Shinsaibashi + Umeda Sky Building - 13 oct

Hmm, Okaasan made bento for me that day. I don't know why, she never offers to make lunch for me during days when I'm out. But, that day, she made this delicious bento. There was grape, pear, egg, sausage, broccoli, potato, onigiri. Plus pretty chopsticks and everything... Very nicely packed. I was super impressed when I saw it. It looked so so so pretty.















It was really delicious too =) I ate the ingredients at home, but brought along the onigiri [which was very very useful when it came to 7pm.]

Anyways, the Interpreters' Club people, Daryn, Alex and I [plus several other intl exchange students] went on the trip to Shinsaibashi and Umeda Sky Building from Hirakatashi-station.

Shinsaibashi is basically something like the orchard of Osaka? At least, that's how I felt it was like. A lot of shops, young people, and young people's things. At Shinsaibashi, we saw this Hello Kitty shop [Kitty-chan], and I took this picture especially for XZ! Cos she kept mentioning about Hello Kitty shops...




















Huge Hello Kitty ne? Haha..

During our ambling walk, we stopped to take purikura [i.e. neoprint]. Haha, the number of people that could squeeze into the small area is unbelieveable! While we were waiting for the rest to finish drawing on the purikura, Nami accompanied me on this car game. Haha. It's been a long time since I last rode a car simulator. The last time was with Joel, a month before I left for Japan, and that was a bike simulator, not a car simulator... Haha, I crashed 3 times, but then I still was faster than Nami, who had not crashed a single time. Haha, Nami found it unbelieveable. She kept asking me, "eh?! I didn't crash at all, why did you win?" hahahahahaha. So funny.

So, we randomly walked on... Here are a few pictures of the streets =)


































If you enlarge this photo, you'll see a woman carrying a "Free Hugs" sign. No one hugged her at all. Maybe she should have done it in Japanese.. Then more people would have hugged her [yeah, right.]















We stopped by this place which sold very good Takoyaki :) If I'm not mistaken, 6 takoyaki for 300 yen. Very very long queue.. Opposite this Takoyaki stall was an okonomiyaki/yakisoba stall. I told Daryn that I've never had yakisoba before, and she egged me on into trying one. Nami (being the super nice girl she is) offered to share with me. So, we got 1/2 a yakisoba each. It was definitely good =) hehe. Alex got 2 taiyakis and did not share any with me, evil person that he is! Daryn didn't get anything, cos she was too full from her afternoon okonomiyaki. haha.















On our way to Namba station, we passed by a Turkish icecream stall! =)















This time, I got the picture of him pulling the icecream all the way up! =) Hehe, I'd missed it in Chinatown at Kobe. But this time, I didn't! Luckily for me, Nami bought a chocolate icecream so I got to see the guy perform. He's really good. :) I didn't take up Nami's offer to eat her icecream cos was afraid to pass her the virus. But, I tried Jimmy's icecream cos he's sick and so, I can't be accused of passing him any virus :P Also helps that his icecream was vanilla and hers was chocolate lah. Anyways, it tasted almost the same, except that the icecream was more stretchy than the icecream we're used to...

Had to take the subway to Umeda, and walk a little bit to the Sky Building. At the Sky Building, Dan pointed out this woman with a bunny on a leash. Haha. So, we asked for permission [like the stupid gaijins that we are] to take a picture of the bunny on a leash. But, like Dan said, where else do we find a bunny on a leash? We needed that picture. haha.




















Well, the view from Umeda Sky Building was damned cool. It's around 40 stories.. and it's totally magnificent. As I did not have a tripod stand, my photos came out really badly. But, I got 2 of the photos here to show you how great the view was from 173 metres up in the sky...











































Dan (right), Daryn (middle), Jimmy (left). Haha, we were telling Daryn that it was bad of her to two-time the guys! :P Cos that seat is a loveseat! hahahahahaha.















This is the picture of Alex and I, being kinda confused by it all. [???????]

Poor us.

Yep, that's about it for osaka. I'm kinda tired, from the constant coughing. So, I will go and sleep now. Good nights.