Relatively wide open flights both to and from, decided to grow some 'nads and just go for it! Anyone got any fave places in Osaka/Kyoto to see/do/eat?
Relatively wide open flights both to and from, decided to grow some 'nads and just go for it! Anyone got any fave places in Osaka/Kyoto to see/do/eat?
How about Osaka Castle? Shogun!!!?? Boss went last month and he'll be flying NRT/KIX later next week. I almost went to PEK since loads were super mega wide open tonite but I didn't have my thermal undies nor cashmere sweater. I only had t's and casual pants and a light leather jacket for 2 nts in Seattle. Just got home and what is with FA's allowing kids under 15 in exit row? As well as ignoring woman behind me with 3 yr old in her lap for landing? (hint--she didn't want to sit in her seat so mommy picked her up from the floor at the last minute. Most of the flight the kid played a noisy game w/sound effects and whined the rest that she wanted to sit with daddy and sissy who were behind her, while mommy read her kindle and tuned her out... ARHGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH) Guess who was sitting in front of mommy and the little terror? Yep, you guessed it!
D'awwww. Sorry bout dat :(
I'm going to Kyoto too! Trip report when I return Friday lol! Can you say "fast trip"?
The nonrev Gods are good today! First class seat 2C. I'm excited!!
Just remember that the non-rev gods are a fickle lot and you do have to come back.
Have fun. :cool:
Don't remind him. I told him to try LAS, and he had a hard time getting out of that one :P
OK, t'was an awesome trip!! Got F outbound for the longer leg, and Biz back home. I have to recommend an awesome hotel in Osaka, NAMBA ORIENTAL HOTEL | OSAKA | English page
The only bad thing I have to say is....no wireless! :( There's wired internet though. It's really hidden though. If you decide to use it, take the Rapi:t to Namba station, exit thru the NORTH exit. Cross the street to Starbucks and continue down that alley into the mall area. Take the second main alleyway to the left, hotel is maybe half a block up on the right.
The area is awesome too, right in a street shopping mall. I made a journey to Kyoto, saw Nijo Castle and Kyoto Imperial Palace. Note, if you go to Imperial Palace, be sure you have your passport. You must make a reservation at the office, show your passport and fill out a form. No charge though. The guided tour you get is well worth the time, takes about an hour. You can't go inside the Palace proper, but it takes you all around and shows you into some rooms from the outside. Nijo Castle, you can go inside but no pics, sketching, etc. allowed.
Darn it! I'm looking to heading out to the Asia soon myself. I can't stand those long flights anymore. 14 hours to NRT from IAH alone. I'm thinking of just breaking it up via HNL like I did last time.
Sounds like you had a fruitful "quickie". Always good to avoid cattle class!
I may go with Boss later this spring. He tried for longer layover in Osaka, but all he got was the short 12 hour. But, he has 55 in Beijing, so I'm China bound. Thanks for the tip on Kyoto Imp Palace; I'd love the see some of the gardens there. I was scratching my head trying to think why the wired internet was so hidden...
What, no password or secret knocks? Sounds great. :cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by Tony757
That hotel looks quite nice. Where did you eat? What kind of price did you get? Did you go thru the hotel directly or via UTel res system? I'm considering spending one nt to meet Boss in March. His layover is Hilton and I don't think I have enough HH points How was your weather? Do tell, please!
There's so many places right around the hotel, as well as in the hotel complex itself. I had fish n'chips at The Hub, a British pub-type place. Decent. I had some unknown food at another Japanese restaurant on the 2nd floor (below the hotel lobby on the 3rd). They did not have an English translation of their menu, so I ordered what I thought looked good lol!Quote:
Originally Posted by mrs767er
Weather was on the chilly side, reminded me a lot of SFO weather. 50 during the day, upper 30's at night. Rained my last day there, so that killed a day. My return flight left at 1820. The hotel will store luggage for you, no probs. They offered to do it for me, but since it was raining, I said screw it and spent 5 hours in the airport :(
Front desk folks were very friendly, and one lady took a lot of time helping me pick an agenda for one day's sightseeing in Kyoto. I highly recommend it, if you can get by with no internet, or wired internet. I booked thru Hotels.com, price was 326.54 for 2 nights. Maybe a little pricey tho, but I considered it well worth it. I'll take my laptop next time, but I WILL stay there again!
Was really contemplating doing the island hopper from GUM/HNL. Been meaning to check out Ponape for the longest time. Maybe I'll do this depending on the flight loads. The story of the Tatooed Irishman and Nan Madol had really captured my interest for the longest time since first reading about it on a Guam newspaper while shipboard. Maybe I'll just do this if I can and doesn't become a hassle.
Thanks, Tony. Now for another question--tell me more about sightseeing in Kyoto and how long did it take to get there and back?
I had to laugh about "unknown food"! Hubby's co-pilot says he just goes to a restaurant in Beijing, looks at a picture, grunts, and hopes it edible. I asked my American pilot wife friend who lives there how to say noodles, then all I have to do is cluck, oink or moo and hope the vegetables are automatic.
Hmm, Kyoto was pretty simple. Take the Midosuji line out of Namba station (M20) to shin-Osaka (M13), and then take the JR line to Kyoto station. From there I took a taxi to Nijo Castle, where I started my castle stalk. I also took a taxi from there to Kyoto Imperial Palace. From there I walked about a block to the Imadegawa station. From looking at the map afterwards, I could have just stayed on the subway and not bothered with taxis.
The Imperial Palace, you must register, and provide your passport in order to take the tour. The English tour was really informative, and there's no charge for it. You can't go inside the Palace proper, only around the outside and the gardens but well worth it. Nijo Castle, you can go inside, but no photographs allowed at all, nor even sketching. Also well worth it.
Kyoto Imperial Palace is a ten minute subway ride from Kyoto Station along the Karasuma Subway Line. Get off at Marutamachi or Imadegawa Station. Imadegawa Station is closer to the Imperial Agency Office and the entrance gate of the Imperial Palace.
The entrance of Nijo Castle is a short walk from Nijojo-mae Station along the Tozai Subway Line. From Kyoto Station, take the Karasuma Subway Line to Karasuma-Oike Station and transfer to the Tozai Line to Nijojo-mae Station. The whole trip takes about 15 to 20 minutes and costs 250 yen. Alternatively, the castle can be reached from Kyoto Station by Kyoto City Bus numbers 9, 50 or 101 (15-20 minutes, 220 yen one way), or from Shijo Street by Kyoto City Bus number 12 (15 minutes, 220 yen one way from Shijo-Kawaramachi bus stop).
Admission is 600 yen, and the audio tour is another 500 yen (well worth it!)
I'm actually tempted to go back this week lol!!
Get one of these pocket routers (they are dirt cheap too), plug it into the wired internet port and boom! wifi all around the room. Its a must bring if you travel a lot.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tony757
TL-MR3020 - Welcome to TP-LINK
We have one and haven't used it yet. I've dragged it to South Africa and Asia. So far, we've had all wireless, however in some places, wifi is the pits.
Thanks for the detailed transport info--that's super. I'll always know where to find it!
Wooo, thanks for that info! I just ordered one from Amazon! Btw, I'm thinking of going back over today! More castles to see, and flights are still open. Hmmmm....
I actually got this from TripAdvisors, someone posted on how to find the hotel and it was spot on!Quote:
Originally Posted by Migflanker
Wave to my husband! He's flying DL to SEA. Home Thursday--YAY!!
Decided not to go. Weather was going to be chilly, and I'm liking the cold less and less the older I get.Quote:
Originally Posted by mrs767er
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8249/8...d163aeef8a.jpg
Kyoto Imperial Palace
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8505/8...f9ed2906d5.jpg
Namba, just outside the hotel