Osaka, Kyoto and ANSA Japan. My slow-blogged weekend adventure continues.

Following, at last, my previous post, I arrived in Kyoto early last Friday morning bleary eyed and aching, yet instead of stopping to take in my surroundings I hopped straight on a train to Osaka. After entirely too much running back and forth searching at Osaka station, I finally managed to meet up with some ANSA people and boy goody was that not the most well deserved cup of coffee I've had in a long time!

Since the people I met up with live in Beppu, a small town down south, they were despserate to get some shopping done while here in the big city. As I live 30 minutes by foot away from both Shibuya and Harajuku, I was like "meh, sure, I'll tag along" (an attitude not hindered by my ambition to branch my wardrobe option out from "student shabby with holes innit" and into the direction of the ubiquitous "business casual").

Although have to mention that shoe-shopping is the most depressing thing. LL is the largest size available in most stores.

I'm a 41. Whoohoo.

We also located another one of those shops that would have made my 15 year old self expplode with excitement.

So. Many. Tiny. Hats!

This is pretty much exactly what I
wanted to look like 6-ish years ago.

Oh and we found this guy:

Appretiate the random tourist

He is apparently famous.









Didn't really do much touristing in Osaka. Almost went all the way to the castle, but then we got tired and gave up. Took this picture as Osaka evidence, and that was pretty much it.

I have been to Osaka and here is proof. #Umeboshi

After some meandering hours, we hopped back on a train to Kyoto and located our hotel. Style: traditional inn, aka ryokan.

I FREGGIN' LOVE RYOKAN!

I LOVE LAXIN' ON THE TINY CHAIRS.

I LOVE BEING MAJOR DERP IN YUKATA.

I LOVE YUKATA-ING OFF TO THE BATH (WHERE OF COURSE I CANNOT TAKE PICTURES BECAUSE NAKED PEOPLE)

In the evening, the staff-people MOVE THE TABLE IN THE MAIN ROOM AND PUT OUR FUTONS OUT SO IT'S LIKE A COSY SLUMBER PARTY AND I LOVE IT!

I ... don't love the food, actually. It's mostly pickles and slime.

Ah, I do know that ryokan breakfasts can be super tasty. This one wasn't though.

After a good nights sleep and a ... ahem... bracing breakfast*, we (okay, and we went to the bath one more time) were ready to start the business end of the trip. This meant spending a bunch of hours learning about the ANSA organization (that being the Association of Norwegian Students Abroad, for you uninitiated).

*as in, we certainly had to brace ourselves

To be totally honest, I actually originally only joined this organization because of their kick-ass insurance deal. Never expected anyting more from them. Now, after this weekend, I'm actually sort of already on the board of ANSA Japan, and Imma have to stop saying "them" and start sayin "us". And this did not happen only because they brought Norwegian chocolate.

Although I can't say the chocolate didn't help.

Had lunch in this room, which felt awsome:

The lunch was way better than the breakfast btw.

And if that is not Japanese enough for you, there's this:

Damn, but I love ryokan!

To be continued!