Osaka

They drove a van. A dark green member of the family. Toto - a miniature dotson - at the helm. Minako Mizoguchi's family, my guides to Osaka for my final days in Japan.

As a student, she had come to California to learn English. She stayed with a host family. Now - though she says a good deal of her English knowledge is gone - she's opened her home up to students. I really appreciated it.

The things we saw were pretty neat: the Umeda Sky Bridge, Osaka Castle, Shitennoji Temple, the Osaka Aquarium. The things we ate were amazing - all except the Takoyaki (octopus balls), which I did not enjoy. But what I most liked was just being part of a family again before I set off once more to sea.