Osaka - Day 3 - Separate Ways

Time to say goodbye

As much as I enjoyed it, I'm glad to have some time for myself again. Without the thought of missing out on something. I've let my Gremlin run wild for the past 11 days, he's had a blast. Eating until I couldn't anymore, no exercise, constantly wired. Plus the sleep deprivation from the snoring, like tonight. I was surprised to find all the wooden beds undamaged this morning, considering the sawing during the night. The sawn wood must have already been removed.

We say goodbye to each other, some more, some less. Rob asks where I am, he's waiting in the lobby. I come downstairs in a sleepy state, we say our farewells warmly but sadly. Someone wise in my life told me before my departure, in essence, that love and sadness go hand in hand. In essence, love and sadness are two sides of the same coin. This morning I could feel that. Rob later confesses to me that the trip wouldn't have been nearly as awesome without me. I'm touched; I never thought I would meet someone with whom I would understand each other so deeply in such a short time. Not at the level I had with Charles, this almost teacher-student thing. No, this 'just go wild and have a good time' thing. We will see each other again, not the last time.

In the room, I rearrange my things, tidy up and declutter. It feels good to tidy up after the Gremlin. Well, the tidying up part, not the 'cleaning up after him' part. I consider throwing away my ripped jeans. Silbermond comes to mind: 'It's easier to travel with light luggage'. She's right.

Keep wandering cheerfully

I set off, choosing an anime music playlist. Funny how this music conveys a feeling of freedom, a certain lightness in this context. I head to the community library, seeking peace and reflection.

I continue, stopping by a temple on the way to the hotel. I'm starting to make it a habit. It has something magical, something I can't describe. At least not yet. But hey, explaining also means demystifying. ; )
This time the temple is full of tourists. This means, as I have learned, that it is mentioned in more than one travel guide. Yet, the little gems usually have more flair, as I will later discover.
I feel like a tourist on Spiekeroog, who has already been there for two weeks and meets a bunch of day tourists.

After a while, I arrive at the hotel, the check-in goes smoothly, the very young receptionist speaks decent English for Japanese standards. She gives me the card and explains that after 10 pm, I can only enter the hotel with the card for security reasons. I don't think much of it. Once in the room, it doesn't take long and I take a nap. Then another one.

After sorting myself out, I head out to get something to eat. I walk towards the metro, through the narrow streets.
The area isn't the best. The shopping street isn't as polished as the others, there are hardly any English signs. I go to the next Lawson minimarket, grab a snack, and get on the metro towards Umeda.

At the metro station, the next surprise. The seats on the platform face parallel to the tracks instead of looking at the tracks. It already looks curious enough. It becomes even more comical when I see someone with a laptop sitting in one of those seats at the next stop. He looks like he's been cut out of a train with a giant pair of scissors and placed on the platform. I imagine him suddenly looking up from his laptop, panicking and then confusedly calling for help. 😅

Arriving in Umeda, I stroll around the enormous complex, hungry. In the end, I try McDonald's, this time their specialties. The Chicken Burger is surprisingly good, thanks to the spicy sauce. I've learned that if you want a freshly prepared burger, make special requests. Then this burger has to be freshly prepared. In the rare Mc-moments, it has always worked great so far.

After finishing my meal, I go outside. Here, there is supposedly the impressive Umeda Sky Building. I struggle through the area, this area is a monster of buildings, shopping malls, and train stations. I really can't warm up to Osaka.
On the way to the Sky Building, I notice a man in a suit coming towards me. European face, well-groomed 5-day beard, a good and well-kept appearance with a masculine aura. He's looking at his phone, caught up in everyday routine. I look at him, after a few seconds he looks up from his phone and looks at me. We look at each other as we pass by. With a appreciative 'I see you, man' look. I was briefly inclined to greet him or at least nod. I had the feeling that he felt the same way. It was remarkable. Here we are, two strangers in a foreign environment, silently showing each other respect. Just because we exist. Magical.

After a while, I arrive at the Umeda Sky Building. I stand beneath it, feeling dizzy from looking up. Every guidebook says you have to see this building. I don't feel that way. I don't even bother to find a good vantage point to see it from the side. It just doesn't give me anything except the desire to leave. I turn around and go back. Only the next day will I be confirmed in my relationship with Osaka.

After this disappointment, I go back to the metro, slithering through the unwelcoming side streets again. Suddenly, I see police with barriers on my way, no way through. I take a detour, everywhere smells like pee.
Next time, I will be more careful with choosing the location. Miho and G-Adventures did a good job with the tour planning. Always presenting Japan's gold pages.

There's something Miho hasn't shown us yet. Japanese TV. So I turn on the TV in my hotel room and let myself be entertained by a Japanese game show. These Japanese people...