A Room with a View #Linkup

A room with a view, its the icing on the travelling cake isnt it?

Most of my views while travelling have been, sadly, forgetable. A couple have been just horrible, namely a basement room looking on to a brick wall in London and a ventalation shaft in New York. But who cares about that really? Bad views dont make for compelling dreamy photos. So here are the nice, very nice, and downright jaw-dropping views i've had - feel free to daydream about the last one ;)

Most recently in Edinburgh, I had the pleasure of this lovely view.
 

Ive been know to rave about Japan on this blog and it comes up yet again here. I stayed in the heart of Shinjuku in Tokyo, Japan.

The absolute best view i've ever has has been in Santorini, Greece. Can you blame me?

Keen to see other amazing views or share your own? Why not join the blog link up and hop over to Kelly's page to add your link and check out some other amazing posts!

What has been your favourite view while travelling?

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Tokyo and Kyoto accommodation

Dreaming of Shinjuku...

For those of you who are interested, i thought I'd post about the two places i stayed while in Tokyo and Kyoto. Both places were different and have their pros and cons but i still recommend them and i would definitely stay there again given the chance.

In Tokyo i stayed at the Shinjuku Prince Hotel, in Shinjuku. The hotel is in a FANTASTIC location. it is not the cheapest but if you can get it on sale,its worth it. It is a few minutes away from Shinjuku train station which is serviced by the Narita Express (Express train that serves Narita, one of Tokyo's main airports). All the lights, sights, sounds and bustling urban atmosphere is right on your doorstep. And it doesn't matter which side your room is on, your bound to get a great view.

The thing you will need to bear in mind is that if you are a non-smoker, you have to specifically mention that you want a non-smoking room when making the booking or you will find yourself on a smoking floor which is not pleasant. This happened to me. The first leg of my trip I'd mentioned i wanted a non-smoking room but the second leg I'd neglected to mention it in my booking. But the staff were quite understanding and efficient in sorting out a non-smoking room for me to move to.

The other thing you will need to bear in mind is that hotel rooms in general all over Tokyo are on the smaller side. The bathroom was like something out of a spaceship and the room was....ultra-compact. They had all the necessary amenities such as shampoo/conditioner/body soap/shaver/body sponge/toothbrush/comb etc.

The tea/coffee facilities were limited to green tea and a small thermos that could be filled with hot water from a machine on the landing near the lifts. Also, there was no minibar but there was a vending machine also near the lifts.

Pics of the hotel and views from the hotel

Shinjuku Prince Hotel - 2 bed room

Shinjuku Prince hotel vending machine

Views of Shinjuku

Japan is known for a different type of accommodation called the Ryokan. It is a sort of inn which is usually desgined in the traditional family style home. They have tatami mats and futons on the floor and usually a small garden. They can be VERY expensive. Luckily my friend A- knew of one in Kyoto - Ryokan Rukucho - that didnt cost an arm an a leg and that was family run. 

This Ryokan did not have a meal package (which can be the norm where breakfast or dinner is included in the nightly rate) and was located slightly outside the main bustle of Kyoto city. This was probably why it was so affordable. An added benefit to staying here was that it had a small shared kitchenette and washer and dryer. My favorite touch however was the electric blankets :) Bathroom facilities are shared but they had both a western style bathroom (ie shower) and Japanese style bathroom where you wash yourself before getting into a deep tub of hot water.

I actually enjoyed being located a little bit outside of the city centre as it gave me a better sense of what local life was like. But as it was serviced by an underground line and buses direct to the city centre and many of the sightseeing spots it didn't feel as though i was far from anything or missing out.

Ryokan Rukucho - Sakura room

Pretty sweet view

A little thank you note i left for the owners

Considering i was visiting Japan for the Sakura, it seemed an apt room to stay in.

The Emergency Exit ladder

High tech toilet control panel

The lovely owner seeing me off after my stay in the front garden

So thats my 2 cents on where i stayed while in Japan, i promise that they are my own views and experiences and that i wasn't paid to write this post. If you find yourself in Tokyo or Kyoto then check them out for yourself :)

Vanishing Point

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Cat Cafes in Japan

When i first heard of Cat Cafes, i admit, my initial thoughts were rather on the negative side. I doubted the welfare of the cats would be a priority. But I did want to see for myself what they were like and it so happened that in the first few days i was in Tokyo i stumbled across one in Shinjuku. Later in Kyoto i went to another with A-. I am happy to say that i was pleasantly surprised.

The Calico Cat Cafe is in a tall building on the 5th floor. Once i exited the lift and stepped into the entrance i could tell this was not going to be what i expected. Lockers lined the wall to my left and - in keeping with traditional Japanese custom - there was a raised section to my right along which more lockers could be seen. Two sinks sat at the end with bottles of liquid (anti-bacterial hand wash) and lint rollers. A lady in the small office in front of me handed me a laminated page that had general information, prices and rules in English. The rules were concerned mainly with not upsetting the cats, for example, you could pat them but could not pick them up. If they were sleeping you couldn't wake them up or be rough with them. I paid my entry fee (enough for an hour) and got ready to go in. Shoes off and stored in a locker i was directed to wash my hands before i could enter. Inside i stashed my bag in another locker to free my hands to play with the cats.

Calico cat cafe

What are you looking at? - Calico cat cafe

At Calico the cats had the run of two floors and they all got on well. They were different breeds but they all looked like they were well looked after. They didn't appear skittish or afraid of all these strange people roaming around on their turf. I approached several cats and they were all happy to give me a sniff and let me pat them before sauntering off elsewhere. Most people were happy to order a drink and sit watching the cats, others would find one cat and try to befriend it. You could buy a small container of treats for them but each person or group was limited to one per visit. The other thing they did was to "rotate" the cats, they were only allowed in there for 2 hours before being given a break from all the eager humans.

Calico cat cafe

Nap time - Calico cat cafe

The second Cat Cafe i went to was Nekokaigi in Kyoto. A- was as curious as me when i told him about my visit to one in Shinjuku and was keen to visit one himself. Nekokaigi was smaller than Calico and only had tabby cats but they too were well looked after - in fact all the cats had been there since they were kittens. Same as Calico, they had their set of rules, lockers and sinks.

Coffee time - Nekokaigi cat cafe

Sleepy cuddles - Nekokaigi cat cafe

Going to Nekokaigi and Calico, i didn't only pay attention to the cats, i tried to take note of who would go to such places. Was it only feline obsessed people? Maybe only younger girls? I saw one lady at Nekokaigi who was very emotional. Obviously it was difficult for her to be with the cats. I don't know what her story was but the lady running the cafe was very kind, handed her tissues and tried to comfort her. That visit for her must have been a huge thing, she had such sadness and yet so much love for these cats.

A pillow with a view - Nekokaigi cat cafe

Mmm laptop heater - Nekokaigi cat cafe

The thing is, these cafes provide a service and i know it might sound crass but hear me out. Japanese people who live in big cities have very tiny living spaces and often work very long hours so it is almost impossible for them to own a pet. Add to that they are ofter under a lot of work pressure and are not always known for their show of affection and you have an environment where the love of a pet can do wonders. I didn't just see young girls here, i saw a range of ages, male and female, even couples. You just need to look at their faces while they watch these cats to understand what I'm saying.

My human! Making friends with a regular at Nekokaigi cat cafe

Oooh! Treats! Nekokaigi cat cafe

I do not doubt that there may be cafes that do not treat their cats so well but i don't believe that the concept should be killed off for that. I think that if they are monitored and maintain a high-level of care for their cats there is no reason why the Japanese people cant continue to enjoy the affections of these temporary companions. In fact, i wish they had cat cafes back home!

A- makes a new friend - Nekokaigi cat cafe

Vanishing Point

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