Arashiyama & Higashiyama-ku

Well we wanted a break from the busy city life, so we took the train 20 minutes to the outskirts of Kyoto to the Arashiyama district.  Here we found a bamboo path and the Tenryuji Temple with its lovely garden.  In the afternoon we walked through the Higashiyama district in Kyoto to the Sanjusangendo Hall and Kiyomizu Temple.  And then right before dinner we acted the like the paparazzi and tried to catch a glimpse of a geisha.  

David finally got to see his bamboo forest.  It was quite beautiful.

Lotus flower in the garden at the Tenryuji Temple.

The Tenryuji Temple garden.

Part of the Kiyomizu Temple complex.  It had a great view of Kyoto which is surrounded by mountains.

So you have to be patient and then very quick with your photos but if you are lucky, you might catch a geisha (in this photo a maiko) coming out of her house and into a cab.

Here she is again with her geisha chaperone. 

Steaks on the grill!  This meat was truly the most marbled steak I'd ever seen.  And the chef cooks it on a hardwood charcoal grill.

Steak dinner from Saga beef.  I don't enjoy steak very much but this was delicious! So tender.