Thursday, 18 April 2019
Tokyo Pics from this morning
All around here there are places renting kimonos and so all the young girls walk around taking pics of themselves!!!
Thursday 18 April Tokyo
Well, I’m making this my last post - from now on it’s just mundane stuff, winding down and getting ready to go home. Our flight is late Saturday, fly to Beijing and have a tight connection for the flight home. Am ready now, these last days have been lovely but 2 days would have been enough in hindsight. However, we’re still enjoying the delicious Japanese food. Tough if you want to eat French or German or even English fare around this area!!!
The weather is beautiful, around 22-23 each day. Extra warm due to the crowds gathering in this area, would hate to be here mid-summer.
Guess I should list some of the highlights of the holiday as there are many. First, just getting away was a major highlight, who would have thought 7 weeks ago this was an option. Then China - what a revelation that was! Those massive new buildings in Beijing almost alongside the ancient Great Wall! And the hordes of people all pushing and shoving at the temples! Shanghai was unbelievable, have never seen anything like the buildings and obvious wealth. A major highlight in China when out and about was finding a loo with a throne instead of a squatter!!!!!
Then South Korea, maybe my favourite country in some ways. Still salivate at the memory of the delicious steamboat beef & mushroom lunch we had on one of the excursions. And the folk Village in Incheon was peaceful and beautifully presented. Of course the cherry blossom in South Korea was amazing, we were there at the perfect time. Japan is Japan, will always be a great place to visit and is very do-able from Melbourne. Everything works, people friendly, delicious food and so far no earthquakes!!! I haven’t mentioned the cruise - Regent, as usual, are a wonderful cruise line, their service is amazing, tours fabulous and all included in the fare. But it’s the people you meet onboard that make it that much more special.
Happy Easter to you all, thanks for reading, if only occasionally.
Maureen X
Wednesday, 17 April 2019
Wednesday 17 April Tokyo & Echigoyuzawa Pics
Nathan’s house, leaving the house, outside the old ladies’ restaurant, at the pickle factory with saki lees barrels, view and the bullet train
Wednesday 17 April Tokyo and Echigoyuzawa
Took the train to Tokyo Station this morning and who should we bump into but neighbours from The Hallmark, Karen & Anthony! Small world! Decided yesterday we would take a day trip to Echigo Yuzawa - long story but an old mate of George from Scotch College lives there with his wife. Nathan & Jodi have been residents now for about 5 years, her father has owned a ‘lodge’ there for years and some of my family skied there a few years back. Jodi is back in Melbourne for a few weeks but Nathan picked us up at the train station, we travelled on the bullet train, and had a very enjoyable day seeing the sights of the ski area, magnificent mountains, a delicious lunch which was quite unique - 3 old ladies (the restaurant in their small house) serve several courses, no menu, you just get what they provide! Nathan eats there often and the cost was around $6 each! We then went to a 600 year old pickle factory - various vegetables, melons etc are pickled in saki lees and are very tasty! The mother and daughter are good friends of N & J and had us sit down in this very old beautifully preserved room and sample the pickles while drinking tea. Then they took us out back to see the barrels.
Nathan wanted us to see his house. He now runs a restaurant, can seat 18 people and is the chef himself. His menu is European and is more like a degustation idea. He runs both a regular and a Kosher kitchen. They had over 11 metres of snow last season and there is still snow around, particularly high on the mountains, but just enough around his house to make it difficult to walk to. And with G on crutches and me wearing shoes with very little tread it was actually a nightmare!!!!! Almost there & G realised he’d lost the rubber stops from his crutches!!! But worth it to take in the amazing view. Going downhill was much easier for me but not for G. Sometimes we have to accept our limitations.
Back on the 5.13 bullet train now and on our way to Tokyo.
Got off the bullet train at Ueno and had a long walk to get out then to go to the local line for our trip back to Asakusa. Normally not a problem but with dicky crutches it was very difficult on highly polished floors! Then when we got to Asakusa there was no elevator on that side of the platform so down stairs then up and up again - boy! do I need a big gin & tonic!!!!! Might have to wait as have now called into a small restaurant for some gyozas! Will sleep well tonight.
Wednesday 17 April Tokyo & Echigoyuzawa
Neighbours, mountains, lunch at the ‘old ladies’ restaurant, Main Street, & Pickle factory
Tuesday, 16 April 2019
Tuesday 16 April Tokyo
No Temples or Shrines today. We made a decision to go separate ways as G wanted to go to the Electronic area in Akihabara and my choice was to Ginza so we did that and caught up back at the hotel late afternoon. Managed to get the subway both ways, good for me as I’m not a subway lover usually. However, here in Tokyo it’s all so clean and safe. My memory of the department stores in Ginza is not as it is now - 10+ years on it is ALL designer! No bargains to be had but was very pleasant looking! And Myer & DJ need to come have a look - reckon there would be 4 sales persons to every customer! Will be posting some pics of the delicious food available in the basement food hall - sadly there’s nowhere to sit and eat it so I ended up with a sandwich and coffee at the coffee shop.
Back in Asakusa I walked for another couple of hours, fabulous arcades, small narrow streets and a smaller version of Matsuya near the station. And people everywhere!
Monday 15 April Port at Tokyo
Olympic Village under construction for next year’s games. Is absolutely massive and goes beyond these pics.
16 April Tokyo pic from hotel
Haven’t figured out where the other half of the horn set is!!! But am sure it belongs to a bull somewhere!!!
Tuesday 16 April Tokyo
Left the ship around 9 am yesterday, took a cab to our hotel in Asakusa. Arrival area ground floor, reception 13th floor so the view from there is amazing. Walked around the area while waiting to check in and crowds of people everywhere as all visiting the oldest temple in Tokyo, the Sensoji Temple. This was built in 628 AD and is famous for its main Kaminarimon Gate where a giant lantern hangs. This Gate is just 100 metres from our hotel which is, you guessed it, The Gate Hotel!!! After a very tasty lunch of gyozas, sesame spinach and a beer it was time to actually check in at 2pm and have a rest!! Went out for a nice meal for dinner, lots of small restaurants around but some impossible for George as he either can’t fit at the tables, due knees, or they’re located up stairs! But we just keep walking slowly until we find one that suits. I’m in trouble as can’t walk that slowly - I’ve told G that if I walk at his pace I’ll fall over. Either that or I buy a walking stick for myself. I have a bandaid over my mouth.
Have been out for breakfast this morning, now looking at what to do for the rest of the day. May go into Ginza or there’s plenty in this area shopping wise.
Stay posted.
Sunday, 14 April 2019
Sunday 14 April Tokyo
Arrived in Tokyo at 8 am today, will be staying overnight on the ship then transferring to our hotel in the morning. We did a 3 hour tour before lunch, went to the Tokyo Tower, 332 metres tall, which gave us a great view of the city. This tower was built in 1958 and somehow resembles the Eiffel Tower. From there it was a leisurely drive along the Ginza, hardly any traffic being Sunday and a good opportunity to see all the lovely shops. Then on past Tokyo Station, the Imperial Palace, the Prince’s Palace (mind you, you can only see the moat, fence line and some garden), and back past Roppongi district. And not one Shrine, Temple or steep steps without handrails!!!!!
We lunched in the dining room and then spent a few hours packing our bags for an early dismissal tomorrow!!! Sue & I sat downstairs over a coffee and ended up with lots of hugs from people we’ve met over the last few weeks. It really has been a super friendly cruise made more so by having those few days pre-cruise in China.
At 6 pm they had a Catholic Mass - all set up in the theatre. This was for Palm Sunday and was quite well attended and included some staff. A local priest said Mass and guests did the readings.
We had a farewell dinner with Mary & Grant from Ontario, probably the first people we met in Beijing.
All bags now in the corridor, just overnight things left in our room. I don’t like last nights, always a bunfight the next morning! But since we’re not flying anywhere yet it might be easier.
Sunday 14 April Tokyo Pics
Pics taken from the Tokyo Tower and of the Olympic Athletes Village being built for next year
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Saturday, 13 April 2019
Saturday 13 August Shimizu Japan
We probably had one of the most beautiful approaches to a port anywhere this morning, didn’t dock until 10 am so had a wonderful view of snow capped Mt Fuji. The day was sunny, apparently Mt Fuji is in cloud for more than 150 days each year and when we came years ago we were lucky to see it as it is today. We were welcomed by an amazing musical performance by a high school band - a troupe of probably 50 or more. There was drumming, a brass band, dancing, singing & all kinds of Japanese entertainment. And half the city was there, too, watching the performance. Everyone is so friendly and welcoming. It’s now 6.30 pm we sail at 7 and again there is entertainment out there, the drumming is overpowering!!!
Tours started after lunch, we went on ‘Mt Fuji Highlights’. First stop was at the beach, from the car park we walked 1 1/2 kms along a pathway known as ‘God’s Walk’. There is a story but afraid I missed most of the commentary as the guide spoke very quietly. From the beach there was a lovely view of Mt Fuji but short of that not much to recommend going. The sand was grey, a nice beach in summer probably. Then we had a long drive to the Fujisan Hingu Taisha Shintu Shrine more or less at the base of the mountain - this was a lovely Shrine but not unlike others we’ve seen. Being Saturday there was a bride with entourage and another special event taking place.
Mt Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan and is 3776 metres high. Of course the beautiful shape and symmetry have made it the internationally recognised symbol of Japan. Local stall holders at these places sell all kinds of food, drinks, oranges, lemons, and ice creams. Needed some tonic for the lemons but not to be!!! Saki available too. But not much in the way of good quality souvenirs.
Enjoyed dinner tonight with our neighbours, Stephan & Mandy. Has been a very interesting day. Tomorrow it’s Tokyo!!!
Friday 12 April Kobe (for Kyoto and Osaka )
Happy birthday Jane!!!! We are still in the port of Kobe, Japan, spent the night here. The views from our ship are lovely, was especially nice last night. I decided to hand in my tour to Osaka today, figured I’d had enough of shrines and temples and instead elected to take the shuttle bus to downtown Kobe with my friend Sue. We actually had a lovely day, checked out two beautiful department stores and wandered along a covered mall. The shops were mostly designer stores and featured things we could probably buy at home except for the sizing. As is usual in Japan, the basement of the department stores featured fabulous food!!!! OMG! The selection was amazing. We bought something each at the French bakery and had a coffee then got the shuttle back to the ship. This afternoon was quiet although had to be at trivia at 4.15 then at the Captain’s farewell party at the theatre at 6. They did the Krew Kapers followed by the introduction to all the ship’s crew,
We dined with the retired cardiologist and his wife again - thought he was a bit stuffy the first time we met but he is just as flexible as anyone else. Dig deep enough and everything rises to the top LOL!!!!!
Enjoyed a Cocktail with friends after the show, probably more of a celebration since the mighty Pies had a win at last!
Thursday, 11 April 2019
Thursday 11 April Kobe/Kyoto
The port at Kobe is lovely, beautiful buildings and monuments and a hotel in the shape of a ship at the terminal. Kobe is the fifth largest city in Japan and the capital city of Hyogo Prefecture. The city is part of Keihanshin, the Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe metropolitan area and has a population of 1.5 million people. Kobe was one of the first cities to open for trade with the west and is known as a cosmopolitan port city and container port. Of course Kobe is famous for its beef but so far we haven’t seen one cow!!! Kobe was also the site of Japan’s first golf course established in 1903 and Japans first mosque built in 1935. The weather is cool and windy, around 14 C today and apparently they had a lot of rain yesterday which blew away some of the cherry blossom. However, there is still plenty to see and it’s interesting but the cherry blossom in China and South Korea was white whereas here it’s pale pink, as I remember it from our last visit.
Our tour today was Highlights of Kyoto, left the ship at 9 am and had a loooong drive in heavy traffic to the first stop at Kimkaku, (The Golden Pavilion) Rokuon-Ji Temple. This Temple is a Zen Buddhist temple and was originally the site of a villa owned by a statesman but the 3rd shogun of the Muromachi period, Yoshimitsu, took a liking to the area and acquired it in 1397. He built his own villa which he called Kitayama den. The villa functioned as an official guesthouse welcoming the Emperor Gokomatsu and other members of the nobility. Trade with China prospered during this period. After Yoshimitsu died the villa was converted into a temple and was named Rukuon-Ji. In 1994 it was registered as a World Cultural Heritage Site. It burned down in recent times, though to have been caused by a monk, and was rebuilt 60 years ago. It is absolutely beautiful.
From there we drove to a restaurant for lunch. This was typical Japanese, shoes off at the door and slippers worn in the room. The food was delicious with a bit of everything you could imagine!
Following that we went on to the Nijo-Jo Castle which is also a World Heritage site. I chose not to go into the castle, instead walked around the perimeter and took some lovely photos. To be honest, I’m just about done with temples & castles but in a country like Japan with such history it’s impossible to ignore them and it would have been so much more interesting knowing the history. Back at the ship now, resting the legs before an Asian buffet tonight. We don’t leave until 3 pm tomorrow so some people have stayed in town to have dinner.
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