京都已经连续好几年排在Monocle全球最适宜居住城市的前十了，今年好像是第7/8？在我的评判标准里，一个城市是否适合居住，其中很重要的一件事，是这个城市能否包容多种生活方式。一个平日在热闹街头下馆子逛酒吧的人，有天静下心来，有没有地方让他能够呼吸最原始的空气，静心思考自己的生活。就这件事上，京都绝对树立了一个好榜样。从三条喧闹的购物区，半个小时左右车程，坐上京都西北面嵯峨野的原始穿山小火车，到达终点站，一眼望去都是绿色的山丘和水稻田。下了火车，有马车可以载人到保津川漂流船的上船处。顺着水流漂流直下将近两小时的游船，让我想起小时候去过还没有建起大坝的三峡，两岸青山，空气又凉又甜，清新的像箭一样锋利。漂流上岸后，一趟列车半小时坐回市中心，立马又回到车水马龙，霓虹灯起的闹市，白天的一切突然好像做了场梦。
旅途中有时候一天要穿梭出入好多不同的场所。印花的丝质上衣在城市里活动很成立，黑色宽松款式的工装短裤，活动方便，长度也刚刚好，不容易走光／失礼。最推荐坡跟的高跟凉鞋，走路不太累，裸色的绑带和肤色融为一体，把比例衬托的好了许多。
Printed blouse(sold out from Whistles)
// Whistles Blouse in Foulard Print Silk on ASOS //
// Neon Rose Tile Print Wrap Blouse //
Mid length short trousers
// Étoile Isabel Marant Celia Linen-blend Shorts on Outnet.com //
// ASOS City Short with Belt //
Wedge sandals
// STUART WEITZMAN 'Elixir' sandals on Farfetch.com //
Bag
// CHLOÉ Drew Mini leather and suede shoulder bag on Mytheresa.com //
I live in London, and I love the city for a well balanced city scape with a mixture of busy streets and serene parks and greens. And to me, any city that's great to live in needs a good blend of things. Especially when it comes to what various locations have to offer. A short trip(20-30 mins by car from city centre) to the west of Kyoto, Arashiyama, will show you exactly that.
The morning started off with a heated last-minute-running-on-the-platform-catching-the-traditional-mountain-route-train from Saga（嵯峨野） station. Once we successfully board the train, everything was peaceful and quiet, as if we stepped back in time.
Inspired by the train ride, we decided to go all "retro" with a horse carriage trip to the boat station.
And a quick lunch of delicious grilled fish on rice, sold at the waiting area before the boat trip, to give a little boost of energy preparing for the boat.(later on I only realised how much I needed it)
A minor warning before you decide you go on the boat trip: if you're all about health and safety, don't take the boat.
It is a great 1 hour or so, bumpy, adventurous, and WET boat ride. The skilful boatmen would anchor with a huge bamboo stick, and take you around some of the most exhilarating river bends. Basically you need to put one hand on the rail, the other securing the water resistant cover over your laps, and the third and fourth hand to raise the camera occasionally to snap some pictures of the breathtaking views. You'll manage.
Anyways, finally you would reach back near the Arashiyama high street again, if you survived. And there you can reward yourself with some tasty treats before heading back to the centre.
Kyoto Sanjo（三条）is an area packed with little hidden gems behind the main streets. Beautiful architectures, cosy izakayas, restaurants, quaky shops, trendy boutiques...something equivalent to Covent Garden in London.
Wearing:
Printed blouse(sold out from Whistles)
// Whistles Blouse in Foulard Print Silk on ASOS //
// Neon Rose Tile Print Wrap Blouse //
Mid length short trousers
// Étoile Isabel Marant Celia Linen-blend Shorts on Outnet.com //
// ASOS City Short with Belt //
Wedge sandals
// STUART WEITZMAN 'Elixir' sandals on Farfetch.com //
Bag
// CHLOÉ Drew Mini leather and suede shoulder bag on Mytheresa.com //
You can never get bored walking around Sanjo. Endless quirky, charming places and fashion boutiques in tastefully renovated traditional houses.
Two different worlds, 30 minutes away, within one city. That's what Kyoto is all about.