The aquarium in Osaka

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Today I took the JR train to Osakako, to visit the famous aquarium here in Osaka, located at Tempozan Harbor Village. It was great. Outside there is a giant ferris wheel. Inside the aquarium there is a range of animals (all looked after in very good conditions) and fish from the Japan Forest to any fish you can find in the Pacific Ocean. My favourite ones were river otters (I saw them being fed too) ,sea otters, long spine porcupine fish, Capybaras (he is the largest of the rodent family and looks like an enormous mouse, he is by far my favourite,) penguins, fish from the great barrier reef, loggerhead sea turtles, giant spider crabs and ringed seals.



At the end of my visit to the aquarium I got the chance to touch three types of fish, one felt silky but the other two were rough like sand. In the gift shop I bought a replacement for my brother Tom’s old dog-eared cuddly toy Sammy then Seal. I know Tom is married now, about to buy a house and is doing all those sensible adult things but I am sure he will still appreciate another Sammy the seal.



Afterwards I walked around the harbour and visited the mix of touristy shops and hippy shops around the harbour village. I bought some souvenirs and then found a Subway sandwich shop where I bought a Veggie sandwich which was perfect for my still-delicate stomach.



In the evening I rested, chatted to some cool people in the hostel, did some laundry, left a £5 note and a Lao 2000 kip note for the hostel’s display of worldwide currency as a way of saying thank you for such a wonderful stay and I made plans to leave for Tokyo the next day.

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