8. July 2019 12:07
by Rene Pallesen
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Fairly recently we started the boys on Karate.
We thought it would be a good activity for them to build strength, motor skills and discipline.
Especially Aiden is really enjoying it and putting in the hard work at home practicing. He has become stronger throughout the classes which is great. Before we started he had almost no core strength and now he is able to do sit-ups and pushups.
This weekend both Aiden and Lucas were pulled up for their first proper graduation from the white belts to the red belts and they both passed.
17. June 2019 20:06
by Rene Pallesen
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2. April 2019 20:10
by Rene Pallesen
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The Osaka aquarium is massive and very impressive. The centre piece is the massive tank in the middle with two large whale sharks and which is also full of other sharks such as hammerheads.
2. April 2019 20:10
by Rene Pallesen
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Tontonburi is know as the chefs/kitchen area. Here you can buy everything needed for a japanese restaurant.
It is also full of actual restaurants and other oddities such as more exotic places. It has what is known as Osaka's best Ramen restaurant (the one with the long counter in the photos below) - and Yes, the Ramen was very good.
Here it is also possible to eat specialties such as the Puffa fish.
It was also one of the few places where I saw real Samurai swords for sale.
2. April 2019 20:10
by Rene Pallesen
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Below the Osaka tower is a restaurant area with lots of yummi food.
The area was once a very modern part of Osaka, and worth a visit during the night.
2. April 2019 20:10
by Rene Pallesen
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Osaka castle is a beautiful multi story pagoda like castle inside these massive moats and ramparts with several layers of defense.
2. April 2019 18:10
by Rene Pallesen
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In Osaka we went to the Toei Film Studio.
This is an area where they have filmed lots of traditional Japanese movies and where they have all the old houses and also some theaters.
It is also used as a bit of an entertainment and cultural area to teach the Japanese about their culture. Surprisingly we seemed to be the only foreign tourists there and it was definitely worth the visit even though we didn't understand a word of what they were saying.
2. April 2019 13:10
by Rene Pallesen
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While in Japan we had to try a traditional Japanese bathhouse. We found a small one in the suburbs of Osaka that had good reviews and was also suited for the boys.
As most of the bath houses men and women are in different sections, so I took the boys with me which was a fun experience for them.
The bath house had a section that was full of yellow rubber ducks, and the boys spent a fair amount of time playing with them.
It also had a lot of other pools that varied from really hot to freezing cold pools as well a various mineral baths with water pumped up from deep underground.
It is difficult to describe the feeling, but both Kim and I felt amazing afterwards. No photos allowed inside, so the outside and the poster at the local trans station will have to do.
2. April 2019 13:10
by Rene Pallesen
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In Osaka we went to the Universal Studios theme park. It was just before Halloween, so everywhere in the park people were dressed up in 'scary' costumes.
After dark the park put on the most amazing zombie show with hundreds of actors and dancers dressed up as zombies - No One celebrates Halloween like the Japanese - amazing!!!!
1. April 2019 20:10
by Rene Pallesen
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Nara is an area a couple of hours outside Kyoto that is full of temples and deer roaming the streets.
It has a massive temple with one of the pillars with a hole in it. Apparently if you can squeeze through then you are enlightened.
The deers are good fun although Kim and and boys took a while to get used to them.