Day Three: Golden Temples & Geishas

We ventured to Kyoto for a second helping of temples and cultural experiences. After jostling our way through the crowded Saturday market, we hopped on a bus to Kinkakuji, the famous Golden temple. It was quite impressive to see the guilded building doubled in it's own reflection, set statuesuely upon a small lake. To the disillusionment of some, and the amusment of others, we were informed that it was not actually filled with chocolate. We checked, there are bite marks to prove it.

At the exit of the park gates we found a fantastic chimera of tradition and modernity. Fortune telling vending machines! For a mere 100yen and a twist of the coin slot knob you could retrieve your fortune printed on a tiny roll of paper which neatly dropped from out of the chute, like a prophetic gumball.
And if you found it to be an acceptable fate, you could tie it to a line to ensure it's actualization. After reading that I was destined for "ears of rice shining like golden waves" (as long as I "do not give in to drinking or illicite love") I tied it on.


After having secured my future interests, Cecilia and I decided to do some Geisha hunting. We took the mission to Steve Irwin proportions as we darted through the narrow brick alleys of Kyoto, between tea houses and lanterns. The mysterious madames didn't emerge til about dusk as they fluttered with quick tiny steps to their appointments. Cecilia and I flew after them, catching quick glimpses around corners and flash appearances in peripheral vision. But a few close encounters yielded some fantastic shots.