Yellow and Mirror (This week's Photo Hunt themes)

I'm sorry I missed taking part in Sandi's and Gattina's Photo Hunts last week on account of my being away on vacation.  Funnily enough though, two of the images I've chosen for this week could have worked for Sandi's choice of theme for last week of "water" -- and if you stretch a bit to argue that the grounds of a temple are where one would get inspired to think abstractly, then all of these images would fit Gattina's choice of theme for last week as well!

As it also happens, my choice of photos for today's Photo Hunt also happen to have been taken in the country which I visited last week -- but whereas I went to Kanazawa, Shirakawa-Go and Osaka on my recent Japan vacation, these images are of the Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) in Kyoto. 

Should there be any doubt: That golden yellow building in the photos is indeed in the famous Golden Pavilion whose upper floors have been covered with gold leaf, and is topped by bronze phoenix ornament whose bronze is more yellow-tinged than the orange color I tend to associate more with bronze.

Set in a beautiful Japanese stroll garden, the Golden Pavilion extends over the body of water called Kyoko-chi (i.e., Mirror Pond), on which the image of the Kinkakuji often can be seen reflected.  On the afternoon I visited, the waters of Kyoko-chi was so still at one point that I also managed to capture beautiful images of clouds, the sky and surrounding foliage as well as Kinkakuji mirrored on the pond's surface.

Altogether, it was one breathtakingly stunning sight.  People who, after seeing these images, want to make a beeline for this famous Kyoto temple should realize though that it's -- understandably -- a super popular attraction and that it's well nigh impossible for you to take in this beautiful sight in silence -- since there'll be crowds of people standing beside and behind you, many of whom are not moved to silence by the Kinkakuji and Kyoko-chi's beauty but, rather, to loudly exclaim how wonderful it all is! ;)