Man, That Cat is High!

Yesterday began as a normal quest for breakfast along the main street of Kyoto. The weather was perfect and the crowds of tourist had abated somewhat. We made our way to a giant shopping mall/arcade that features more stores and little eateries then you can shake a stick at. 

 I have observed once again that the cellphone (or the erroneously named "smartphone" is a mixed blessing. While it can help with one's navigation, it demands your attention to the point of excluding everything else. Perhaps I am just old-fashioned, but it seems to me that if I consult a paper map I retain the impression of the route longer in my mind than I can while periodically glancing at the tiny screen.haveen on the phone screen.  

This morning when we visited the huge shopping mall, we took in two rather unusual attractions. The first was a cat cafe where patrons pay a fee to sit in a comfortable lounge petting tame cats. The cats were very tame and gentle and loved. The little treats that we gave them while we enjoyed sodas and coffee. Customers are encouraged to draw pictures of the cats and Benjamin did a very nice sketch of one fellow with an ugly smushed up face that actually made the cat look adorable.

The second attraction was more unusual. There is a bar where one can drink beer and shoot air gun pellets at targets with the very friendly owner.  We had a couple of cold ones and then took our places on the firing line. My performance was dismal. The target was dark as were the sights on the automatic pistol I was using (at least that is my excuse!)  I never hit the bullseye!

I ended the evening by going to a movie that Benjamin wanted to see in a giant Imax theater. It was surprisingly uncrowded.

The the film was a science fiction epic featuring the "Predator " character. There was lots of action and great special effects along with several humorous  scenes hidden throughout the film. It was as if the director wanted viewers to not take the film too seriously. We thoroughly enjoyed it.