The author's first anecdote reminded me of what happened when I went to see the Kinkaku-Ji temple in Kyoto. It's a very famous buddhist temple that is covered

The author's first anecdote reminded me of what happened when I went to see the Kinkaku-Ji temple in Kyoto. It's a very famous buddhist temple that is covered in gold and reflects over a beautiful pond. The grounds were specatcular and for the most part I could walk around them without being in too much of a crowd. But at the one point where you could get the "famous" picture of the temple reflecting into water there were a few hundred people shoulder to shoulder trying to hold their phones above everyone else. This was especially heartbreaking to me at a buddhist temple meant to inspire tranquility and a place where I had hoped people would be able to take in the serenity of the scene instead of fighting for the photo.