Japanese diary. Vol. 2 "Breakfast, Osaka".

Got woken up at 8 am by a gentle knock on the door.

The first thing on my mind; “Where am I?”

I found myself on a futon on the floor, lights coming from a narrow gab between the curtain and the window frame, and then it knocked once more, this time a bit more persistent.

Oh yeah, now I got it, I’m in a hotel in Osaka, Japan and yesterday evening we’d ordered Japanese breakfast in the room at 8.

I got up, threw on my shorts from where I’d stepped out of them on the floor next to the futon the evening before and managed to get to the door without stepping on Catriona, who had dug herself deep under the duvet, on her futon on the floor just next to mine.

Outside the door I was meet by a bowing Japanese lady standing in front of a push wagon containing 3 different trays with a number of black plastic bowls, small and big. She mumbled away in Japanese and entered our room while balancing one of the trays –also without stepping on Catriona, who still was covered up under the duvet- and then placed the tray on the low table in the room. Still speaking away in Japanese she went to collect the next two trays, which she also arranged on the table. Then she left walking backwards, still bowing and talking, towards the door and left.

Now Catrionas face peeped out from underneath her cover and it was obvious that the smell from the trays on the table was gently dragging her out by her nose, and soon we sat there, on the floor at a low table in a Japanese style room, ready to try a Japanese version of breakfast.

What was it then?

Well, first of all there was a big bowl of plain rice, some Miso soup, slices of grilled salmon, some white imitated fishcakes, omelette roles, different kinds of pickled vegetables and a marinated salted plum. And of course, a pot of tea.

That was a really good start to a long day, spent walking around the streets in the Osaka city center.