Spring Vacation Trip Osaka, Japan: 저는 일본어를 못 해요 (I can't speak Japanese)

Before this trip I have had layovers in Narita airport many a time but have never had the opportunity to sightsee in Japan. So, I was excited to learn that I had a small break in early April and wanted to travel a bit since I had 4 days off from class. I decided about 4 months ago to spring for a ticket to Osaka on Peach Airlines. It was good I bought it when I did because prices soon skyrocketed due to the cherry blossoms and the nice weather this time of year.

By the way, the only Japanese I know includes basic greetings and a few other random words that share pronunciations with Korean. So, I was kind of nervous starting out but I had bought a small phrase book beforehand and also had consulted my Japanese friends here in Korea on what I should eat and where to go. I also tried to read up on public transportation and some basic survival phrases before hopping on the plane.

Peach Airlines is based out of Osaka and is a low-cost no frills carrier that charges for inflight food and has very strict baggage rules (carry on bags can total no more than 10kg total). The flight was like less than 1.5 hours so really it is a good deal in my opinion (paid in Korean won but it was like $170 round trip). However, I found the seats kind of uncomfortable but the flight attendants were all friendly and spoke decent English.

Upon arrival in Osaka I took the free shuttle from Terminal 2 to Terminal 1 to pick up my WiFi Hotspot I rented and to grab a bus into the city. The bus ticketing was pretty straight forward and you can even buy roundtrip tickets that are good for...30 days or something. The bus system is very similar to Incheon Airport's so, I just had to find the correct bus stop number and wait for the bus!

Luckily the bus I took dropped me right at the foot of my hotel. I checked in and did some unpacking and then decided to venture out and find some food. I ended up eating at Yoshinoya for dinner. Yoshinoya is a Japanese fast food chain that specializes in beef bowls (gyudon). I actually didn't eat gyudon but whatever I ate was delicious. This pretty much wrapped up my arrival day.

Check out the pictures below!

Waiting to depart from Incheon Airport in Korea

Clouds out the window (seat was assigned to me, I didn't ask if I could change it but...maybe you can?)

Ditch the plane! It's going down! My friends said the translation was more like "Emergency Evacuation"...<ditching> sounds cooler haha

Sheraton Miyako Hotel Osaka

Orangina for ~$1.00

Noms

Back from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Having returned from Brazil about a week ago, I wish I had had more time to explore this very picturesque country. Unfortunately, I was busy with work just about the whole time I was there. I had a brief moment to walk along the beaches and enjoy some local beverages and snacks when I first arrived. Other than that...it was all work and very little play. 

The main road in front of the chain of beaches (Leblon, Ipanema, and Copacabana) in Rio is shut down to cars on Sunday to allow pedestrian traffic only. Many people were skateboarding, roller blading, and biking in addition to taking leisurely strolls in the sun. I got to watch Footvolley on the beaches which I had never seen before. Volleyball is hard enough, adding in that you can't use your hands makes it very impressive to watch.

Also on Sunday, there is what is literally called the "Hippie Fair". This is basically an open air market where locals sell a variety of handmade goods, T-shirts, and other touristy items. I didn't buy any merchandise but I did enjoy a snack from one of the food stalls. I can't remember the name of the dish but it was a fried bread with a vegetable based sauce and shrimp...it was slightly spicy. 

Walking back on the beach, you can find small refreshment huts lining the edge of the sand. Most sell a variety of beverages and snacks, including fresh coconuts. I found Brazilians are proud of their beer and I also found it is cheap (with some brands owned by the Belgians thanks to Anheuser-Busch InBev).

As usual, I have a hotel room walk through along with the views from the balconies. I'll admit, it was one of the most scenic views I've had from a hotel room.

This was my first trip to South America...and my first brush with Portuguese. Enjoy the video!

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