14 March 2014
Freezing walk
It was freezing, literally, I saw a sign that said minus 2.
This seems to not bother some people who get around in short shorts and high heels, where as others are huddled together jumping up and down on the spot shivering.
I decided it was perfect weather to go for a huge long walk, over familiar territory, from south of Namba to north of Osaka/Umeda.
This took about 3.5 hours, stopping occasionally including for dinner.
Along the way I saw a lot of neon, with a brief area of non neon. A lady I was walking behind at great speed due to the cold seemed to be anxious about that fact. So I had to stop and wait in the dark and cold for her to get a few hundred metres away. Thats the sort of gentlemen I am.
I didnt take a lot of photos because I didnt want to take my hands out of my pocket, plus I have been to all these places last time I was here. Now I notice the ends of my fingers are horribly dry when typing back here in my warm room.
When travelling to Namba earlier on the subway, it was really full. I got a seat, and had a good view of a guy who dropped his phone but then couldnt bend over to pick it up. Watching various people try to use their foot to move it to an area it could be collected by someone seated was quite amusing.
The view out the other side of my hotel. Quite superior to mine. I will leave feedback that as an important westerner I should have been placed on the side of the hotel with a superior view.
I am providing a free show to the people in the hotel across the road from me by typing this in my underpants and nothing else with the blind up and the light on.
I emerged from the subway to somewhere very familiar. The covered shopping streets go for many miles. Mishigaki guitar shop was still open when I got to it, and full of amazing guitars you dont find in Australia. The young guys running the store wanted me to play them something on a $5000 Mayones I was looking at.
I told them I wouldnt consider buying it, to which they told me its been here for years and no ones ever bought one, everyone just plays it and puts it back cause its too expensive.
I had to dissappoint my fans, cause my hands were cold, and I suck. Judging by a 10 year old going nuts on a squier nearby who was getting no attention from anyone, I was out of my depth.
Head west of the main street and you get to a lot of restaurants, actually bars.
Look back up the river and you can take the same photo I took a few years ago.
My dinner, from a bar. I was the only customer (this happens when doorways all lead down or upstairs, you cant tell if anyones inside).
It took me some time to decide on this as they had nothing I really wanted. Also they could not understand at all I didnt want a beer. I got a coke in a guinness glass. Pretty sure I got charged for guinness.
At least it came with salad and broccoli.
Back near Umeda now, and this street is particularly full of neon. A sign said it was something to do with a twin suicide of princesses in 1700.
Today is white day, something to do with reverse valentines day? It involves selling white chocolate, and dressing up in white. Thats all I know. Its probably racist.
The very impresive Osaka station. Across from here is the biggest Yodabashi shop ever. I spent a while just walking to the top and back down again.