Climbing the 355 steps of Phousi (also spelled Phou si) Hill in Luang Prabang was a top item on our Laos adventure checklist, but we had yet to anticipate the rain that accompanied our climb. I love the rain, just not when I’m hiking or climbing steps that are prone to be slippery. It was a memorable and enchanting experience nonetheless.
Kyoto at first glance doesn’t appear to be a traditional city. Kyoto Station is modern and surrounded by other modern buildings… just like any other city. It has modern conveniences just like any other city. It’s one of the only places you’ll see women in traditional kimonos and no one stops to stare. It’s a land of a thousand temples and where traditions flourish alongside cell phones and everything else modern.
We were told any visit to Japan would be incomplete without visiting Kyoto, but we were only going for a week, barely enough time to do Tokyo any justice. So, to make good use of our time, we booked tickets …
The temple shrines are guarded by statues of Foxes which are believed to be “messengers” of Inari Okami. The statues hold a symbolic item in their mouths or beneath their front paw—most often a jewel and a key, but a sheaf of rice, a scroll, or a fox cub are also common. Almost all Inari shrines, no matter how small, will feature at least a pair of foxes, one male and female, usually flanking or on the altar or in front of the main sanctuary.
Japan is synonymous with Geisha’s right? Well, at least it used to be. Nowadays they are not as common as you might think. And their services are extremely expensive. I am not kidding, time spent in the company of a …