I finally made it back to Kyoto—my first real trip in a long while. With travel finally feeling manageable again, I threw caution to the wind and booked a one-night escape. No regrets.
Checked into Hotel Gimmond Kyoto—booked last-minute, but what a pleasant surprise. The room was spacious, spotless, and strangely reminiscent of a charming European inn. And the price? Ridiculously reasonable.
After settling in, I took the subway to Yodobashi HUB, a British-style pub near Kyoto Station. I had plans to meet an old university buddy—Hoffman. Yes, that’s his real name (well, nickname). Imagine Dustin Hoffman’s character in Rain Man—hyper-intelligent, oddly charming, and borderline unplaceable socially. That’s our guy.
We struggled to locate the pub at first, only to find Hoffman waiting stoically outside. Inside would’ve been warmer, but hey, he’s always been… unique. My wife and I joined him, and the three of us were seated at a corner table. Right beside us? A lone British expat enjoying a quiet pint.
Oops—forgot to snap a pic of the beer. I had something called HUB Ale (tasty), and Hoffman stuck with Guinness, classic as ever.
This one’s my wife’s non-alcoholic choice:
We ordered the usual suspects—fried chicken, and fish & chips.
A dash of what tasted like balsamic vinegar gave it a zesty kick—British roots, Kyoto flair.
Then, in classic Hoffman fashion, he pulled out a Rubik’s Cube and casually handed it to my wife as a gift. She’s firmly in the minimalist camp, so she politely declined. That’s when inspiration struck—I turned to the neighboring Brit and asked, “Can you solve this?”
“Nope,” he laughed. “No chance.”
“Well then, it’s yours!” I said, handing it over in true impromptu spirit. To his credit, he accepted it with a smile.
His name was Ben, originally from the UK, now globetrotting for work. When we talked ages, I realized—he’s probably the same age as my son. He asked about countries we’d visited. I admitted I’ve never been to the UK. “Next time, for sure,” I told him. We’ll see…
Before we left, we took a group photo. Looking at it later, it was hard to tell who the real foreigner was—Hoffman could easily pass for an expat himself, with a vibe that leans delightfully Indian-mystic-meets-British-rock-geek.
To be continued…
“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.” — Saint Augustine
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