Despite the incessant muzak renditions of bad Christmas songs that rattle from every shop and restaurant, Japan has failed miserably to invoke any kind of “holiday spirit.” Nonetheless, I’m happy to be in Osaka, where, nearing the end of December, it’s a snowless 60 degrees outside.
Maisie and I spent most of Christmas Eve asleep. But we eventually got out to wander through the city’s botanical gardens and feast on about 12 oranges between the two of us. At the gardens, we visited flora from all the biomes of the world (7?). The Arctic was a real snooze.
Later we decided to tool around on wheels (Maisie on a bike, me on a trash-picked skateboard). We wobbled down some shady lanes and, once again, crossed paths with an unruly pack of homeless guard dogs. There were 5 or 6 of them all huddled together in the center of the street, and this time--no doubt alarmed by the clumsy intruder on a skateboard--they actually came after me. Maisie, saddled high on her road bike, was relatively safe since, as she put it, the dogs didn’t want a “faceful of spokes,” but at least 2 of the mongrels snagged my ankles and chased me to the next intersection. After that I decided I would pack pepper spray whenever out on the streets of Osaka.
Tonight we decided to stay in and enjoy a Christmas-Eve diner of Domino’s Pizza--delivery.
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