During my business trip to Kyoto I got one afternoon to spend in the city on my own. I had gotten a lot of suggestions of what to do from colleagues who have spent a lot of time in Kyoto. I chose to go to the buddhist temple Kiyomizu-dera. This temple is situated on the hillside, with a stunning view, west of the city center. It was of course the fact that there was a view that I wanted to visit this site. The first thing I usually do in a new city is to find the highest point.
As always in Japan the area is very well organized and tidy and the temples are kept in very good shape. I almost got the feeling that the temples were built just recently instead of about 400 years ago (the original temples were from the 8th century but were destroyed).
As I was strolling down from the temple area I walked through the Gion district where the Geishas used to be at that time. The Gion district is partly kept in old style with a lot of restaurants and you can see a lot of women walking around in kimonos. It is a beautiful area with small houses and extremely well kept gardens.
By the river down town Kyoto the restaurants build terrasses every year in the summer where it is lovely to sit outside and have dinner or just beers.
When I was walking by myself in Kyoto this afternoon I got an urge to travel again and now I mean a holiday not work. I just love these kinds of slow days when you just see what happens and where you will end up. You have no fixed plans, you just see where life is taking you.
Life…