i cried a lot

the bamboo forest the moss garden

the Very Important Moss

the temple at the end

they were perfect

peeking into the garden

he was drawing the path

and i love sunshine

i love forests

the cat i met

the secret garden

i love trees

we took a detour

we saw a cat

on the path of philosophy

there were lilly pads

pretty flowers

looking up

the view we saw from way up there

steps to the pagoda

she sat on a hill by a waterfall

a graveyard at the temple

the temple gardens at the beginning of the path

the carp

may 6th

We went to find the path of philosophy.
To Kyoto that is.
This time we took a bus.
It didn't take too long.
I got up for a man and his son and they smiled at me.
We started at the beginning.
At the beginning there is a temple surrounded by trees.
It has a large garden and a winding wooden staircase that you walk up to get to a pagodda (those mysterious beasts).
From way up there you can see everything.
We were in the mountains.
In the temple there were beautiful paintings on the walls.
They were old and new.
There was a statue of a woman who was waiting for a man who carried her on his back.
There was a pond full of big fat carp.
We walked on.
The path is small and covered with trees.
We saw a cat and an abandoned cafe that reminded me of the secret garden and a man drawing.
It was more like a stroll.
It was a beautiful day.
We stood on the hill and peered into a garden.
Near the end on the path was another temple.
There was a bamboo forest but it was closed. We thought it best not to break in but decided we knew we could. Forests aren't supposed to close.
There were big gardens with things made out of sand that reminded me of those little kits you can buy in a box that are supposed to be miniturized zen gardens and they come with a sandbox and a little package of sand that you pour in the box and a little rake that you use to make designs in the sand and its supposed to bring you peace and calmness and all that stuff.
All that sand made me think of the beach which made me think of squishing sand between my toys which gave me the urge to squish the sand with my toes which made me think of squishing sandcastles and how much fun that is and the urge to run all over and destroy their perfect zen was immense but then i thought of how david and aaron use to always break my sandcastles and then i felt bad.
I told David I felt like squishing thier castles and he said i was crazy and it was too cool for school.
We set off to get something to eat.
We walked for a long time.
We got lost.
We took the wrong bus to the end of the line.
We got the right bus and were back by the little street.
There is a canal with back porches lit up by lanterns.
All the restaurants were very expensive.
So we settled on a little spanish restaurant where we sat inside and ate paella.
We got a drink and sat by the river watching a girl playing the guitar and singing.
She had a beautiful voice.
In Hiroshima there was another girl who was sitting by another river singing and playing her guitar.
And she had a beautiful voice too.
We walked to that station and took the train home.
And that was the end.

The next day i went to work.
David stayed until the 10th but he didnt do much... one day he went to osaka.
The night before he left we went to the red spanky and they showered him with gifts.
Tach gave him a traditional costume that he wore when he was younger boots and all.
It was the same as the ones we saw them wearing in tokyo during the festival where they were carrying the small temples on their shoulders.
David wore it the whole night.
Tommy and the owner gave him t-shirts.
Dave tried all the japanese alcohol.
Mamiko paid.
I woke him up at 7:00 and he was still drunk.
We left at 9:00 and he wasn't too happy.
We went to the airport and his last meal was Macdonalds (just like maggie's).
He had lots of time to get his flight.
I hugged him and my chin did that wavery thing.
I watched him through the big window as he went through the gates and walked down the esculator.
And he waved goodbye and i waved goodbye.
And when he was gone i cried and cried and cried until i got home and then i cried some more.