The Pola Museum and the train

The inside of the Onsen at Fujimein Lodge
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Today was my last day in Hakone.  I even took time to do a bit of yoga this morning.  One last soak ( I swear it does wonders for the complection) then I headed out for a museum stop.  The POLA museum is this very modern designed (2002) building set in the woods of Hakone.  Very open and lots of glass.  The collection is something to write home about.  Man this guy named Suzuki had some bucks because he has at least one of just about everyone of note from the impressionists/Fauvists/cubists etc...time period.  Like Monet, Manet, Van Gogh, Kadinsky, blah blah and more but not in the least blah.  Beautiful stuff.  There was a special show: BAllet and painting focus on Chagall and Dali.  Some of these pieces of Dali's were inspirational for costume ideas.  I seem to have seen more western art in Japan then anything.  There was a top notch collection of Japanese painters working in western styles mostly impressionists.

The ropeway car going over the sulfur gases from the volcanic vents
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Now for the best part.  The toilet had a switch panel on the wall.  You could select  a light spray or a direct squirt right up the ole poop hole.  WEEE.  After that I felt all tingly and very fresh.

I left the Hakone region on the Shinkansen or bullet train.  What comfort.  I didn't want to leave the train.  I would have been happy sleeping right there in the regular seats.  This nice young woman comes by every half hour to offer food and drink.  The attendant bows when leaving and when entering the train car.  Such a civilized world here.

Fish treats fan drying in a store in my favorite town- Hakone Yamoto
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Now I'm in Kyoto.  The city of 2000 temples.  I will be here for a few days so you will get the lowdown.  My accomodations are in a hostel.  I am sleeping in a dorm with 6 bunks.  Most of the other guests are Japanese so it should be very toned down.  Curfew at 11pm.