There is a lot to see in Kyoto and we came here before heading north to see some of the sights, but now being here for three nights you get a real feel for the Old Kyoto. There is a long walk called the Philosophers path that we journeyed on today that lead us past temples and gardens, and into a little street lined with shops with handmade crafts and then closer to the main attraction, Kiyomizu Temple. Unfortunatey it along with other temples were under huge tarps and being renovated. Still the crowds were hurrendous mostly with tourists and school kids who all said Hello! We enjoyed a Soba Noodle lunch and wandered into Gion. This is the infamous area where the real Geisha`s are and though you can not see past thier wooded doors, you can occasionally see a Geisha walking quickly along the street. Thier hair perfectly set in an Updo and their kimono is always beautiful. I tried walking around in those wooden slippers for a day and it is not easy! There were many young Japanese women dressed up in Kimono`s today as well, and I got snap happy as they walked by. This town embraces its culture and cherishes its traditions.

The temples are full of people who come to pray and who write thier prayers on little plaques and pay money to get a fortune given at the temple. One of the interesting observations I made was that there are many special rocks or statues that say if you rub them you will have good fortune, and if you visit all the temples to pray you will make merit. We have come across many Monks chanting, walking, and even riding motorcycles. Tomorrow we are going to a temple that has a huge flea market...I hear you can find all sorts of treasures there! We will visit the Golden Pavillion and see where we end up. It is hard to believe that our trip is coming to an end. We look forward to sharing our pictures (thousands of them) and telling you our tales. Thanks for reading along, and we hope you are enjoying the updates. Thanks also for the messages!! For now, KomBowWa, from Kyoto. Skye