CAPE TOWN DIVA: Jet lag & then Japan...all is forgiven..

The only bitch thing about living on the tip of Africa is that foreign lands tend to be a very long haul away, unless of course you're swanning off in your private jet or sashaying onto your flatbed in business class. After 2 days of flying, I eventually got to Tokyo and my grouch mood instantly dissipated as I walked straight into an exquisite day of blue skies and a warm breeze. It's springtime and I'm here to capture the cherry blossoms and absorb the most that I can out of Tokyo, Kyoto and whatever else I can get done in between.

Senso-ji temple was my first stop this morning. According to most, this is Tokyo's oldest Buddhist temple, one of Japan's most revered cultural and religious icons that was established over a 1000 years ago, before the city itself was even here. Legend has it that in AD 628, 2 fisherman brothers pulled up a golden statue of Kannon, the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, and the temple was then built to enshrine it. The temple grounds are vast with a distinct olde world atmosphere - a glimpse into the Japan of way back when. It's very grand with its impressive pagodas, statues, shrines and wafts of incense... an amazing space and the perfect start to my spring visit.

The main temple...