On the way to Osaka, we spent approximately 5 hours in traffic. Traffic was halted long enough, that Maggie and Loki felt the urge to exit the car and take a smoke break on the shoulder of the high way.
After driving the wrong way down several one way roads, even driving on a few roads that were not meant for cars (oops), and finally finding affordable parking in Osaka's red light district just a few blocks away from the hostel, we finally arrived at our hostel. Once our bags were dropped in our bunk lined room, we made our way down to the harbor for drinks with other friends, who had also driven down from Ishikawa. All fun, though we were all exhausted by this point.
To return home, we decided it would be best to take a taxi. Unfortunately, we gave the driver the wrong landmark, and still ended up a twenty minute walk from our hostel. Luckily, we had parked in the red light district, a distinct area of town that turned out to be easy to describe even with our limited Japanese abilities.
The four of us found and entered a conbini (convenience store), and asked to look at a map, which of course was labeled only in Japanese. In a moment of desperation, Loki looks up the word for prostitute in Japanese, corners the late night attendant and then calmly asks, in both Japanese and English, "Where are the prostitutes?" Putting his foot in his mouth, he then attempts to explain that simply, our car is parked there and that Maggie, Karen, and I are not his prostitutes. Rightfully so, the conbini clerk stared at us bewildered.
Arriving back to our car and hostel, it turned out that my parking spot, while looking affordable was not legal. Two police officers and an irate looking man were circling my car. I had parked in the man's private parking space; the affordable parking was across the street. I'm learning how difficult illiterate people have it.
Sunday, Loki and I took the train to Himeji to see the famous Himeji castle, which is supposed to be the most beautiful castle in Japan. It was spectacular. Our half-day trip slowly turned into a full-day trip, when we spent nearly three hours in line waiting to be admitted into the castle. Once in the castle, it only took us about 45 minutes to tour. On the bright side, waiting to get in wasn't so bad because the real beauty is the castle's exterior.
Before heading to Kyoto, on Monday, we stopped at a flea market at one of the many Shinto shrines. The pictures of the flea market are below. After another three plus hours in traffic, we arrived in the historic city. We hadn't planned a place to stay in Osaka, but luckily, we avoided homelessness when Yumi, the hostel manager in Osaka, offered us her friend's long-term stay house as a two night accommodation. She gave us a security code and vaguely told us which rooms were vacant. We arrived to an empty house. On a slightly unsettling (and creepy) self-given tour, we found an empty room on the roof top with an awesome view of the city. For safety (like avoiding ax murders), we all crammed into the one roof-top room.
More on Kyoto to come.
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