A travelers nap.

Yesterday we broke early.  Just over 2 hours before we had to meet on Shijo-dori at the tea house where Prof. Amasaki would show some of his design work.

Over 2 hours and the sun was our and the sky was blue.  Some white clouds were passing from west to east.  It had been a bheautiful day since sunrise.

We made our way down some narrow streets and found a small restaurant where a hotplate of rice, pork, scallion and a whole raw egg was waiting for me.  Many times they serve the food just a tad undercooked, so that it finishes cooking in front of you, hence the purpose for the hotplate.  I would love to have a set of hotplates and invite friends over for wonderful dinners.

After the most satifiying lunch, we walk adjacent the willow weeping river.  I break away from the small group.

"I am going to sit by the river."

And I do. 

I make my way west and come to the Kamo river.  Large blocks create a steep wall which frames the wide span of water.  It is not too deep.  I find a place, not too far from a bridge where a large peninsula-like form of stone and grass has protruded out from the wall.  I make my way down to the waters edge and set my jacket down, followed by me sitting down.  I sit and look across the river.  A long stretch of quintessential Japanese architecture spans the entire length of two bridges.  I am in a good place. 

I take out a pen and notebook and start making some notes.  But I am not in the mood to write.  I have just eaten a full plate of hot food.  The early afternoon November sun is ripe and the clouds passing overhead are telling me, maybe you should rest.  Smart clouds.

I set my backpack behind me as a pillow and recline back into the stones and grass.  The stones feel good on my back and soften my tired muscles.  It is so good to feel the air, I take a series of several deep breaths.  With the water so near - at the edge of my feet even, all my thoughts are washed down river.  I drift off with the clouds.

In a state of subconsciousness, I am dully aware that one side of my body is burning hot from the low wintering sun, like a hot iron being constantly pressed against me.  The other side, the right side, feels nothing but the cold wind.  It is strong and forced and hits me like waves on a shoreline - but I do not shiver.  The two constrasts balance each other, I am neither hot nor cold.  I am in peace.  And maybe I can understand Yin and Yang. 

Sleep.

I lay there for awhile.  Dozey, so dozey.  I have sunken into the space and I feel weighted into place like a deep bag of rice.  After a good while I slowly open my heavy eyelids in a lazy manner.  I see the clouds above me.  White and puffy.  I roll my head and gaze across the river and see all the Machiya.  Kyoto! 

I must be dreaming. 

And I don`t want to wake up.