Having bid a goodbye to our new friends (and a promise that I would return in a few days after sending my dear sister off at the airport in style), we left our home in Kyoto. It may be the last big urban area centered around tall grey buildings, polished river banks streaming cold water and lined with trees shading small patches of grass for lounging, and a large enough population to never repeat a face for a while.
We cycled into a comfortable hotel in Osaka to hide from the dark clouds and frigid wind, to be given a comfortable room that surprisingly was made out for disabled people. To us, this meant a slightly larger room than normal and a slightly variant spacial orientation of beds, desk, bathroom, and furniture amendments that made everything...accessible.
While putting my bags down on the bed, lost in those incongruous feelings of being in a familiar yet somehow uneven place, admiring the layout of our purchased comfort, a small string coming out if the wall fifteen centemeters off the floor caught my eye. Never seen that before. So I pulled it.
Bad idea. Logic lapsed my mind before I pulled the "help, I've fallen on the floor and can't get up" wall mounted trigger that only comes equipped in rooms like this one. Well, at east the staff are very attentive.
The next morning we left wth no dissallusions - we had to cycle to the airport, and quick. Sisters flight is only two days away and we still have to get there, explode our bags to rearrange/re exchange all our belongings, track down a bike box, pack up, meet another friend at the airport, and find a place to sleep.
But, priorities first: we weren't going to leave without visiting one of the World's biggest aquariums.
Unlike that horrible day we cycled under rainwater for the better part of the day on the run to Onomichi, today we will submerged ourselves in water of a different kind. Tank water.
You can't tell from this distance, but the curvy domed structure behind me is actually home to the Osaka baseball team. An unexpected travel highlight =)
Flowers we parked our bikes next to. Right before we reached the massive underwater space, sis and I agreed that we should eat. Better to go in full than to rush through hungry.
And so we ate.
I was concentrating on this Korean BBQ ramen soup as sis chowd her tempura bowl.
Waiting outside the large aquarium.
This ray fish was so happy to swim on top of us. S/he did so many times.
Where the sea otters call home.
Of course, at feeding time, the employees put on a show.
Emperor pinguibs standing unnaturally still.
Even dolphins swim these underwater caves.
Diversity of Life.
This octopus is amazing, pulling itself into an even smaller space than the one before seems to be no great feat.
Cuttle fish!
What's the worlds third largest tank by volume worth without such iconic animals like the hammer head?
Turtles!
Ok, so this exhibit is not obscured in black and white, it my effect. These crabs look so much more creepy and scary this way!
You don't get to be one of the Worlds largest by skiping on the exhibits. I'm happy to see so many aquatic conditions, habitats, and arrangements of species. Besides the large tank you more or less walk through and under, there are separate tanks to hold more sensitive aquatic animals. Like these jelly fish.
The ray in the middle of this pictures is trying to escape by using it's wings to fly. Didn't work the way s/he had planned it out.
Well five hours and one kilometer of walking later, it was time to go. We left and I opted for a McDonalds I've cream dessert because why not? As I sat on the red and yellow bench enjoying my white dairy substance filled cone, a man in a buisness suite walked up to sister and I and asked if we were looking for a place to camp. Indeed we are, I said. And so we get to talking and it turns out he's been all around on bike and looking out for fellow travelers =) He pointed us in the direction of a free ferry that will take us to an island campground. Too perfect. The man left in a hurry but not before we gave him many thanks. And that's how we came to this gate, waiting for the ferry to take us to our unknown home.
Waiting, waiting for the ferry.
A full day of underwater exploration and travel by water. The wet theme of today's adventure will unfortunately continue because the night forecasts slight rain. Though by the look on my sisters face, you wouldn't guess we where heading into rough water.
High spirits when following a tip from a complete stranger.
Before we could settle in, and this is pretty much a standard rule when traveling, there is one last obstacle to conquer. Be it head wind for the last five kilometers, a huge mountain climb, a no bike bridge river crossing, or in this case, a steel cyclone of a bike path up to the underbelly of a bridge.
Sis putting in the last bit of work for the day. Mind you, we didn't know at this point whether we would even find a campsite after this stretch. It weighs on your psyche sometimes, although it pays dividends once everything works out and you remember how awesome a random encounter with a stranger can be.
Sister chugging some sweet OJ from the Lawson's before bed. Lights out!
Osaka proper. Sis and I missed this central area of urban city the first time through. Now, it leads the way to aquatic adventures.
More manhole covers for the collection.
I am no marine biologist. I don't pretend to know all the scientific names or even most of their colloquial names. What I can tell you is that we spent many hours here, watching, reflecting, pondering, waiting, and wondering underwater. Highly recommended. I submit these photos to you without captions. So scroll and enjoy.
At the end of the underwater experience and about four hours later, we weren't led to the gift shop I was expecting. What we walk into was rather a very unexpected petting zoo!
The night did bring a little rain in fact, and we did camp outdoors. In a hopefull set of circumstances, we turned out ok. Not only was there a campsight right where the stranger suggested, and not only did this rare campsight offer us a full proof rain cover, not only that but in the morning we tried to pay the field manager for our stay and he insisted that we don't pay. I have no words to crystallize the kindness these people show to wondering travelers.
Hurry up! Only one full day left! Sister leaves tomorrow!
Love,
-A
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