My alarm went off at 4.15 this morning - I’d set it on Melbourne time and hadn’t factored in the hour difference! Blotted my copybook! So when I woke for the second time it was to recorded music from the port terminal at Kagoshima! By 6 am all the buses were lined up, there were lots of locals on the pier with foreign flags and waving to anyone who would wave back! They looked like the happiest people on earth! All the tours were early as we sailed at 2 pm, again to much fanfare especially when the Captain sounded the horn 3 times.
Kagoshima, at the southwestern tip of the island of Kyushu, is the capital city of Kagoshima Prefecture. It’s been named the Naples of the Eastern World for its bay location (Aira Caldera), hot climate and very impressive stratovolcano, Sakurajima. Apparently Kagoshima city is very impressive with transportation, bullet train, city trams and buses and ferries to Sakurajima. Our tour took us to the volcano area via a vehicular ferry - we had time to wander around the Arimura Observatory and take in the lovely views, and to hope that the volcano might let off a bit of steam but that didn’t happen until after we had left! It is a very active volcano, and there are shelters all along the roadway for locals living there. Children walking to school must wear helmets. We saw many trees with paper bags over the fruit, turns out they were loquat trees and if the ash falls on them it causes black spot. 48,000 people live in the area, obviously blasé about the danger. There is also a large Yellowfin hatchery in the area which we were able to see on the drive down the mountain, our guide said it is the number 1 hatchery in the south.
Back on the ferry to Kagoshima City and then to Senganen Garden. A magnificent Japanese garden, beautifully maintained and with a couple of museums and shops. The garden was originally a villa to the Shimadzu family and is still maintained by descendants today. I got totally lost in all the history!!!
Despite being tired after the early morning and lunch, I did play trivia with Sue, needless to say were not winners but just being with a group of six was lovely. Then enjoyed dinner with Mary & Grant from near Toronto. They have been with us since Beijing too. I read in Passages there would be a raffle at 9 pm in the shop so I swung by at 8.45 & the girl told me to come back at 9. Rather than walk back to the room I checked in at the casino next door, put $10 in the slot machine and came out with $45 just in time to go back to the shop. Walked in, the girl said ‘I think it might be yours’!!! No one else had turned up so I won a phone/iPad charger!
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