Kyoto

The thing about Tokyo for me was that the "big" sites - the Imperial Palace, Tokyo Tower, Tsukiji Fish Market, Ginza, Shibuya - are just not on the same level as the "big" sites in so many other major cities (London, Paris, Bangkok, Hong Kong, New York).

Enough said...I've already been pushing it with the germ thing, I don't want to insult 20 million Japanese, most of whom I'm sure read my blog on a regular basis.

But Kyoto, on the other hand, is wonderful. If Tokyo is neon, glass and steel, Kyoto is wood and stone and leaves.

A quiet tree-lined path along a small canal leads to a nine hundred year-old Zen temple. Stone-paved lanes filled with local craft shops and cafes lead uphill towards the giant cedar gate of a Shinto shrine.

The former capital of Japan is also famous for geishas and tea ceremonies. According to my Kyoto guidebook geishas are "female professional entertainers whose knowledge of traditional arts, skill at verbal repartee, and ability to keep secrets win them the respect and sometimes love of their well-heeled and influential male clients."

Ummm...sure.

I've seen just one fully made up geisha here. I tried to grab for my camera to get a photo, but wherever this chick was headed, she was in a very big hurry. Must be keeping quite the secret...

Well there's more to the story - my story that is, I know nothing else of this fleet-footed geisha. There always is more. Although it may not seem so to those who don't know me, I occasionally do things other than writing this blog and wandering around photographing temples.

I'll leave it at this: Haagen Daas ice cream, a fashion designer, yakitori, and the phrase "have a safe journey" are all prominently involved.

to be continued...