Day 11 3/4/06 - Japan

Kyoto -> Kita -> Yodoyabashi -> Minami -> Kyoto

Highlight

• Our first day of actually touring Kyoto. We saw a few temples, but the highlight was the Kyoto Imperial Palace. We joined the English tour with a lot of other tourists, and had a guide who spoke very funny English, not her accent or anything, but the way she kept bending over and using her hands when she spoke.
• We decided to tour Osaka night scene, and walked around Osaka's many bridges.
• First stop was to the Floating Garden Observatory which is like an urban park built into a skyscraper. We observed the twinkling lights of the city.
• We wondered to Namco Park with its giant Ferris Wheel and other weird happenings. It reminds me of Harajuku and Shibuya, except with more tataoki balls!
• Wandering the Osaka Sts, filled with tempting food streets:
  • okonomiyaki
  • sushi
  • shabu shabu
  • Korean BBQ
  • other countries
  • coffee
  • cakes
• The okonomiyaki joint we ended up going to serves the pancake in your own grill. We had heaps of fun coating all the sauce and bonito flakes on our pancakes.

Food

• Sushi set from Fukuya (280).
• Bento box from Fukuya (249).
• Sushi and ramen set (750).
• Eel on rice + soup + pickles set (650).
• Tataoki balls 5 (160).
• Green tea ice block with red beans inside (50).
• Melon and vanilla ice-cream (55).
• Okonomiyaki with pork, egg, cabbage (600).
• Okonomiyaki base + squid & prawns (800).
• Taste test strawberry mochi and coffee.
• Cream crepe (400).