Our flight to Osaka left Sepang at about midnight and in between the light supper and the very early breakfast served on board there was hardly any time left for sleep. Naturally when we touched down at the futuristic Kansai Airport ( designed by the same architect who was commissioned to do our KLIA Sepang) we were all very sleepy and tired. It was a cool 12 degree celcius and the sun was bright and shining as if it was on a hot summer day. If the weather stayed on like this, we were all very hopeful that we were going to have a great golf outing.
It took about an hour by bus to reach Kyoto. We were taken to a 'kimono' store and were entertained to a 'kimono' fashion show paraded by pretty Japanese models on the catwalk. After some souvenier shopping we were then taken to visit the Hei-an Shrine in downtown Kyoto - one of the 'must visit' places if you were to come to Kyoto. It could not have been at a better time for us as the 'sakura' was in full bloom all over the place.
We were then taken to an old street of Kyoto lined by rows of shops much to the delight of souvenier hunters. We also had time for lunch at one of the many little Japanese restaurants tucked in between narrow lanes along the street.
We checked into our Royal Lake Hotel in Otsu, a little town by the Lake Biwa (Biwako). It was such a great hotel with a very spacious room by Japanese standard. Pakdokter's room overlooked a pretty and well-tended garden with flowers in full bloom. The room was anytime good for a 'honeymoon'.
Pakdokter's old schoolday buddy, pakZaid Ibrahim ( whose latest book - Saya Pun Melayu was reviewed by pakdokter last week and blogged at this site - and for those of you who may be interested to read it, look out for the English and Chinese versions which are in the making), was also in this tour group.
That day, April 10th, happened to be pakZaid's 58th birthday. So pakdokter, pakZaid and pakZaid's partner, Ibu Suliana, celebrated pakZaid's birthday with a dinner at the hotel's French restaurant.
Happy Birthday pakZaid......
Here's wishing you many many more years of good health...
pakdokter, Ibu Suliana and the birthday boy pakZaid..
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