Our day in Kyoto....28 photos this time.

Hi everyone, found a moment.  I have been busy working, food shopping and doing my first lot of Christmas shopping.  Pretty happy as I did get about half of it done.  Today was spent out in the garden...yes, my dreaded bamboo garden well what used to be bamboo garden.  In all the time we were chopping the bamboo down I never bothered about weeding or trimming the plants as it was just a mess.  Add another ten days of rain while we were away and suddenly the whole garden was covered in vines.  So now have pulled out all the weedy vines....although they had the most amazing flowers on them....three varities I counted.  Now I get to do another lap getting the plants I want in there under control.  Luckily it was showery today so it was cool enough to be outside...hoping for another day like that tomorrow. 

Well this post I am sharing our visit to Kyoto which is a half hour train ride from Osaka.  If we were to go again I would make sure we had at least two days in Kyoto to have time to explore more.  This was a very full day but wonderful scenery.

*Please click on any of the images for a larger view.

These were the trees at the entrance of the Kinkakuji Temple.....we just fell in love with all the colours of the leaves.  Something we do not see here in the tropics.

This is Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Temple) on Mirror Pond.

This is the only temple we paid to enter....the others we chose were all free entry.

The gold is real gold leaf.  This temple has been had to be rebuilt in the 1950's as it was burnt down.

Some of the shops near Kinkakuji Temple

Camellia's were everywhere.....something else we don't see in the tropics but I had growing in my garden when I lived in Sydney.

Yes, we fell in love with these drink machines and could quite often be found standing in front trying to choose a new drink.  None of though could ever push the button under a bottle of what looked like water but was labelled 'Sweat'.

On to our next temple.  This is the street of amazing shops ....a few crafty shops but I didn't get long to look as we had a full day planned.  I shall return. :-)  This is on the walk to Ginkakuji Temple which we didn't visit as there was a cover charge.  We opted to only pay to enter one temple which worked out at 600 yen per or $7.80 each.

Saw these potato sticks and just had to try one.  Very yum.

To get to all the other temples on our list we followed everyone else along the 'Philosopher's Walk'.

Very calming walking beside the stream.

Inside Eikando Temple.

Part of Eikando Temple

These rickshaw runners must be so amazingly fit.  We saw them all around the place and pulling people up hills.  They never seem to be puffing and panting at all.  Happily, chatting.

This is the stunning entrance to Anrakuji Temple. 

One we opted to skip as you have to pay.

We snuck a photo at the entrance.....inside Anrakuhi Temple.

More calming walks along Philosopher's Walk.

This temple is just huge Nanzenji Temple.

Look at the size of the columns holding up the central part of the temple.

Imagine the trees these came from.

This temple was even bigger than the last.  Chionin Temple.  There is a lot of renovations happening to the buildings behind this temple....so I think this would be worth another visit in the future.

Some more amazing colours in Maruyama Park where we had lunch.

Everywhere we had been seeing places selling crepes with lovely sweet fillings which the place here sold.  However we though we would try out the savoury fillings.  Mine was Tuna, lettuce and mayo.  Tasted yummy...although sometimes my tastebuds thought it odd to have the hint of sweetness from the crepe.  I know someone else had a frankfurt and sauce on theirs and another had pizza sauce and cheese.

This is in the Gion area of Kyoto.

Yes, we got to see some lovely ladies dressed in their beautiful dresses in the Higashiyama District.

This was a long street full of many small shops selling foods and trinkets.

This couple were so lovely to see together.  They got to the top of the street where there is a temple and they took photos of one another.    Funny seeing people in such attire acting as tourists.

Do you think I fit in with my backpack?

Looking back down the shop filled street in the Higashiyama District.

We found this beautiful garden area hidden in between two shops along the street in teh Higashiyama District.

Entrance to the Kiyomizudera Temple

Still on the way to the Kiyomizudera Temple

More amazing trees.....just everywhere and stunning.

Kiyomizudera Temple......this is such a huge veranda area over looking all these amazing trees.

Yes, you have made it to the end.  There are so many more photos on this day I would love to share but  I don't think you your computer would cope with all 265 of them.  So I think I have done well cutting it down to 28.

Only another eight days to share with you.

Till next time take care......stay happy, and definitely don't worry it will all work out.