HHuangqiyangThis morning, while stretching, I was reminded of my mornings doing yoga at the Gate Hotel, and some snippets of my stay there. Suddenly, I understood why I liked this hotel so much.
It's because it reminded me of my time at drama school!
This trip to Kyoto, we first stayed at Takasegawa for three days. I chose it because it's convenient for getting around and close to a shopping center, making it easy for Auntie Yang, who has mobility issues, to get around. The result? My mom was very happy, and I was even happier! The very next day, I WeChat-messaged my girlfriend, telling her I'd found the perfect hotel for her in Kyoto – you can do yoga, practice calligraphy, there's a co-working space, and you can stroll by the river anytime. It's practically a 1:1 replica of your downtime routine in Beijing!
And why did I like it so much?
Because it genuinely transported me back to the Nanluoguxiang area twenty years ago!
The Takasegawa and Pontocho in the early morning, completely devoid of tourists, with only small vans parked on the side of the road delivering to restaurants, like an abrupt silence in the midst of boisterous laughter. It was the same scene and feeling on countless mornings when I walked through Luoguxiang and the hutongs towards Shichahai. The Kamo River in the morning is still quiet, just like Houhai in the morning; it still belongs only to those who live by it day in and day out.
The hotel's lounge is on an upper floor, offering views of the entire Higashiyama area, with beautiful moments both morning and evening. In early summer, there's nothing more blissful than sitting outdoors, sipping coffee, and reading. When I was in school, I often did the same during this season: I'd take a book and a water bottle up to the top of my dorm building, looking out at the Drum and Bell Tower, which seemed to float above a sea of green waves in the distance.
And those couples sunbathing on the sports field, the teenagers practicing kendama in the shade, the groups of friends chatting on the steps – that's the view I used to have from the third floor of my dorm: musical theater students doing acrobatic flips on the field, now-famous celebrities shooting hoops alone on a half-shaded court, classmates engrossed in conversation on benches with books.
It even has a library and a 'study room'!
The lounge on the third floor, in particular, brought back memories of the 'small garden' at my East Campus. It's that perfect spot where, when you return at night and don't want to go out again but still crave some outdoor time, you can sit there with a bonfire, drinking tea and listening to music.
Now, I want to explore more hotels converted from old schools when I travel to other places!
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