an amazing yesterday, a slightly stressful today

hello!

I'm tired!we were setting up the show at the gallery today, but I'd better update you on yesterday first...

Ross eating some sort of green tea and soy flour jelly which Kosho thought was delicious. Ross didn't. We had ice cream.
we started off by getting the train into Kyoto station again, and we caught the bus up to Kyomisu temple, which is the biggest and most famous (and therefore the busiest) temple in Kyoto. It is a beautiful place, halfway up the mountain nestled in verdant forest, with a great view of the city. Unfortunately, and unavoidably, it was really busy, and lots of noisy tourists contradicted the intended nature and function of the space... After drinking from the holy spring (for eternal life) we headed down to the gion district, which used to be where all the geisha's hung out, but now is mainly restaurants. The buildings are beautiful - we could have spent all day wandering around taking photos, but we had to be back early for dinner.

Kyomisu temple

Gion District

Dinner involved Kosho's family treating us again! This time to an amazing meal in a traditional Kyoto restaurant. We were ushered in by a nice lady in full traditional dress, and seated on the floor in our own private room laid with tatami matting and looking out onto the river.then followed at least five courses (i lost count) of impecably prepared and presented food, including baked aubergine, tofu, rainbow trout, green tea ice cream , and literally a whole fish (see pics)

sliced rainbow trout served with radish and wasabi- tasty!

A whole fish...I ate it all!it didn't look too happy about it though..

This was a bit of a challennge, and was only the second thing's head that I have ever eaten (the first being the night before...). You just started at the head and ate till there was nothing left - bones, fins and everything! I'm getting the hang of this food thing... It was all (including the bones) really really tasty, and I was nice and full when we were led out of the restaurant and across the road to the river where we were shown onto a lovely old river boat.

Poled by a fatastic looking old man, the boat took us and six others upstream to a bend in the river where we could enjoy the view, before drifting downstream and rafting up with several other boat. Here we were treated to a reenactment of an ancient method of fishing that has been used on the river for hundreds of years.

Basically the fishermen pole quickly upstream with one man at the stern of the boat, who has in his hands lots of strings which are attached to a group of birds (cormorants I think) swimming alongside the boat. By this time it was dark, and to light the water over the birds the men swing a large brught brazier, spitting sparks and giving off a lot of heat. The birds dive constantly, and whenever one catches a fish, the rear man pulls it on board and forces the catch out of its crop before it can swallow it.

It all creates a pretty good show, especially seen close up form the middle of the river! Although this may sound inefficient and cruel, they have been fishing like this for hundreds of years, and used to catch 30,000 fish a year, mainly for the emperor's table... After all this we were pretty shattered and full, so crashed out in front of star wars (episode 1, much to Ross' disappointment) before heading to bed.

Today has been slightly less relaxing! I was up and 6.30 to collect earth for my piece , as usual leaving things to the very last minute, and was rushing around until we left for the gallery at 9. After a fair bit of hanging around, we realised that Takaya ( the gallery owner) probably wasn't going to turn up for a while, and cracked on with setting up the work. i had a lot to do,, and struggled with silly things like buying the wrong wood for my shelves (it's like thick balsa, and has already started to bend!) and having to apply three coats of paint, but no excuses!

After a lot of sweating, a salmon rice ball, and spending about a tenner in the juice machine outside, we finally got done at about seven. Just in time to get caught in a downpour with no brollies! but the shelves are up, the projector is perched on a beam (safely and securely) and the prints are up. Ross' work looks amazing, as always and Kosho has got his bit done too...Now we just have to have the opening tomorrow and the stress is over!

Unfortunately it doesn't sound like a Hula opening - We start at 2 in the afternoon, and I'm doubtful about the prospect of a rum and apple juice... Who knows though!

Hope you're all well..

O-es-me (good night)love chris