These boots were made for walkin....

All three bodies and six feet are aching, but the kids were real troopers with all the walking and exploring with did today...

Osaka is a gorgeous and vibrant city, with lots of people out and about, street performers everywhere and many interesting things to see and do.  We pretty much followed our plan, although we did swap Spa World for dinner in Dotonbori instead, which I think was a good call, as our Okonomoyaki (pancake) was absolutely delicious and our Ryokan (guesthouse) has a spa bath, which we very much enjoyed tonight anyhow :-)

Before I forget, last night during our sustenance wanders, we had the experience of seeing a Japanese Ambulance.  In keeping with the automated messages delivered in almost every public area we have encountered so far, when the ambulance was departing scene, there was a very loud message which I can only guess was 'get out of my way, I'm about to drive very fast....before it promptly sped away!  Perhaps QAS would consider this for our service...I can only imagine what the message might say if any of OUR boys and girls got to do the recording..

This morning began with a yummy breakfast - the traditional shameji mushroom omelette was amazing, and Itoshi would be proud...rice and miso too! 

Then we were off to the train station once more.  Hey, we're actually getting quite good at navigating the Osaka region train networks - of course with Pheonix leading the way, there really shouldn't have been any doubt! Osaka, here we come...

Osaka Castle is amazing to see.  The grounds are beautiful.  My only regret is that being winter, the cherry blossom season is well and truly over.  We did see a few trees that were staunchly hanging on, but I can only imagine what it would look like during the warmer weather.

Both Kylie and Sherren have put in requests for some pics of the Cherry Blossoms.  Unfortunately, I have had to resort to madly hunting for the best picture postcards to bring back :-(

Osaka Castle

This is Sequoia and Pheonix with the QAS Special Response Team mascots, who have been working hard and have decided to come for a holiday with us, in front of Osaka Castle.

   

While we were wandering around the grounds trying to work out where to go to get to the Aquarium, we were approached by a group of university-age students with clipboards who asked we if would do a survey for them.  After the questions such as where we are from and why we are visiting Japan, they asked what we were looking forward to most during our time in Japan.  All I could think of, and said, was to find the subway station to get to the Aquarium.  They thought this was hilarious and probably were the most animated group of people we have seen in the last few days here.  Unfortunately, they were unable to help us with directions as they told us they are visiting students from another city in preparation for a study visit to Australia (Lismore region) next year.  Although the fashion can be quite 'out there' (we saw an adult woman with an Elmo beanie/hat, including red furry side flaps (legs) wrapped around her chin, most people we have seen and met here have been very reserved and gentle.  It was fun to share a joke.

After the castle we headed over to Temozan for the giant (I believe the biggest in the world) Ferris Wheel and Aquarium.  We had some lovely views of Osaka and beyond and shared our carraige with none other than winnie-the-poo!!

The Aquarium is amazing - thanks Michelle for insisting we not miss that one!  It is well set-up with lots of regions of the world and their various marine life and not once was life nor limb threatened during our visit :-)  The kids really enjoyed the petting area, where you could ?pat a manteray or fish...

Aquarium Tunnel

We timed our visit to make sure that we were there towards the end of the day so that we could see the Christmas lights outside the Aquarium lit up. (A few people had said that it was pretty spectacular) As we walked out of the building, we saw that people were gathering in front of a huge unlit luminous tree on the side of the building and decided to go and wait with them and see what happened.  A lady in a santa dress kept coming out and speaking over a microphone and at one stage everyone was looking in wonder at steam rising from the top of the Aquarium building behind us (not sure what that was all about???).  Finally, another lady wheeled out some live penguins and after just standing there for about 20 minutes while corny Christmas music played, wheeled the penguins around the enclosed area for everyone to see.  Then the two penguins were placed on this stand thingy at the bottom of some steps and we enjoyed our first ILLUMINATION DERBY.  The penguins had to race each other up the stairs and then paddle on a sensor pad at the top to make the tree and other decorations light up.  The first one to get to the top was the 'winner' - well the one who made it to the top without being pushed off by the other penguin actually won. !

Go penguin go!!!

Although our feet were feeling a bit battered, we decided that we would head over to Dotonbori for dinner before we headed back to the Ryokan.  We were so glad that we did.  After a little wandering around, we asked a young man who was mending a sign out the front of a shop in one of the vibrant alleys where we could get yummy Okonomoyaki and he personally escorted us to this little shop.  We met the owner, a man by the name of Tenni, who in his limited english told us he has been making his yummy food for over 30 years.  Absolutely delicious!!!!

Tenni has been making Okinomoyaki for over 30 years

Well,  it has been a huge day and we get to get up tomorrow and head up to Kyoto.  We have our handicraft workshop booked, but aside from that, I believe that we will take it easy and just do a bit of wandering and exploring....

Good night all xxx