It's back to Osaka today. Although our flight doesn't leave until 3pm, we decided to leave for the airport after breakfast to avoid any last-minute stress. The journey from our hotel took about an hour, door to door. The nice thing was that the metro was far from crowded, which made the journey much more comfortable. When we arrived at the tram station, the tram dropped us off right at the terminal, which was a real time-saver.
We got to the airport a little early, so we decided to make the most of the time before we checked in by having a little gourmet break. We found a nice spot at Paris Baguette, a chain of French patisseries, where we could enjoy a pre-departure snack. It was a chance to unwind a little before the formalities and the flight.
Once we'd got through security, we thought we'd take a quick breather and have a look in the duty-free shops. The atmosphere is relaxed, which gives us a chance to kill some time before we board.
As we turned down an alleyway, we found a Starbucks tucked away in the middle of a pretty unusual bookshop. We were surrounded by books with colourful covers, from the latest novels to the classics, as well as lots of shelves dedicated to K-pop. We decided to treat ourselves to one last matcha latte. There's something special about finding a place where you can relax with your favourite drink while exploring the books and products devoted to this fascinating Korean pop culture. It's a brief interlude of calm, a blend of serenity and anticipation before the big launch.
The plane was a little late, but we finally landed in Osaka at around 6 pm. As soon as we got there, there was a long line at immigration, which made the process take a lot longer than we thought it would. By the time we got to the baggage area, we were surprised to see that our suitcases had already been taken off the conveyor belt and were waiting for us on the side. It was a bit surreal to see our bags already waiting for us before we'd even had a chance to collect our passports. It was a strange contrast, but in the end it was really useful, and meant we could make up for some of the time lost in the long arrival procedure.
When we got to the airport, I got our tickets for the Tokyo trip the next day. After looking at the different options, I decided to go for a free seat on the Shinkansen. This gives us some flexibility on departure time, which is great if you don't want to be rushing to catch the train. The self-seating reservation system also lets us choose our slot according to our schedule, without any constraints, which is really handy for such a fast-paced journey. The Shinkansen is always a great experience, and being able to leave whenever we wanted gave us a bit more freedom on top of an already busy schedule.
Back at the hotel, which is the same one we stayed in before leaving for Seoul, we collect our suitcases and go up to the 14th floor, where our new room is. Once settled in, we decided to wash all the dirty laundry we had accumulated during the trip. The idea was to get rid of this chore quickly and be able to go out and enjoy Halloween night, but that was without counting the time it took to dry the clothes. Between the weight of the clothes and the number of items to be washed, the planned drying time turned out to be much longer than expected. We had underestimated how long it would take, and instead of being able to leave quickly, we didn't leave the hotel until 11.30pm, hungry.
We hadn't eaten since Starbucks this morning and we were really starting to get hungry. We were still hoping to find somewhere open to enjoy the Halloween festivities, but the late hour didn't leave us much choice. It was time to hurry if we were going to catch all the magic of the night.
On the way to Dotonbori, we stopped at a Kombini to buy onigiri and a bottle of tea to recharge our batteries after a long day. Arriving at the shopping street, our first surprise was that all the lights were off, the shops were closed and cardboard boxes were strewn about. The atmosphere is surprisingly quiet, almost deserted. But the further we go, the more the area comes alive. Groups begin to form and a message comes over the loudspeaker: 'It's time to disperse and go home'. I assume this is to avoid any risk of the crowd getting out of hand.
Once you arrive, the atmosphere is completely different. There's a real buzz. There are people everywhere, some dressed up, sometimes in quite original ways, and always with smiles on their faces. There's a real energy in the air. The streets are busy, but I have to admit that crowds, even when they are festive, are not my favourite thing. So we took a little walk to soak up the atmosphere without getting too lost before deciding to head back.
As we drove through the area, we noticed that the police had blocked access to the main bridge, presumably to manage crowd movement and ensure safety. On the way back, I was struck by the image of a drunk man sitting on the ground, completely disoriented. There were also a number of people who had obviously had too much to drink, creating a rather chaotic atmosphere. The highlight was an ambulance attending to a man who had fallen to the ground and was bleeding from the head. This scene confirmed to me that our decision to go home early was the right one. It was clear that the party was in full swing, but the excess of alcohol and the density of the crowd made things a little more... risky. So we decided to go back to our hotel in peace.
Tomorrow I'm off to Tokyo! I have to admit I'm a bit nervous. Although Osaka has its charms, I have to admit that I wasn't totally seduced by the city. Its atmosphere, perhaps a little too noisy and chaotic for my taste, hasn't really convinced me. I have the feeling that Tokyo, with its more controlled energy and more varied neighbourhoods, is more in line with what I'm looking for. I can't wait to discover what the capital has to offer, from the back streets of Shinjuku to the temples of Asakusa and the little cafes hidden in the quietest corners. In short, I can't wait to get away from the hustle and bustle of Osaka and get back to the unique rhythm of Tokyo. Tomorrow will be another adventure!
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