"David, Don't Touch that Deer!"

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"Kyoto, the legendary ancient capital of Japan, was preordained as one of the highlights of our trip. Despite an anticlimactic arrival (it is after all a fully modern Japanese city with a population of 1.5 million, not a serene 17th century village), Kyoto was indeed chalked full of architectural and cultural gems. The lone drawback was limited time; we spent only two days roaming the streets and exploring the shrines. Before leaving the area we visited nearby Nara, another mecca of traditional Japanese architecture. The most famous residents of Nara are the completely tame population of white tail deer that have coexisted peacefully with humans for hundreds of years, though they are looking pretty mangy these days. The city has become 1/3 museum, 1/3 tourist trap, and 1/3 petting zoo."