151108

Hey hey,
Well today was quite succesfull. Got to Higashi-honganji and Nishi-honganji shrines plus the Kyoto Museum without getting lost! All these places are however very close to Kyoto station so that made it easy. The shrines were gorgeous. Higashi is huge and one of the largest wodden buildings in the world apparently. Unfortunately and proly for that reason the whole thing is enclosed in outer bilding of metal but inside is incredible but no photos allowed. Wandered in there for almost an hour just looking at the screens and the little architraves or whatever. Very intricate for their age. I then headed to Nishi which is another sect's temple. Equally impressive. On the way there was going through this area I have dubbed "buddhist town" as its a bunch of streets all with shops selling only Buddhist trinkets. Pretty interesting. In Nishi there was a pidgeon with hayfever! Freaked me out to start with the I felt sorry for it as I know what this is like.
After Nishi I made my way over to the Kyoto museum. Initially went for a sword and armour display but fell in love with this stuff called Maki-e which is a type of lacquer-ware. Will be buying much of this before I leave. So intricate and unbelievably beautifull. Fortunately for me there was a special exhibit on the stuff at the moment so that was well timed. Cost me 1400 yen to get in but well worh it. No photography or sketches allowed but I won't be forgeting it and will try and get some genuine Japanese stuff to bring home. Wiki has some good examples of the simpler stuff which I think is the most beautifull but pictures don't do it justice. Anyhow, spent a couple hours in the museum then headed back to base to eat.
Last night I had Altima Curry or some such which came with a raw egg on it. You mix it in and the curry cooks the egg, delicious and filling. Tonight was a rice bowl dish with strips of beef that came with a whole raw egg, still in the shell and an egg seperating device. Had to ask for directions on what to do but was much the same as last night, split the egg mix the yolk through. Wasn't sure I wanted to know what to do with the whites so I just left it.
After that headed back into Kyoto station as there was an art festival type thing on. Had awesome live tunes and some graffiti artists. There was this stall there with crazy scary masks and a couple dudes all dressed up as monsters wearing the masks. I was looking at this one that appeared to be a statue as it had been in the same spot when I past it on the way back from the museum. It wasn't and the dude freaked the hell out of me! In the same stall were these beautifull soulful pictures and they had some of them on postcards. One really got to me so I bought the postcard, only 100 yen so I can afford it. Will check out the ladies site later to see her other works. Have uploaded a photo of it as I am not going to post it. Might get a little frame for it when I get home.
So the tunes were awesome, one band that I think is called Audio Safari is like the Japanese version of Portishead so right up my ally. Another was wild jazzy funk stuff, they are called "Mouse on the keys" Had to explain what this meant to the guy I asked as their name was in english. Micky mouse I said, and keys, piano bits. Ahh, so-da he says. Had a rockin DJ going when the graf artists were doing their thing but didn't get his name.
Then came back to find I no longer have the room to myself. Five spanish guys I think, not very talkative and in their little group.
Tomorrow I plan to go to Nara or Ise depending which is closer after going to the Kyoto International Manga Museum and Nijo castle. Should be good If I don't get lost.
Till next time peeps,