The last days of mercury retrograde in Osaka

My fave - Kyoto. We sat down for a few minutes by the bank before moving into a bar.

Japan – I don’t exactly know how to feel about Japan. For me it was a sea of emotions, of thousands of people in Dontonburi, of uncomfortable and sad, tipsy walks under the scorching sun.

See, I am not a fan of astrology but somehow, mercury retrograde always (always) gets me. I was in Japan on the last few days that the mercury was on retrograde. It started with a cancelled flight. A plane skidded off the Manila airport and hundreds of flights had to be cancelled; unfortunately, including ours. This meant that we’d miss Summer Sonic, Tokyo and that our money would go to waste.


But we still made the most out of our Japan trip.

Right across is Arabica. It tastes exactly the same as the one in BGC.

Every meal, beer. Kanpai!

Waiting for sundown on one of the terrace bars in Kyoto, where I splurged on mugs of beers and delighted at the fact of finding a waiter who could speak English. 

Interestingly, both of the good moments that I can think of happened right in front of a river. Water really keeps me calm. Amidst the scorching heat, right by the Hozu (hope I got the name right) River in Kyoto, I was eating convenient store bread – the one that looked like mantao but with red bean inside - listening to the rush of the water. I did not want to move. I just wanted to stay still and look at the passers-by one by one. It was a refuge both from the heat and from everything.

That same day, we went to one of the terrace bars in Kyoto, along the Kamo River. It was full moon (hello cosmos, bring it on) and it was so refreshing to meet a waiter who could speak English. Finally, I could ask for a glass of water in room temperature without having to bring out google translate. I was feeling the moment! Because who doesn’t like to drink outdoors basking in the glorious moonlight!? I was chugging on my Sapporo like water before I realized that my billed shot up big time. Tipsy and poorer, I catch one of the last trains back to Osaka.

I spent only one day in Kyoto and yes – it was my favorite! Hope to be back sans the retrograde and the heat.