September 21st - 25th
We had a whole week of holidays this week as we had 2 compensation days from working the weekend for sports day and there were 3 national holidays. Unfortunately we couldn't really plan anything because if the weather was bad or too many students had swine flu sports day was going to be postponed. So we settled for a week of day trips, shopping and relaxing!
The week started with a trip to Kyoto with Taube and Rachel. Our main purpose was to visit Toji temple as there is a monthly flea market held there. We bought many old kimonos and obis and will attempt to make some cool and interesting things out of them!
cute characters in Kyoto
Toji Temple
We went to Osaka on the way home from Kyoto to enjoy some Mexican food!
Taube, Rachel and I at El Pancho's
Later in the week Taube and I decided to visit Awaji Island and the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge which is the longest suspension bridge in the world and joins the island to the mainland. You can actually go inside the bridge and look down to the ocean which is quite amazing.
Akashi Kaikyo Bridge
Inside the bridge
The floor inside - 50 metres above the sea scary!
Taube and I with the bridge
We then took a bus over the bridge to the Nojima fault (earthquake) museum. The Great Hanshin Earthquake of 1995 began at Nojima fault in Awaji Island and there is now a museum there where they have preserved parts of the road, earth and a house. The museum also had an earthquake simulator which created the feeling of a 7.3 earthquake!
Nojima fault line - this is part of an original road and drain
The kitchen of the house that was on the fault line - the whole house has been preserved
On the way home we decided to catch a ferry back to Akashi so we went under the bridge which was really beautiful as the sun was setting
