NARA TO KYOTO

I took a quick and cool walk this morning around Nara, and happened to pass i-lunga (photo above--certainly doesn't look like an Italian restaurant, where I ate last night).  It took at most 20 minutes to get here, and the round trip taxi ride cost about $27.

Where is global warming, anyway?  I don't think I saw even one Sakura at full bloom, although here is one area getting started:

  Nara has pagodas:

Click on 5-story Pagoda to view a clip from You Tube.  Of course, temples:

The one above is Todaiji Temple, which houses a 49 foot daibutsu, meaning, large Buddha.  This is the largest wooden building in the world.

I missed breakfast, so at 10 AM got really hungry.  I noticed deer cookies for sale, and for only a little more than a dollar, so I was tempted to try some.  Minutes later I learned that people bought them to feed the deer, and there were a lot of these creatures:

The young and aged seemed to enjoy their presence.  The problem with animals is that you need to watch where you walk, and I soon had to pack the shoes I was wearing.

I began to stroll back to my hotel, but all the restaurants did not open until 11AM.  But I had a noon departure on the JR, and it was already 10:30.  Finally, I was saved, and ordered a bacon/potato pie, hashed browns and corn with a Coke:

A truly satisfying breakfast.  I've been on the road for a month today, and this was my first McDonald's.  This one never closes.

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