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*** Text was written at the airport while waiting for our flight back to Manila. ***

Day 6: July 9, 2016

Our target return date was July 9 but there were no cheap flights when we were booking. What we got as return flight was July 10 via Jetstar.

And so, we had to transfer to A La Maison for our last night. This is a guest house na. We got a room with the typical Japanese toilet bowl and common shower. I think it was expensive though. We paid Y6,990.00 for just 1 night. The hotels we’ve booked in advance had almost the same rate. So better to book as early as you can for hotels din so that it would be cheaper.

Anyway, since it was still early for check in, we just dropped our luggage at the guesthouse and went out again to visit Osaka Castle. That was walking distance from the guesthouse according to the staff. Totoo naman din. Isang mahabang lakaran. I don’t mind walking naman. Kaso I can’t over walk din dahil takot akong magka-plantar fasciitis uli. I have a history of that because of too much walking. Pero since kailangan, go lang ng go. Last day of gala na. Kailangan sulitin. So picture picture lang uli. There’s an entrance fee if you want to go near the castle. Pass na kami. Ok na kami sa view from below hehe. Nag takoyaki na lang uli kami. Good thing we did because it was another long walk to the JR train station that will bring us to Osaka loop. Target namin always ang JR train para libre  since we had our JR pass. Mahal din kasi if magbabayad lagi kada sakay ng train.

From the castle, we went to Osaka Loop for late lunch. We tried one of the buffet restaurants. I had cheese cake to my heart’s content hehehe. Bahala na kung kumulo ang tyan. Buti na lang hindi naman hehehehe.

After lunch, we wanted to check out the Umeda Sky Building. But after learning that we still need to walk a considerable distance, we just checked it out from afar. Hehe. Mga tamad at pagod na kasi.

There was nothing more to do so we decided to go back to the guesthouse so that we can pack and rest early…or so we thought…

We asked a couple at the train if that passess by Morinomiya. He said yes, but also said that it would be much faster if we take the train in the other platform (or at least that’s what we understood)…and so we did. We are supposed to reach our destination after about 2 stops. However, after several stops, no Morinomiya. We are not also familiar with the train stops we passed by so far. So we thought, ok, we’ll just have a joyride. Anyway, the train will go back. So joyride it is. My friend slept, I watched the places we passed by. We were going away from the city. After about 45 minutes, my friend woke up.

Friend: San na tayo?
Me: Lucena na.

Hehehehe.

After 15 more minutes, I thought I heard the train operator announced that the train will be uncoupling and one goes to Kansai airport and the other goes straight to another destination. All bound for Kansai airport should be in cars 1-4. We were at car 7. I told my friend let’s just transfer to car 4. If we were lost, at least dapat sa airport man lang kami makakarating di ba? Hehehe. However, the door to the car 6 was already locked. Patay. Medyo panic na. Good thing a staff saw us. We got out of the train and he showed us how we would be able to get back to our destination.

So what happened? We were at the right train naman. However, malay ba namin that we should get off at one station and transfer to another train to get to our final destination hehehehe. Syempre wala yun don sa sinabi ni tatay na napagtanungan namin. Malay ba nyang di namin alam na ganon dapat. At malay rin ba naming kailangan palang maglipat ng train makarating lang sa Morinomiya hahaha! Tapos pagdating pa sa Morinomiya, di pa rin namin makuha yung correct exit, and correct left turn going to our inn. In short, ang dami naming ligaw this day, kung kailan last day na namin. Kaloka lang hehehe.

Anyway, after a very long joyride, we were back at the guest house.

Pictures!

At the moat. This is still far from the castle.

Entrance to the humongous castle compound.

Osaka Castle from below.

We walked through this park on our way to the train station.

Ganda! We saw joggers and others doing some exercises. I wish we can have more beautiful parks like this in Pinas.

Umeda Sky Building

Osaka station! So modern and so big!

To be continued.

Day 7