A big dose of enlightenment

We get up early to witness the ceremony where the monks try to burn down the temple, accompanied by much drumming and chanting

Who bought the chops and snags?

In a monastery garden

Then it is time for breakfast-today's menu includes grilled chops and sausages,fried eggs, toast and vegemite and black pudding(in my dreams) but in fact we get:

Don't even ask

Talk about a forced smile

We are told by out tour leader how privileged we are to be able to eat "monk cuisine", even Mcdonalds is beginning to sound good.

We then take a stroll around the town of Koyasan and take in a whole bevy of beautiful temples and offer up prayers to the gods-I overhear the prayers of my fellow travelers which all seem to include the word breakfast.

For god's sake,just a taste of bacon, please

We then hop on a bus into the mountains and stop at a roadside cafe for lunch

Now what does that sauce remind me of?

and views.

Then it is the official start of the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage

What goes up.....

must come down.

Takahara

Our lodgings are quite comfortable tonight, the food is good and the sake flows.