Osaka: Final Destination

Osaka has lots to offer, especially on the dining side. From the first day, we got to taste Osaka's famous okonomiyaki, or Japanese pancakes, and fantastic cheese tarts from Pablo. However, the most memorable 2 hours of our trip was paying a visit to one of the largest aquariums in the world spanning 8 floors. As soon as you step into the magical blue underground world with fish swimming over your head, you can't help but silently observe in awe. Despite crowds of adults and children swarming to see the whale sharks, penguins, sea lions with the list going on, we were still stunned by how tiny we are compared to these different species of the ocean. It was my first time at the aquarium and I couldn't take off my eyes from the whale shark's steady, but determined glide across the water, from the penguins who seemed to tease and push each other into the pool. The penguins' interesting behavior honestly felt like a pool party, just without music.

Although some days in Osaka were raining, we generally had a great leisure time after our cultural and local exploration adventures in Kobe and Kyoto. Here are some pictures depicting the places in Osaka that we got a chance to visit. Due to rain, it was unfortunate that we weren't able to take a look at Osaka castle, the floating garden and other historic neighborhoods. Maybe, a second trip to Osaka sometime soon? Hm...