Bern without the Bears.

Rather helpfully, thanks to my PhD, I currently have friends in some very pretty places.
This year for our annual Cloister House mini reunion we headed back to Switzerland as my friend Eleanor currently lives in Bern.
The parliamentary capital of Switzerland and one of the gateways to the Alps, the old city is looped by the river Aare, a beautiful if a bit chilly river! Whilst on a good day you can see the mountains in the background, they only decided to appear as we were pretty much on our train home. Despite this and in between copious amounts of food (mostly of the meat, cheese and chocolate variety, but that's not something to complain about), we explored what is an exceptionally pretty old town, swam in the river and became engrossed with a playground toy that involved running balls through a series of metal channels.

Bern by Moonlight, It's just missing the faint waft of illegal aroma! 

Bern by sunlight.

The odd little curiosity.

Inside the clock tower

Time for a rest! (Sorry Sara you must have been busy taking your own photos!

And finally the evil turtle/terrapin!

30ish Kilometers of realising just how unfit I am!

A few weeks ago now, I met some good friends of mine up in the north country to walk part of Hadrian's wall. Now in a pool I have at least an acceptable level of fitness, however walking is another matter entirely. Whilst I greatly enjoyed the catch up, the scenery and the pints in the pub at night, my body greatly objected to the walking, at least after the longer second day. Whilst my back may never forgive me for the punishment I put it through the rest of the trip more than made up for the 2 days of needing a heat pack on my back during a freaking heatwave!

My lovely walking crew.

The wall.

The view.

The Sycamore

Night lights.

Memoirs of a Geisha, or at least a Maiko.

Whilst the above maybe just tourists paying to dress up as Maiko, it was the closest I got to a photo of Geisha as I passed through the Gion district.

The moment my parents confirmed we were traveling to Japan the first place on my to visit list was Kyoto. As like many a Westerner my interest in Kyoto stems from reading the book Memoirs of a Geisha back during University. The idea of the shrines, and tearooms being entertained by beautifully dressed and exotic women appealed to my need to explore other cultures.
Whilst not quite what the books led me to believe! Kyoto was a city full of much beauty, if a little over touristy. I just wish there had been more time to enjoy the area without feeling so rushed, and some of the shrines could do with a little more freedom, rather than very formal paths which you have to fight every school child in Japan just to get a photograph that isn't blocked out by a selfie stick!

The Golden Temple - Kinkaku-ji

The Silver Temple - Higashiyama Jisho-ji

The Fushimi Inari-taisha

 

The Shoguns Palace

The Bamboo Forest and Arishiyama

The Philosophers walk, Gion and other rambling.

Finally Kyoto at sunset.