So our only real disapointment here is that Autumn is late (how inconsiderate!) Despite the fact that the trees are only just beginning to show some red and orange signs, Kyoto is still a beautiful city! We spent the day exploring its cobbled streets and spiritual temples in Southern Higashiyama. I must admit, when we first stepped out of Kyoto station and we were met with a grey wave of concrete and skyscarpers, I felt a bit cheated! Where were the colourful kimonos, the deep history, the hundreds and hundreds of temples?! After an uninspiring walk beside busy traffic and dirty vending machines we suddendly found ourselves at Chawan-zaka (Teapot Lane), which lead us uphill towards the imposing pagoda of Kiyomazu-dera, rising high above the trees and buildings. Stopped along the way to pick up some snow-cone relief from the steady, muggy heat, and sat eating them on the steps of the base of this ancient temple. The place was crawling with tourists (so much for my theory that it would be more quiet on a Monday), but even so it was still very cool to be visiting the first temple on our trip to Kyoto! Unfortunately, the hordes of chattering tourist-monkeys proved rather more annoying when we descended into the pitch-black of Tainai-Meguri. With only the "buddha beads" rail to guide us into the total darkness, the experience was obviously supposed to have been spiritual, a time to reflect. Instead, the silence was shattered as a group of Japanese tourists followed behind us, cackling non-stop! grrr.....

After stopping by a photo exhibition held in one of the shrines (beuatiful work btw, honest and real photographs of Kyoto) I took JOhnny to Kyotos famous LOVE STONE. The shrine was covered with garish pink and red signs, like cupid had vomited everywhere. I did, of course, love it!!! We held hands, squeezed our eyes shut and walked to 18 metres between the two loves tones to see whether or not our desire for love would be fulfilled! Apparently if you miss the other stone, you will never find your true love. John hit it, but I missed it totally.....uhoh!!!

We walked through the traditional stone streets of Nanned-zaka and Sannen-zaka after exiting the temple (and signing a peace petition for NOT ANOTHER HIROSHIMA on our way out). The streets were lined with old wooden houses, secret gradens and geisha disapearing down darkened alleys and into arches that invariably led to some rock garden, quiet pond or tea ceremony. This was the Kyoto I had imagined!!! Kimonos coloured the streets, friendly men in skin-tight shorts dragged rickshaws bearing girls with fans and painted faces, smiling old women offered samples from their okashi-ya (swete shops) teeming with origiama, paper fans and tea pots. We ascended the steep stone steps into kodai-ji temple, whose ground soffered us a chance to see examples of traditional architecture, miniature versions of the wooden buildings with steeply slanted straw roofs. Although at first we were forced like sheep to shuffle behind lines of other tourists, as the paths branched out and everyone dispersed we were left to wander around the calm ponds, with shirnes and trees that look like overgrown bonsai reflecting in the water. From the top of the hill, by the beautiful little bamboo area, we could see not only all the grounds of Kodai-ji, but also the disntant skyline of downtown kyoto.

On our way to Marayama-Koen park we walked down Ishibei-koji, apparently the most beautiful street in kyoto! It twisted and turned, with walls of traditional houses and old wooden stores on either side. One bizarre shop we entered was like an art-gallery version of the disney store! Pieces of furniture and art displayed with soaring prices behind glass cabinets, all centered on the unlikely theme of Mickey Mouse and friends. A true example that you never know what you'll find in Japan - expect the unexpected! Speaking of, as we rounded on corner, we were suddenly face to face with a fat Japanese man in a large yellow airplane outfit and an accompanying film crew....???