beir, biru, brauerei, BEER!

After spending the afternoon in the crowds, seeing marching cheerleaders, floats, peeps dancing with tubas... we found our way to the International beer tasting festival :) It was our chance to hang out amoung hundreds (thousands?) of people & beer from all over the world. The event was set up under one of Osaka's famous sky scrapers; the Umeda Sky building; you know, one of those tall buildings that people pay money to go up and look at the city lights. After having a couple brews and veggie samosas, we fell victim to this tradition ourselves. But, I have to say, it was an *awesome* date. The view was gorgeous, the festival had a great vibe, and we were able to sample a spectrum of beer. First was the Belgium Hoegaarten, then a flat Guinness. Then Mike found a bottle of beer brewed right here in Japan: "Hemp High"! Since 2001. Complete with a big green leaf on the label. Very classy. I had to find something to make up for the disappointing Guinness, so we both tried some German brauerei, Diebels & Weihenstephaner. Anyone out there tried these? Part of me wonders if we weren't just drinking the German version of Bud Light. But, no Bud Light in sight though

Some pretty pictures of the best date spot of 2006...







Plus- live, international entertainment. We missed the bagpipers, but came down from the Sky building just in time to see some Flamenco dancers. Which brought us to the end of a perfect day. Too bad we had a 3 hour commute ahead of us. What were we thinking? we should've checked into a "love hotel" ;)

-Colleen