Kyoto and the crowds

We have spent today looking at some impressive Japanese cultural icons in Kyoto. It seems we have shareed the experience with half of Japans year 7 and 8 school kids which made us feel a little bit like being on the tour conveyor belt! Most impressive was the golden pavillion, burnt down in the 1950s by a crazed monk and then rebuilt soon after. They sentenced the monk to exile for twenty years on an island in the pond surrounding the temple! To calm us after battling the crowds, we went to a lovely zen rock garden and meditated(until the next school bus arriverd).

Last night we were lucky enough to see a geisha as we wondered down a side street. Between appointments, once sighted she was caught in the cross fire of flashes from all the tourists in the street! She proved the worth of her training by paying the cameras no attention and progressing on to her next client.