Today was one of those lovely, meandering kind of days where you don’t really have a load to do, but somehow you pack in loads.
We kicked things off at the Expo ’70 Commemorative Park in Osaka, Japan. This expansive park, once the site of the 1970 World’s Fair, is now a vibrant space filled with gardens, museums, and recreational areas. First stop: the food market. You know us we can’t resist a tasty local bite. We grabbed a few nibbles (no idea what some of it was, but it was delicious) and wandered through the park, soaking in the sunshine.
The kids made a beeline for the play area Georgia and dotty loved the climbing ropes, and Dotty was happily pottering about until she spotted something even more exciting the Tower of the Sun. This iconic structure, originally created for the Expo, now houses an interactive museum. We had tickets for 2 so had to check it out. Up we went step after step (and a fair bit of “are we nearly there yet?”) but the view on the way up the top was worth it. Crazy exhibits from the 70s a total throw back in full technicolour! We snapped a family photo and cracked on.
On the way back down, we treated ourselves to an ice cream from a nearby vendor (because walking up a tower definitely earns you one). Then we strolled through the Japanese Garden, which was stunning all peaceful paths, still ponds, and little wooden bridges. Of course, right in the middle of all that serenity, we realised Dotty had somehow lost one of her shoes. One minute it was on, the next… gone.
After a bit of a hopeless search mission, we admitted defeat and crossed the road to a nearby store. Dotty picked out some shiny new shoes (with velcro and sparkles big win), and we grabbed some dinner while we were there too.
Finally, we hopped on the train back towards Dōbutsuen mae Station (just near the Tennoji Zoo handy little spot). A big day with a bit of everything food, parks, unexpected shopping, and a whole lot of walking.
And the best part? Dotty didn’t even seem to mind about the lost shoe. She was too busy showing off her new ones.
