KYOTO

this is the cute resturaunt that we ate at twice becuase it was one of the only places open early, it was well priced, it was tasty, and it was right next to the kyoto station.
this is a big temple way up the side of the mountain that we "hiked" up. there were all sorts of stores and graveyards on the way up.
another shot of the same temple, but with me in it.
this is another big temple at the bottom of that hill/mountain. to the side there was this gift shop/clerk thing. it looked like people were there to do business or something. maybe registering births and deaths with the temple?
some of the graveyard that we walked past on the way up
the river that runs through the city. it reminds me of kenshin (anime) like when he's walking home with tofu and that guy bumps into him and makes him mess it up.
it seems that all religions provide a sense of hope for their followers.
yes, it's blurry. this is the place we had dinner, it was good and had a very authentic atmosphere!

and finally, the reason we went: the fire festival! it's several hundred meters across and on the side of a mountain. you could see the flames, so you knew that the individual fires where really big!