A Japanese Christmas and a Thai New year.

[drron]

Their champagne.


And some purple bottles.


Only a few gins.




But I was tempted to buy a Kyoto gin or the Kombasa.
After that I decided to do a short walk to the Watanabebashi bridge. Some non japanese names.


And many workers resurfacing a minor road.


Expressways in the air.


Or over the water.

 

[drron]

Now I noticed something in the last photo that caused me to make a detour down a small back street running parallel to the canal.


Here I came upon a statue of Abe Hikotaro who died in 1965.




According to Google translate he was educated in commerce, became an investor then went to England for a few years. he came back and was a senior executive of several companies and supported public works. But all I could find out by googling his name was a post on Trip Advisor with 1 Japanese reviewer of the statue wondering why it was placed here where it is unlikely to be seen by many. It is in a nice little garden with a long row of Camellias.




But finally I found what I had detoured to see.

 

[drron]

So the big ducky was popular with families that had young children.




Most would get photos in front of this car. The fellow who had a photo taken before me had a son who just wouldn't cooperate. fortunately I remembered what I would say on the Gold coast to Japanese tourists - shashin torimasu ie take a photo. Then it was sign language to suggest he carry his son. the son stopped his shenanigans looking at me in surprise so the father was very happy with the photo.
They also had a yellow van from which they were doing a roaring trade selling duck souvenirs.

Of course then I heard Christmas hymns being played over the river at what looked like a market. It turned out to be at an Art Gallery.












Now this photo was taken after my second good deed of the day. The little fellow in the red jacket was standing beside me crying mummy. I was in a bit of a quandary as he probably wasn't Japanese but I could see the woman in black at the other side of the market so I yelled out Sumimasen. So all the Japanese looked at me and I pointed at the child and then at who was indeed his mother so she was escorted over to her child. Unfortunately that day things didn't come in 3s.
Some upmarket stalls One even selling a towel in North Sydney Bears colours.

 

[drron]

Nearly all the store holders said Merry Christmas to me.
But now time to walk back to the Hilton.

 

[drron]

Back to the road resurfacing. It was less than an hour when I passed this again and they had finished half of the job and were starting on the other side of the road.


Possibly all that is left of a previous building.


And back to the Hilton.

 

[drron]

The view from the Exec Lounge that night. Much quieter than the first night which was a real zoo.






So I was able to take photos of the spread.










Even little Christmas puds.

 

[drron]

The last of the spread.






Minor changes each night but more than enough for our dinners.
Then the night view from our room.

 

[drron]

And so it is Christmas. Breakfast in the restaurant at the Hilton osaka was a shambles every day but they saved the worst for Christmas. The line
that greeted us.


They could only give us 2 tables of 4 that were adjacent. and they were using every reataurant on the second floor. my first plate.


Didn't eat much more as we had a 1215 booking for the Christmas lunch buffet. The family went for a walk and we caught up on some sleep.
At least you had to have a booking for this buffet so straight to our table.


The drinks menu.




My son and I both went for the all you can drink beer whilst Mrsdrron went for the all you can drink beer and wine but only had wine.
So the selection of food.

 

[drron]

And the classics.




Despite the buffet only starting 15 minutes before we arrived some dishes had been hit hard.






The paella was very popular and always disappeared quickly.
A seafood and a duck dish.

 

[drron]

And an extra treat. A red chocolate fountain.






But I got an extra treat.


And I finally got a mini hamburger. With some miso soup.

 

[drron]

But a new beer dispenser. The glass was different.




The beer came from here.










And it automatically stops when full.

 

[drron]

We did go to the lounge Christmas night and it was really quiet,




We had had way too much at lunch so didn't eat just a glass of wine each.
The floral decoration.

 

[rbjhan]

View attachment 361391

View attachment 361392

View attachment 361393

Now I noticed something in the last photo that caused me to make a detour down a small back street running parallel to the canal.
View attachment 361394

Here I came upon a statue of Abe Hikotaro who died in 1965.
View attachment 361395

View attachment 361396

According to Google translate he was educated in commerce, became an investor then went to England for a few years. he came back and was a senior executive of several companies and supported public works. But all I could find out by googling his name was a post on Trip Advisor with 1 Japanese reviewer of the statue wondering why it was placed here where it is unlikely to be seen by many. It is in a nice little garden with a long row of Camellias.
View attachment 361397

View attachment 361398

But finally I found what I had detoured to see.
View attachment 361399

View attachment 361400

That's him.
Wiki page unfortunately only in Japanese. And even that is very brief....

阿部彦太郎 (2代) - Wikipedia

ja.wikipedia.org

 

[rbjhan]

Ah the Twilight Express! Sadly no more...
I think in Thailand some of the trains are still running?

Mizukaze is nice but way over budget, sigh. Plus need to win the ballot

 

[love_the_life]

Something special to warrant the celebratory cake, drron?

 

[drron]

My birthday in 2 days.

 

[Seat0B]

Needed a visit after lunch. The public loos are so clean. This one had a nifty infant chair. A lot of dads were there with their very young sons.

I love this about Japan. The ladies rooms always have several cubicles with these infant chairs, which are so practical. Any mum who has ever done the ‘jiggle the baby whilst trying to pull up your pants again‘ dance would agree! I wish we had them here. And in the ladies room, there is often a kid size/height urinal for little boys to use, as well as a kid size toilet. So family friendly.

 

[Seat0B]

But there was a car park view.

Hmm not sure if your view of car park and cranes outdoes @Pushka’s car park and bins, but a solid effort I’d say

 

[drron]

H ow about a car park with snow. tonight from our room at the CP Kanazawa.





but good views of trains.

 

[drron]

Boxing day and our family left early. Mrsdrron was worn out so I set off for the river which had a nice walk dqwn both banks. So crossed over to the other side of Osaka station.


From time to time saw planes presumably heading to KIX.


A pleasant piece of landscaping with a newish office block.








Over the road a new Canopy hotel.


Then a nice garden.




Which was in front of the Intercontinental.