After a 30 minute flight from Kona to Honolulu, an 8 hour lay-over in Honolulu, an 8-hour and 45-minute flight and a 19-hour time change, we arrived to Osaka, Japan.
Goodbye Big Island!
Bedtime...finally!
The learning curve has been steep but so far we have figured out how to:
1- Order our food by number and picture at certain restaurants
High tech touch screen machines
Ramen for dinner...an Osaka-must
2- Make our way across town by bus, train and subway.
They weren't all this empty but they were all super clean
Subway map for Osaka
3- Attempt basic Japanese sayings (thank you, where, good morning, good night, etc). Nathan is particularly good at it!
4- Use the toilets. The kids still giggle at the various wash settings :)
Check out all of the buttons on the side
Shower and bath 'closet'
5- Fit our luggage and ourselves in our accomodations at the same time. Mike has to duck continuously... but only broke one ceiling lamp when he stood up too quickly!
An impeccably clean alley- the blue door is our accomodation
Luggage packed up- floor space again!
6- Dodge commuters riding bicycles on the sidewalk, umbrellas and all.
7- Look the correct way before crossing the street. Drivers drive.on the opposite side of the road in Japan.
8- Perfect the use of Google maps and google translate. The camera option has come up with some interesting translations for labels on food items!
We weren't in Osaka long but enjoyed wandering the grounds of the Osaka Castle- beautiful green space in the middle of the city.
Cultural gardens in the middle of the Honolulu airport....nice way to spend a long layover
The learning curve has been steep but so far we have figured out how to:
1- Order our food by number and picture at certain restaurants
2- Make our way across town by bus, train and subway.
3- Attempt basic Japanese sayings (thank you, where, good morning, good night, etc). Nathan is particularly good at it!
4- Use the toilets. The kids still giggle at the various wash settings :)
5- Fit our luggage and ourselves in our accomodations at the same time. Mike has to duck continuously... but only broke one ceiling lamp when he stood up too quickly!
6- Dodge commuters riding bicycles on the sidewalk, umbrellas and all.
7- Look the correct way before crossing the street. Drivers drive.on the opposite side of the road in Japan.
8- Perfect the use of Google maps and google translate. The camera option has come up with some interesting translations for labels on food items!
We weren't in Osaka long but enjoyed wandering the grounds of the Osaka Castle- beautiful green space in the middle of the city.
You guys are lucky that it's still "shorts weather" in southern Japan. We woke up to -1°C this morning. Enjoy Kyoto. Entry to most temples and gardens is usually free but the Shogun castle, which is now a military museum, may be pricey for 5.
ReplyDeleteGood advice Gerry - we did some temples and gardens... but cut some out - Nathan's birthday celebrations interrupted our sight seeing :) Important Samurai and Ninja business!
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