Day 3 - Osaka - Two Ferris Wheels and a Ninja

Our final full day in Osaka was completed at a far more relaxed paced than the previous, but was nonetheless exhausting. We decided to have a slow morning, checking out Osaka Ferris Wheel, Umeda Sky Building, before heading over towards the coast to go to the Aquarium.

After our trek with Azumi around Osaka yesterday, we were understandably very tired, and didn't rise until 9 am this morning. We got dressed and headed to Osaka station for breakfast, where went "Delifrance", next to Yodabashi that Adelaide spotted last night (and had been there last time she was in Japan). The place offered many different pastries, which you chose on a plate and took it to the counter. We got some strange looks with our overloaded boards (I had 4 different ones, Adelaide 2), as well as a coffee each. Being Japanese coffee, it wasn't brilliant by our high Australian standards, but it did the trick. The pastries (A pork calzone, croissants, choc-croissant and a weird cold hot-dog), were delicious and filled us up well!.

With our new found energy we made our way over to the HEP 5 Building, a very popular shopping centre among the younger crowed, to take a ride on the Osaka City Ferris Wheel. When we got there, it turned out the place didn't open until 11, another ten minutes away. We blended, and loitered outside, checking out all the poorly dressed girls (there's no such thing as bad weather, just a mini-skirt with boots in single digits - and she looked cold too!).

Once the security guards came out to open the HEP 5 building up, we waited for the rush of hormones and peer pressure to subside and took an elevator to the 7th floor, right onto the ferris wheel for 500 Yen each - as we were early enough to beat the crowd, there wasn't a line. The gondolas themselves were heated, and gave an awesome view of the city; a pleasant ride.

Osaka City - Adelaide's iPhone 5 has been remarkably handy for Panoramas

We disembarked and decided we needed more caffination, so we stopped off at the Starbucks next to the entrance for a Black Coffee and a Moccha Dark Chip Frappacino (quote Adelaide "The most delicious thing ever, I can't even."). With some expert navigation and considerate planning, we doubled back through Osaka station, spotting an Ice Skating rink, on the way to the Umeda Sky Building, a popular landmark. There was a very large vacant block of land in between us on our journey, so we took the long way, and went around it. It quiet and we got a chance to see the more relaxed side of the city.

Built in 1993, at a 173 metres high, the Umeda Sky Building (also known as the 'Floating Garden'), boasts an unbroken, 360 degree view of Osaka, from the CBD, all the way to the hills in the far distance - and gives a good perspective of the scale of the city. We took close to an hour to take photos, selfies and appreciate the view, before making our way back down again.

From the Top of Umeda Sky Building looking North

 We headed back the route we came to stop off at a Bagel & Bagel outlet which we saw on our trip over. And guess what we had there... A bagel! and black coffee. Adelaide was helped out by a local who knew English, at appending our order. At that point, we realised what an Americanised day were having... except for the tofu in our bagels, but that didn't bother us.

Stopping for a delicious lunch at Bagel & Bagel

After spotting some locals heading through a secret tunnel back towards Osaka station (underneath the vacant lot), we followed the crowd, and realised our original 20 minute trip, could've been done in 5. No matter. We boarded a JR Line, interchanging to a Subway at Bentencho station, and made it to Osakako, the seaside stop. It was a short, pleasant walk to the Aquarium precinct, where we spotted another, bigger ferris wheel, and a local magician busking with quite the crowd (entertaining many young ones who were a bit clueless).

A combo pass to the Aquarium and Ferris wheel was 3000 Yen each. I thought the start of the aquarium was a little bland (too many people and not enough windows), but Adelaide was excited. Osaka aquarium boasted otters, seals, penguins and sharks, as well as a capybeara (which neither of us had seen before), and had a decent layout which took you deeper through the exhibits, with each lap of the facility. The Great Barrier Reef exhibit was looking a little worse for wear, but that's probably thanks to the "Tones" and his dredging. Adelaide was apprehensive about touching a sting-ray (in the "touch the wildlife" area), but I'd been there, done that before at the Sunshine coast. Adelaide protests that she was not allowed to buy a Kawaii seal plushie in the gift shop, but I maintain I was fine with it.

We took some time to sit and absorb the bay outside, as well as kill some time before sunset. We took a look inside the Tempozan Markplace which was located next-door, where we stopped for some mandatory Baskin Robins. We also made a startling discovery of... a Ninja! (so we're done now, we can come home). After which, it was close enough to sunset, so we lined up for the second ferris wheel of the day, however this time we had another option, to choose from a see-through gondola. As there was an additional 20 minute wait for these, we decided against it, and hopped straight into a standard one. The views again were spectacular, and different from our morning ride; as we could see a bit further, and had a better view of the bay. We went back inside Tempozan Marketplace, where we spotted a Petting place, and I bought a fuzzy beanie (the two were unrelated).

Atop the Tempozan Ferris Wheel at Sunset

 

Spotted: A Ninja!

Exhausted, we we made our way back to Osaka station to find dinner at an "Australian Pub", an ad we'd spotted with Azumi the night before. After searching for a time, we were devastated to find that it was closed (presumably because it was Sunday - typical Aussies). Instead, we went back to the same trusty place that we'd been to the first night, and had some delicious garlic chicken. On our way, we sorted out our Shinkansen tickets for tomorrow's transit to Hiroshima.

It should bring okonomiyaki, new scenes, and new experiences. Until then! Goodnight.