Day in Osaka..walking tour!

We have arranged a walking tour of Osaka hi lites and have to meet our tour guide at 8:30 am.  We catch the early train to Osaka to meet the tour guide.

It’s busy on the train this Monday morning..this would not be a fun commute!  Even though it’s crowded it’s very quiet.  It seems Japanese people are very respectful of the people around them.

Osaka Station is a very busy place.



Our tour guide Taran.  Very knowledgeable.  There are just three other people on this tour.  Victoria from Kiev, Ukraine and Jenn and Matt from Melbourne, Australia.  Really nice people.  



Interesting signage on the street.

Some impressive buildings downtown.  Here is a museum and the NHK Broadcasting building.  There are 8 million people in Osaka. 

This is the moat surrounding Osaka Castle which is our first stop of the day. We’re just headed onto the property.

Meeting a few characters along the way. These characters are very popular in Japan.

Famous war lord from the 1600’s.  Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

View from the castle.





Beautiful Osaka Castle originally built 1583.



Ramen for lunch.



We visit the Dotonbori Area (known as the bright heart of Osaka) It is the entertainment area.  Full of restaurants.



Dotonbori Canal



Victoria posing as the Running Man (as seen behind her).  Very famous in Osaka representing victory.



Lots of gaudy signage.



This temple was built where people were executed in the 1600’s.  The temple provides a place for people to pray for the souls of the people that died here.



In the temple is a Buddha status covered in moss.  There is a bucket with water and a ladle and anyone can toss water on the Buddha to enable the moss to grow.



My new buddy



Our luck runs out and the rain starts.  This temple was our last temple of the day.
We did 19,170 steps today.  I’m exhausted.  We still had to get the train back to our hotel.  End of a very interesting day.

Japan! We have arrived!

Sue drove us to Vancouver International Airport on November 3/23.  We’re off to Japan….finishing up in Sri Lanka.

Marlene and I arriving at YVR



Flying Air Canada.  We have a delay in boarding due to mechanical issues on the boarding ramp and then the pilot explained that the route had been altered (I think due to turbulence) which would extend our flight time by over 1.5 hours.  It was already going to be 10 hours so now it seems waaaaay longer.  Lots of turbulence but we make it.





Waiting for our Airport Limousine service to take us to Haneda Airport where our hotel is located.  Great service.  Very comfortable.  We then had to manoeuvre the train system to take the train to our hotel.  Only 3 stops and 200 yen.  We then walk to our hotel which was about 10 minutes arriving at 10:30 pm but my body was saying it’s 4 am!  Off to bed.  Comfy bed.



Breakfast was included!  This is it and only chopsticks!  Coffee was extra.  I don’t think coffee is a priority here.  Sure tasted good though.



It’s quite warm today as we head back to the train station to head back to the airport.  We fly out to Osaka to meet our tour group.



Flying Japan Airlines.  The airport is huge!  Big difference in that there are very limited options for something to eat once we go through security.  One coffee place but we were able to get a latte.  Woohoo!

Mt. Fuji poking through the clouds.

Flying into Osaka.  Beautiful day. 

View from our hotel room. We’re on the 34th floor. There are 54 floors.  Nice hotel just one train stop from Kansai Airport. 

Our hotel is located close to a mall where we went for dinner. This was a store that just has all these little machines where you put in some money and it gives you a small surprise. They are all over Japan. I really don’t see what the fascination is!  Crazy!

Off to bed.  We’re doing a walking tour tour tomorrow so we have to be up early.  It’s at least an hours train ride from our hotel in to the downtown section of Osaka!

Tofino/Ucluelet Weekend

Friday, March 8/23 I catch the early ferry to Duke Point, Nanaimo to pick up my friend Bev.  We are headed to Tofino for the weekend to ride the bike trail from Tofino to Ucluelet and back.  This is 80 kms.  

Beautiful weather.  Couldn’t ask for better.





This is where we’re staying 3 nights. It’s perfect.  Tomorrow we pick up Bev’s bike and head off toward Ucluelet. 



As we arrive at Long Beach the mist has rolled in.  The temperature drops quickly. They are setting up for a wedding so hopefully it is clear by the time the ceremony takes place.



Our trusty steeds await.



Surfers heading out at Long Beach.



The mist is starting to lift..



These gates are common along the trail.  Slows people down when crossing any road.









This is called Incinerator Rock.



Beautiful paved path the whole way. 




Stopping for a picnic lunch at Wichaninnish Beach.



On our way back the mist has cleared and the wedding is taking place.



We’ve arrived back at our resort and are having dinner at The Shelter.  Tired but very pleased with ourselves.  5.5 hours on the bikes.  80 Kms.

 It’s a wonderful restaurant right on the water just a short walk from our room.

My reward!



And the sun sets for another day.



It’s Sunday. Breakfast at The Savoury in Tofino.  Very yummy.



We drive to Ucluelet to check out a few beaches but the weather is changing.





It’s starting to rain.  We head to the Wichaninnish Inn for a late lunch.  No pictures but it’s lovely.  Just raining too hard to get photos.  Lovely end to the day.  Homeward bound tomorrow.

Got back to Nanaimo early but wasn’t able to get on an earlier ferry.  What to do for a few hours?



Lunch at The Crow & Gate Pub in Cedar.  Lovely weather, ate lunch and read my book.  Then back to the ferry.  Long day by the time I got home.