The Temples of Nara

Bags out! I enjoyed another lovely Japanese breakfast, but this time got some instruction in my meal from one of the lecturers. If you add ginger to eggs I like them better. Fish with grated daikon. Bean curd bun with spinach and fish. Rice. Tea. Tofu something. Three little dishes of picked somethings, one of which, I swear, looked just like the dried krill I used to feed the fish. Tasty though. Sadly, I forgot to play tourist and take a photo before I demolished it.

This day was tagged for Buddhist temples on our way to the ship. Destination: Nara, the center of Buddhism in Japan along with Kyoto. It was the capital of Japan during the 700s, which coincided with the founding of Buddhism and therefore the building of its grandest temples. We were scheduled to see two more UNESCO World Heritage sites. What a trip!

First up was Todai-ji, home to the immense Great Buddha (Daibutsu). Built around 752, it took thousands of people (the numbers vary, but most stories agree on 1/2 the population) to build. Fifteen meters high, the statue weighs approximately 500 tons. Known as the "Big Buddha," the statue was gilded bronze.

 But before then, you meet the deer. They are everywhere and expect to be fed. They are considered sacred messengers of God and have the run of the place. They scared the daylights out of several people with their intrusive noses.

 And several fierce warriors guard the entry too.

 We all transitioned through this magnificent gate. Much of this is reproduced; too many fires have destroyed the complex multiple times over the ages.

 Although huge, this current building is smaller than the original! Actually, only the base of the Buddha is original now.

 Yup, really big doors, lots of wood.

 I do like the ease of this new lens in getting detail.

 Actually, this lantern is original too, all but one panel. Impressive. How much do we have in this country that is 1300 years old and still standing?

 I really do admire the craftsmanship. I remember my cousin carving when we were little. Mar, can you do this?

 Nara is famous for bamboo, but I believe most of this is cedar.

 Aren't they sweet? How about that pink Hello Kitty purse?

 And the Big Buddha. Now he's just bronze. But each of those curls on his head? The size of a soccer ball. About 266 of them, I think. Yikes. In fact, the Buddha is so big that the temple was built around him. And as big as he is, he's 2/3 the size of the original; this is his third incarnation.

 More guardians inside. At least, I think they are guardians.

This was a figure on someone's house along the way to the second temple; I just liked him.

 This is the complex for Horyu-ji, which is Japan's oldest surviving Buddhist temple and the world's oldest wooden structure. It's also 8th century, and was Japan's first UNESCO World Heritage site. Remarkably, much of this is original, as centuries of warfare missed it. I think that adds to its stunning appeal.

 Such balance and elegance in its design.

 The Yale professor pointed out these columns, with their Greek influence and tapering nature, and the uniformity of the structure. It's not only beautiful, but quite remarkable for the time.

 Yes, an oddly-angled photo, my favorite kind, and undoubtedly the first of many.

 Walking through the gardens, I spied this tree. Another that I wish could speak, for it must have a great story to tell. Sadly, we had an accident here; thankfully we were headed to the ship where the ship's doctor could take over. In the end he was OK, but it was rough. And such a wonderful man; I felt badly.

 We had many departure and welcoming ceremonies! The ship was big news for some of the ports we visited. These young drummers in Kobe were great fun.

Style! What a lovely cabin, the largest and most luxurious I've had on a ship, with tons of storage. Interestingly, it was a ship registered to the Bahamas, with a Swedish captain, a senior staff largely South African, a Ukrainian purser, and a crew largely Filipino. And the cabins? Names for castles, glens, clans, and places in Scotland. Really. My cabin was Kisimul Castle. Oh, and the bathroom products were English--Molton Brown. Whatever, I loved it.