Since our flight back to KL was much later in the evening, we decided to extend our stay by half a day at Hotel Monterey La Soeur, Osaka. I must say that my entire stay at this particular hotel has been very pleasurable. The staff were helpful and extremely accommodating, even before we had arrived. Its locality in Shiromi Chuo-Ku is just perfect: accessible yet not too crowded.
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| Hotel Monterey La Soeur Osaka |
It pays to print out and keep a copy of the address (in both English and Japanese characters) in our wallet. Whenever we wanted to get back to the hotel, all we had to do was to flash that address card. I had even forced my parents to carry a copy each in case we get separated and/or lost while roaming the streets of Osaka.
There was just one place left for us to visit before we leave this beautiful city. Although the Osaka Castle Park looked pretty close from the hotel on the map, we decided to take a cab because my parents were not too keen on overexerting themselves just before the flight home. It was a good choice, too, as we discovered that the castle ground was much more spacious than we had imagined.
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| There is just something romantic about castles that are surrounded by a moat. |
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The long walk leading to the entrance
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| Thank God it was a bright and sunny day! |
It was a Saturday morning, so it was not surprising to see a crowd at the park. Some were just walking about, while others were jogging and training for marathons. Then there were also children who were attending their weekly martial arts lessons.
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| The common hall where martial arts lessons are held |
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| Timetable |
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| Young children beating each other up ... in style |
The Osaka Castle is much more modern compared to Nijo castle. For one, there are many items on display in the castle. The history of the city and the building of the castle is told through moving 3D screens.
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| Imagine how beautiful it will look when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom |
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| Looking really majestic |
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| Moving 3D screens that tell the story of the city and its castle |
Another interesting attraction at the castle is the observatory deck where one can have a 360 degree view of Osaka city. The bird's-eye view shows how structured the development of the city is.
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| Part of the view from the observatory deck |
As I was walking within the castle grounds, I came across a very interesting sight: a janitor dressed in a traditional costume. My first reaction was, "Why would they need a janitor at all?" You see, the people living in Osaka are very civic-minded. Nobody dares to throw even a single sweet wrapper on the ground. I have heard that they would usually carry their garbage with them in their pockets or bags so as to discard it at home. But I guess that is how they have managed to keep that place spotlessly clean. There are tourists, after all and sad to say, not all of us are responsible tourists. The beauty of this city is that janitors and garbage collectors are never looked down by the people. This is a stark contrast to Malaysia, where such jobs are regarded as inferior and less respectful. It is a mind set that we should not be proud of.
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| A royal janitor |
After walking around for a while, we decided to make our way back to the hotel. We panicked a little when we learned that there was no taxi to the airport from the hotel because it was a weekend and we had not booked earlier. In a way, it was a blessing in disguise. We were forced to make use of our JR pass for the very last time.
We dragged our baggage to the train station (which was within walking distance from our hotel) and had to switch trains at one of the stations. Then it was a straight journey to the airport terminal. I say it was a blessing because my dad was starting to have problems getting in and out of taxis. The train was a much friendlier form of transportation for his bad knees. The seats were more comfortable and we did not have to worry about luggage space in the taxi boot. Furthermore, we did not have to pay any extra cost as the JR pass already covers the distance to the airport.
Though it was long journey, it was our last opportunity for sightseeing in a city I have grown to love. The gradually setting sun cast an orange tinge to the blurry images moving past me. I was looking forward to go home, but a part of me had also wanted to stay. It was a good break and I would love to come back again someday. One day. Maybe when the cherry blossoms are blooming.
Sayonara, for now! Ja mata ne! See you again!
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