It’s happy when everything works out as planned. But that doesn’t make it not possible otherwise. -10.05.15
Kyoto was a fail for I never anticipated the bus rides which apparently are the only best for me to get around the places I have marked to see. It was a day of wrong decisions – from the wrong choice of transport card to chaos at the FUSHIMI INARI SHRINE with peak I failed to reach because I spent extra energy someplace I wrongly thought was a shortcut. Yet despite failure to pass through all thousands of toriis or gates, the idea of each being built as sign of gratefulness for wishes granted was enough to compensate for all the burned calories worth it – not just from all the walking but also from the mental ‘strategy’ needed to get a capture of bunch of toriis with no single soul in sight (which I luckily was able to do once). Continue reading Kyoto, Japan : Chaos in Orange at Fushimi Inari Shrine→
A view of the bay area from side to bottom up a transparent gondola – 10.03.15
After this make-believe underwater in OSAKA AQUARIUM KAIYUKAN is this ride up in the air on a ferris wheel with lights that predict the weather the following day –which that night was red orange, a sign of a sun the next day.
When you can’t go around the world, go (up) around an aquarium first – 10.03.15
Closest I could get to sea during this trip was at the bay area where encountered many kinds of fish in an aquarium as big as a building best enjoyed by spiraling down eight floors of giant tanks. Though I wish one day I could swim with you in the open sea, sight between you and who-knows-how-thick glass was enough to make me all this panicky taking as many pictures as I could, my favorites shared as you click more.
After learning about instant ramen is this instant connection with some parts of town – 10.03.15
It was only MOMOFUKU ANDO INSTANT RAMEN MUSEUM that I was after in Ikeda but town ended up to be an instant favorite that I ended up killing extra time eating at AZUMA, one of the oldest udon restaurants in Osaka – my way to which I found with help of a woman who after realizing I could not understand a single Japanese walked with me to what I was looking for. Just when I was about to go back to the station was this surprise of a UNNAMED PEDESTRIAN STREET with all kinds of food stalls, some ‘fishing’ (from fish to balls) games for kids and magic even! A refresher slow-paced walk since my first two days of tourist spot-hopping during my first two days.
It was one of my favorite discoveries during this trip -a showcase of chicken ramen instant noodles in this place MOMOFUKU ANDO INSTANT RAMEN MUSEUM (named such after one of instant noodles inventor). Unlike other museums that tend to drown with its many displays, this one in the simplest yet fun manner lays out the history and the making of this food for immediate hunger pangs.
Because this is one kind of my favorite places- 10.02.15
When I decide where to stay in every place away from home, I always look for its proximity to places that live up to when it’s night. Chances are because when it is day, I can do all visits to ‘the destinations’ but I always long to have this place where I can walk aimlessly when all those are ‘sleeping’. There’s Hongdae in Seoul, Pub Street in Siem Reap, Beer Street in Ho Chi Minh and Khao San in Bangkok and then there’s DOTONBORI in Osaka.
An encounter with where Osaka’s food culture is squeezed in – 10.02.15
As mentioned in my previous post, I hurried from Shinsekai to make sure I get to Dotonbori (apparently spelled as such but pronounced as Dotombori) before it gets dark – essentially because one, I wanted to see it compared to at night when it is known to be more alive; two – I wanted to try the so-called TONBORI RIVER CRUISE (which was included in the pass I got for the train and touristy places).
An area both cute and quirky, I could not ask for more. Well, more time to wander next time, maybe – 10.02.15
I had no set itinerary for that day except make use of my unlimited day pass so after seeing castles, animals it was for some odd reason. From the station which could not be mistaken as the nearest to the zoo with its series of posters as clue, I was led to this alley of restaurants and shops before finding my way to them – with penguins becoming my ultimate favorite.
From within the city to somewhere high to see it from above, next destination was the nearby Tsutenkaku Tower located in this neighborhood interestingly patterned after Western, the tower itself after Eiffel – something I personally think to be uncommon with a country we perceive as highly championing its own.
From finding sleep in airport to peace in temples, it was quite a kick-off, Osaka! – 10.01-02.15
From experiencing first being stranded in an airport to getting lost in SHINSAIBASHI while in search of my first capsule hotel check-in until those historic site hop from OSAKA CASTLE to SHITENNOJI TEMPLE – latter currently on renovation yet one temple gave me this temporary piece of peace.
It was a trip I was supposed to have almost a year from now. It has to be moved to October but still, these snapshots were almost a year old! But hey, that is what snaps are for sometimes, right? Let’s do this memory 😀
It’s not the first time that I survived a railway system but with idea of Japan not as tourist-friendly as Korea, I was initially scared with this Osaka trip.
But I did survive and I am happy (and proud) about it that I am breaking rules with this entry. One – I am writing this when I should be working on those backlog entries. Two – I am not into anything as close to what could pass as informative.
Railway entrance at Kansai International Airport
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But then again, I may have been too happy and proud. (Do not read more if you wish to explore and get ‘it’ on your own.)
I am no travel planner. 