As I was saying in the last post, we wanted to wake up to observe the monks' prayer, which was to take place at 6:30am. Ori put on the alarm so we wouldnt sleep through the early prayer. Turns out, no need. At six am sharp the gong went off - many times. And up we were and on time at prayer.
It was quite interesting - in the way that I felt like i was in synagogue. The main monk said something and the others repeated. they all chanted songs and they was some big metal bowl hit (ok, so you dont do that in synagogue, but stil). After prayer, all the monks but the head monk and our student monk left the prayer room (they took out the tatami sleeping mats out of the guests rooms and went to prepare breakfast). The head monk then led us in a meditation lesson which was translated (quite impressively) by the student monk (maybe english is becoming a job requirement?). Right hand is for Buddah and left hand is for you. put them together and thats how you take in buddah and wisdom into your heart.
We then went back to our room and were served breakfast. Not as impressive as dinner but still fine. Soup, rice, tofu stuff, and of course green tea. Once we were all packed up we went to check out and were gifted with fortune bracelets. Bye bye Temple Yochiin.
We went walking and visited the famous cemetary in Koyasan - Oko-no-in.
We then got on the bus to get our bags and head back to the train station - later Kyoto. Sitting on the bus, I was looking for our bus passes and couldnt find them. Ori and I have developed a habit that he carries some things and i others. Transportation passes are one of my things. I emptied pockets and my purse and couldnt find them. I asked Ori if he accidentally took them from the desk as the woman was explaining what each card was (they are not JR passes and as such not the usual comprehensive cards - no english). He insisted he didnt have them. As we were approaching our stop I asked him once again to check his pockets. Though he continued insisting that there was no way he had them, he stuck his hand into his pocket and what do you know? He first blushed and then out came his hand from his pocket with tickets. He smiled shepishly and even botherred to ask whether I had put them in his pocket. Oy. Well, at least they were found.
Bye Koyasan.
Back to the temple, to the bus, to the cablecar, subway, train, bus and hotel in Kyoto.
It was getting late by the time we arrived in Kyoto so we didnt do too much but managed to find a great sushi place. Probably nothing in comparison to to the quality of the fish market tuna that we had the other week in tokyo, but still yummy and the service was great and the place was full of locals as well as tourists. Later we found out that it was also recommended in the Lonely Planet book. 
Full on yummy fish, we went out to enjoy the evening. We walked around Gion and the area and even spotted a Geisha (fake up, explanation to come tomorrow).
More about the exciting stuff in Kyoto in the next entry. RIght now, Im pooped and going to bed.
Theres so much more I have to write about - Japans toilets, and the toilet paper, womens obsession with heels, and so much more Stay tuned ....
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