Godspeed Osaka Sunday

Day 2 First thing on the agenda is to go to church. Every chance I get to go to church in a different country I make it a point to go and attend the mass service in a foreign land. I distinctly remember the time in Fiji and in Madang Papua New Guinea. This time it is Osaka Japan. For this long 12 day trip a blessing for the travel to keep the family safe. The wind was crisp that spring morning. I had to secure the pashmina around my neck to keep warm. We plotted the way in google map and asked around for directions. Kind policemen trying to speak to us in Japanese and all I can say is Hai Hai and Arigato. Generating funny looks from the daily pedestrian. After a few turns and admiring the men and women in bicycles. We found the church and and fellow Filipinos as the choir and lectors...even one of the songs have Filipino lyrics infused into the English song. All the new people were made to stand up and introduce themselves to the community. After mass we met Sonny, he helped us with a few tips going to Osaka-jo and then he generously offered to take our first family photo. Such a blessing to be witness to this community. We walked back to the station and found our way to Osaka-jo where we spent the rest of the afternoon.

Hearton Osaka Japan

We arrived one full hour later than expected, we went out the arrival area excited despite the bumpy plane ride. After changing some dollars into yen, we made a beeline to the information kiosk and noted that there are no more buses going to the city. Finding our way to the train station at the Kansai airport was a breeze but the task of decoding the trains system and the ticket dispenser was like a puzzle to our weary traveler eyes. Hoping to get directions on "how-to" Amats fell in line at the JR office while I stood beside the ticket machines and eventually figured out how to operate it. Ha! One code cracked! We got into the train which chugged its way to Osaka and from the map I have in hand the nearest station is Fukushima near Hearton Hotel. We got off the station and since it is around 10:30PM we decided to take a cab to the hotel anyway it is near. Cab drivers are very courteous in their suits and clean cars with receipts. It was a short ride and we approach the hotel...until Amats said "Nanay Hilton ito" (This is Hilton). Oh I said to the driver ... we are going to Hearton (which I pronounced Hear-ton) showing him the map of the booking and then the driver was kind to stop the meter while calling his office trying to figure out the way he said Hearton correcting me (pronouncing the place as Heart-on). This is our first case of lost in translation. As literally lost (dahil nawala kami). The driver was so kind to bring us to our hotel without charging us extra to the 820 yen already in the meter. Good thing our hotel was a couple of block away from Hilton hotel. We really had a good laugh about Hearton! Love the comedy and opening salvo of this trip which made us smile and laugh. First night and we are off to a good start.