Shopping and Sensory Overload

On the last day in Kyoto, we wanted to run a few errands.

Firstly, one of our suitcases had the rubber on the wheels peeling off (and navigating with a suitcase without wheels is quite exhausting here), and we needed to pick up the reserved train tickets at the station.

The staff at our reception were very helpful and recommended a shoe repair stand in the shopping center. Once we arrived there, it was quickly discussed, and we could pick up the suitcase again in an hour. We then browsed through the center. One stop was at DonQuichote, which was pure sensory overload. At every corner, a screen with audio instructions turns on, and you quickly lose track of everything. The store even has its own mascot.

After a small snack, we went back to the repair stand, picked up our suitcase, and wandered around the station to find the right ticket machine. After asking at the information desk, things went smoothly, and equipped with our tickets, Martin wanted an espresso, which turned out to be more complicated than anticipated. There were many Starbucks, but none served espresso. Eventually, we found a small café that was supposed to be Italian but played French music.

Since Martin also wanted some sportswear, we headed to another center with a sports store. All the good outdoor brands were represented, but the price wasn't significantly cheaper.

On the way back, we faced the noise chaos again at an electronics outlet. It was really fascinating to see what kind of gadgets there are in Japan that no one seems to need back home.

In the evening, we went to a local restaurant that only had a counter to sit at, managed by a nice grandma serving home-cooked meals. We had a very pleasant conversation about all sorts of topics through Google Translate.