under another sun

Up early again, drinking tea and packing in our tiny roomed Ibis Styles hotel. It had served us well, however. Leaving our bags in reception, we ended up in the same place for breakfast having coffee, a panini style thing and a little scoop of tasty ice-cream. Then we made our way on foot, a 25 minute walk from the hotel to the Sanjūsangen-dō temple. I had been here before but my second visit with Lorraine the place absolutely blew me away. You enter a massive oblong hall with 1000 life sized golden statues of The Thousand Armed Kannon, it is like an army of Buddhas and quite overwhelming. As well as these there is an enormous thousand armed Kannon as a centrepiece. Additionally there are 28 statues of guardian deities. You are not allowed to take any photographs there,  however some exist on the internet. This done, we crossed the bridge over the river and arrived back at our Hotel and picked up our cases. The shinkansen part of the station could not have been nearer, we simply ...

Up early having slept long and heavily in our hotel. Gradually got ourselves sorted out and found an italian style cafe in Kyoto Station's vast station building's restaurant zone. Managed to score ourselves two heated panini rolls full of vegetables, and two good cups of damn fine coffee. Thus braced off on our adventure. Caught a cab driven by a gruff old man who took us to Kiyomizo Dera which I particularly wanted Lorraine to see. The whole area crowded and lively with people drawn out by the imminence of the new year, and the stunningly beautiful day.We happily joined the ant lines threading through this majestic place. Everyone snapping away with their cameras or smartphones at the temple complex and the views of Kyoto and the mountains beyond. People queuing to buy their fortunes or to adore Buddhas, or gulp down a draught of health promoting spring water. From there Lorraine and I took a long walk north, guided by a map from the tourist office. I had done tho same walk ...

Kayotei Ryokan is famed for its Japanese breakfasts which Lorraine, Toby and I opted for this morning. An unbelievable feast. One element kelp leaves, the size and shape of rosemary leaves, but they carried an unbelievably lovely savoury punch, a bit like marmite, and delicious when added to a bowl of rice. There were eggs, and fish and pickles and kipper like fish that were grilled over hot charcoal at the table. Amazing. After breakfast the slightly sad business of packing. I loved being at this Ryokan. There is a shrine to the poet Basho nearby, and Jiro was kind enough to lend me some wellingtons and took me to it, and showed me a posting box nearby where poets post their haiku which are then judged in a yearly competition and prizes are awarded. The shrine itself was locked but peering in you could make out a small statue of the poet sitting in a Buddha like pose. We also discussed the chrysanthemum poem, and Jiro explained that chrysanthemum tea was something drunk by the Chine...

Below our first afternoon and evening in Kyoto. Captions to come...