Japan

Day 14 - Osaka




Headed to Kuromon Market where I saw a Master who could gut an Eel in about 20 secs! It was morbid! Don't stand too close or you might receive a shower of bloody water! Watching the whole process is not for the faint heart! First a nail is knocked into the Eel's head to fasten it to the chopping board. As it struggles, the master will slice it into half to remove the bones and the internal organs. The Eel is then washed in a tub of bloody water! Freshly gutted Eels are placed on the grill and cooked till golden brown! This store had a v v long queue when I was there so being a kiasu Singaporean, I could not resist joining the queue! It was well worth the 15mins wait! It was cooked to perfection - tender and fleshy the best Eel I have ever eaten!

Opposite the Eel shop is this noodle shop - what attracted me to the shop was the hand written recommendations on white cardboard outside it! The food in the shop was just average and the recommendations are a little overrated! What is worth mentioning is the Lao Ban's enthusiasm towards his customers and winsome smile! When you sit down, he will ask for your country and will show you recommendations written by your fellow countrymen! After you finish your food, he will ask you to write a recommendation for his shop if you found his food good! Though he will stress that there is no obligation however his friendly disposition will make you willing to accede his request. If you see the sign in the picture - now you know who wrote it!

Headed to the sennichimae doguya suji.

This shopping district is filled with speciality stores to fulfil the needs of aspiring/current restaurant owners! Doesn't the food look so yummy??

This is Daylight Robbery! Look at the OUTRAGEOUS Fruit Prices! 41000yen for a Watermelon! Or 420 yen for a single Mangosteen! A pair of dead looking Rambutans costing 525 yen! Imagine paying 980 yen for a Papaya! If only I can set up a tropical fruit shop in Japan, I might be a Rich Lady :P

Day 15 - Kyoto
the charm of Kyoto keeps drawing me back!

Headed to the Flea Market at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine held on the 25th of every month. It was a much smaller version of the one held in Toji Temple and 98% of the stall holders were the same as those I saw in Toji Temple's Market! Unless you have alot of time to spare, the time spent at the Kitano Tenmangu Shrine Market can be spent elsewhere!

We tried Ghost

Location: It is a few doors down from Ippodo but on the opposite side of the road! If you are unsure how to get there- just ask the staff at Ippodo!

Note: the shop is closed on Tuesday!

A nice place to go to satisfy your sweet tooth! Black Coffee with Cake a superb combination! The only drawback is that you have to stand and eat the deserts!

Kyoto Tower

Tenjin Matsuri Festival in Osaka - 25th July

Pictures outside Tenmangu Shrine of the land procession heading to the Okawa River. The parade started around 4pm.

We parked ourselves at the bridge which had a crane stationed on the grassy patch beside the river! When the Shrines and the Drum arrived at the river, it was lifted onto the Barges by the crane! * The Bridge provided a clear view for us to watch the loading of the Barges - as they were being filled by Human Beings (performers and public) or Sacred Items. However there was a trade-off as we could not catch sight of the fireworks from this bridge! This is the wrong Bridge to be if you LOVE fireworks!

I had a bird's eye view of the barges and the people on them reminded me of an army of Ants as they were so tiny! We caught the fireworks from the train :)


The barges sailing down the river with the beautiful setting sun as its backdrop!

Day 16 - Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum

Nearest Station: Hankyu Ikeda Station

Open from Monday -Sunday from 9am-4pm

If you want to attend "The Chicken Ramen Workshop" reservation is required. It is 90 minutes and it cost 500 Yen for Adults. Reservation Hotline : +81-727510825

No Reservation is required for "My Cup Noodle Factory" It is available from 9.30am-3.45pm. There price is 300 Yen per serving. For every 300 yen we slotted into the vending machine we would get a nissin cup. Next we had to sanitise our hands. We could personalise the cups by designing their exterior. We spun the wheel so that the noodles was compressed at the base of the cup. We could customise our cup noodles further by choosing the toppings and soup base! I found that CHEESE is the weirdest topping we can add to the noodles! The cup will be sealed and plastic wrapped!

Visited a replica of the Father of Nissin Noodle's shed. We tried cup noodles designed specially for JAL in the cafeteria (udon,soba& ramen) I felt that the udon was the best among the three cups. The noodles was just a thicker and flatter version of maggi mee however the soup base closely resembled udon soup base in the restaurant.

Priority sitting, Women Only Carriage and An Interesting Invention for the Wheelchair Bound! These some some cool things what I noticed in the train stations around Japan! I could not stop staring at the machine! It had a conveyor belt system at the bottom which aided the machine in its smooth descend down the steps. The machine had a platform which could be elevated so that the station master could transport the passenger down the flight of stairs without him/her falling off! Absolutely Awesome!

Japan

Day 12 : Kyoto

On the 21st of every month, Toji Temple Market is held at the Toji Temple. The market starts at 7am and ends at 4pm! If you classify yourself under the category of bargain hunter, it is advisable that you go to the market earlier as "the early bird catches the most worms!"

The flea market sells second hand kimonos for as low as 500-1000 yen. Do inspect the pieces which you are planning to buy carefully as most of the kimonos have moth holes and some of them have their sleeves ripped off! Bear in mind that it is very difficult to remove the yellowish stains caused by age. Do leave a tag on how to remove them if you managed to get yours out because mine kimono is still stained after washing!

There are different kinds of kimonos for different seasons. If you are young and unmarried please buy a brightly coloured kimono, with huge prints. If you are thinking of purchasing an autumn kimono, make sure the sleeves are long enough to touch your calves! If you all have not heard my sob story, I have bought 2 Lao Zar Bors kimonos :(

We headed off to Ippodo Main Store for Tea in the Kaboku Tearoom, to learn the art of brewing a perfect cup of tea!

A brief intro from the website about the Tea House: Located in the heart of Kyoto, Ippodo Tea Co. has been providing the highest quality Japanese green tea for nearly 3 centuries. Drawing on nearly 300 years of expertise in blending, Ippodo is famous among its patrons for providing a high quality taste that is consistent not only throughout the year but from year to year.

Further information can be gotten from the website : http://www.ippodotea.co.jp/en/about/index.html [in english]

Address: Teramachi-dori Nijo, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto 604-0915, JAPAN

Opening Hours: 9am-7pm (Mon-Sat), 9am-6pm (Sun & holidays), closed during New Year Holidays

For dinner we tried Tsunamichi: Country Style Handmade Soba and Udon

the menu is written in japanese and the owners do not speak english. The easiest way to place an order is by pointing at what other's are having or pointing at the dishes in the showcase outside the shop.

Address: Kyoto-shi Kita-ku Kitaoji-dori Karasuma Higashi-Hitosuji Kita-iru

Access: Alight at Kitaojiekimae Bus Stop, walk straight in the direction towards the golden pavillion and turn down the first side street(left hand side). The shop is 2-3 mins away from the Bus Stop.

Day 13: Kyoto Central Wholesale Market

We reached at 7.30am and they were cleaning and closing up. If you are interested in the Tuna auction do arrive at 5.30am to catch the action! I missed the Hustle and Bustle of the Auction but I arrived in time to see them slicing the huge fish! This market is less commercialised as the Central Wholesale Market in Tokyo, therefore this place is a gem if you do not want to meet hordes of photo crazy tourists! One drawback is that if you are thinking of having sashimi on top of rice for breakfast, I am sorry to tell you that there are no eateries to cater to your growling stomach! One consolidation is that towards closing, you can buy a piece of tuna for as low as 1000 yen and the fishmonger will gladly slice it for you. (I got about 15 as-thick-as-my-thumb slices for that price and now I am swearing off tuna) Becareful of the food transportation carts and Do not step on the wooden crates as they are used to push fish! We have traffic police to direct traffic on a congested street, they employ policemen to direct the food transportation carts!

We had lunch at Cocoichi: a japanese curry shop. It is located near to Horikawa Marutamachi Bus Stop. I was fascinated by the menu in this restaurant as you can 1) adjust the quatity of rice. For eg: a normal dish consist of 300g of rice. If you want to reduce the amount to 200g, it will be 50yen less the base price. If you want to increase it to 400g it is an additional of 100yen above the base price! 2) You can adjust the spice level. The regular level is hotter than the japanese curry sold in the supermarket! To change the spice level an addional 120yen is needed! Note: unless you really love hot and spicy food, I suggest that you do not alter the spice level! 3) You can add extra toppings into your curry! There is a lady's set which comes with a choice of drink.

A highly amusing notice I spotted in Gion


Gion -

I spotted many paparazzi frenzy wannabes! 6-7pm is the best time to spot a geisha along gion. Often when a real geisha/maiko spots the tourists, she will either quicken her pace and disappear down a side street or she will look down when she walks past you! If you spot any who are being followed by a group of girls, or by a photographer or who gladly smiles for you. There is a high chance that she is not a real geisha/maiko!

Along the main streets with the Yasaka Shrine behind us, we spotted this make shift shop! When we spoke to a local who was queuing for it, we found out that this shop's speciality is sweet rice balls and they are a favourite among the locals! She told me that the shop name is called Miyoshiya and that her son can finish 10 riceball sticks at each sitting! Though I cannot finish as many sticks as he does but I can easily gobble down 2 stick! The rice balls are SHIOK, so do try them when you are in Kyoto!


This shop's speciality is in green tea products. I was attracted to this shop because during the Gion Matsuri the queue for this shop was extremely long! I have no idea what the name of the shopis , neither do I have the exact address or location. If I remembered correctly it is along the left side of the main street with the yasaka shrine facing your back. We tried it & We loved it(: I heart the desserts (:

Japan

Day 9 : Kyoto

*Do buy the Kyoto one day bus pass for 500 Yen if you plan to take more than 2 trips by bus. Each trip is 220yen! The ticket can be purchased at the tourist information centre at Kyoto Station.

We went for the Kyoto Imperial Palace Tour.
The tourguide started the tour by telling us that interestingly we came in through the slave's gate and who knows in the future we might enter from a different gate! The paintings of the cherry blossom, crane and tiger, represented 3 different rooms in which nobles of different ranks in the past were ushered into. The cherry blossom room was for the lowest ranking nobles while the tiger room was for the highest ranking nobles. At the top right hand corner is a famous painting which depicts a poem competition and sake is floated down the river on little boats as a reward for the first person to complete the poem. Below it is a picture of the emperor's schedule for the year! The palace roofs are nailed together using wooden nails and the palace achitecture is a mix of old and new. With the old sections having wooden floors and the newer sections having tatami mats and sliding doors.

To attend the tour a permit needs to be obtained from the Imperial Household Agency : https://sankan.kunaicho.go.jp/

Next we popped by Nashinoki Jinka - which is at the East Side of the Imperial Palace.
Opening Hours : 9am - 5.30pm
Address: 690 Somedono Teramachi Dori Hirokoji-agaru, Kamigyo-Ku, Kyoto City.
Ask the locals(especially middle age ladies) if you are lost. They should be able to tell you how to get to the Shrine.
The picture with all the bikes outside shows the entrance which we entered from.
What is so special about this shrine is that there is a famous spring located on its grounds. The spring is the only one of the three famous springs from former times which is still in operation! It is believe that if you rub the tree infront of the spring you will obtain love <3>

We had lunch at Honke Owariya a 540 Year Old Soba Restaurant
Here we experienced something which we have not tried back home! After we finished the soba, the waitress came round with a pot of hot water in which the soba was boiled and told us to pour the water into the dipping sauce and drink it up! It tasted like salty, spicy soup!
Here is the webpage in English : http://www.honke-owariya.co.jp/
The location is near to the imperial palace, so it is a good rest place to stop for lunch or dinner!


Last stop - Golden Pavillion

Day 10

Arashiyama & Kameoka
Getting there: Take the JR Sagano Line to Saga Arashiyama

Take my advice try not to go to Arashiyama in Summer, unless you LOVE the Sun! The mid-day sun makes the land too hot! Instead of strolling through the lush hilly region and enjoying the scenary. My day trip there felt like a race! Instead of racing against time we were racing against the morning heat! The heat was simply unbearable! I am used to hot weather as I am a true blue born and bred tropical girl but even with the umbrella as my shield the heat was a killer!


while walking to Togetsukyo we caught sight of the Locals fishing!


First stop Togetsukyo - A Wooden Bridge, you might want to consider visiting the temples on the hill at the end of the Bridge!

I tried Shinpschijaya (Cherry Blossom Rice Cake Ice Cream) from the shop right across the Bridge. It is easy to identify the shop as it has 5 life-size plastic cones outside it! There is a first and last time for everything! That was my first time trying Shinpschijaya and that will be my last time! It has an acquired taste and even after I finished the cup I still did not acquire the taste!

Next we stopped at Okochi Sanso Villa. From the top of the hill it gave us a spectacular view from its grounds. If the weather is not too cloudy, according to the sign board, you should be able to see Kyoto Towers! We didn't manage to locate Kyoto Towers but we spotted a Geyser in the distance.

Next to the villa was a path that lead us through the Bamboo Forest and I spotted a craftsman who folded bamboo leaf grasshoppers for a living! Here is a snapshot of a happy elderly couple who are the proud owners of four bamboo leaf grasshoppers!

Next Stop off to JR Kameoka Station.

When you arrive at Kameoka Station, do visit the hot spring information centre at the station to enquire about the timing of the hotel bus to Kameoka Heights Hot Spring. The service is free even for non staying guest! The Hot Spring cost 600 Yen and you can purchase the ticket from the reception!

For first timers here is a little advice, so you won't make the mistakes I did! Find a locker to lock your clothes and put your shoes on to the rack! Don't be a shua ku like me :P and wrap yourself in the huge towel to enter the hotspring area! Do wash your body & hair prior to entering the hot spring kindly bring only a small towel in. Do not stay inside for too long or you will end up looking like a wrinkled prune and you might get a headache from the heat! Trust me no one will look at you, unless you stare at them! What you have they have, so they won't look at you! If you want smooth baby skin it is well worth the experience!

* do bring your own towel to dry yourself if you don't plan to purchase a towel there!

* make sure you do not miss the last bus or you will have to pay for busfare back to the station!

web address: www.kameoka-heights.com

A beautiful colourful bus stop at kameoka! Hair Clips in your son's hair, how will you react? Trust me it is the in-thing, as I remembered that terence used to paint his nails black and wear a hairband then :P

Day 11 - Hikone Castle

A Technological Exhibition in the Castle Grounds! The Dino is so adorable! It is extremely sensitive to touch, so when you carry it and pat it, it will go to sleep! It is just like a pet, but it is more obedient and hassle free!

the Main Building of Hikone Castle. Visitors are allowed to climb to the top, but do becareful as the steps are very steep, so cling on to the sides! It is a good physical work out! By the time I reached the top I was panting and I felt a huge relief when I reached the ground!

The Mascot of Hikone! When the Mascot came out the crowd went wild. I could hear both children and adults alike screaming Kawaii! Not only was the mascot a hit among the young but also a hit among the matured crowd - I caught many of them lining up to shake its hand!


The Gardens

We caught sight of the new Mascot of Hikone! Did you???

The Locals recommended this restaurant! It is called KIYARA. It serves Ohmi Beef, which is the beef the region is famous for. The restaurant is along the castle road. Upon entering the curtains, you will find seats lining the pathway. Even if there is a queue, enter the restaurant and inform the waitress that you want to join the queue. She will hand you a clipboard for you to write your name and the number of people eating. Then wait in line for your turn! She will call you when it is your turn! You must try Sukiyaki there!

Headed to Ogoto Station for the free hotspring foot bath just outside the station! It is open from Mon -Sun, but do reach before 5pm or the bath will be shut!

Japan

KYOTO

15-17 July : Gion Matsuri

[One of the 3 Greatest Local Festivals in Japan]

Origin of the Festival: While Kyoto was the capital of Japan in 869, the whole city was sticken with plague. The Emperor dispatched his special messenger to Yasaka Shrine to pray for the immediate end of the terrible plague. 66 Halberds were erected to represent the 66 provinces in the country. It was generally believed that the spirit of the Brother of the Sun goddess in Japanese Mythology was enshrined in Yasaka Shrine. This spirit was said to have unusual powers to combat the plague. The spirit was transferred to several sacred carriages and carried in the middle of kyoto. As a result the terrible plague disappeared and since 970, the people of Kyoto made it a rule to celebrate this festival every year.


Day 6

We booked an apartment from Japan Stay Club. Before I decided to use that agent, I searched the net for reviews about that company. However I hardly found any! Here is my review about the agent. Many of us are often worry about the Reliability of the agent which we want to book our accomodation from. This is heightened by the highly publicised online credit card scams. We are often wary when a full pre-payment is necessary to secure the apartment!

In order to secure an apartment by JSC, full payment by credit card is needed prior to arrival. Above the rental fees advertised on the website, there are additional fees(cleaning,insurance and misc). After Booking two apartments from JSC, I can safely say that the company is 100% Reliable. The apartments I rented were clean and spacious (it beats staying in a squeezy hotel room) Their locations were very convenient and easy to locate. Interior was exactly like the photos featured on their website. Maybe we were just lucky, leave a tag if you disagree!

Here are some interesting features in the apartment. It came equipped with a butt washing toilet, a mini tv in the bathroom and an underground freezer. I loved how the apartment was structured so as to achieve maximum space maximisation.



We decided to explore our neighbourhood and we stumbled upon this shop. Drawn by the newspaper write up outside the shop, we decided to give it a shot.




This Restaurant specialises in Pork! It is a small family business, with only about 7-10 tables. We tried the sliced ginger pork, pork katsudon and deep fried mince pork in mash potato balls. Each set came with a bowl of rice, pickles, miso soup and above that warm hospitality by the owner. Despite his limited English, he used the plastic replicas in the showcase to explain the dishes offered in his shop. He made an effort to strike a conversation with us, while we waited for our food. Our conversations were often halted by our limited knowledge of each other's native tongue and our self consciousness concealed behind laughter. He came round occasionally to check whether the food was to our liking and bid us farewell with numerous bows. His personalised approach in dealing with customers and yummy food was what made this restaurant worth mentioning. Website:www.tonkatsu-yamanaka.com [it is in Japanese] however the map, the address and directions can be obtained from it. At Kyoto Station, you can show the details to the staff at the Tourist Information Centre and they will readily translate it for you.

Opening Hours: Lunch: 1130-1430 & Dinner: 1700-20:45


We headed to Yasaka Shrine to enjoy various traditional japanese performances from 3pm onwards.










The Japanese are proud of their culture and costumes! The summer heat did not deter the Japanese from wearing their Yukatas. Majority of the Young and the Old came dressed in it, which added colour, excitement and ambience to the festival. It was a common sight to see members from the same family coming in similar prints. This is unlike our Chinese Festivals(CNY/Mid Autumn Festival/Dumpling Festival...) in Singapore! Hardly anyone wears our traditional costumes back home! Many youngster find the traditional garments too hot and unfashionable. Those who still wear them are a rare but dying breed!

I am guilty too as I do not have a traditional chinese costume! I have 3 kimonos and a set of Nonya Kebaya in my cupboard but not a Qi Pao or Cheong Sum inside! Maybe it is time to get a Cheong Sum ?





While on display, some of the floats can be entered by tourists.





one of my favourite picture - the reflection of the lighted latterns at the front of the float through a mirror along the road side!






Byobu Matsuri: Screen festival 14-16 July



It involves houses along the route of the procession. Local residents open their front doors to the public who can view family heirlooms on display. These items have been handed down through generations.










Gion Bayashi : 14-16 July




In the evenings from 6pm-11pm, the streets are close to traffic and the area is swarmed by locals and tourists. Gion Matsuri Chant from the floats fill the air and food stalls, drink vendors and game stands line the roads. At dark the floats decorated with festival latterns are lighted up.













A Beetle is no longer low maintenance creatures !




I spotted an interesting game stall. For a price, a lot could be drawn from an enclosed box and the number on the lot indicated the number of beetles that you will get! What attracted my attention was that the beetles were fed jelly! At the bottom left corner, is a picture of a beetle eating jelly! FYI the jelly can be purchased from Daiso at 100 yen/packet. They come in a single flavour or mixed fruit flavour.








1) I walked into a temple and I spotted this automated wood figuring in the showcase, with a face and body that closely resembles a cow(i think... correct me if I am wrong). It is a fortune telling machine! Once money is inserted, you will have the chance to select the aspect of your life that you want your fortune to be read. The figure will then pick up a scroll using its mouth and drop it through the chute for you to pick up. 2) If the Mos Burger Promoters back home had to dress like that, I really wonder if anyone will take up the job? Would you? Yes you read correctly, I spotted this power ranger lookalike promoting mos burger! 3) Beer Promotion 4)Queues of teenagers lining up not for Hello Kitty but for the Neo Print Machines! After returning back home, together with 2 of my primary school friends. We blew a total of $16 to take two rounds of Neo Prints! Majority of the shots were thrashy and ugly but fun factor was 100 %! A money wasting not so cheap thrill which we plan to repeat every year!

*Check out our macho men cupcakes :D (tagline thought up by Essy)

Day 7

Headed to Heian Shrine in the Morning and along the way we spotted a petrol kiosk with pumps that hung from the ceiling. To pump petrol the pump attendants will pull down a pump and insert the pump into the petrol tank! Next we visited Kyoto Museum of Tradional crafts (Fureaikan) Opening hours is between 9am-5pm and admission is Free of Charge. The address: Kyoto International Exhibition Hall Miyako Messe 1st Floor Basement, 9-1 Seishoji-cho, Okazaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City. Access: Kyoto City Bus to "Kyoto Kaikan/Bijutsukan-mae"Subway Tozai Line to "Higashiyama".

Our next stop was the Path of Philosophy. We started from the side nearest to Ootoyo -Jinja. The path was extremely difficult to locate and despite repeated attempts of getting directions from the locals we kept getting lost! Fortunately we met a foreigner who guided us to the path! *My advice is that you should first visit the Ginkakuji Temple. Start the Philosophy walk from the side nearest to the Ginkakuji Temple and end at the Ootoyo Jinja. After which you can consider going to Lake Biwa Canal Museum and Kyoto Museum of Traditional Craft (Fureaikan) and lastly to Heian Shrine.

Sights along the path. The houses in Singapore are built from bricks, therefore using wood to construct the exterior of the house was something which I was not familar with. When I saw the wooden structure, it reminded me of the story of the three little pigs:P A painter along the banks of the river. A shrine which you should visit along the path is Otoyo shrine!

Who said only Human Beings can fish? A cute sight, Daddy Bear and Kiddo Bear Fishing!

Ginkakuji Temple

Love at first taste, the first time and I was hooked (:

Bamboo growing at one side of the hill and Pine at the other side. The view from the top!

Headed to Yasaka Shrine to catch the ancient court dance performances!(6-10pm) When we arrived at 5.30, the front seats were all filled even though the first dance started at 7pm. The dances were accompanied by bamboo flutes, small & big drums and cymbals. Most of the stories depicted fights between good and evil and how good often triumphed over evil. One of the story which I watched was a slow dance by a goblin who was used to represent sickness (eg:fever) and how good triumphed over the illness!

The finale dance is a MUST SEE! It is called Big Snake!

A picture of it can be seen below! The snakes represents the river. Heavy Rain caused flooding and the river killed many people.The story shows how the good monk fed the "snakes" wine and thus made them drunk and managed to kill them in the end! Hence putting an end to the flooding.

Day 8

We arrived at the junction of Kawaramachi Dori and Shijo Dori, diagonally across from Hankyu departmental store. It was a fabulous spot to catch the parade. We arrived at 7.30am even though the first float was scheduled to cross the intersection only around 9.45am. Do bring a mat as standing for 2 1/2 hours is not fun! We happily past time by breathing in exhaust fumes from the passing vehicles as we waited for the procession to start! Blame it on our in-built kiasu syndrome!

The Main Float : "Naginata Boko" Float. At the present time it is the only float that features a child. High up the front of the float is a Naginata(long sword) which is a replica of the one made by Munechika. The sword is swept from side to side as the float moves along, sweeping away disease and evil!

The wheels are turned using wood strips, water and human labour.

Lunch at Mikoan : a vegetarian restaurant!

Opening Hours are from 17:00-23:00 on weekdays. 12:00-23:00 on saturdays and 12:00-20:00 on Sundays and Holidays.

To find it go down Teramachi from Shijo, the lane is beside a departmental store. You will pass a Japanese Fruit Shop on the left. Their fruits only come from Japan and their prices are reasonable. If you are looking for fruits in Kyoto, do patronise their shop! Look out for Mikoan on the right

Below are pictures of the exterior of Mikoan! Hopefully with the pictures you are able to locate it as I do not have the address.

The disassembling of the floats after the parade to ensure the spirits of disease that have gathered are not released.

we managed to catch sight of the Mikoshi Procession at Yasaka Shrine at 6pm. Do not worry if you cannot catch it there as the Mikoshi Procession also goes to the town centre and you can catch it there too!