No rest for the wicked...

Since I was not fully adjusted to whatever time zone I was in at the moment, I actually didn't struggle to get up too much. It was 5:45 and we had 15 minutes to get ready. Luckily everything was packed and we just needed to pack the last bits.

 Off to the bus stop again. While waiting for the bus we realized we didn't bring the brand new travel guide for Osaka/Kyoto.
 It was still sitting on the night stand but there was no time to go back and get it. Shame.Riding the bus back to the airport while the sun rose over Seoul and people started going to work was nice and relaxing. Especially in those big ass lounge chairs that they have here on the bus.
 Check-in was quick on our "Peach" flight (the Japanese version of Ryanair) but we still haven't had any breakfast. We found a nice traditional Korean looking area with Paris Baguette (Korean version of Starbuck's) and had a snack. On the way to the security check we passed by a book store and picked up another travel guide, so all was good again.

 After wasting some time in the duty free shops it was time to board the plane. It was pretty pink and purple in there but still felt nice than a Ryanair flight.
 It was pretty much the same time as flying from Dublin to Duesseldorf (1:40h) and dismemberment was in Ryanair style over the stairs and into an entirely empty airport building.
 Immigration was no problem and then we tried to figure out which train to take. There were probably 5 or 6 different options and with the helpful advice of the overly friendly tourist information lady we decided for a three day pass of the Kansai (Kansai Thru Pass). This means we have to stay on certain trains and can not use others... the DART is easier to manoeuvre.

But we did make it and after about an hour and a half on the train from the airport we got to Shin-Osaka Station where our hotel was.
 The room was on the 17th floor and had a great view. It wasn't a big room as to be expected of a Japanese hotel but quite nice.
 We were getting hungry again and headed out to the main train station where we heard was suppose to be a huge choice of foods. Namba station is pretty confusing as escalators and stairs go all over the place and essentially the whole place is an arrangement of 4 or 5 shopping malls that are all connected by a train station that in itself is another shopping mall.
 We were looking for something substantial as we were pretty hungry. So sushi would not do today. We decided to look up a nice place that made Chicken or Pork Katsu (deep fried like a Schnitzel). According to our new guide there was a famous place in the the shopping mall. We quickly found it and got the chef outside his restaurant to point out to him what we wanted. Most Japanese (and some Korean) restaurants have these plastic replicas of their dishes in the windows so you can see what you'll get. You just point at it and they make it for you.
 At this time I already got really confused between the different languages, just managed to squeeze out a few friendly words in Korean once in a while and now we are in Japan and I have to try to remember the small words here. They must be wondering why this German guy from Ireland is speaking to them in Korean while being in Japan.
 Anyway the Katsu hit the spot and the Miso soul heated the stomach.
 When we got out of there we got into (you guessed it) a shopping arcade. We got to this famous street where the shops that sell snacks have figures of the animals (of the food they sell) hanging outside their shop. Each shop tries to make their animal look cooler and bigger, so these animals also move their limps and release smoke.

  We strolled around a bit then planned out the next few hours. We wanted to go to a park, which turned out to be amiss around here but a park that was on top of a shopping mall. After that our plan was to visit Osaka Castle. On the way to the rooftop park we passed through a delicacy shopping mall with loads of amazing and strange foods only to find a bit of a disappointing rooftop Namba Parks, it was just another shopping mall with some flowers and bushes.
 We went back to the hotel and passed by a bakery which we spotted on the way to town already but since they were closing now everything was 30% off. Lucky us. We got a few buns for the morning and then headed back to the Hotel to get some rest before checking out the Osaka castle.

 Well... the bed was too comfy and the legs too tired and the nice cup of green tea too relaxing to get up again, so no visit to the castle this night.

 Tomorrows plan is to go to Nara where we hope to see some temples and shrines.