JAPAN [five]: THE GOLDEN TEMPLE & GARDEN...

December 10, 2015

As first-time visitors we were following guidance of those before, including our friend Terry, who first visited & lived in Japan during his college years… he is known for his cultivation of a large Japanese garden near Seattle for many years & now is known on our Vashon Island for his garden & water-feature design with very sensitive rock work… quite wonderful!

He recommended the palace & temple gardens of Kyoto as essential destinations. They are, of course, well known… thus crowded!

An obvious example is the Golden Temple… too famous for its own good… not without reason. It is stunning. We joined the throng & took our turn to get our photographs…

I must explain that both Stephen & I were making photographs with our cameras & phones. We do not always know which of us took these images, so I give equal credit to him…

This is the scene we met as we first approached the prime viewing terrace… a throng of mostly young people & students on field trips. Everyone was polite… taking turns to give all an opportunity to capture this favored shot. Of course, most followed the current custom of posing while flashing the first two fingers as a “v”, like the old “victory” or “peace” sign of times past. I don’t know what it means to them, but we saw it every where… even in the ubiquitous selfies.old