We left around 9 this morning and made a beeline for Dutch Bros in Las Cruces. We left around 9 this morning and made a beeline for Dutch Bros in Las Cruces. We stopped there last time too, and it’s perfect for a drive-thru pick-me-up. I ordered something called a Caramelizer, which is basically a coffee slushie, and it was really good. Koa thought so too. He probably drank half of it.

Koa drove the morning shift and I took over after lunch. We went through baseball podcasts, music, and at some point Koa fell asleep and I switched to an audiobook. Then we caught the Dodger game the rest of the way home. It was a good trip.

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Koa and I hit the road today. We’re doing the two-day drive back across California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. It’s a route we’ve done before, so we know what we’re in for. Tonight we’ll stop at Lordsburg, New Mexico and finish the second half tomorrow.

We’ve got plenty of podcasts lined up, and a baseball game to tune into later. Honestly, not a bad way to spend a day.

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La Capilla has been one of our go-to Mexican restaurants for decades. It’s a family favorite, and tonight five of us went out for dinner. Every single one of us ordered something with carnitas. Our waitress noticed and said, “you guys sure love carnitas!” Yes we do. Yes we do.

The second photo is me doing what I always do at the start of a Mexican meal. A chip with beans. It’s a silly tradition I have no plans of breaking.

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Today was a good day. We started with espresso and cappuccino at a nearby cafe, grabbed a light breakfast, and then made our way to Piazza San Marco to meet up with our walking tour. Just stepping into the square kind of stopped me in my tracks.

Back in university I took a class on Venetian Art, so I had seen the photos and studied the architecture. But seeing the Doge’s Palace in person was a completely different thing. It was one of those moments where you realize no photo really does it justice.

The guided tour took us through the palace and St. Mark’s Basilica. The artwork inside the palace was stunning. I could have spent hours just staring at the ceilings.

After the tour we grabbed a drink at one of the cafes right on the square. Yes, it was expensive. Yes, it was worth every euro. Hey, you pay for the view and the ambience! We walked to lunch at Antiche Carampane after that, which was really delicious. The seafood carpaccio was excellent. Definitely recommended.

A little stroll, a rest back at the hotel, and then out again for tiramisu. We then decided to hop on one of the classic gondolas, and went for a sunset cruise. It was awesome! Then small canals were so peaceful and quiet. And then we made our way onto the Grand Canal to finish the outing. Amazing!

One the way back to the hotel, we stopped at a restaurant for some seafood and pizza. Super-delicious. Venice, you did not disappoint today!

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We made it to Venice! The flight landed around 9:30 am and customs was surprisingly smooth. I had no idea you could take a water bus straight from the airport, but for 18 euro a ticket it dropped us right off at Rialto on the Grand Canal. What a way to arrive.

After checking in we grabbed a drink and a snack at a nearby bar. It was mostly locals on their lunch break, and everyone was so warm and welcoming toward us. Later in the evening we did a sunset walking tour focused on the food and history of Venice, and it did not disappoint. We ate and drank so much, and learned a ton along the way. Our guide Lorenzo was fantastic. By the time we got back to the hotel we were happily exhausted. What a first day.

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We’re heading back to Italy! Two years ago it was Puglia with a gastronomy tour led by our friend, and this time we’re off to Northern Italy with much of the same group. But first, Mariko and I are spending a few days in Venice before everyone meets up. We’re flying straight in, so that works out perfectly.

It’s a long haul flight, so we’ve got movies, books, and vino to keep us company. Saluti!

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Time to leave Osaka and head home to Tatsuno. But not before one more good meal.

River Café specializes in chicken nanban, so of course I had to get the classic set. It was delicious and filling, exactly what you want before a two-hour train ride. Definitely worth a visit, just come early because the line can get long.

After lunch we squeezed in a bit more shopping, including a stop at my favorite store: Muji. I love their clothes because they are simple, good quality, and actually fit me well. This location at Grand Front Osaka had a really cool section with sample home rooms, kind of like IKEA but make it Japanese minimalist. I spotted a pair of shoes that caught my eye and took a photo for future reference.

Then it was time to grab our luggage from the station locker and make the trip back to Tatsuno. Once we got home and dropped everything off, we headed to a neighborhood yakitori spot for dinner and drinks. A long day, but a really good one.

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We spent a full day in Osaka recently, and it did not disappoint.

Our first stop was Shitennoji to pay our respects to Mariko’s late grandparents and father. It’s a massive temple complex, and we happened to visit on a flea market day, so the grounds were super crowded. Rows of old dishes, trinkets, and who-knows-what stretched across the courtyard. Mariko and Bay came away with some new dishware. I browsed through boxes of old watches but didn’t find any treasures. It was mostly junk.

From there we wandered over to the Kuromon area for lunch and a little exploring. I did score a new stamp for my collection book, which was one of the highlights of my day.

We wrapped things up with more shopping in Namba before meeting Mariko’s mom for yakiniku dinner. The food was great, and by the end of it we were thoroughly full and thoroughly happy. A good Osaka day by any measure!

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We spent the day shopping in Umeda, Osaka, and it was a really good time.

First stop was the Nintendo Store. We were in there for a while, just soaking it all in. I’m a big Splatoon fan, so I picked up a keychain and a notebook. I had my eye on a mini skateboard too, but no luck on that front.

From there we headed to Loft, where I found exactly what I was looking for: the Tomie A6 Hobonichi cover! Just the cover by itself, which was perfect since I can swap it right onto my current setup. Yatta! I also grabbed a Tomie Weeks (March start), which is super cool. I’ll use it for Japanese vocabulary notes. I still need a pencil board and an A5 cover to complete my Tomie Hobonichi collection, so the hunt continues.

The last stop was Tsutaya Books, and wow, what a place. The layout is circular, so you just browse in one direction and loop back to where you started. They had an amazing wall of fancy fountain pens, a solid selection of more affordable pens, and even a camera section where I checked out the latest Fujifilm and Sony gear. Highly recommend if you ever find yourself in Umeda.

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Day two of my journey to Japan was blissfully uneventful compared to day one. My United flight was comfortable, the food kept coming, and yes, there was complimentary wine, which certainly helped set the mood. I read quite a bit, did some journaling in my Hobonichi, and watched a couple episodes of Frieren. Not a bad way to spend a long flight across the Pacific.

Landing at Haneda was a breeze. I made it through immigration quickly and headed off to catch my flight to Kansai International Airport. That flight was delayed about 20 minutes thanks to a snowstorm sweeping across much of the country. Still, I was very happy to arrive today instead of tomorrow, when the weather is supposed to be even wilder. Better or worse depending on how much you love snow, right?

Once in Osaka, I sent my big suitcase ahead to our house in Tatsuno and began the long train journey west. It was a little confusing since Google Maps was not completely accurate with the train line names, but I managed. What I loved most was tapping through the ticket gates with my Apple Wallet. No paper tickets, nor fumbling at the machines with cash! So smooth. I have not been to Japan in ten years, and it is really neat how much has changed.

At Himeji Station, Mariko and Bay picked me up in their rental car, and we made the final drive to our house in Tatsuno. It was past 11 pm by the time we arrived, but I still managed a few pieces of sushi before slipping into the ofuro for a quick soak. Then it was straight to bed.

After two very long days of travel, it felt like the perfect ending. Japan, at last!

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