Buddhist Garden and Tea Ceremony

Amazing what a little sunshine, gardens, buddhist monks, tea ceremonies and rainbows can do for ones perception of the world. Suddenly Kyoto is a beautiful place to be. It was summer time warm and when we got to the Buddhist temple there was a camera crew shooting a documentary. We worked around them and incorporated the monks into some of our images. The colour in the garden was wonderful and the rain just made them better. We couldn't shoot in the dry rock garden but a famous monk just happened to be there and was signing his books and other writings.

When we finished there we went to a tea ceremony done by a Swiss immigrant who challenged all of my assumptions about the ceremony and what it was about.  We all left feeling touched by the experience and calm. Back to the temple for an unexpectedly tasty vegetarian lunch during which a beautiful rainbow came out over the roofs of the temple. All too much.

It was mid afternoon when I got back. Asked my hotel if they had room for me after the tour which they did and then I went exploring to find the royen I had reserved to see if I could cancel it. With help from a young guy on a bicycle I found the place.  It would have been fine in the spring but too out of the way to easily find my way around in the dark.  The manager was good about it and I was free to explore the river walk close by. There were lots of young people, families and musicians playing.  This is a university town and has all the energy that goes with that.  Back in time to go to dinner with Liza and Mary then catch up with my other favourites for dessert and debriefing at a great French bakery.