It is raining rather heavily as I write--and Jame is out in it--but we've done very well with the weather. We even had some blue sky for Kinkakuji yesterday!
But I'll start at the beginning. Sam and I wanted a more American style breakfast, and she located a place where we enjoyed ham and eggs, cold mashed potatoes, and salad --
Plus a very good cafe au lait.
Then off we canned to Kinkakuji, theGolden Temple. It is covered--the top two stories--in gold, the real stuff! The interior is golden as well though we weren't invited in, and the floors are highly lacquered to magnify the effect
June is the month for school trips and there are students everywhere! Here are some guided by a monk at Kinlakuji.
Most, but not all, wear uniforms-
Next stop--Riyoanji, a Zen temple that is my favorite! Wisely, the student groups don't come here. The focal point is the magnificent raked rock garden:
Taking a panoramic shot curved the image; it really isn't like that, but at least you can see the whole thing!
The grounds are serene as well; here's Sam practicing her meditation with her hands folded like the Buddha at Kamakura!
Then to Niko Castle, or Nijo-Jo. Here is the impressive gate--
No photography inside, but the grounds are another serene haven.
Here is a conscientious gardener; he was often clipping a single leaf at a time!
To complete our day we went shopping at this arcade; I spent a pot of money, mostly on myself!And aren't these trees fascinating? We expected to see The Lorax pop out!
I'm writing on my phone now since the program doesn't upload from my iPad. Writing is painstaking, no rewrites or fine tuning, sorry.
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