Okonomiyaki in the making

I had never thought about waking up in Osaka and finding myself on holiday, but here I am. The cherry blossom season is just starting and so are the tourists so the Aqualiner on the Tosaborigawa River was only half full and the tour guide only spoke half English. Osaka Castle was interesting and impressive but I doubt if it would have stopped the Mongol Hordes if they had ever got this far on their travels. It kick started our education in Japanese history and we learn more and more wherever we go. We continue to be impressed by the friendliness and kindness of the Japanese people that we have met and we have benefitted from their willingness to help strangers. We have been approached by passers by when we were looking at a map or squinting at a Japanese signpost, and have been embarrassed by how far they have been willing to go (literally) to show us our route.
For dinner, a local speciality of savoury pancakes cooked in front of us by the chefs of a popular restaurant in the Dōtombori district - Restaurant Chibō.