No, we didn't fall off the face of the Earth.

Let me just start by again going back in time to 6/22.

You know that we went to the Aquarium, got caught shopping, and rode the giant ferris wheel. What I forgot to tell you was that we went to this unusual animal center inside the mall that we shopped in. There were goats in a pen, (reminder: this is indoors), several big cages of birds, a pen for small dogs, one for large dogs, a cat room, sheep pen, rabbits, guinea pigs, reptiles and even small monkeys. I have to say it was pretty cute that you could feed squirrels in a mall in Japan if you really wanted to. I have to say it is a little irritating all these intact animals, seriously no one spays or neuters.

Missed out on pics from our time out at Dontonbori. Officially went to most of the fast food joints here in Japan. Also we finally played some arcade games - proof!

Wendy's ho!



Gamers!





Then on our way home on the rail, since it was after 12p there were a lot of people going home from after work drinks. So some of the people on the train were a little tipsy. These 2 guys and a lady sat/stood next to us. One guy was a little more tipsy than the others so he was up/down up/down. So we both just got up to let them all sit. And they were saying sorry and telling us to sit. So Grace sat back down next to all three of them. Since we were nice the lady gave us a little gift one to each of us.

Karma is sometimes on our side.



Later that night it was really interesting. I had stopped in at a Claire's earlier at the mall looking to get my ear pierced. Well they do piercing, but all they do is sell you a small, sterile, DIY kit. Sooo, can you guess what I did later that night? Well, Grace was nice enough to tape it, though (like others here) wasn't able to watch.

Exhibit A



Mission Failed...

Time Warp 6/23

Osaka Castle very pretty but again we are pretty partial to Nagoya still. We really didn't do much this day just kinda took it slow, we seem to be running outta steam.

Osaka Castle



View from the Top



On our way back to the station we walked through this park and there were these mini shelters that the homeless set up, it seems like they allow them to live there, which is sorta nice.



Then it was off to Shitennoji Temple. Even though they are suppose to close at 5p there wasn't anyone there and a lot of the temple was already closed. So we just walked around the area a bit. It seems like a common dog walking place so we were happy to see all the goings on.

Pagodas are everywhere



LISA CAUTION: LOOK AWAY BIRDS TO FOLLOW, then look back.

The highlight has to be when we were sitting near the temple and eating bread and drinking sodas and Grace decided to throw the first piece of bread to the pigeons. Called the flock over to us...

Toppins Toppins Toppins a bag


And then the fun began.



That brings us up to date and since you all will be waking up soon I hope you enjoy this, I haven't had much to say these last couple days but we have still been having a great time. This morning we ended up sleeping in longer than we were suppose to but that was okay.
When I got up there was this on the table.



As you can see this was left to us by the Aussies, isn't it nice!?!

Then we needed to get on the road to Nara, so we hit the Mr. Donuts cute little donut mascots.



We got on the rail heading towards our stop to transfer, little did we know that the rail we hopped on was a special trip to the Universal Studios park that is basically on an island. I hadn't really looked at the map until we sat there waiting for about 10 minutes and the train is stopped at the station and we are basically the only people on it....

Train Olympics



Well it finally started again and of course headed in the direction we came from. So we hopped on another rail heading towards a different main station so that we could transfer for sure there. It was about 30m to Nara and then we got off and took a walk to the first Temple Kofukuji.

Please throw your cans away in this handy reseptacle =)



Well what we didn't know was that Nara has a sh*t load of deer and all the people are allowed to feed them...so...we fed them.

Grace was not diggin' it.



And they attack you once they know you have food!



Caught on camera - it got me in the family jewels...



We finally got to Kofukuji, which said they had a tree house but I don't know where they were keeping it?!?!?

Again with the pagodas



Anyway took a few photos and headed on down the lane to the Nara National Museum




Ok, Grace and I discussed the museum at this little eatery afterwards and we did like it and everything. There were priceless religious artifacts, but I have to say, Grace had it dead on, "I think that is the most bells I have seen at one time, not just bells 5 pronged bells"

Oh, the food I ate! Pork cutlet rice bowl.



After some much needed sustinance we walked a little further to Todaiji Temple. This is the most famous of Nara. It has a wooden building that is the largest in Japan and it is 1/3 smaller than it originally was (unfortunately the original burned down). Also has, as Natalie and I researched, a Daibutsu (Buddha) made of 437 tons of bronze, 286lbs of pure gold, 165lbs mercury, and 7 tons of veggie wax.







I haven't forgotten my daily missions either!
Though this is yesterdays...


One of the best things you can do in another country - GO TO THE MOVIES!
Transformers was AWESOME!!!!
We look a little odd, but we were happy.