Dobutsuen mae.

Repeat after me...
Doe-bu-zi-yen ma-eh...
The email regarding my stay in Hotel Mikado...
says...2mins walk from Dobutsuen mae station.

And it means..."In front of the zoo".
I did not realise that until I saw the translation on the railway signboard.
Thanks.

Yes...I live in the zoo zoo zoo...
How about you you you??

2 mins from in front of the zoo..is not a ZOO.
It is my hotel Mikado which cost 2300 yen.
And along the road...I saw many other way CHEAPER HOTELS!
1500 yen....1800yen...
DAMN...
Hotel Mikado better be GREAT or I will be ANGRY!


By the way...it is a HOTEL not a Hostel
And so I thought I should enjoy my rights to the fullest...
Since i paid 2300yen for it.
First thing first, I had a room all to myself.
GOOD.

Then, I went to the public bath...
I did not know it was public when I was at the door...
I mean..when I open the door...
And I saw naked women bathing....
WAT!!!??
I closed the door.
Open again...
And closed.
Hmmm...I need to bath.
Means I need to strip.
And it took my a few seconds to think...
And I cannot think for a while...
Finally...I went in , in my birthday suit...
And start my unusual experience of a traditional japanese public bath...
ok...this part...please see the post below below....

And other facilities include TV,
TOWEL and bathrobes....toothbrushs...slippers...internet access..
and free flow of VIDEO TAPES...
And extinct form of media to Singaporean.
And yes...THERE ARE PLENTY OF PORNS...
And also other movies..
However, you will not know what you are watching...
becos all titles are in Japanese...
even the english show...have japanese title.
So i "dikum" and pick 4...
And guess what, 2 is porn, one is retro looking english film,
and one is korean HORROR...
just my luck...or maybe not so...I know the tape looks fishy...
Oh well...
Watch some local TV shows instead...SMAP xSMAP..
And Kimura is gettig old...i can see.

I haven't been to anywhere in Osaka yet as I only arrive here at 9m and all shops are closed.
But having public bath and videos...is interesting enough for me.

So much of Osaka for now.

Lights off...and go to bed.

Travel slowly...

I love to travel slowly.
Maybe becos I am a slow person.
I need time to REACT and RESPOND.

And this trip is a tiny bit too fast.
I am so tired every night...
And have no time to reflect and respond...
Before I knock out.

Legs are in pain...becos of the 8 hours walk everyday.
I can feel the muscles around my legs...
I reckon I lost weight, but it was not shown in the weighing machine last night.
It must be the muscles...haha
Though my belt did tighten a gap.

I am obviously tanner...
The sun is scorching...
And I need umbrella in bright sunny days...
The brolly is for the rain in Tokyo...but the sun in Kyoto.

I wasn't feeling hungry for a long while...and do not eat much.
I was plain tired.

However, I feel, I probably can do something about my life and travel.
Maybe travel professionally...and share my experience.
And earn money...

All I need...

I have to travel more slowly that is...

Fushimi Inari Shrine

This is a visitor's advice.
Try not to go AFTER 5pm.

The travel guide says it open all day, no admission restriction.
And best to go at dusk.
True enough, sunset was lovely.
I saw the sun setting on my way UP!
you know what...
It means...it is dark now..
And I was not even halfway!
HELL!

Can you imagine you are the only person in the mountains after sunset...
It feels like the path is never ending...
You just walk and walk...
Occasionally you cross path with other people...briefly..
The freaky thing is...after the 4km walk around the mountain...
There are tiny shrine along the way where there are vending machines...
But no other human beings..
There are a lot of cats though...
And they look at you while you are walking along the paths...
I was lead into some quiet path...almost without any lights..
And I wonder if I am lost.
All signpost are in Japanese.
WHY?!!?
Don't they know there are many tourist as well!
By the way, the path is a loop and no one is suppose to be lost
if you keep walking...
But there are many 2 ways..where you have to choose...
and you will wonder if it will bring you back...or further down...

Finally...i find my way...out..
into some residential area...
And finally...saw PEOPLE...
I ask my way around and finally find my way out!!!!

It was an interesting walk...
But if there ever is a next time...
I will start early.
Perhaps at 3pm...and stop on my way down to enjoy the sunset.
And yes, those gates...are SPECTACULAR!

Cultural shock...

I think I have travelled too much to feel shock about Japanese culture...
Moreover, Japan is not a totally foreign land to me...
Too much familiarity...the food the language...

However,
there is just ONE thing yesterday night that shock me.
THE PUBLIC BATH.
YES.
PUBLIC.
ok...it is all women bath.
But still...it is weird to see NAKED WOMEN walking around the bath...
and even weirder...
TO BE WALKING AROUND NAKED.

I just cant help but want to take a second look...
Although it is not as if I have never seen my own naked body...
But, it is somebody elses body.
And they are different.
It is simply surreal.

And to be honest...
Slightly uncomfortable mentally.
The fact that I can see them naked means they see me NAKED too.

But the hot suana atmosphere and a warm pool bath is relaxing and fun.
And feels squeaky clean after the whole ritual.

Something to think about it.
The whole idea of a public bath.