Searching for Perori

My mind is much more with it this morning. I tried to post something last night, but I couldn't concentrate on what I was doing. Am doing very well though, considering I only arrived on Friday evening. Today Takako and I are off to Kyoto for the day - looks like it's going to be another beautiful autumn day.

Yesterday after a very lazy morning we went into central Osaka - to Nanba and Shinsaibashi for those who know Osaka well. A few things have changed, but basically Osaka is just how I remember it; the crowds, the Ebisu-bashi bridge over the Dotonbori, the ginko trees along the Midosuji... Strange to think that I basically spent 4 1/2 years of my life here in Osaka - sometimes yesterday I felt like I was in a dream and that I would suddenly wake up (but that may have just been the jet-lag!).

For those of you who don't know the story behind my e-mail address and blog Perori is a character in a comic book called 'Panda Manga'. There's a shop here in Osaka which sells lots of things based on the characters in 'Panda Manga' and the other books by the same authors, so yesterday Takako and I decided to check it out. Takao and I had this brilliant idea of getting a 'stuffed' Perori and taking various pictures of it in different locations around the world. Unfortunately Perori doesn't seem to be as popular as some of the other characters, so instead we settled for Panda. I can just picture it - Panda by Osaka Castle, Panda in Kyoto, Panda on Bondi Beach...

Takako has just woken up, so it's time for breakfast. Am very excited about visiting Kyoto again today - especially Kiyomizu-dera Temple.