My dear husband, while playing with the camera last night, accidentally deleted all our pictures.
I literally cried myself to sleep last night. Humph… whimper whimper..Today, we will be scurrying through some of our favourite spots in hope to recover some lost memories.
God must have heard my sobs cause as we were wondering through the back streets talking a short cut route, we ran into a Geisha and a Maiko window-shopping.
I was snapping away like a maniac! Thankfully, I was not the only one that stumbled upon these mystical creatures. There was a group of photographers hot in their trail snapping away with their scary looking paparizzi cameras. The women must be so used to the attention as they did not seem to mind the intrusion at all!
I was soooo happy after that. =)After the "encounter", we went back to the riverbanks of Ponto-Cho to watch a Geisha Dance, ate some more red bean pancakes and rice cakes and take more pictures.
Our next port of call, Ginkakuji temple – 600 yen/pple.
It was built in 1482 by shogun Ashikaga Yoshimotsu [same creator of Kinkakuji]. Apparently used as a retreat from the turmoils of the civil war, this villa [later converted temple] was supposed to be covered in silver leaf [foil]. A mission that will never be completed.
Like Ryoanji Shrine, there is a reeked stone garden in the temple. This one however possesses a meticulously reeked white sand stone cone which seemingly looks simple has a real ingenius purpose in the garden. Apparently it was designed to reflect the moonlight, thus enhancing the beauty of the garden at night. Who would have thought!??
Temple gardens always fascinate me. How every moss, plant and tree are never randomly placed, but so purposefully yet effortlessly positioned to translate tranquillity and harmony. And if you just sit and observe a gardener going about his chores. You could just see the love and passion he or she has for these
little plants. Every touch so tender and meticulous.I took a picture of a sign pointing to a planter box of mosses saying "VERY IMPORTANT MOSS, LIKE VIP".
I concur.
Back in city, we stopped by Taramachi to buy green tea for our family and friends back home. The rich aroma from the ascortment of teas on sale at the little famous side shop was so tantalizing. Especially the roasted and charred ones. We bought 7 bags of the roasted green tea and 2 bottles of Sake from a couple of shops down, one cold and hot. I sense a Japanese-theme party brewing when we get back to Sydney!
Before heading back home, we detoured back to Gion to take some day shots of the cherry blossom trees (cause all we had were night shots). I am simply in LOVE with these perfectly pastel pink and white flowers. I just could not get enough of them!
The Japanese too are clearly fasinated by these once a year delicate flowers. They have poems and songs written about them, pink and white sweets rice cakes with bean-filled sakura-mochi specially made this time of the year, all purposely done to demonstrate and celebrate the vibrancy and beauty of the cherry blossoms.
Melvin thought they looked like giant popcorns growing on trees. I have nothing futher to add. haha
No comments:
Post a Comment