Higashi-san, blast from the past and Japanese hospitality
Arrived in Kyoto just as my hangover cleared up so it was pretty good timing all things considered. Kyoto is a very pretty town and I got a great intro to it.
I went to a cafe to have some lunch and got talking to an older man about where I was from. He didnt speak English and I dont speak Japanese so the waiter was translating for us. Then he tells me he works at a Kimono printing factory and that I should come and visit it. So we jump in his car and drive to the factory where he showed me the process and let me print up a pattern on some material. He gave the printed stuff as a gift and then took me shopping to buy a frame for it. We then headed to the cafe where he bought me a coke and then took me back to the Hostel. His name was Higashi-san and he was an awesome host for the afternoon.
I got back to the Hostel and met up with a Glasweigan named David who I got talking to. We went for a drink and suddenly he says he had a school friend who studied in Aberdeen, Mairi McDonald. Small world since she was the flatemate and best friend of one of my exes, Naomi. Turns out me and David had been at some of their parties so we must have met before (I mean surely!).
We got talking to some of the locals in the bar and then one guy started buying us drink in the form of sake and shochu. He was fun to talk to and had a few questions about Scotland but wouldn`t believe I was only 22 years old. He kept saying I looked 30! I would`ve been offended if it wasnt for the fact he bought me another round of Shochu.