day 40, 12:19pm, tourists

i'm getting a bit behind on the posts.
i think priorities change after a while. i no longer feel so alone on the road. and i slept beside, none other than... \3M obosan last night! we must have almost the exact same pace. i've had some walking partners on this trip, but the relationship lasts usually for only a day or two.

but i'm getting ahead of my self.
yesterday was a lot of city walking two big hills. i got all of my errands done (prizes are in the mail) and i got to play the tourist for awhile.

the first big hill was yashima, which included temple 84, a national park, a historical park and a bunch of other things i didn't really get to see. it was the most touristy temple on the trail so far. on top of the bus henro, there were also bus tours going through.
while i was sitting having a drink, about 20 people came up to ask me the standard questions (henro?, country?, how' japan?). i had a few pictures taken with some people. some people took pictures of me reading sutras. it was just overwhelming. one man came up to talk to me while i was reading a sutra at the hondo, but i just blocked him out of my mind in true zen fashion. he realized his mistake and waited until i was done, and then asked me the usual questions. :)

it was a nice place. it's also the site of a battlefield from the genpei war. i'd like do a bit more reading about that. the displays were interesting but i can't read japanese above a grade 2 level. :)

temple 85 was nice. it had a cable car which i didn't take. of course the trail makes you walk right by the ticket office. that's torture it is.

i'm at temple 87 now. stopping for lunch and deciding on a place to stay tonight.

it's hot. :)

later,