Osaka, Kyoto and Nara are the three vertices of a geographic triangle that frames an infinite number of temples (Buddhist) and shrines (Shinto). Nara, moreover, was the capital of the country before it was Kyoto, ie around the year 710. I want to get away even more to Kyoto, but will be on Monday, as I have said that when but it is full on weekends (I can vouch for that after having survived in the bus). So I go to Nara, the main temples were declared a World Heritage Site on the same day that Alcala. Incidentally, both obtained this title in Kyoto, where they celebrated the annual reunion of Unesco. Here
train ride is a bit complicated: apart from being paid according to the destination, whatever the type of train you take (ie local, fast or superfast), that there are several companies train and metro. I have a voucher for a weekend with JR, who besides being the bad guy in Dallas is the national rail line in Japan. This bond does not include travel with the Shinkansen, which is the bullet train, but because to go to Kyoto (where ro'll have to do to go to Nara) is far more comfortable than normal, and given also the last Weekend were wrong and gave me ticket for the Shinkansen error, I will try again and see what happens. Upon arrival in Kyoto a guard stops me and tells me my pass is not valid and I have to pay. Making me the confused and mumbling a very unfortunate japospanglish story you have not ridden in any train, I'm in a hotel in Kyoto and I just want to go to Nara but I must have confused it passes through a door. With this maneuver so clumsy book release me 3500 yen and I ride the train to Nara, which if I pass it.
In principle it is necessary one day to see Nara, say in the tourist office. Check out the guide, look at the map given to me, thank you and I go up the street. A sign stating "Todai-ji, 2.8 km." I'm going to Todai-ji, but I swear to myself that I'm not going to take any bus, which confirm that I am in the right direction and go up the street. After five hundred meters, and after thinking that I missed, I see that the map is crap. Asked in a shop, I confirm that I am on the right track and find that map not everything is on the same scale. I mean I have embedded the streets as they have been able to then add some arrows that indicate "from here to here, 800 meters," "from here to here, 300 meters." Grace is that the arrow of the 300 is on a street that according to the map is longer than the 800. Patedefua as I go my way. First stop
. Five-storey pagoda. Kofukuji Temple. All right. It annoys me a bit to have lost the capacity to surprise at these wonders, really. Anyway. Two hundred yards beyond, the first deer, the most interesting monuments in Nara are in the same park that is surrounded by curious deer and greedy people who come thinking they will get something for eat. I walk. Two children are frightened deer after it got a cookie from the hand of one of them. One-a deer, not a child-me look. I stepped closer to him. Gets closer to me. I smell, I look into her eyes, nods his head that reminds me of our cat Dario and stroke her. When you understand that I have the empty hand away disappointed. The boy knows nothing. It goes.
As I am a thousand until I was waiting monument: Todaiji Temple, one of the most important Buddhist destinations in the world because of the Buddha housed inside. With 16 meters high, is the largest bronze statue ever made. The front door is huge. According to the religion Buddhist doors giving access to the precincts of the temples (ie, the whole temple and garden) represent the output of the bad spirits and welcome good. So the doors can be, as is this, a size that impresses. 
Throughout my life I've been lucky tourist to witness unspeakable very many sites. As to what religious buildings are concerned, I can see that, generally, the immense size is an artistic motif. And although I do not know even the pyramids of Egypt or the temples of Cambodia and the wonder carved into the rock of Petra, if I remember quite enough gothic cathedrals and the Mosque of Cordoba and the pyramids of Mexico and the Orthodox churches in Bulgaria and to understand that this huge built with a different mentality, who undertook to raise this powerful and wanted to prove they knew, as did also those who built the buildings that I mentioned earlier. But either I am much mistaken, and these gentlemen here are very clear they were nothing compared to the genius of nature, which is more eternal than the best and worst of human creativity. From there arises no doubt that constant interaction between forest and temple with the garden as an essential intermediate and conciliatory man orders his taste for nature, which in turn is essential to know the man. An eternal circle. Nothing in these temples, Therefore, any intent to frighten, distress, restrain or subdue. Or at least I find it totally invaluable. And maybe it's a cultural thing or what, but my feeling on entering the Cathedral of Burgos, which is one of my favorite monuments, eye-is just the opposite. I do not want tergiverseis: from an artistic point of view everything is captivating as the best possible sunrises. I speak of human perspective, that is another story. 
All this reflexon home with the impression that causes step by step approach to the temple to take shelter to Buddha. Hard to think that something big is almost dispensable, for more or less to be the case pretty true jewel. I spend a few minutes to observe the outside, convinced that the interior left me even more subdued, and not wasting the world as APRA fascinations. At last came in, always with his head down looking for the best possible site for the first impression is, forgive the repetition, the more impressive. Once in place, then go up the head.
not define it better, is fascinating. In the literal sense of the word. I am attracted by the slanted eyes of the statue, by the huge hand that tries to point out that being alive is not always a misery.
is great, yes, but not far away. People walk, take pictures, check coins, join hands and pray or seek or appreciate. I, for now, I'm facing you while your eyes bronze continue moving toward the horizon that lies beyond the door. Which I appreciate, of course, because if suddenly your eyes will rotate to give me a look would cause a stroke in the respected general. I always have the same records, but this has nothing to do. This is not to eat more custard in a minute or more feet dragging a truck with his teeth. That can be great genius. How great can be greatness. 
Buddha, besides sitting on a lily pad open and bright, is flanked by two ladies to whom I have no taste, almost as high as, drawing between the three a serene symmetry, a strength that gives rise to my envy. It, however, do not fall into the trap to forget the building-based, columns, beams, bays ... all wood. As beautiful as transient. Not for nothing many Japanese buildings (not this one) are more or less contemporary reconstructions of others who were lost to fire, intentional or not. I walk around the temple, admire the Buddha while turning around and after about half an hour I'm going even with the fascination between the eyebrows. Nearby is a shrine, which I head to the safety of the day today and I have covered, but said before that bothers me a little surprised to have lost capacity, it is true that this archipelago has more than enough for anyone boquiabrir . And what I rondare, dark.
Once arrived at the sanctuary Kasuga Taisha-certify "the preceding paragraph, because although I have a no knowledge about the differences and details of Shinto, nature knows no other cultures and is always there where you are allowed to grow. The deer, in addition, make the sanctuary a unique and unrepeatable (unless you have more deer Shinto in Japan, which is likely: not in vain for this religion deer are messengers of the gods). Volume way back (OTRS 2.8 km, which must be added the distance from Todai-ji and Kasuga Taisha) and make a stop for lunch: the emotion is as food for the soul as the body's digestive, and the gods (which included the beauty and tenderness) could not be God without men that extol.
I take the train approached me Hoyu-ji, the temple considered initial pillar of Japanese culture. According to exit the station, a sign tells me that there is a distance of 2.2 km to the temple, and without Pharmaton Complex or anything similar in the belly I stand by my guns not to ride in bus. Ten kilometers I'm going to do today to leg and notice you.
Foot complain a little when I can get, and go to information desk to sit a bit and ask if they have some little map in English or similar. I serve two elderly gentlemen who tell me-in a very decent English, which are voluntary guidelines of the temple, and I if I want to teach me the temple free of charge. With me I face jug have been, as I repeat it: a tour of the temple free. I have to pay, that if the entrance to the temple ordinary. That is, the same input that would have to make if no one visits or anything. "Why not, say," let's go there, to see if they can explain where I have it set me to not appear to me both the temples and shrines. "
As I think about the little grace that would make certain that I know have free guides in Alcala, I will explain some interesting things. It is not long, however, until I realize that going to be the typical tour that I do not like me much less receive: comprehensive list of dates and names of characters that I can not even want to stay. To make matters worse, the camera decides to run out of batteries before entering the premises. That's why I've included some of the Internet (from now I'll have to do a few times as there are sites that are not allowed to take pictures, tomorrow I enterareis of what I mean), with the intention that you you an idea. For information about the temple, I recommend you go here: http://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&id_site=660
After two-hour visits a bit boring clear that nothing I did not know before I take leave of Horyu-ji with the uncertainty of not knowing if there would come to thrill if you go alone. I have no regrets, however. Apart from that it needed to lock a word with someone, I'd rather have found that travel so you have to go a little luggage. Which, of course, would be a good idea, as I have crushed the back. "Curse:" I think, "I still have another two and a half kilometers to the station. And then almost two-hour trip home." But I'm strong. He said that today do not catch the bus and not lame. You ever seen.
though. Tomorrow I'll have to ask Sam as they say in Japanese "I would like a box of Pharmaton Complex, please."
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