few more details about last night’s activities…

They visited Rutubo bar in the afternoon – a classy place specialising in smoked food and very creamy Japanese draught beer, before taking part in the Kenzo Estate wine tasting.

He also impressed me by not buying any of them (while they were very nice) because the prices were extraordinary.

Tom bought a couple of bottles for a special occasion – and they cost him almost as much as the Japanese knives he bought 2 days ago!!

Tonight (their last in Kyoto) is already “hotting” up to be a big affair.

Emma has been shown a frog while she selects from a menu and I am unsure if this is like in a Chinese restaurant where you get to select your seafood from a live tank before it is cooked, and Bernie has decided to dress as a geisha.

I’ll give it to them that they have put in a huge effort to see all they could in Kyoto, walking more than 17km (20,000+ steps) today. I am pretty sure they will all enjoy their 3+ hour train trip tomorrow to their next destination.