Domo arigato Styx!!

Well when we first arrived in Osaka last Friday I was obviously a bit overwhelmed and dreading another language barrier to get through... I thought I only knew 2 words in Japanese – the two words that EVERYONE knows - Hello (Konnechi-wa) and Goodbye (Syonara); however, Will made an important reminder that I actually did know three – thank to Styx and that song from the days of my early youth – Mr Roboto… so hey, I ACTUALLY know three Japanese words – since domo arigato for those that don’t remember means “thank you very much” – all I can say is it is a start I suppose.

I actually have been a little hesitant about this trip because it is not like a real vacation – we are actually planning on moving here. Will has been so excited about it and I was excited for him. I just hoped I would be equally as excited. I mean the prospect having fresh fruits and vegetables that are safe to eat off the street, cleaner air, clean drinking water out of the tap and bathrooms that have heated seats, wash your ass for you and even play music at the touch of a button – who wouldn’t like that? But stepping off the plane, all the smells, pollution, squat toilets and overall grime of Shanghai was comforting because it was the devil that I knew!

Although Japan is MUCH cleaner and the fashion sense of the women here is absolutely amazing (thus no future blog spread on fashion faux pas from Japan), it also seemed much more foreign than Shanghai. I don’t know if that really makes sense, but hey it is how I felt.

So after 5 days, with a few mini side trips and the early success of learning the beginnings of the massive train and subway system Will asked me at breakfast how I was feeling. I had to say in all honesty that this devil wasn’t so bad after all… : )

Pictures of our brief little side trip to Kyoto….