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More Temples Today: Kiyomizu-dera and Chion-In Temple

Jun27
Kyoto, Japan

Hard to believe that a whole week has passed since we arrived in Kyoto to start attending lectures and discussions on Medieval and Pre-Modern Japan. This morning, when we sat down to breakfast with our colleagues, it felt as if we had known each other forever. Academic conferences have a tendency to that do!

At any rate, after consuming the typical Japanese breakfast of rice cakes flavored with nori (which I have been avoiding at breakfast as it is inevitably offered at lunch), assorted bread rolls with marmalade and butter, salad, fresh fruit and soup (yes, I have developed quite a liking for soup in the morning!), most of us were ready to leave the hotel, hop on to the subway and ride to Otani University when our lectures are held.

Listening to Prof. Michael Watson:
 Our featured speaker today was Prof. Michael Watson, an Oxbridge-educated British scholar who teaches at a university in Yokohama and has been living in Japan for the past 34 years. Apart from his appearance, he appeared to me to be more Japanese than Emperor Akihito himself! Needless to say, he speaks fluent Japanese and is an authority on Tale of the Heike which is his specialty (among a string of other interests) and it was upon this topic that he spoke this morning. Somehow, in the space of a little over two hours, he managed to present a summary of the entire epic work comprising 12 books and an Epilogue which he brought alive with slides depicting the most marvelous pictorial representations of the story, snippets of music (he even occasionally burst into song himself!) and, often, as most of us professors do, spoke to himself! He was just a delightful presence in the classroom and I thoroughly enjoyed his presentation. Clearly, his knowledge of all aspects of Japanese medieval life is formidable and he was able to convey his love for this material with such passion as to inspire profound interest in his audience as well. I am determined now to attempt to read the work myself (as paucity of time did not make it possible for me to read it before I arrived in Japan).

Bento Box Lunch at Otani University:
 The now familiar Bento Box lunch arrived as did Llew—he had spent the morning exploring the Imperial Palace and taking the hour-long guided tour that began there at 10.00 am. He conveyed to me the opinion that the tour was well-guided and certainly well worth taking and as I had requested him to procure a permission pass for me to take the same tour on Monday, I was quite pleased indeed when he produced a pass for me.

We ate our lunches together—fried chicken, rice cakes, picked vegetables, sweet cakes made with azuki (red bean) paste which are delicious and have a very interesting glutinous consistency as well. Discussion involving a round-up of all we had studied continued during the lunch-time breakout session, but then it was time for us to move on to the last section of our program: the afternoon excursion. Various choices were offered to the participants including a hike all the way to the north of the city to a very rural area called Ohara, an examination of the ateliers and studios of textile craftsmen in the city, a tour of three famed Buddhist temples in the east of the city and finally, an opportunity to explore Kyoto alone. Llew and I chose to join Fay who was leading the tour of the three Buddhist temples and before too long, off we went.

Getting Separated from our Group:
 We rode the subway together from the Otani University subway stop at Kitoaji Street to the Main Kyoto Rail Station at which point we became separated from our group when Llew went out to purchase a Day Pass for the bus as we had run out of most of the money on our Pay As You Go subway cards. But it wasn’t much of a problem as we were easily able to figure out our route ourselves, Furthermore, we realized that most of the temples close by 4. 30 or 5.00 pm, which would probably not leave us enough time to see three of them.

Off to Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Kyoto’s Buddhist Highlight:
Llew and I, therefore, hopped on to a bus that took us directly to the second temple: Kiyomizu-dera (instead of getting us to Sanjusangendo Temple). Kiyomizu-dera is not just a famed Buddhist temple and, therefore, a great religious and tourist site but is also a fine lookout point in that it offers stunning views of the city of Kyoto. Visitors throng around its verandah which juts out on towering stilts high on a hill underneath which a waterfall cascades down to the bottom. This waterfall is believed to flow with miraculous waters and the faithful can be seen drinking copiously of them at the base of the mountain.

To get to Kiyomizu-dera, we had to hop off a bus and walk (nay, climb) for about twenty minutes. At times, the mountain got steep and we got breathless; but the trudge was made interesting by the vast number of stalls and shops that have mushroomed along the pilgrim path offering every manner of enticement from snacks and sweets to souvenirs. While ascending the mountain, we noticed loads of young and very beautiful Japanese girls fully clad in kimonos and we gathered that they were in the vicinity for a reason. Our guide book soon informed us that there is a shrine at the temple which carries the legend that anyone who passes through two tightly positioned stones with their eyes closed are likely to have success in romance and marriage. This might explain the vast numbers of young giggling girls that we saw participating in the rituals. Apart from this, we noticed a brisk business being carried in the sale of charms—indeed I have to say that I am stunned by the commercial aspects of Buddhism in Japan. Astonishingly, a religion that was founded with the intention of being spread by mendicant monks has become a full-fledged business activity that raises millions. Money changed hands openly around the many temples we have visited in the past few days but at this site, it somehow seemed more pronounced.

This temple was founded in 798 during the Heian Period, but this particular building was constructed in the mid-1600s. Of course, it has been shored up periodically, but it still proclaims its age in an awed manner. We posed for the mandatory pictures on the verandah with the city in the background, then walked along the narrow wooden corridors that cling to the sides of the mountain. In the main hall of the temple, we admired the huge statue of the Buddha and then because we were keen to go on to the Chion-In Temple, we picked our way down the mountain past the never-diminishing crowds to get there. Making inquiries of passers-by, we soon realized that the best way to reach it was on foot.

Exploring Maruyama Park and Choin-In Temple:
Although we had no choice but to hurry forward, the walk between the two temples was perhaps one of the nicest we have taken in Kyoto so far. It took us downhill on broad stone steps past smaller temples with interesting pagoda architecture, wayside statues of the Buddha, neat little Zen gardens and small traditional Japanese ryokans (homes) until we arrived at the entrance to Maruyama Park where a very prettily landscaped Zen garden leads the visitor to an idyllic zone. And then just a few feet ahead, we were at the next Must-Do Site, the Chion-In Temple.

Entrance to Chion-In’s Temple is free of charge but if you wish to visit its extensive and reputedly beautiful gardens, you pay an entry fee of 500 yen. Unfortunately, we did not have the time to linger too long, and so we skipped the garden. But we did want the see the extraordinary temple bell that is the largest in the Buddhist world weighing 74 tonnes. So off we went, past the stunning SanMon, which is the main entrance to the temple and which has particularly interesting architecture—it appears to be almost checkered in a black and off-white pattern and has interesting pagoda-like curled rooflines.

Here too a climb was involved and as we panted up the mountain, we reached the many structures that make up the temple complex which form the headquarters of the Jodo-shu (Pure Land) sect founded by Honen who made this area his base. As time was short, we were able to simply glimpse the huge statue of the Amida Buddha to whom this temple is dedicated but wondered exactly where we would find the great bell that we had come to see.

It was at this point that we found a group of young monks working hard to polish a wooden corridor in the Ninnaji Temple style. When we inquired of them, in hesitating English, where we might find the bell, one young monk stepped forward with the most angelic of smiles—he could not have been older than eighteen—and personally led us up yet another mountain to the tallest point on the property, in order to show it to us. We were hugely amused and deeply touched by his gesture of spontaneous kindness and generosity and were even more moved when he offered, through actions and gestures, to take our picture posing by the bell. Needless to say, it was an offer we could not refuse. And so there we were, posed by the colossal bell that is the focus of an annual ritual in which thousands of monks come to this site on pilgrimage and ring the huge gong-like clapper that causes the mountain to resound 74 times at the new year. It was truly a sight to behold and once the sweet monk took his leave of us, we walked all around the great wooden hut that holds it in order to behold it from every angle. Indeed as we hurried down the mountain, we felt privileged to have just made it on time as all of the doors of the various shrines were being shut, one after the other. Chion-In is certainly a temple I would advise any visitor to Kyoto to see.

On the Bus to Takashimaya for Retail Therapy:
 We used our map to find our way out of Maruyama Park to the Yasaka Shrine in Gion (which we had had visited a few days ago) and so quite easily found the bus stop that would allow us to board a bus that would take us down Higashiyama all the way to Kawaramachi Shijo (station) where we alighted on a whim.

Spying Takashimaya, Japan’s answer to the USA’s Macy’s or the UK’s Selfridges, I decided to go inside and explore…and how delighted I was to find a sale that urged me to pick up a couple of Japanese silk scarves in the softest of spring colors to give away as gifts. Being light, superbly priced and very classy, I was sure they would make a grand gift. So out I walked with my precious finds.

Exploring Nishiki Food Market:
And then we were walking in the crowded main shopping area to get to Nishiki Food Market which Lonely Planet recommends that every visitor should see. It was with some difficulty that we found it but when we did, we were struck by the long alley lined on both sides with food shops selling a variety of strange items most of which were unrecognizable to us. Although we were not tempted to buy anything, it was a great dash of local color added to our rambling and we enjoyed it immensely.

By this time, our temple exploration, the heights we had climbed on foot and the awful humidity of the day had taken their toll on us and we turned to McDonald’s to pick up chocolate ice-cream sundaes to cool off before we found our way to our hotel. There, a long chat with my brother Roger who happened to be in the US through Viber and a short nap followed by a hot shower revitalized us and we were ready for the next item on our agenda.

Partaking of Keiseki–Japan’s Banquet Experience:
 Part of the joy of dining in Japan is partaking of a long and elaborate meal called Keiseki and this evening, our organizers, the Japan Studies Association, led us to San-Suzi, a tiny eatery on a side street very close to our hotel.

As soon as we trooped inside, we were instructed to take off our shoes: ah, I thought, this is going to be one of those traditional Japanese restaurants where you sit on the floor (a not too exciting thought considering that it has been a while since we have assumed any yogic asanas!). As it turned out, the restaurant had those sunken tables that allow you to sit low down with feet dangling into a pit—about ten of us sat at each table, our party occupying three tables in a private room. Now Americans are known to be loud talkers—so you can imagine how the volume in that room rose to such deafening decibels as to be quite unpleasant indeed.

Still, we stopped focusing on the sound and turned towards smell and taste as soon as we beheld the feast spread out before us. For appetizers were already placed at each setting: a variety of sushi (vinagered fish with rice) and sashimi (raw fish) greeted us and as we tucked in, we realized how fresh and delicious it was. This was only the start of a string of dishes that were served to each of us in individual servings (as opposed to the family style meal we had consumed a few days ago in Living Bar). And so we went through noodle soup with fresh fish in a clear broth, a whole roasted sardine served with green tea flavored vinegar, roasted eggplant with roast Kobe beef topping it (melt in the mouth tender), a plate of tempura featuring fresh vegetables and a whole tiger prawn, a bowl of brown rice, a container of miso soup and finally a plate of fresh melon and a red bean paste cake—everything was uniformly good but the fish was the star of the show. Needless to say, we savored every morsel.

During dinner, thank-you speeches were made and gifts were exchanged and all housekeeping matters were settled—it was time to say how sad we were to bid goodbye to the nice professors we had met during the week. They had shared their knowledge and their passion for their scholarly endeavors so generously with us that we felt sorry to bid them goodbye.

But as all good things must come to an end, our workshop on Medieval and pre-Modern Japan has ended—at least the formal lectures and discussions are over. We now await the crowning experience: a visit to the Buddhist monastery of Mount Koya-San which we will undertake tomorrow…but I shall let you know all about that then.

Meanwhile, sayonara from Kyoto.

Nary a Dull Moment in Nara & Taking Tea with a Buddhist Abbess

Jun26

Nara, Japan

Today was all about superlatives: biggest, tallest, oldest, holiest. It was a day for exploring some of Japan’s most sacred Buddhist sites and to marvel at the devotion and artistry that made such construction possible.

We were all excited about visiting Nara—a compulsory stop on any Japan itinerary—kind of like visiting the Taj Mahal when one is in Delhi. So, although we are still waking up in the Land of the Rising Sun sooner than the sun itself, thanks to remnant jetlag, we raced through showers and got ourselves downstairs to the Dining Hall for another good breakfast—rice flavored with nori seaweed, a selection of French rolls and pastries, orange marmalade, butter, strawberry jam, fresh grapefruit, salad, soup (I tried the Chicken soup today and found it pleasantly boosting).

By 8.00 am, the lot of us was in a large coach hurrying our way out of Kyoto and on the highway towards Nara. But before we arrived there, we stopped at Horyu-ji, an important religious and historic site at which point our incredible guide Monica Berthe took over.

Exploring Horyu-Ji Temple:

After one has explored a few houses of worship of a particular religion, one kind of knows what to expect and look for: like the Mihrab in a mosque, the cathedra in a Gothic cathedral. So too, having already seen the most significant of Japan’s Buddhist places of worship in Kyoto, we know to expect to find the twin guardians called Ah (Open Mouth) and Um (Closed Mouth) at the entrance of the shrines. Tori or entrance gateways, usually in vermillion, denote the point of entry into the sacred precinct. Here at Horyu-ji, we gazed upon ancient wooden structures that go back to the Heian Period (about a thousand years ago). While each temple boasts into own distinctive feature, Horyu-ji’s specialty is its striking pagoda that towers above in five levels, each representing one of the earth’s elements.

Our guide Monica explained that the pagoda’s construction is based on a single tall wooden post (cut from an obviously tall tree) that is driven into the ground. The floors are then ‘hung’ from it to fan outwards: a particularly clever way to create tall structures that roll gently from side to side in a land that is plaqued regularly by earthquakes. Apparently derived from Indian sources, the pagoda as a form of Buddhist religious construction is now firmly associated with the Far East. This particular pagoda at Horyu-Ji is the world’s oldest wooden religious building and yet it wore its age lightly. As we moved from one door to the next, we peered into the darkness to see clay images from the life of the Buddha paced under grottos. One depicted the Reclining Buddha in metal—the Buddha on his death bed.

Right opposite the pagoda in a Hall of Worship were ancient representations of the Buddha covered by elaborate canopies and surrounded by Bodhisattvas and Guardian figures. I was heartened to see these monuments mobbed by Japanese students of all ages who were being led in incredibly disciplined fashion by their escorts and chaperones–most dressed in suits and pill box hats that would any contemporary stewardess a run for her money. These field trips, I was told, are meant to create in them an awareness and appreciation for their nation’s grand heritage.

On to Chugu-Ji Nunnery:

A short stroll later, we were entering the hallowed precincts of Chugu-Ji Nunnery where we were in for a very special treat: Tea with the Mother Abbess, an 83- year old Buddhist priestess who runs the convent with the aid of a single novice, a singularly beautiful young nun who spoke pergfect English with the hint of a British accent. The fact that she has taken tonsure (her first vows) was evident in her shaved head. Monica served as guide as she explained that following in the tradition of Prince Shotuku’s mother who had popularized the concept of becoming a Buddhist nun almost a thousand years ago, this nunnery was created for a princess of the Japanese imperial family of the late 19th century who had entered the convent and ended up running it. In keeping with her regal stature, the inside of this princess’ home that we visited was functional but also decorative: birds and flowers adorned the walls, shjoji screens provided light and privacy, tatami mats underfoot made floor coverings that were comfortable to our sock-ed feet. The entrance to these private female quarters were via the kind of long wooden arched corridors as we had seen yesterday at Ninna-Ji Temple: the ones I have grown to love and that romanticize for me the austere life of a Buddhist nun. Within these precincts is a very holy and very ancient sculpture of the Thinking Buddha, seated with one leg across the other knee, his hand just before his chin in a gesture of contemplation. It makes this nunnery attractive to tourists and Buddhists scholars alike. While visitors are not normally allowed to go too close to inspect this ancient sculpture, special concessions were made in the case of our group as the scholarly guides who lead us raised funds for its conservation. Thus, we were permitted to encircle it in order to examine its features more closely. I particularly love the frilly skirts that fan around the Buddha in lyrical fashion as he is poised upon the lotus petals.

Traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony with the Mother Abbess:

This little excursion was followed by an invitation to Tea with the Mother Abbess of the convent, an 83 year old woman who was beautifully dressed in a rich purple kimono and crisp, white pyjamas reminiscent of the costume of Buddhist monks. Although she did not speak any English, she was able to communicate with us through an interpreter. Most graciously, she led us to an inner room where the traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony was performed with the assistance of a number of women who provided us with sweet refreshment in the form of red bean (azuki) cakes that created a sticky paste in our mouths. This confection was meant to be chased by Japanese matcha (unsweetened green tea) that was sipped from out of heavy earthern bowls. It was a deeply spiritual experience matched by a quenching of our need for something to nibble on.

After we had taken tea with this gracious lady, she posed for pictures with us and patiently answered our questions. Never did I dream that this educational and cultural experience in Japan would lead to the privilege of entering the sanctum sanctorum of a Buddhist convent where we were treated like royal guests and quite generously entertained. Before we left, the Mother Abbess presented us with a little souvenir of our visit with her—a colored pamphlet of the nunnery that gave details about its most precious treasures: the sculpted Buddha, a piece of embroidered silk, the inner room of the princess. We were delighted as photography was not permitted anywhere inside.

Sushi Lunch on the Coach:

It was time for more major refreshment, so we got back on the coach and stopped just five minutes later for a packed lunch: sushi boxes that are so exquisite to behold that one was reluctant to tear them open. But, of course, we did and for the next twenty minutes there was relative silence on the coach as we busied ourselves with the intricacies of eating a packed lunch while on the go. For vegetarians and non-fish eaters like Llew, there was a maki roll which he quite seemed to enjoy.

A Visit to Todadi-Ji Temple:

After a bout or two of temple-trotting, each one merges seamlessly into the next as to make it impossible to tell one from the other. So when we alighted from the coach to visit Todadi-Ji Temple, it was basically to peruse towering figures of the Amida Buddha and the Thousand Armed Buddha—both of which are carved in wood, then painted. They are so stupendous that although we could only glimpse them from behind the wired protection of a metal mesh, they were moving in the extreme. The Thousand Armed Buddha particularly is striking because he does indeed have a thousand arms–some no bigger than palms of his hands that stick out like miniature forks.

Finally, On to Nara:

It was time to get to Nara (which Monica pronounced as ‘Nurra’), the frequently visited site that dates back to the seventh century and was created to be the first permanent capital of the Japanese royal family (prior to the creation of Kyoto as a regal capital). It was the grand diocese of Buddhism and the far eastern destination of the famous Silk Road. We parked our coach in the main parking lot and joined hordes of tourists and school children on foot to see the city’s most significant landmarks.

The Koduhu-Ji National Treasure Hall (Museum):

And then the heavens opened! Rain that had been threatening to flow copiously for days but had been kept at bay by our great good fortune, came pouring down and all but drenched us at the very point when we began to cross the busy streets packed with shika (a thousand sacred tame deer) who come right up to one’s fingers sniffing for wafers that are sold by vendors on the street. With little option but to shelter under the new Museum building before we crossed the park to the Koduhuji National Treasure Hall, we lost a bit of time. But when we did brave the downpour again to seek out the entrance to the museum, it felt completely worthwhile. Inside the new museum building are the most colossal figures of the Buddha Shakyamuni, various Bodhisatavas, the Buddha Maitreya (the Coming Buddha), loads of carved wooden dragons, apsaras or celestial female dancers and innumerable monks and guardians in varied poses with the most carefully drawn-out features. It was an opportunity to discover how much Japan values her artifacts and how carefully and securely they are preserved. Entry fees of 600 yen per person seemed hugely worthwhile.

The Colossal Wonder of the Daibutsu Statue of Todai-Ji Temple:

The rain had abated somewhat by the time we emerged from out of the museum to make our way to the piece de resistanceof Nara, the Todai-Ji Shrine which is the largest wooden structure in the world and which houses the world’s most colossal Seated Buddha. In dark bronze, the figure of the Buddha is so gigantic that people ate surprised to discover that at the time of cleaning, four Buddhist priests can stand quite comfortably in the single upturned palm of the Buddha’s hand. We watched in awe—not only did we take in the Great Daibutso (Great Buddha) but also the Kokuzo Bosatsu that sits at his side–a female companion festooned in gilding. Two Tamotens or Guardians can be seen and encircled at the back. This statue is all about size and one is suitably awestruck by its dimensions. Built by order of Emperor Shomu in the 700s, the largest bronze Buddha in the world was made through eight castings using the lost wax method and was then heavily gilded—much of the gilt paint has worn out so that the Buddha today appears to be made of black ebony wood. We could easily see why pilgrims and tourists alike would throng these far reaches—the sight of this sculpture can never be easily forgotten.

Homeward Bound:

By then it was 5.00 pm and we had been instructed to return to the coach for our hour-long ride home. We were all tired but deeply satisfied by our excursion. Although the rain had dampened our enthusiasm, it did cool the place down considerably and so did nothing to quell our spirits. Deeply fulfilled by the day’s discoveries, we returned to our hotel for a bit of relaxation.

Off for a Dinner of Ramen Noodles:

Having eaten such a disappointing dinner last night, Llew and I were determined to do a bit of research this evening to find ourselves a decent eatery. Lonely Planet to the rescue: we scoured the net and discovered that one of Kyoto’s best ramen noodles place was just a few blocks from where our hotel was located in Central Kyoto.

So after Llew showered and changed and got out of his damp clothing, we strolled a few blocks away to Ippudo Nishikorji and found that many members of our party had had the same idea. About eight of them were clustered in circular fashion around a wooden bar and were slurping away from a grand bowl of noodles in broth. The gzoya or steamed dumplings stuffed with tasty meat and veggie morsels were also praised warmly by Lonely Planet and so Llew and I shared a plate as an appetizer and then ordered the House specialty: ramen noodles in a hot broth with strips of pork, mushrooms and bean sprouts. It was fairly good; but I can say, in all fairness, that I have eaten better. The gzoya, however, were probably the best I have ever had.

About an hour later, we left the restaurant and with a new colleague called Xixea from China who teaches Far East Asian Studies at nearby Fairfield University close to where we live in Connecticut, we browsed about in a book store before going off in search of Nishiki Market which happens to be really close to our hotel. However, since all of it closes at 5 pm, we have little option but to try to cram in into another day.

We had covered an enormous amount of some of Japan’s most touted monuments, so we were glad that we enjoyed them unreservedly and found the journey to this historic site most stirring.

Until tomorrow, sayonara!

It was Temples,Temples all the way…Kitano, Ninnaji, Kinkaku-Ji

Jun25

Kyoto, Japan

Hit by Migraine:
I most certainly spoke too soon when I said that jetlag hasn’t been too problematic. Well, tine zone change plus our sumptuous banquet plus the plum cocktails I consumed last night hit hard and I ended up waking at 3.00 am with what appeared to be the distinct signs of an oncoming migraine attack–which I am increasingly beginning to expect every time I cross time zones and take on a punishing sightseeing schedule. Well, despite the pill that I hastened to take, my condition grew worse–so that I spent the next three hours hopelessly nauseous. There was nothing to bring up but the biliousness was killing, my head throbbed, hot and cold flushes assailed my body simultaneously and I yawned non-stop: tell-tale signs that assure me I will be in agony for the next couple of hours.

Breakfast and Resuming Lectures:
Not surprisingly, Llew chose to awake solo at 6.30 am to get himself ready for breakfast and the walking tour that Prof. Michael Pye was going to lead our group on before we began workshop sessions at Otani University. Naturally, I bowed out of the excursion as I badly needed to catch up on my lost sleep and for the next couple of hours, I slept with the fervent hope that my attack would pass. By 8. 30 am, when I was awoken by Fay, one of our organizers, to find out how I was doing, I was indeed better. I resolved not to miss breakfast as I was starving, By 9.00 am, Llew had returned from the walking tour and joined me in the dining hall as I inhaled three small croissants with marmalade and butter and downed a soothing corn soup, salad and fresh grapefruit. Feeling quite shored up by this point, I bid Llew goodbye and took the subway alone to Otani University where my colleagues had a head start on the day. I walked into the lecture room about a half hour after Prof. Pye had begun his talk on Japanese Religions but I managed to jump right into it.

A short break later, we had a second lecture by Prof. Patricia Fister on a fascinating subject that was completely new to me: the role of Buddhist nuns in the creation of Buddhist Art in the Pre-Modern Period. Using slides, she walked us through the creative endeavors of female members of the imperial family during the Heian and into the Edo periods. I came away from the lecture completely enthralled by the contribution of an unknown segment of Japanese female society and their contribution to religious art.

Bento Box Lunch at Otani University:
We are becoming accustomed to this most Japanese of meals: the bento box with its neat compartments offering tantalizing little morsels that are arranged adroitly in the neatest, most appealing fashion. A combination of rice, fish (today it was fried salmon), steamed and pickled vegetables, a bit of steamed tofu and there you have it–a very healthy lunch that keeps us going for hours.

Off to Discover Kyoto’s Temples:
There wasn’t a lot of time to lose, so we wolfed down our meal as we sat at our desks and chatted with our colleagues and then grouped together under the guidance of Prof. Monica Berthe who is an authority, I suspect, on ALL things Japanese. We took the bus from right across the street to start our exploration at the Kitano Temple where Prof. Michael Pye was our guide.

Exploring Kitano Temple:
On the 25th day of each month, Kitano Temple comes into its own with special devotions offered to the deities to whom it is dedicated. As today is the 25th, our workshop organizers thought it would make sense to include it on our itinerary of Temple Touring–and so we joined the throngs as they passed by endless rows of vendors to the entrance of the temple which, like all Buddhist houses of worship, is divided into several smaller temple structures. We had a chance to watch the faithful at prayer, ring bells to drive away evil spirits, clap their hands twice, bow their heads, walk in Figure 8 circles through adorned hoops, purchase lucky numbers and the accompanying charms that go with them. Indeed a brisk business was being done in the temple courtyard and we watched fascinated as the devotees went through the rituals of their faith.

Then, we were making our way down the long lane lined on both sides with vendors’ make-shift stalls that formed a compelling flea market. We did not purchase anything but it was interesting to watch them sell everything from used kimonos, pottery vases and dining utensils, glass, china, porcelain, wall hangings in silk, paper fans with bamboo frames and a number of delicious eats: dried fruit, varieties of nori (seaweed), fresh fruit. But enticing as the wares were, it was a horribly hot afternoon and as the sun beat down on us in over-90 degree heat, we felt exhausted and dehydrated and I was afraid my migraine headache would return with a vengeance.

Little wonder that we stopped for a bowl of lemon-flavored shaved ice and ice-cream at a wayside stall as we simply had no energy to proceed. Others had cold Cokes or ice-cream and then, slowly, needing to be fairly rustled up like straggling cattle, we entered yet another bus for a ride to the next temple.

The Charms of Ninnaji Temple:
The next temple on our agenda was Ninnaji and boy, what a delight it was! Ninnaji is everything you think of when you utter the word ‘Japan’. A temple that dates from Heian times (meaning that it is about a thousand years old), it also served as the temple for the Japanese royal family. This meant that no pains or expenses were spared to bring the grandeur of everyday life into the sacred precincts of a temple.

We left our shoes at the entrance and in our stocking-ed feet walked across the tatami mats on long wooden covered corridors that connected small rooms to one other. Although ornamental, there was a basic minimalism about the aesthetic of these buildings–in dark wood, they are covered in tatami mats. Occasionally, the corridors which often ended in the private quarters of the women of the imperial household, overlooked gardens of which there are two distinct kinds: Dry Gardens are composed entirely of sand that is raked periodically in decorative ways, often by Buddhist nuns, as to produce uniform designs that lead the eye towards spaces beyond or enable the eye to focus on the object immediately in front of it; the second kind is Wet Gardens, i.e. ones that include a pond and are constructed around the flowing water created by gentle cascades.

Everywhere Japanese cypress trees gave the landscape the distinctive look of a Japanese garden. My London-based followers will remember how much I love the Kyoto Garden in Holland Park–well, these were similar…only much larger and lacking the proud peacocks that strut around there.Stone lanterns set into the ground provide light after dark. Rocks and stones are used to incredible advantage to trace out stone paths, walls or create spatial partitions. As we entered the most royal of the apartments (spaces in which the women were allotted private quarters and permitted to interact with one another without coming in contact with the outside world)–something like a Moghul zenana or a Turkish harem–we saw beautiful paintings in the classical style on the walls, mother-of-pearl adornment on the low slung seating and shoji screen doors that opened out into charming vistas that provided views of pagodas, tea rooms and the gentle descent of waterfalls. I could just imagine Lady Murasaki seated at her epic Tale of Genji in just such a situation–no wonder her creative juices flowed so abundantly! Needless to say, to my architectural eye, this combination of structure and garden was so delightful that I took an endless number of pictures as I tried to capture the curve of a particular roof line or the romance of a concealing screen or the shadows cast on the water by a stone island.

With difficulty, we pulled ourselves away from this sensual treat and made out way back to the entrance. We had the choice of visiting the Ryonaji Temple whose Zen rock garden is one of Kyoto’s most famous–but we did know that with just one more hour to spare before the temples closed for the day (most shut their doors at 5 pm), we had time for just one more–and I wanted to make it our piece de resistance. So, in the blazing sunshine that was hugely uncomfortable, we waited for the next bus to take us to Kinkaju-ji Temple that most people would agree is Kyoto’s most stunning single sight.

The Glory of Kinkaju-ji Temple:
Kinkaju-Ji Temple is referred to often as the Golden Pavilion and for all the right reasons. It is composed of a single double-storeyed pagoda that is completely covered in gilt and topped with a golden phoenix. It sits on its own little island surrounded by a reflecting pool that is, in turn, surrounded by Japanese cypress and cherry trees–so that no matter what the season Kinkaku-ji Temple is a stunner. It provides the perfect backdrop for pictures and I joked that it would be the perfect setting for our next Christmas picture–and so we promptly got one of our new friends to click a picture of the two of us, Llew and myself, with the golden pagoda behind us!

Apart from exclaiming at the sheer beauty of this monument, there is not much to do at this spot–we encircled the temple, climbed up a few steps that led to a hill, the highest point in the complex. And then, feeling quite wiped out by the heat, we sought the bus stop to return to the city as Kinkaku-Ji is in the northern reaches of Kyoto.

However, since Llew and I had the Day Pass for unlimited rides on the local transport services, we separated ourselves from the group and took a bus back to Kyoto Train Station as I was keen to do some window shopping.

Window Shopping and Food Sampling to our Heart’s Content:
The good thing about traveling at this stage in our lives is that we no longer feel the urge to buy anything as we keep wondering where we will accommodate it in our home! So, we are more than content to window shop and, believe me, Japan offers the most amazing opportunity to do just that. When we arrived at the Main train station, we crossed the street to enter the building that immediately offered retail therapy in the form of department stores like The Cube and Isetan. I was keen to see the Food Halls as I was aware that the Japanese have a unique way of displaying and offering eats for sale. And there they were: no two boxes were the same, no two shelves were adorned in the exact manner. Everywhere we looked we saw eats that were so unfamiliar that we had absolutely no idea what they were–and yet they were enticing and attractive because the packaging is so exquisite.

In the Food Halls on the lower floor, we were offered all manner of samplers from pickled vegetables to rice crackers. There were jellied delights that the Japanese seem to adore–some studded with real flecks of gold leaf–in mouthwatering colors and we got to sample them too. They tasted of peanuts and had the consistency of jelly–so very different from anything we have ever eaten!

A Disastrous Dinner:
But after an hour of this pastime, we decided to call it a day and entering a subway train, we returned to Shoji-Dori where our hotel is located. We still had to find a place to dine and deciding to keep it simple, we settled for Nishiki, a place that was recommended by the receptionist at our hotel. Sadly, it turned out to be the worst choice for a number of reasons: firstly, we were placed in the open courtyard at the back on a really warm and humid evening when air conditioning would have been most welcome; secondly, a noisy group of eight teenagers occupied the table right besides us and were as rowdy and raucous as you can imagine. When I inquired if we could be moved, I was informed that all other tables were reserved. When the wait staff appeared, their English was so bad and our Japanese being worse, we could only point to dishes on the menu to indicate what we wanted: Pork Ribs in Sweet Sour Sauce (turned out to be tasty but so thick with fat and crackling as to be inedible to the two of us who like our meats lean) and a bowl of what I thought would be chicken broth with buckwheat noodles but turned out to be a glutinous mess of boiled chicken chunks, eggplant and mushrooms that was so insipid and flavorless as to be equally inedible. It was not a meal to write home about and I think I should stop right here.

So that was our day: scorchingly hot but aesthetically pleasing. Ending with a terrible meal but offering all the local color of a flea market on a day when the faithful came out in droves to offer prayer and thanksgiving. A day that started with me feeling awfully under the weather but ended with me giving thanks that I had managed to find the stamina to keep going without missing a beat. If ever there was a day of unexpected contrasts, it was this one.

As we leave Kyoto tomorrow to discover Nara, we are looking forward to a day of greater fascination–here’s wishing it will be a bit cooler.

Until then…Sayonara!

Intricacies of Noh Theater, Imperial Park and a Sumptous Banquet

Jun24

Kyoto, Japan

Two days into our stay in Kyoto, jetlag is swiftly wearing off. Both Llew and I slept well although we awoke at the crack of dawn. As Llew showered, I got organized for the day. Breakfast was pretty much a repeat of the previous morning with its fine array of baked goods, sausages, salad, miso soup, white and brown rice cakes with the added punch of nori and fresh pomelo which I am truly enjoying.
We ate well, shared communal tables with workshop delegates who are already beginning to feel like old friends and then walked to the subway station to get to Otani University. Llew and I parted company after breakfast and he decided to explore Kyoto Railway Station more fully including taking a turn in famed Isetan Department Store.

Half an hour later, we were in class and listening avidly to Prof. Michael Emmerich espouse his findings on the attempts made by 16th to 19th century litterateurs to adapt The Tale of Genji into illustrated coffee table editions that contain impressive calligraphy and art work. The talk was punctuated by a vast number of black and white slides. After a short rest room break, it was the turn of Prof. Monica Berthe to talk to us briefly about the main principles of Noh and Kyogen Theater, Japan’s traditional threatrical forms. Since there was much to understand by way of sound, sight and movement, Monica kept us enthralled with her vivid explanations.

Bento Box Lunch at Otani University:
Llew did return by 12 noon and joined me in a delicious Bento Box lunch which included chicken, a sweetish rice, pickled veggies and sushi and then, without a moment, to lose, we walked briskly for about 20 minutes to get to the home of Noh Master Kawamaru Haruhisa who has been a Noh performer since the age of three and who runs the establishment with his wife and his cousin’s sons. For the next three hours, we were absorbed in a live lecture-demonstration on the art form that included his family members. There was much movement on our parts–indeed the most unusual experience was instruction in the art of stage movement using the special white tabi slippers that are an essential part of the cultural performance and which I had ordered earlier. We walked with small mincing movements on the stage in a manner reminiscent of Michael Jackson’s famous Moon Walk–dragging the weight of our bodies and alternating from one side and one hip to the next. We saw the grandeur of the elaborate costumes used on stage from close quarters as the pretty Noh Master’s wife demonstrated their complex structure and glorious textile design and weave. We watched as the Master was enrobed and bewigged to play the role of Atsumori and then were treated to a twenty minute performance of a Noh drama entitled Aoi no oe. He changed his masks expertly on stage with the assistance of his collaborators by merely turning his back to us and bending over a cloak that former a curtain to conceal the change. Overall, it was a stupendous experience and a true treat. To have the guidance of a man whose skills are so impressive answer our questions with such patience, to have the privilege of ‘dancing’ on a Noh stage that is used even today for dramatic performances, to listen to the distinctive vocal sounds produced by trained musicians as part of the show–every single component combined to make us understand the nuances of such an art form and the reasons why it has continued to flourish in Japan despite the fact that the average length of a performance is six hours!

Strolling Through the Imperial Park:
With time to spare after we finished with the Noh demonstration, Llew and I joined a group of our new friends to walk through the Imperial Park, home of the Imperial Palace. It is a vast open park land in the midst of the crowded city–Kyoto’s answer to New York’s Central Park–and it was an interesting experience to encircle the forbidding palace gates. To take a tour of the palace, one needs to obtain permission which is quite easily done. (Llew will take the tour on Friday morning when I am at workshop sessions). But since I will probably not have the time to explore it, I refrained from going into the office to get permission. Instead, we took in the neatly landscaped park with its old trees, its gravel pathways and its quiet stillness before we hopped into the subway and rode two stops back to our hotel.

Off to a Grand Reception:
We had about an hour to relax before dressing in smart casual clothing for our Welcome Reception at Living Bar, a charming semi-traditional restaurant right opposite the famous Daimaru Department store. For the next three hours, we were treated to an open bar which permitted us to try all sorts of drinks (I had a plum cocktail that was delicious) and a multi-course spread that was served family style. From nibbles (steamed edamame) to dessert (raspberry and mango sorbets), we tasted the gamut of Japanese dishes: there was a delicious fish in plum sauce, fatty pork grilled and served with salad, glass noodles with strips of sirloin, smoked salmon served with salad, roast beef strips in a piquant sauce, ‘fish rice’, bowls of steamed and sauced vegetables that were crisp and crunchy and very delicately flavored. Throughout the evening, we were regaled by jokes and anecdotes at the mike that kept us roaring and as the camaraderie flowed around the table together with the drinks, we were in fine spirits.

A five minute walk took us back to our hotel where I showered, wrote this blog and decided to call it a day as my eyelids were fairly falling by the end of my account.

Until tomorrow, thanks for following me and Sayonara!

Discovering Otani University, Byodo-In Temple, Kyoto Rail Station and Gion

Jun23

Kyoto, Japan
Jetlag did not bother us too badly last night and although we were up before sunrise hit the ancient city of Kyoto, we felt fully rested. As I busied myself getting organized for a full day, Llew watched the USA play Portugal in the FIFA 2014 World Cup and became conversant with sporting Japanese vocabulary pretty quickly!

Breakfasting in the Japanese Fashion:
By 7. 30 am, we were ready to meet and greet Workshop participants in the hotel’s dining hall and to acquaint ourselves with the mysteries of a Japanese breakfast. There was salad and miso soup (yes for breakfast!) with strips of dried omlette and nori seaweed that became rehydrated in the steaming broth–so delicious! Rice cakes wrapped with more nori, croissants, butter, marmalade, strings of cocktail sausages with mustard and ketchup and coffee with more soup (tomato, chicken, lemon) were in evidence. We ate heartily.

Off to Otani University:
Then the lot of us, introductions mostly done, were trooping off in an untidy crocodile down the side street and on to the main road to get to the Subway station (Kurasama) to make the journey to Otani University in the north of the city where the first lectures of the day were to be held. Michiko Katsura-san distributed our local public transport passes (for unlimited bus and subway travel) and we were off in the spotless, ultra-modern system in which commuters traveled in an incredibly disciplined fashion although the trains were packed. It wasn’t long before we were entering the gates of the university and finding our way into the conference room chosen for our program. Introductions were swiftly gotten out of the way and we prepared to listen to Prof. Michael Emmerich of UCLA espouse his views on ‘The Tale of Genji as World Literature’. In an extremely absorbing session that kept us fascinated, he recounted the history of the work, its early reception in the modern Western world and the long and convoluted process through which it has entered the world literary canon. Wonderfully interesting stuff. A short break was followed by a second session by Michael that included some videos of the Japanese royal family and their place in the world and then it was time for a quick lunch. Llew attended the first session but slipped away during the break to wander down the campus area with the intention of returning for lunch.

Lunch in the Japanese Style:
Bento boxes–that delightful Japanese invention–made a magical appearance. Lunch in gorgeous lacquered boxes that contained compartmentalized steamed rice, fried fish flavored with soy sauce, edamame pods, steamed vegetable, asparagus and eggplant tempura and a sweet soy bean cake materialized. Everything was delicious and very satisfying indeed. Oh and there was miso soup to wash everything down. Llew and I believe that if there is one thing this trip will accomplish for the two of us it will be the ability to eat with chopsticks like pros–a skill that has so far alluded us!

Off to the Byodo-In Temple:
Kyoto is all about temples (which is the name for Buddhist houses of worship) and shrines (the name for Shinto ones). I am certain that in the next few days we will see so many that they will all start merging seamlessly into one another as to be completely indistinguishable. The Byodo-In Temple is the grand-daddy of them all, in a sense, as it is one of the oldest (built almost a thousand years ago) and featuring heavily in the medieval Tale of Genji and The Tale of Heike (which are the focus of our study during this week).

To get to the Byodo-In Temple, we made a long journey to the town of Uji which sits in a valley surrounded by hills whose waters are so delicious as to produce wonderful tea and sake (Japanese rice wine). As we walked from the railway station at Uji to the Byodo-In, we passed through narrow village lanes that were laced with tea shops selling green tea, matcha (powdered green tea)
and green tea ice-cream. It was rather a charming entry to a beautiful temple that is being restored in stages to its original glory. Built in the Heian Period, this building is the finest example of Japanese architecture of the time. It is a fairy tale concoction of red pagoda buildings surrounding the quiet dignified beauty of a Japanese garden created around a heart-shaped reflecting pool. The main building is topped with twin phoenixes (the originals are in the adjoining museum) while gilded replicas now grace the roof line.

We were met by the curator of the Temple named Tanaka who gave us a running commentary in Japanese that was translated by our accompanying guide Monica Berthe, an American professor at Otani University who has spent forty years in Japan. We spent the next hour in the garden, strolling around the temple precincts, visiting the museum where we saw medieval wooden bodhisatavas and walls and panels painted as they were when the temple was first constructed and decorated. For a very long period of time, the venue was deserted and fell into complete destruction. Fortunately, the piece de resistance of the site, the Phoenix Hall, was retained together with the towering gilded figure of the Amida Buddha seated on a multi-petalled lotus. To enter this sanctum sanctorum, we took off our shoes and were treated to more commentary to enable us to understand the religious and artistic nuances of the venue and to drink in its solemn atmosphere.

Llew and I had visited the Byodo-in Temple in Hawai’i, a few years ago, but we were still quite taken by the beauty of this place. Although it was hot and humid, the venue held out interest and we were quite pleased to have extended time in its environs.

After taking in this final vista, our group split: some chose to return to the gift shop, others continued with Monica towards more sacred Shinto shrines in the vicinity. Llew and I were in the latter group. Badly needing a break, we stopped for green tea ice-cream cones and a sit down and then we were on our feet again. For the next couple of hours, we crossed vermillion bowed bridges, a gushing Uji River, saw two Shinto shrines (the Uji shrine) and several beautiful gardens as we traversed narrow lanes with quaint Japanese homes lining them on both sides. It was a wonderful introduction to the beauty that exists just beyond Kyoto’s urban sprawl and we enjoyed every second of it.

Examining Kyoto Railway Station:
We re-joined the group at the railway station for our return journey to Kyoto; but because I was persuaded to spend a while examining the architecture of Kyoto Railway Station, we requested Monica to direct us towards it. Happily, she accompanied us all the way to the venue where we spent almost an hour.

Now you might well wonder what could possibly be appealing enough about a railway station to warrant a whole hour’s scrutiny. Well, think Grand Central Station, New York, in the hands of I.M. Pei–on steroids! And there you have it. A glass and concrete confection that towers above your head like the fan vaulting of a Gothic cathedral–but modern, no futuristic! It was amazing. Its architect, Hiroshi Hara won the commission to design and create the station on the basis of an international competition. Highly controversial from the start, the building was disliked for the fact that it does nothing to mirror Kyoto’s rich architectural heritage; but Hara was adamant in wishing to create a new aesthetic for the city–one that would reflect the 21st century vision of the county and its people. And indeed he has more than vindicated himself.

Llew and I rode the endless escalators to get to the magic glass walkway that went all the way to the 11th floor and offered stunning views of the city of Kyoto right opposite the Kyoto Tower, a rocket-like structure that reaches out into the heavens. It presented a wonderful idea of the manner in which the city of Kyoto developed as the imperial capital in the verdant valley surrounded by misty hills. It was a grand sight indeed and we could have stayed there forever except that we had other plans.

Exploring Gion District and Pontocho:
Gion is the ‘entertainment district’ of Kyoto. Wink wink. Nudge, nudge. Call it quaint, call it charming, call it imperial. Just don’t call it Kyoto’s red light district–although that is exactly what it was and, from what I could see, what it still is. The area is best explored at dusk when night falls gently upon a culture that has been romanticized through the figures of the geisha and the maiko (apprentice geisha). As always, a district of this kind is best approached on a walking tour and Llew and I followed one provided by Lonely Planet called a Nighfall’s Walk in Gion.

Our stroll began on the steps of yet another Shrine: the Yasaka Shrine which is a vast complex of stairs, houses of worship, gardens, bells, countless white paper lanterns, thick ropes, white prayer flags knotted to a roped screen. We toured the complex from its striking red and gold exterior to the far, ancient reaches within and then, on the main road called Shimbashi, began our exploration of Gion.

We were informed that we’d be lucky if we saw a real geisha as handsome sums are paid today to be entertained by these talented and well-trained ladies of the evening. Well, luck was on our side for we walked alongside not one but two of them in full regalia as they hurried off to their next appointment. Meanwhile, we were treated to strolls in some of the most evocative parts of old Kyoto that reeked of history and mystery at the same time. Quite unutterably wonderful. Old traditional homes called ryokans now function as modest hotels, innumerable little restaurants and hostess bars were filled with beautiful women dressed to kill, a lilting narrow canal trailed willow branches into its waters while houses hugged the banks in little hidden nooks green with vegetation. The fact that lanterns were up throughout the area giving it a pretty uniformity added to the atmosphere and made us realize why, during the day such a place might leave us unaffected, while after dark, it would stir up every last nook of one’s imagination. Llew and I loved it.

Dinner of Okonomiyaki at Issen Yoshushu:
Okonomiyaki is the traditional Japanese pancake and Kyoto is famed for it. So it was not a far stretch to stretch out at a traditional little Japanese restaurant called Issen Yoshushu and treat ourselves to this delight–an omlette basically stuffed with all things Japanese: dried shrimp, Bonita (fish) flakes, scallions, ginger, beaten egg and a whole egg, loads of seaweed–all douzed in soya sauce. The end result is surprisingly delectable–a complex combination of flavors that is slightly different with each bite you take. At just 680 Yen (about $7), it was also a steal as it served as our dinner for the day at a time when we were both starving.

Satisfied by our break, it was time to try to head homeward but not before we saw Kyoto’s most famous Kabuki theater and entered the area across the Kamogawa River (which is flanked by twin promenades in the manner of Paris’ Seine) to arrive at Pontocho–twin alleys alive with restaurants, bars and shops galore. Women were dressed to the nines for a night on the town (yes, even on a Monday night) and the air was alive with possibility.

But Llew and I had walked for miles and we were finally ready to call it a day. We found our way to the Kawaramachi subway station, got off one stop later at Kurasama (but not before we made an error by taking a wrong train from the wrong station at Gion) and eventually getting home to our hotel. A good hot shower gave me my second wind and allowed me to scribble down this blog post before my doings tomorrow will quite cause all of today’s happening to vanish from my memory.

So there you have it: temples, gardens, geisha…we saw it all in one glorious if totally tiring day in Kyoto.

Until tomorrow, Sayonara.

Konnichiwa from Kyoto, Japan

Jun22

Konnichiwa from Kyoto, Japan
Kyoto, Sunday, June 22, 2014

As marathon journeys go, this one is up there. Way up there. From start to finish, it took us 41 hours to get here to Kyoto from Southport, Connecticut. Door to Door. Accomplished in stages, it involved eight full legs to make it to our hotel, The Via Inn in Kyoto on Shijo Muramachi.

–1. Car ride from Pequot Avenue to Westport Railway Station, Connecticut–courtesy of our helpful neighbor, Ken. (Reason we didn’t catch said train from Southport? There was a bomb scare at Fairfield that shut down the railroad line. Not a very good omen, one might say, for a trip halfway around the world. Still, we did not let a mere potential terrorist attack get in the way of our plans). So we were off. It was Friday, June 20 at 8.30 am.
–2. Metro-North train ride from Westport (train was pulling into platform when we got there, much to our awesome luck). One hour in virtually empty train got us to Grand Central Station in Manhattan, New York. It was Friday, June 20 at 10.30 am.
–3. NYC Airporter Ride by Shuttle Coach from Manhattan to La Guardia Airport in Queens, New York. Uneventful if very comfortable. Sun shining down on a gorgeous summer’s day in New York City. It was Friday, June 20 at 12 noon.
–4. US Airways ‘Shuttle’ Flight from New York’s La Guardia airport to Reagan Airport in Washington DC. Wine and beer served gratis on board–a rarity these days in America. Flight empty. Nice view of the Potomac and the Capitol as we landed and great view of the Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial throughout our stay at the airport. It was Friday, June 20 at 3. 15 pm.
–5. American Airlines Flight from Washington DC’s Reagan airport to Los Angeles International Airport. It was Friday, June 20 at 5.00 pm. Grand view of the Grand Canyon as we flew right above it–an experience of a lifetime. Still cursing the fact that I was so awed, I forgot to take pictures. Watched two movies in-flight: Winter’s Tale with Colin Farrel (a cute NY fantasy flic) and The Monuments Men (for the second time–liked it even more this time round). Chriselle and Robert had left that very evening for a wedding in Minnesota–so our stay at the airport was lonesome. It was Friday, June 20 at 7.30 pm (local Pacific Time which is 3 hours behind New York Time).
–6. Three hour layover at Los Angeles airport as night fell over the USA. We had been traveling already for what seemed like hours and we had still not even left the Continental USA! In the middle of the night/early in the morning of Saturday, June 21, at 1.00 am, we got into our next aircraft: a China Eastern Airlines Flight from Los Angeles to Shanghai Pudong Airport. Flight took about 13 hours and had us bored stiff. Despite fairly decent in-flight entertainment (I watched Baz Lurhman’s The Great Gatsby and liked it very much), it seemed to go on forever. Llew and I dozed on and off for about six hours and were over the sea so completely that our window seat was a total waste. We reached Shanghai at 7.00 am on Saturday, June 21.
–7. After a two hour layover in Shanghai during which time we browsed through duty free shops selling tea and silk scarves and douzed our bodies in perfume to keep our proximity to bearable to those around us, we were airborne again: this time it was China Eastern Airlines’ connecting flight to Kansai International Airport in Osaka, Japan–flight took two and a half hours during which time we had crossed the International Date Line and completely lost one whole day of our lives! Delicious breakfast in-flight saw us consume Chinese momos and a sweet pudding like concoction made of jellied azuki (red bean) paste. Very good indeed. When we arrived in Kansai airport, it was 12.10 pm on Sunday, June 22.
–8. Yet another journey in store–for we had to get from Osaka to Kyoto: this meant a shuttle ride of (get this!) almost two hours past verdant green, freshly rain-washed hills and scattered town settlements based around urban sprawl before we were deposited by MK Shuttle Service that we picked up at the counter at Osaka airport, to the door of our hotel–the Via Inn on a side street right off the busy Shijo Muramachi and Kurasama-dori intersections. We walked into our hotel lobby at 4.00 pm on Sunday, June 22 (having left home on Friday, June 20 at 8. 30 am).

So there you have it–phew! If you are exhausted just reading about this convoluted journey to Japan, just imagine what we went through enduring it. Even a seasoned traveler such as myself have broken all traveling records to make this marathon journey. Surprisingly, Llew and I were still good humored when we alighted from the shuttle and checked into out hotel–small, very neat, spotlessly clean and centrally located, it is just what the doctor ordered for 7 days’ stay in this impeccable city. We liked our little room (reminiscent of our cabin on the cruise ship same time last year) with its perfect little attached bathroom and its many amenities–including free wifi!

While Llew shaved and showered, I decided to stretch out my cramped knee caps for a mini-nap and was asleep for almost two hours before Llew woke me up to shower and get down to the lobby at 5. 30 pm. to register formally for the Workshop I have arrived here to attend. Chief Organizer Fay and another Chinese delegate (whose name I promptly forgot!) were already there. We were introduced to each other, were joined by Fay’s husband Gary and another delegate named Donna. After sitting around chatting with them for almost 45 minutes, we excused ourselves and at 7 pm, set out to find a bite to eat.

Although our hotel is very conveniently located and surrounded by eateries, it is impossible to decide where to go as all signage is in Japanese. Pictures and realistic plastic models of food in restaurant windows help but are inadequate. Stopping to ask exceptionally helpful and overly polite young ladies, we found our way to the basement food court of a department store called Actus on the busy intersection of Kurasama and Muramachi and eventually settled for an Italian place called  Kouji where we shared the most delicious Grilled Chicken with a Side Salad and a large bowl of Pasta with Bacon and Mushrooms that was divine. The waitress was quite the most enchanting little person in all of Kyoto and we were charmed. There is bowing and smiling and Japanese utterances all around us, but we are simply at a loss. All we know is that we are in the midst of some of the world’s nicest people and we are touched by their simple sincerity.

First impressions of Kyoto? It is busy, modern, young (full of a twenty-something population), hip and sparklingly clean. Not a cigarette butt to be spied anywhere although smoking is rampant. We think we will like it here very much, thank you.

We returned to our hotel at 9. 15 pm, jetlagged and very sleepy. So I shall call our first day/night in Japan a halt and remind you that almost everywhere in the world, no matter where you night be reading this, here it is already tomorrow.

Thanks for following me. Your comments would be very welcome indeed!

Sayonara!

This entry was posted on June 22, 2014, in Japan, Kyoto.

Konnichiwa from Kyoto, Japan

Jun22

Kyoto, Sunday, June 22, 2014
As marathon journeys go, this one is up there. Way up there. From start to finish, it took us 41 hours to get here to Kyoto from Southport, Connecticut. Door to Door. Accomplished in stages, it involved eight full legs to make it to our hotel, The Via Inn in Kyoto on Shijo Muramachi.

–1. Car ride from Pequot Avenue to Westport Railway Station, Connecticut–courtesy of our helpful neighbor, Ken. (Reason we didn’t catch said train from Southport? There was a bomb scare at Fairfield that shut down the railroad line. Not a very good omen, one might say, for a trip halfway around the world. Still, we did not let a mere potential terrorist attack get in the way of our plans). So we were off. It was Friday, June 20 at 8.30 am.
–2. Metro-North train ride from Westport (train was pulling into platform when we got there, much to our awesome luck). One hour in virtually empty train got us to Grand Central Station in Manhattan, New York. It was Friday, June 20 at 10.30 am.

–3. NYC Airporter Ride by Shuttle Coach from Manhattan to La Guardia Airport in Queens, New York. Uneventful if very comfortable. Sun shining down on a gorgeous summer’s day in New York City. It was Friday, June 20 at 12 noon.

–4. US Airways ‘Shuttle’ Flight from New York’s La Guardia airport to Reagan Airport in Washington DC. Wine and beer served gratis on board–a rarity these days in America. Flight empty. Nice view of the Potomac and the Capitol as we landed and great view of the Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial throughout our stay at the airport. It was Friday, June 20 at 3. 15 pm.

–5. American Airlines Flight from Washington DC’s Reagan airport to Los Angeles International Airport. It was Friday, June 20 at 5.00 pm. Grand view of the Grand Canyon as we flew right above it–an experience of a lifetime. Still cursing the fact that I was so awed, I forgot to take pictures. Watched two movies in-flight: Winter’s Tale with Colin Farrel (a cute NY fantasy flick) and The Monuments Men (for the second time–liked it even more this time round). Chriselle and Robert had left that very evening for a wedding in Minnesota–so our stay at the airport was lonesome. It was Friday, June 20 at 7.30 pm (local Pacific Time which is 3 hours behind New York Time).

–6. Three hour layover at Los Angeles airport as night fell over the USA. We had been traveling already for what seemed like hours and we had still not even left the Continental USA! In the middle of the night/early in the morning of Saturday, June 21, at 1.00 am, we got into our next aircraft: a China Eastern Airlines Flight from Los Angeles to Shanghai Pudong Airport. Flight took about 13 hours and had us bored stiff. Despite fairly decent in-flight entertainment (I watched Baz Lurhman’s The Great Gatsby and liked it very much), it seemed to go on forever. Llew and I dozed on and off for about six hours and were over the sea so completely that our window seat was a total waste. We reached Shanghai at 7.00 am on Saturday, June 21.

–7. After a two hour layover in Shanghai during which time we browsed through duty free shops selling tea and silk scarves and douzed our bodies in perfume to keep our proximity to bearable to those around us, we were airborne again: this time it was China Eastern Airlines’ connecting flight to Kansai International Airport in Osaka, Japan–flight took two and a half hours during which time we had crossed the International Date Line and completely lost one whole day of our lives! Delicious breakfast in-flight saw us consume Chinese momos and a sweet pudding like concoction made of jellied azuki (red bean) paste. Very good indeed. When we arrived in Kansai airport, it was 12.10 pm on Sunday, June 22.
–8. Yet another journey in store–for we had to get from Osaka to Kyoto: this meant a shuttle ride of (get this!) almost two hours past verdant green, freshly rain-washed hills and scattered town settlements based around urban sprawl before we were deposited by MK Shuttle Service that we picked up at the counter at Osaka airport, to the door of our hotel–the Via Inn on a side street right off the busy Shijo Muramachi and Kurasama-dori intersections. We walked into our hotel lobby at 4.00 pm on Sunday, June 22 (having left home on Friday, June 20 at 8. 30 am).

So there you have it–phew! If you are exhausted just reading about this convoluted journey to Japan, just imagine what we went through enduring it. Even a seasoned traveler such as myself have broken all traveling records to make this marathon journey. Surprisingly, Llew and I were still good humored when we alighted from the shuttle and checked into out hotel–small, very neat, spotlessly clean and centrally located, it is just what the doctor ordered for 7 days’ stay in this impeccable city. We liked our little room (reminiscent of our cabin on the cruise ship same time last year) with its perfect little attached bathroom and its many amenities–including free WiFi!

While Llew shaved and showered, I decided to stretch out my cramped knee caps for a mini-nap and was asleep for almost two hours before Llew woke me up to shower and get down to the lobby at 5. 30 pm. to register formally for the Workshop I have arrived here to attend. Chief Organizer Fay and another Chinese delegate (whose name I promptly forgot!) were already there. We were introduced to each other, were joined by Fay’s husband Gary and another delegate named Donna. After sitting around chatting with them for almost 45 minutes, we excused ourselves and at 7 pm, set out to find a bite to eat.

Although our hotel is very conveniently located and surrounded by eateries, it is impossible to decide where to go as all signage is in Japanese. Pictures and realistic plastic models of food in restaurant windows help but are inadequate. Stopping to ask exceptionally helpful and overly polite young ladies, we found our way to the basement food court of a department store called Actus on the busy intersection of Kurasama and Muramachi and eventually settled for an Italian place called  Kouji where we shared the most delicious Grilled Chicken with a Side Salad and a large bowl of Pasta with Bacon and Mushrooms that was divine. The waitress was quite the most enchanting little person in all of Kyoto and we were charmed. There is bowing and smiling and Japanese utterances all around us, but we are simply at a loss. All we know is that we are in the midst of some of the world’s nicest people and we are touched by their simple sincerity.

First impressions of Kyoto? It is busy, modern, young (full of a twenty-something population), hip and sparklingly clean. Not a cigarette butt to be spied anywhere although smoking is rampant. We think we will like it here very much, thank you.

We returned to our hotel at 9. 15 pm, jet-lagged and very sleepy. So I shall call our first day/night in Japan a halt and remind you that almost everywhere in the world, no matter where you night be reading this, here it is already tomorrow.

Thanks for following me. Your comments would be very welcome indeed!

Sayonara!

Friends, Shopping, Kyoto Gardens, More Friends, More Shopping…

Aug10


Friday, August 9, 2013
London
What do you do when you realize you have only two days left in your favorite city in the world? Do you complete the rest of the items on your sightseeing To-Do List? Do you spend them shopping for last-minute items? Do you panic that you will exceed baggage weight allowance and end up paying heavy charges? Do you fill it seeing friends whose contact with you makes your life more meaningful?  Well, in my case it was all of the above.
            So when I awoke at 8.00 am after a hellish night during which I stayed wide awake until 3.00 am listening to the bongs from the clock on St. Paul’s Cathedral and regretting the caffeine- laden chocolate drink I had consumed, last thing at night, from Paul’s, I skipped Mass and began to plan my day, literally hour-wise, as I had so much to pack in.
           
Breakfast with a Dear Friend at St. John’s Wood:
I showered and skipped breakfast and took the Tube straight to St. John’s Wood and walked briskly to Gail’s, the coffee shop at which I had plans to meet my friend Marilyn. Marilyn had been away from London for the past three weeks and had only just returned—hence the late date for our first meeting. Talking of Gail’s, have you noticed how many coffee shop chains have sprouted all over London, each better than the next? These Londoners are simply spoiled for choice—and every single one is packed so the economy had better be booming.
            Marilyn arrived ten minutes later but since we wanted someplace quieter to catch up in, we stepped next door into French Café Richoux which has the best pastries in town. Since it was breakfast time, we opted for something more sensible–she had Eggs Benedict sanssmoked salmon which I was quick to gobble and I had French Toast with an Americano. It was delicious but not as delicious as our long chinwag during which we found out all the exciting things that have happened in our lives since last we met a year and half ago, also in London. Marilyn was one of the close friends I had made during my life in London and she is someone I have clung to as I have gained nothing but wisdom, comfort and entertainment from our friendship.
            But then it was time to say goodbye and to get on with other items on my agenda.   
  
Shopping…
A bus from Wellington Road took me straight to Oxford Street where I found the side entrance to Mark sand Sparks—exactly the place I was seeking. I was in and out in a jiffy as I knew exactly what I wanted: my year’s supply of cotton undies. And from the Food Hall in the basement, two bars of their scrumptious Battenburg Cake which Llew and I love. Excess Baggage or not, I am going to have the room and the weight allowance for these!
An Errand at Victoria:
From the same bus stop at which I had alighted, I jumped into the 82 bus then headed to Victoria as I had a small errand to accomplish. I have been commissioned the submission of an essay on the new Shakespeare portrait that was unearthed a few years ago in Ireland and which is now considered the only definitive portrait for which he actually posed in his lifetime—and therefore, the most authentic likeness we have of him.  
A few days ago, when passing in a bus, I had spied the use of this portrait on the sign post of The Shakespeare Pub at Victoria and since I wish to illustrate my essay with a picture to indicate that this portrait is now so widely acknowledged as Shakespeare’s own that even pubs are using it, I wished to take pictures of it.          
So with my camera carefully recording it, I composed my pictures from all sides of this corner pub and when I was satisfied with the quality of my pix, I hopped on to the Tube at Victoria and headed for my favorite part of London. I got off at Holland Park and found my way to the entrance from the North side—I usually approach it from the Kensington side.
The walk from the South side approach was lovely—flowers were in full bloom in the gardens and the shady paths that led to the center were just delightful on this particularly temperate morning in London.   
Lingering in my Favorite Spot in London:
            So knowing London as well as I do, I guess if someone had to ask me what my favorite spot in the entire city is, I would answer without a second’s hesitation. So it was somewhat inexplicable, even to me, that I had not yet found the time to linger there until my second-last day in the city. I will keep you out of suspense by disclosing that what I mean is the amazing Kyoto Garden in Holland Park. I mean where else in a city would you see masses of azaleas blooming in vivid colors in the spring? Where could you tune the rest of the world right out as you listened to the soothing sounds of a tumbling cascade accumulating foamy water in a rock pool filled with giant koi? Where could you linger as peacocks, yes peacocks, came to say Hello and rewarded you with glimpses of their stunning tail feathers? Where could you pause to appreciate the calming qualities of Zen minimalist landscaping design? I have done all of the above in the gardens that were gifted to the UK by the Government of Japan. It amazes me that this place is not mobbed—but thank goodness it isn’t. I have the happiest memories of whiling away the hours grading my students’ papers on the stone benches of this garden while glancing occasionally at herons darting into the pool. I also have happy memories of introducing Chriselle to this memorable spot—a spot she too grew to love—as we chased peacocks for pictures on the park’s lawns.
            So naturally, I stopped there to relive those happy memories at the fag end of my London stay. I nibbled on my lunch—Carluccio’s take-out offerings. Savoring them quietly, I paused to give thanks for a brilliant month that will always remain in my memory as a marvelous time for self-reflection and self-growth in a city I adore.
           
Reliving the Romance of a TV Show:
            Then, because I was in Holland Park, I left the Kyoto Gardens behind me and arrived in the Orangery. The Belvedere Restaurant by Marco Pierre White, one of London’s best-regarded chefs, was right beside me. Since I hadn’t clicked any pictures from the terrace on the evening I was at the party thrown by my friends the Harveys, three weeks ago, I asked permission of the receptionist to do so this time. She readily agreed and up I went to the terrace which overlooks the formal Italianate Garden in which key scenes from my favorite TV show of all time were shot: As Time Goes By. This is the scene in which a young Lionel Hardcastle (Geoffey Palmer) meets a young Jean Pargiter (Judi Dench) for the first time and asks her the way to Curzon Street. I clicked a few pictures there as well as ones of the bench on which Jean pauses during her lunch break when she encounters a breathless jogger.
Yes, yes, I know I am quite quite hopeless when it comes to ATGB so you must forgive me my idiosyncratic excesses; but coming to Holland Park is always for me, a pilgrimage of sorts in the same way that Beatles devotees go to the crosswalk on Abbey Road and pose for pic there. See the similarity? So I am not that cracked after all, right?
More Shopping:
            Using the more conventional exit by which I USUALLY leave Holland Park, I arrived at Kensington High Street. This gave me the opportunity to check out a couple of thrift stores before I crossed the street and went to Waitrose to buy my stock of Ainsley Herriot powdered soups that are a staple in the Almeida household and much loved by Llew and me. With a dozen packets in my possession, I left my favorite pantry in the world and hopped on a bus again.
Off to Buy A ‘Stick’:
I rode it all the way to Bloomsbury as the next item on my To-Do List was buying myself a good quality umbrella from James and Co. at Bloomsbury, one of the oldest ‘stick’ shops in the country. Indeed it was in business at a time when gentlemen carried walking sticks—then a most fashionable accessory. Today with walking sticks no longer de rigeur, the shop sells umbrellas and very expensive ones too with fancy carved handles, real crocodile skin embellishment and sturdy frames as only the English can make them. I was fed up of the el cheapoJapanese ones that bend at the slightest sign of a wind so procuring a good umbrella was on my list.
            Alas, I did not find one that was pretty enough for my liking. I particularly wanted one with beige tones to match my Burberry trench raincoat and not finding anything appealing enough, I sadly walked out of the store empty handed. Perhaps on my next trip to London, I shall find the right one for which I will not mind forking out 100 pounds or more!
An Errand at NYU and the Post Office:
            Well, at that point my day went downhill. I decided to stop briefly at NYU to find out how much I owed for the mailing of my printed material to the States only to find that my box was still sitting in the mail room and hadn’t been send off. This meant an unexpected trudge to the Post Office at Holborn with Mark, our porter, to get rates and when we discovered how expensive it was to ship by surface through Royal Mail, we balked and decided to use the courier service instead.
So we trudged back to Bedford Square and Mark promised me that the parcel will be couriered first thing on Monday. I can only hope all my books, notes and other research material will reach me intact and soon.
Tea with Roz:
            It was almost 5,00 pm and I was late by half an hour for my cuppa with my friend Roz on Tottenham Court Road. I had left my jacket at her home in Battersea and she had kindly brought it to work for me to pick up. We planned to have a cuppa for the last time before my departure and seeing how distressed I was over my parcel, she marched me off to Yumcha for a pot of Chelsea Chai. And sitting and chatting with her and laughing at little things as we often do, my distress became a thing of the past. It was just wonderful to sit in (yet another) coffee shop and shoot the breeze with one of my dearest friends in London—probably for a very long time to come.
Home Finally:
            I said goodbye to Roz, got on the Tube at Goodge Street and headed back to Amen Court. I had wanted a short rest before I left for my evening’s dinner appointment, but the NYU wild good chase had delayed me. So all I had time to do was freshen up and change and leave the house again for my 6. 45 pm appointment with Bande Hassan, Llew’s former colleague and now close family friend.
Dinner with a Dear Friend:
            I took the Tube to Marble Arch and met him at Portman Square as decided and we strolled the couple of block to the London Hilton Hotel where the famous Italian restaurant Locanda Locatelli is located. We were soon joined by Kiran, yet another of his invitees, and then we gave ourselves up to the fun and relaxation of a great evening in superb company with amazing cuisine. Service, as befits a great restaurant, was impeccable and my red prawn risotto with zucchini flowers were perfect. For dessert I had a chocolate fondant with a pistachio sauce center served with “milk ice-cream” while also nibbling on the selection of sorbets ordered for the table: passionfruit and apricot, strawberry, apple. Delightful! Indeed, Locanda Locatlelidoes not have its great reputation for nothing and we were fully satisfied.
            It was about 10.00 pm, when I bid goodbye to my host and thanked him for his generosity. He and Kiran walked me to the Tube and I was home by 10. 15 pm and in bed by 11.00 after what had been a day of purposeful agenda completion—but above all, a chance to meet my London friends without whom my stays in this city are simply not the same. I had started and ended my day with good friends and to me that was made it exceptional.
            Until tomorrow, cheerio!

Exploring the Border Town of Thakilek, Burma

Jul12

 

 (At the border between Thailand and Burma, there is a huge sign that announces one’s entry into the Union of Myanmar) 

After posing for a number of pictures, we left Sop Ruak behind us and proceeded north to Mae Sai, the northern-most town on the border of Thailand. Though this is rather a one-horse town, it is distinctive for the numbers of Burmese traders who cross the border daily to hawk their wares in Thai markets. Of course, we could not resist the thought of crossing the border physically into the Union of Myanmar, a very easy walk across a narrow bridge where Immigration formalities are carried out.

Thailand_Dsc05291

 The picture above shows the murky waters of the river across which is constructed the access bridge that gets visitors over from Thailand into Burma. No fanfare, no fuss. Once immigration formalities are carried out (something of a challenge if you don’t speak Burmese!), you walk right across into Burma. Don’t allow yourself to feel intimidated by the army presence in the hordes of soldiers milling around and the imposing portraits of army generals on the walls of the Immigration Office. For the most part, service is courteous and prompt even if communication of any kind is non-existent.

Obtaining a Burmese visa at the border crossing, we proceeded on foot into the Burmese town of Thakilek and found it to be not much different from Mae Sai. In the middle of a bustling roundabout was a huge billboard announcing international flights by Air Bangan, Burma’s flag carrier. Traffic seemed orderly enough and, at first sight, there seemed little difference between any small Thai town and this Burmese border settlement.

Thakilek advertises itself as the City of the Golden Triangle as most visitors heading towards the farthest reaches of Thailand pass through this town. Though it hasn’t much to say for itself, it does present the tourist the interesting opportunity to cross borders and enter into a world that has remained sheathed for almost a quarter of a century. Because it is rather difficult for Western tourists to obtain visas to Myanmar from their coutnry of origin, the foot route into Burma from Thailand offers a unique opportunity to glimpse one of the least-known parts of Asia. For a mere five dollars, one gets the exotic stamp of an infrequently explored country on one’s passport–another small bit of excitement to warm the cockles of any avid traveler’s heart!

If ambience and a distinctively old Burmese “Road to Mandalay” kind of atmosphere is what your toursist heart craves,  there is a striking blue pagoda of a Buddhist monastery in Thakilek and on exploring the town further, I found it to be rather well laid out. The “City of the Golden Triangle” finds  its greatest revenue comes from tourist buses that cross over from the Thai side to buy cheap souvenirs to remember their visit.

 Bon Voyage!

 

 

 

Chiang-Mai & Chiang-Rai: Last Leg of our Travels in Thailand

Jun15

(Traditional Thai farmers seen hard at work in the rice paddies iof Northern Thailand)

Then we flew north to the Lanna town of Chiang-Mai, referred to as the “Rose of the North”. A much quieter town that Bangkok, Chiang-Mai is full of local color and character, most of which comes from the number of hill tribes for whom the northern mountain chains have been home for centuries. These colorful people, members of the Akha, Lau, Lisu, Padong, Karen and other tribes, still wearing their traditional costumes, crowd the markets, hawking their wares in the form of wooden and lacquer handicrafts, toys, cotton bags and silverware.

Our base in Chiang-Mai, the beautiful Hotel Empress (left) on Changklan Road, was a dream and as we entered its marvelously elegant lobby, we felt a sense of luxury settle about our shoulders. It was in Chiang-Mai, a much more relaxed leg of our journey, that I found the time to take soothing dips in the hotel pool and relax by the poolside.

Everyone had told us about Chiang-Mai’s colorful Night Market and we explored it on our first day in town, buying a lovely array of silk and cotton garments, local Thai wooden toys, beautifully luxurious Thai silk scarves and lacquer bangles from the local folks. The markets also held a variety of footwear, silverware, wall hangings and other decorative items. Bargaining was a required skill in negotiating the best prices and, before long, we became rather adept at it ourselves.
For both nights that we spent in Chiang-Mai, we ate dinner at the Night Market, feasting on cheaply priced Vietnamese Pho (a noodle soup that is a one-dish meal), Chicken and Pork Satays served with spicy peanut sauce and large Prawns Grilled with Garlic and Pepper to create tongue-tingling flavors that we washed down with the very good Thai Singha beer. There were also a number of fresh fruit juices easily available including the exotic passion fruit juice and refreshingly cold coconut water that was obtained by sipping from “young coconuts” through a straw.

Chiang-Mai’s biggest tourist attraction is Doi Suthep (left), a Buddhist wat situated high up on a mountain that is approached by a narrow winding road. Our guide Nong with whom we drove up to the heights of the mountains showed us the solid gold chedi or pagoda, the gold-filigreed chatris or umbrellas that flank the four corners of the chedi, the ornate wihan, fragrant with the burning of joss sticks and many replicas of Buddhas in various graceful poses. The decoration of this wat was so spectacular that one didn’t quite know what to notice.

Most striking of all the images that one encoutners in Doi Sutep is the Emerald Buddha (left), a replica of the one found in the Wat attached to the Royal Palace in Bangkok. Flanked on both sides by more ornate statuary, this Buddha is one of the most sacred of the guises in which the Buddha is found in Thailand. The air was fragrant with joss sticks as we walked around to see the Buddha from every angle.

There is an interesting legend that surrounds the construction of this temple. King Ku Naa of the 13th century placed a relic from the collarbone of the Buddha upon a white elephant’s back and set it free to select the spot upon which a stupa would be constructed to house the sacred item. The elephant left Chiang-Mai and started its journey, climbing the highest reaches of the Doi Suthep mountain. After three days and nights, he signaled the spot by trumpeting and turning thrice and then fell down and died. King Ku Naa not only built the stupendous gold chedi to house the relic, but he also created a replica of the white elephant to be honored by generations of devotees. Today, thousands of pilgrims climb Doi Suthep by using the magnificent Naga or Snake Staircase that has 360 steps to the top. For the benefit of those not wanting to make the climb, there is a funicular railway which, for just 20 baht, will whisk you up to the top in minutes.

I used the funicular to get to the peak, but took the staircase on the way down, astonished by the thousands of colorful ceramic pieces that gave the staircase its color and durability. Temple bells were seen in abundance around the wat’s precincts and prayer wheels were turned by the faithful each time they uttered a prayer. Everywhere in the north, the heart of Lanna territory, beautiful doors carved in expensive teak wood feature Lanna dancers with elaborate head-dresses and fine costumes. We enjoyed the views of Chiang-Mai from the top of the mountain and the mist-shrouded hills on the way up and down made the entire trip highly evocative of Thailand’s past. At the foot of the mountain, we took a side trip to the Orchid Jade Factory where we watched a film on the selection and cutting of jade for the creation of decorative figurines and jewelry and saw skilled artisans at work.

Deciding to see the rest of Chiang-Mai on our own, using local transport, I summoned a tuktuk driver to pick us up at our hotel to take us on a city sight seeing tour. He arrived on schedule and despite the fact that communication was problematic everywhere, he performed very competently indeed showing us the ornate Wat Phan Do, the ancient ruins of Wat Phra Sing, a monk’s initiation ceremony at Wat Chedi Luang and the beautiful Wat Chiang Man whose chedi is surrounded by stone elephant heads. Interestingly, the wihan houses two tiny but very significant statues—the Crystal Buddha dating from 2,500 years and a Marble Buddha dating from 1,800 years. Stopping only for lunch in a tiny restaurant where we sampled Northern Thai cuisine, influenced greatly by Burmese cooking styles, we ate Green Papaya Salad seasoned with Thai Nam Pla or Fish Sauce and Glass Noodle Salad with Chicken Sausages.

Then, Nim, our tuktuk driver took us to see the amazing number of handmade crafts for which the area is known. We started off by exploring the Thai Silk Village where we saw the incredible creation of pure silk from the very first stage to the last. We witnessed tiny silkworms feeding on mulberry leaves, spinning cocoons in which the eggs are laid but not allowed to hatch. As live silk moths fluttered around us, we saw how the cocoons are harvested. After the silk fibers have been spun around the cocoons by the worms, human beings spin them into spools of pure silk thread that are finally woven on hand looms into lengths of pure Thai silk. The entire process was so fascinatingly described and demonstrated that by the end of it we fully understood the time, effort and backache that goes into the making of a single silk scarf or shawl. Needless to say, silk products were on sale at hefty prices, most of which we passed up completely.
Our next foray was into a gems cutting factory where we saw the manufacture of expensive jewelry and wall pictures. Finally, Nim took us to a handicrafts outfit where we watched the making of Thailand’s traditional umbrellas from rice paper that is painted and then lacquered and used for interior decoration as wall pieces. Everywhere we went, we were treated with the utmost courtesy and made to feel like valued guests in the finest traditions of Eastern hospitality. Indeed, our four hour tuktuk ride that cost us a mere 300 baht provided far more atmosphere that would an air-conditioned vehicle and we were glad we opted for this method to see Chiang-Rai, its noisy Warorot Market and its canal that runs the length of the city and was built by King Meghrai to keep out Burmese invaders.

Chiang-Rai—Last Leg of our Travels:

Our next long excursion was to Chiang-Rai which we reached an hour later. Upon reaching the city, we were delighted to find that our accommodation was the exclusive Legend Boutique Resort and Spa on the very banks of the Mee Kok River in an absolutely idyllic setting. Our “room” was an individual villa with its own patio that came complete with swing and garden furniture. Sinking into the air-conditioned luxury of our room, we treated ourselves to the tea and coffee thoughtfully provided and later went out in search of dinner to the lovely wihan-style dining hall where we partook of delicious dishes that were very comfortably priced as a Country and Western singer strummed his guitar and sang some old favorites for our listening pleasure. We were sure we would have a totally luxurious time in this spa hotel and we planned to treat ourselves to the relaxing pleasures of traditional Thai massage offered by the well-trained masseuses in the spa. We made appointments for the next day and went to bed under the romantic drapes of mosquito nets that hung from four poster beds.

Our excursion, the next day, by local bus transport for just 22 baht each, took us to Doi Tung, a mountain resort that was chosen by the Queen Mother as the spot upon which to build a Swiss-chalet style house and English-style country gardens reminiscent of the home in Switzerland in which she had lived for many decades and raised her children. At the foot of the mountain, we transferred into a mini-bus that for just 75 baht each took us up to the mountain and back. We were joined by two English sisters, Donna and Tanya, who shared our vehicle and talked to us about their wide travels in South East Asia. Once up on the mountain, my Mum Edith and myself, both passionate gardeners, lost ourselves in the wonders of the Mae Fah Luang Gardens (ab0ve left) which were in full bloom and created such a spectacular set of sensuous delights. We took countless pictures among the coleus, dahlias, roses, hollyhocks, orchids and petunias that were planted in tiers on the mountainside in an absolutely ingenious landscaping design. Sculptures, waterfalls, rock gardens, etc. added to the atmosphere of this wondrous place and made for some very soothing hours indeed. The gardens employ an army of staff to keep them sprucely tended and we saw so many gardeners working like busy bees to make sure that not a petal was out of place in those vast environs. We did not visit the Swiss chalet-like villa of the Queen Mother as we had dallied for long in the gardens.
Then, we were driving down the winding mountain road once again and arriving at the base of the range from where we took another local bus and returned to the city center. A tuktuk ride dropped us back at our hotel just in time for a relaxing swim in the kidney shaped pool and our massages that were administered by very ably trained masseuses under mosquito nets on the river banks. In the expert hands of these women, we relaxed our cares away, closed our eyes and gave ourselves up to a pampering that included acupressure techniques and yogic poses in the ancient traditional science that has been practiced and popularized in Thailand for generations. Later that evening, as we sipped soothing ginger and lemongrass tea, we felt so light—as if the weight of the ages had been lifted from our shoulders.
That evening, our last in South East Asia, we enjoyed more live music in the restaurant as we ate Red Snapper Fillets in Black Bean Sauce over Noodles. Our breakfasts had been so gargantuan in the mornings that we had eaten only very light lunches, leaving ourselves ample opportunity to try out local cuisine at sit-down diners which were always superbly cooked and presented.

Conclusion:
Our visit to South East Asia was a wonderful introduction to a culture that was completely alien to us. We learned a great deal about the rituals associated with Buddhism and about the attitude of the local people towards religion, modernity, family values, etc. Thai Airways, that we used for our entire trip, were just amazing in the quality of the service offered, the graciousness and kindness of the cabin and ground crew, and the ease with which we transitted through countries and cultures. Because Thailand has never been colonized, the native culture has remained unadulterated by exposure to the West. Thus, English is spoken almost nowhere in Thailand except by hotel receptionists. This, of course, is not the case in Singapore, where English is widely-spoken, though heavily accented. Food, in this part of the world, if you are inclined towards the ferocity of spice and the soothing coolness of coconut milk, is a marvelous conglomeration of flavors achieved through the use of exotic condiments, herbs and spices such as tamarind and lemongrass, galangal and garlic, kaffir leaves and coriander root, not to mention the ubiquitous chillis that come in bright red and green.
As always, it was the desire to please among the local people that impressed us the most. They are proud of their heritage and eager to share it with the rest of the world. Despite what has been written about the tendency to cheat among people in Bangkok, we found everyone honest and straight-forward. There is little visible poverty in this part of the world though there are few signs of affluence. People seem to have the basics—clean air, clean streets and enough food to go around. Water cannot be drunk straight from the taps in Thailand but must be purchased.
In the final analysis, South East Asia provided a feast for the senses. We responded to all the stimulation offered us and hope to return to partake once more of all the promises of this unusual and very fascinating civilization.
Bon Voyage!