We took two side trips, one from Hiroshima to the Island of Miyajima, to see the floating Tori gates, a very peaceful place with gorgeous statues of gods and goddesses. The second excursion was to Himeji Castle en route to Kyoto. This Brooklyn girl saw the original white castle. As those Beastie Boys say “White Castle fries only come in one size.”http://www.jref.com/practical/miyajima.shtmlhttp://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&id_site=661shapeimage_1_link_0shapeimage_1_link_1
Miyajima & Himeji Castle
floating tori gates--at high tide, they appear to be floating
sunset on miyajima
anna, leila & rho
deer were everywhere
deer chasing kid with ice-cream
these guys will eat your maps or tickets right out of your hands
bicycles everywhere in japan (saves the ozone layer)
prayer wheels all the way up the stairs...
tibetan buddhist sand mandala --a very special treat
these are usually disposed of as soon as the pilgrimage ends
chinese new years animals
year of the dragon
year of the monkey
year of the rooster (my year)
lovers looking over a river
mini tori gates with food display
himeji castle
family crest on roof tiles
himeji city zoo
camel with castle in his backyard
cranes--symbols of long life