Category Archives: Exploring

Exploring

Isafjordur & Akureyri IS + Oslo July 31 2024

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On July 31st we arrived in Isafjordur, Iceland. We were last here in June, 2023. At that time we were on a larger ship and had to drop anchor off shore and take a tender boat in. This time the ship was smaller and no other ships were in port so we could dock right at the pier. 

Here is a blog posting from the 2023 visit Isafjordur, Iceland JUN 8, 2023

On August 1st we arrived at our next Iceland port, Akureyri. On the way, we reached 66° 33′ N, thereby crossing the Arctic Circle. We received a nice certificate from Holland America to mark the occasion to add to our collection. The Arctic Circle is the most northerly latitude and includes the Arctic Ocean, North Pole and northern regions of Alaska, Canada, Russia and Nordic countries. With glaciers, tundra and icy seas, it is known as the Land of the Midnight Sun with 24 hours of daylight in the summer.

Akureyri, pop 18,000, and located in northern Iceland, is nicknamed “Capital of Northern Iceland”. It was settled in the 9th century by Vikings and is an important port and fishing center. During WW2, British Allied forces were based in the town. The town is located at the head of a long fjord surrounded by high mountains. The mountains shield the town from strong winds, giving it one of the warmest climates in Iceland even though it is only 62 miles from the Arctic Circle. Akureyri, as well as Iceland itself, has one of the lowest crime rates in the world.

Akuyeri has unique traffic lights where all the red lights are hearts. Definitely unique and shows the Icelandic hospitality and spirit.

We decided to book an excursion at this port, a seven hour excursion!! It was a chilly overcast day but our enthusiasm was not dampened as we marveled at the beautiful scenery.  Snow capped mountains, lakes, rivers and waterfalls with hillsides of cattle, sheep and horses were a beautiful sight to behold.

Everyone had eaten a large breakfast since we didn’t know when we would stop for lunch, so we were all taken aback when our guide announced we would have an early lunch. Early meaning 10:30!  But you just have to go with the flow. Lunch was at a nice restaurant with tomato soup and bread that tasted good on this chilly day. The main course was a local fish called arctic char, a common freshwater fish in Iceland. We also had boiled potatoes and salad.

After lunch we continued to a changing landscape of lava rock and steaming geothermal pools.

We had seen much of this before in Iceland, Yellowstone National Park and New Zealand.

A Lake Made By The Volcano

We did not stop but rode by a visible gap between the two tetonic plates.

Our last stop was the highlight of the day was the Godafoss waterfall. It is 39 feet tall and 98 feet wide. The name means “waterfall of the gods”. Legend says when Christianity became the official religion of Iceland in the year 999, an official threw his Norse gods into the waterfall.

As we sailed these last couple weeks around Greenland and Iceland we saw many icebergs in the water. The captain and his officers had to be on constant watch for danger. Also for several nights as we made our way from Iceland to Norway, we had very heavy fog with zero visibility. Throughout the nights and sometimes during the day the ship’s foghorn sounded at least every two minutes. Fortunately it didn’t keep us awake.

We had two days at sea before reaching Oslo, Norway. We had plans to spend the day in Oslo with Bill’s cousin and her husband who live there. Unfortunately going from the very hot weather in Florida to the very cold air of Greenland and Iceland got to both of us and we were both under the weather. We were very disappointed to have to cancel our plans. Fortunately we had brought plenty of medicine with us and recovered fairly quickly.

1952 Winter Olympics and FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in 1930, 1966, 1982 and 2011

A Full Marina

About 90 minutes after leaving Oslo, the ship came to a standstill. The captain came on the public address system and said a passenger needed urgent medical care and we had stopped to wait for a rescue boat to come. Our crew put out a platform and helped the rescue boat get close enough to transfer the patient and her husband to the rescue boat.

Next up:   Rotterdam, The Netherlands

 

Tasermiut Fjord & Nanortalik, Greenland July 27 2024

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As expected, our first port stop in Paamiut, Greenland was canceled due to high winds and unsafe tendering conditions. Instead, Captain Frank spent the day doing scenic cruising in the  44 mile long Tasermiut Fjord. It turned out to be a fantastic day of high mountain peaks with vertical walls, magnificent glaciers and majestic icebergs.

Passing through the Fjord, it was quiet, peaceful and serene as we slowly glided along, marveling at the wonders of nature.

We could sit inside and listen to the Cruise Director’s narration, or stand outside on various decks or our own balcony to observe all the beauty around us. The hard working crew passed out hot chocolate in the morning. 

In the evening, Captain Frank dropped anchor at our next port of call in preparation for the next day’s visit.  By the way, sunset in this region is around 10:30 PM with sunrise around 5:30 AM. 

Sunday, the 28th dawned bright and sunny with temperatures in the upper 30’s. This was a tender port and we were able to get on a boat with no wait. We were excited to step onto Greenland soil, a bucket list item for a long time.

Nanortalik, Greenland, pop 1,185, is located in southern Greenland. The name Nanortalik means “place of polar bears” and they have been known to walk through the town in early summer. Due to its location, it is one of the first parts of Greenland settled by the Vikings. The main source of income is fishing and seal hunting. It is a depressed area with little trade, no factories or large scale fishing. For several months of the year, ice buildup prevents fishing. There are no roads outside of the town so the only access to the outside world is by plane or boat.

We spent time wandering around the town. We saw few people out on this Sunday morning. As we walked towards the church we saw a few people headed down the hill, apparently just leaving church. What struck us most were all the colorful homes. Research told me the colorful homes date back to the 18th century Scandinavian colonial era. There are no house numbers or street names so the colors each have a specific meaning. Red buildings were schools, teachers’ or ministers’ houses. Yellow was hospitals, doctors and health care. Blue was fish factories and police were black.

We also noticed the beautiful wildflowers and the huge rocks. We found a geocache, thrilled we could log a geocache in Greenland. 

The church had a $5 admission fee which we gladly paid. The church was built in 1916 and is the only church in the town. It also has the oldest organ in Greenland, built by a Danish firm in 1861.

By the way, Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. However the Greenland people have been allowed to develop and run their own political system. The monarch of Denmark has executive power but it is mostly in a ceremonial capacity. The Danish krone is Greenland’s official currency.

Next up : cruising St Christian’s Sound and Isafjordur, Iceland 

Corner Brook, Canada July 24 2024

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Our second port in Canada was Corner Brook, pop 19,333,  located on the west coast of the island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

We were so impressed with the friendly citizens of Corner Brook. We were met on the dock by locals handing out maps and welcoming us. A small band and singers serenaded passengers as they walked off the ship. The town furnished free shuttles from the pier to the city center.

In the town square they had volunteers answering questions.

We walked around the town, finding a geocache and noticed “The Cathedral of St John the Evangelist”.

A sign welcomed the Zuiderdam passengers and invited us inside. So of course we went in. Two very friendly ladies greeted us warmly and handed each of us a small Canadian flag pin. It was a lovely little church.

Since it was such a nice day, we decided to walk back to the ship. What a lovely town and people!

Next up: Red Bay, Canada

Sydney, Canada July 23 2024

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Our second port of call was the Canadian town of Sydney, Nova Scotia. The  name Nova Scotia means “New Scotland”.   Nova Scotia is made up of 3,800 coastal islands. Sydney is located on the east coast of Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia. It was founded in 1785 by the British.

We were up early to explore the city. When we opened our balcony drapes we saw we had a close up view of the cruise terminal, including The Giant Fiddle. At 60 feet, it is the largest fiddle in the world and a tribute to the area’s Celtics community and folk music tradition.

We found several geocaches as we explored the town.

Along the boardwalk at the pier was the Merchant Mariners Memorial recognizing those in the merchant navy who transported supplies during WW2. There were over 12,000 men and women who served in Canada’s Merchant Navy. The casualty rate was one in seven. Over 25,000 merchant ship voyages were made during WW2.

As we walked back to the ship we passed a lone bagpipe player who spent the entire day playing for the visitors.

Captain Frank announced at the end of the day that had several more passengers join the trip after missing the ship in Boston.

These are photos taken as we sailed away from Sydney.

Next up: Corner Brook, Newfoundland

Singapore, MAR 23 2024

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We had one sea day before we reached Singapore. It was a busy day. We attended a Mariner’s Club brunch In the morning and a reception in the afternoon. I forgot to mention that between the two Vietnam ports we had a personal tour of the print shop. Each evening, the Daily Planner with the next day’s activities is delivered to each stateroom. This four page planner is delivered to approximately 850 cabins each evening. In addition, the daily breakfast, lunch and dinner menus must be printed along with any letters and announcements from guest services. This is all done by one, solitary man. We enjoyed meeting and talking with him. 

I also forgot to mention the Mariner’s Awards Ceremony we attended. Bill and I each received a bronze medal which was placed around our necks by the captain. Really not that big a deal since some passengers received silver, gold and platinum medals. These awards are given when you reach a certain number of sailing days with Holland America. 

We arrived in Singapore which was the end of our cruise. We were very sad to leave all the wonderful crew we had gotten to know so well. It was not farewell, but until we meet again. We certainly hope our paths will cross with them again someday.

Our Greeters in the Terminal

We were last in Singapore in 2020.  See this link: Singapore, JAN 15, 2020 What I remembered about Singapore was the incredible heat and humidity, how clean it is, and how strict the country is. They do not allow chewing gum, cigarettes and drugs to name a few forbidden items. I heard a crew member was fined $200 Singapore dollars because he forgot he had a pack of cigarettes in his pocket when he left the ship and went ashore. Our tour guide told us anyone caught with a certain amount of drugs was hung. I don’t know the quantity that led to this penalty. 

Before entering the country we had to fill out an online arrival card where we answered health questions and listed where we were staying and for how long. When we exited the ship we had to present our passport which was linked electronically to our arrival card. They also fingerprinted our thumb. 

Our travel agent had arranged for us, as well as two other passengers, to spend two nights in Singapore with a hotel and a guided tour. Like clockwork our guide was waiting for us after we collected our luggage and completed immigration. With a van and driver, we began our tour. 

First we went to the Singapore Botanic Gardens. The Gardens, made up of 202 acres, were founded in 1859 and is the only tropical botanical gardens on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It has three gardens but our guide only led us through the National Orchid Garden with 1,200 species and 2,000 hybrids. It was hot, but the heat would only get worse as the day progressed.

Named For Princess Diana

See more pictures of the orchid garden by selecting this link: https://photos.app.goo.gl/CF4vodTcThpBkHh56

Next our guide took us on a whirlwind tour of Singapore. He had an itinerary to complete and he was determined to finish it, no matter how fast we had to move, how tired we became, or how miserably hot it was.

Swissôtel The Stamford, one of the tallest hotels

Marina Bay Sands Hotel

Esplanade Concert Hall

200-year old building which was once home to Singapore’s first parliament.

St Andrew’s Cathedral, Anglican church

Merlion, statue with the body of a fish and a head of a lion.

Lunch brought us to Chinatown where we ate at a Chinese restaurant. The tour really moved too quickly and we would like to have had more time to look around Chinatown and Little India.

Sultan Mosque

Thian Hock Keng Temple

Sri Mariamman Temple, Hindu temple

Laughing Buddha

After lunch we were taken to our hotel, the Marriott Tang Plaza, where we had a little over three hours to rest up before part 2 of our tour.

At 6:00 P.M. we were picked up by a different guide and driver. This guide was more relaxed and easy going, more than willing to go at our speed.  We spent the evening at the Singapore Night Safari, the world’s first nocturnal wildlife park. With 99 acres, it has 2,500 animals.

First we had dinner at one of the restaurants inside the park. We then went to a wildlife show followed by a tram ride around the park.

Showing An Owl’s Head Turning

Racoon Opening A Big Jar

Our guide then took us on a walking tour in the park. It was unbelievably hot and humid. The park was nice but we much prefer going to these parks in the daytime when the animals are much easier to see. We got in some heavy traffic on the way back and arrived at the hotel at 11:30 P.M. We had been going since 6:00 A.M. that morning and had logged over six miles on our watches. 

See more pictures of the zoo by selecting this link: https://photos.app.goo.gl/7gTAEbdHvALLDoKr8

We had the next day free so we relaxed, worked on blogs, and walked to a nearby shopping mall.

Sidewalk Traffic

Lucky Plaza

The next morning a driver picked us up at 3:00 A.M. for our trip to the airport for a 6:40 A.M. flight.

Beautiful Singapore Changi Airport.

It would take us 33 hours to get home on three flights; Singapore to Tokyo, Tokyo to Chicago and Chicago to Orlando. We found that jet lag from the twelve hour time difference to be pretty rough for several days when we arrived home.

Sunrise From The Plane

Flying Above The Clouds

With that, our trip has ended. We had a great time! We enjoyed every minute, despite the cold weather in Japan and China, the extreme heat in Brazil and Singapore, and the filthy Chinese bathrooms and difficult immigration officials. 

Next up: yet to be determined

 

Da Nang and Phu My, Vietnam, MAR 19 2024

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We had one day at sea before our next sea port. It was St Patrick’s Day and the ship celebrated with cakes and decorations in the dining rooms.

We were thrilled that the weather was warming up considerably and we were once more able to enjoy our breakfast and lunch out by the Sea View pool each day. We were also enjoying very calm seas. No seasickness pills needed. 

With the weather getting hotter, we found 2 one gallon jugs of drinking water in our stateroom provided by the ship with a card warning us to stay hydrated.

Our next port of call was Da Nang, Vietnam.

See this link to Da Nang, Vietnam JAN 27, 2020. The shipping port is extremely busy and for that reason we were not allowed to walk anywhere in the area. Very understanding considering all the trucks and forklifts. Definitely not a picturesque port. We were last here in 2020 right before the pandemic. On that visit we had a nice excursion to the charming little city of Hoi An. See this link to Hoi An, Vietnam JAN 26, 2020. This time we didn’t see any excursions of interest and hoped the cruise ship or city would offer a shuttle bus into the city of Da Nang. The shuttle never materialized so we decided to stay on the ship. They did offer a golf cart to the port gate.

We were told outside the security gate some locals had set up tents with souvenirs and handicrafts for sale. We rode the golf cart to the drop off point, only to discover a large group of young men aggressively wanting us to take taxis into the city or take us on private tours. They were very insistent and refused to take no for an answer. We never saw any items for sale and quickly took the golf cart back to the ship. 

The ship celebrated Viet Nam with food and decorations.

We had a day at sea before reaching Phu My, our second Vietnam port. It is a deep water port and another busy shipping port. Ships docked here offer excursions to Hanoi. We did this in 2020 and remember the long bus ride to and from Hanoi. This time we found an excursion to the nearby town of Ba Ria. This is a rural area where many of the people have lived their lives the same way for generations, untouched by urban development. 

Our first stop was a Buddhist temple. The property itself is large and we were told 700 elderly homeless people live here and are cared for.

Here are some of the city scenes.

Wood Is Need For Many Small Businesses

Statues Cutting Beside The Road (Mother Mary)

Everything Carried By Motorbike

Nhà thờ Kim Hải Catholic Church

County Government Office

Next we visited the home of what the guide said was a local wealthy family. It was rather strange since it appeared to be more of a museum than a home someone lived in.

With the weather getting hotter by the minute, we stopped to see the process of making rice paper. We were all offered the chance to make rice paper, but it was so hot in the cramped space, none of us lasted longer than the time it took to take pictures.

Drying In The Sun

The Kitchen

We noticed that the same vendors that had been at the temple were at this location. Our guide told us the vendors knew the tour schedule and followed us during the day on motorbikes from one location to another. They figured they would wear us down by the end of the day and everyone would eventually buy something. They not only followed our schedule, but managed to beat the bus to each location!

Next we stopped at a distillery to learn how to make moonshine or rice wine. Once again it was dreadfully hot inside. We noticed black flies on the drying white rice. Certainly did not make us want us to drink the wine, and none was offered. However they did offer us fresh pineapple, bananas and bottles of drinking water.

We stopped along the side of the road at a rice field where we were given the opportunity to look at the rice up close. Too small for a clear picture.

We visited the Cao Dai temple. The Cao Dai religion was founded here in 1926. Within a year the group had 26,000 followers. By the mid 1950s, eight percent of the South Vietnamese were CaoDaist. It is a combination of Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Hinduism and native Vietnamese spirits. The official symbol is the “divine eye”, an inset into the front of the temple above the altar.

Our last stop was at a local market with food and a bit of everything else. Similar to a mini Walmart. By this time we were too hot and tired to do any shopping.

One thing we have noticed is an increase in the number of cases of colds, coughs and bronchitis among the passengers and crew. The bronchitis is of greatest concern because it seems to be making the passengers the sickest. Some are blaming it on the fact it was so cold in Japan and China and then warmed up quickly in Hong Kong. Some are blaming it on the severe smog in China. Someone told us the ship doctor called it the “Chinese Crud”. One passenger was taken off the ship in Phu My by ambulance because the ship doctor said his lungs were full of fluid and he needed to be hospitalized.  Bill and I are fine and taking precautions. We brought plenty of cough drops and cough syrup on the ship. We gave them to some sick “neighbors” on our deck. We can always buy more in Singapore if needed. 

Next up: Singapore and the cruise ends

 

Hong Kong, MAR 16 2024

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We arrived in Hong Kong on a very foggy morning. Visibility was practically zero. We were last here Hong Kong, FEB 1, 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic. During that cruise, after Hong Kong our cruise ended unexpectedly.

Unlike last time, we did not get up early to see the sail into the harbor due to the fog. This time we were going to be in Hong Kong overnight. Like many of our ports, we were welcomed by local entertainers.

During our last visit to Hong Kong we took the Hop On Hop Off Bus around the island. This time we booked an excursion. We took a bus under the Victoria Harbour by tunnel and then the bus climbed a steep, winding road to a funicular.

The Peak Tram Entrance

We rode a funicular tram (1,300 feet) to The Peak Tower. The Peak Tower (1,376 feet above sea level) is Hong Kong’s highest viewing platform where on a clear day we would have had an exceptional view of Hong Kong. Due to the fog, we saw absolutely nothing. One passenger said she had been to Victoria’s Peak three times and had yet to have a clear view. But riding the funicular tram was fun!

The funicular began operating in 1888 and takes about 17,000 riders to six stations to the upper levels of Hong Kong Island. The tram was renovated and upgraded in 2022.

Posing With Benedict Cumberbatch

The excursion bus driver drove much too fast on the curvy road back down the mountain, leaving some passengers feeling queasy.

Sandy Public Beach

Our next stop was in Aberdeen, an area on the southwest side of Hong Kong where we took a sampan ride. A sampan is a small wooden boat normally propelled by oars. We had an enjoyable ride around the harbor.

An elderly lady maneuvered the boat.
Our last stop was at Stanley Market. This is a street market typical of traditional old open air markets in Hong Kong. It is a major tourist attraction known for bargains and haggling. We bought nothing.

Our second day in Hong Kong we thought about taking the Hop On Hop Off Bus again but it was another very foggy day. We decided to visit the garden on top of the huge cruise terminal beside our ship. How like Hong Kong to create a garden and walking area on top of the roof of a cruise terminal. We not only enjoyed the exercise but we also found two geocaches.

View Of The Cruise Terminal

We saw a group of children having a kindergarten graduation ceremony. In Asia the school year ends in March and the new school year begins in May.

During sail away the ship provides special music, snacks and drinks.

We Waited For the Cruise Ship Behind Us To Go First

The Pilot Pickup Boat

Next up: Da Nang, Vietnam

Shanghai, China PT 2 MAR 8 2024

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The second day our excursion was Shanghai Old and New.

Today’s Guide Was Younger

We saw more of the new area and then went to People’s Square. A large square, it is the commercial, cultural and political hub of the city. Shangai’s municipal government headquarters building is located here.  This area was once a former colonial British horse racing course and a popular place for the Chinese and British for gambling on horse racing.

In the winter of 1986-1987, the park was the site of tens of thousands of protesters who demanded democracy and political changes. In 1989 there was the famous Tiananmen Square protests in Beijing and once again tens of thousands gathered here in support of the Beijing protesters.

We went over the Nanpu Bridge.

All The Best Cars: BMW, Telsa, Mercedes

Bicycles and Scooters have their Own Lanes

Armored Truck Being Loaded

We drove through French Town or French Concession, is an area in Shanghai that the French government ruled from 1849 to 1946.  It continues to be a popular and sought after residential area. Huaihai Road in the area is one of the busiest shopping areas in Shanghai with many expensive designer stores. 

Here are some of the photos we took from the bus.

Bicycles and Scooters at the Train Station

A Few Phone Booths

Next up: Dalian, China 

Shanghai, China PT 1 MAR 7 2024

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After a day at sea, we arrived at Shanghai, China for an overnight stay, giving us two  days to explore. There would not be any independent exploring here. We did not have a visa so we could only leave the ship if we were on a Holland America excursion. Fine with us. We had no desire to go off in our own in China. These are early morning photos before we docked.

Fog or Maybe Smog?

With 9,010 miles of coastline, China has a population of over 1,409 billion. Shanghai has a population of over 24 million making it the second largest city in China. Shanghai has the largest seaport in the world. Chopsticks were invented here 5,000 years ago.

Some interesting facts given us by our tour guides:

  • Country’s biggest problem is how to feed over a billion people
  • Two generations ago, Chinese families were very large. Our generation was limited to one child. Now that the birthrate is shrinking and is at minus one, the government is encouraging young people today to have more than one child and give the parents monetary supplements for additional children. 
  • Current problem is young people today do not want to marry and have children. They know life is very hard if you marry and have children to be responsible for. They have to work harder to get a bigger apartment, pay for schooling, etc. They want an easier life with less responsibilities and more time to relax and be with friends.

Security was tight getting off the ship with Chinese officials checking our passports at two different checkpoints as well as scanning bags twice we were taking off the ship. On the first day we took an excursion that including a short train ride and tour of Shanghai. Our guide was a young, energetic guide who spoke good English with a heavy accent.

Unique Buildings Everywhere

The first stop was at the Maglev Longyang Road Station to ride a Maglev (Magnetic Levitation) train. The Shanghai Maglev is the world’s first commercial high speed maglev with a maximum cruising speed of 186 mph. The line uses German Transrapid technology. The driverless powerful electromagnetic train floats on an electromagnetic cushion over guideways using the basic principles of magnets to replace the old steel wheel and train tracks. The trains can reach high speeds because there no rail friction. The trains float, rarely if ever touch a track. As we turned corners there was definitely a feeling of flying. There is less noise and vibration than a train on a track which also means fewer mechanical breakdowns or weather related delays.

We rode the train round trip from the Longyang Road Station to the Shanghai Pudong International Airport.

We Whizzed By this Church

The 19 mile mile trip takes eight minutes and ten seconds each way. We rode one way, waited about ten minutes on the train, and then rode back to our starting point. Think of all the road traffic jams we avoided. We know it well because our ship is located 17 miles from the city center and it is an hour bus trip ride from the ship, more time in heavy traffic. 

After that exciting ride we went to the new area of Shanghai, the Pudong area. We saw the Oriental Pearl TV and Radio Tower. Completed in 1994, it was the world’s first steel antenna. At 1,535 feet, it is the fourth tallest in Asia and sixth in the world.

The Jin Mao Tower is an 88 story building and is the third tallest skyscraper in Shanghai. It was completed in 2001 and is 88 stories because the Chinese think the number 8 is lucky and symbolizes wealth. So a building 88 stories high would be doubly lucky and bring wealth. The design blends modern and traditional technology. We rode a large elevator to the observation deck on the 88th floor. The ride took 45 seconds and we could feel the fast ascent in our ears. There was a great view of the “Bund” or waterfront area and Huangpu River which surrounds the financial district.

Well, the view was great except for the smog. The captain had told everyone that he received a poor air quality alert for Shanghai. The smog was not that noticeable until we were at a high level.

Shanghai Tower, The Tallest

You can pay to walk around on the outside ledge of the tower. None of us took them up on the offer. The Jin Mao Tower also contains a shopping mall, offices and the Grand Hyatt Shanghai hotel.

Looking Down into The Hollow Area of the Hyatt Hotel

We had time to go to a bank on the third floor to use the ATM and get some Chinese yuan. 

Along the Jin Mao Tower is the 128 story Shanghai Tower, the tallest in Shanghai, this area has the world’s first trio of adjacent super tall skyscrapers.

Next up: more Shanghai

Kobe, Japan PT 2 MAR 3 2024

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On day two in Kobe we had a great excursion with an excellent guide that took us to several places in nearby Kyoto. Kyoto, about an hour drive from Kobe, was the capital of Japan for more than 1,000 years from 794 to 1868. First up was the Heian Shrine, listed as an important cultural property in Japan. Built in 1895 the shrine property has a Tori gate, main gate, castle, garden and a lake, to resemble the 11th and 12th century design periods. In 1976 several buildings were destroyed by fire and rebuilt. We have learned in Japan, over thousands of years, many shrines and temples were destroyed by fire, earthquakes or bombing during WW2.

We enjoyed walking around the grounds, though at 35 degrees, it was cold.

A tree was full of white strips of paper tied to the tree. The wish tree has good fortunes tied on the tree to bring good luck. Another example of Japanese superstitions.

In the garden we came across a happy couple having wedding photos taken.

Next we went to Nijo-jo Castle. Built in 1626, this is from the feudal period and was the home of Tokugawa shoguns. It was struck by lightning and burned to the ground in 1867 and rebuilt in 1893.  What makes the castle unique are the nightingale floors as they are known in Japan. They are a type of floor that makes a squeaking, chirping noise like nightingales when walked on. These floors were built for security so the shogun would hear if anyone came into the castle.

Before entering the castle for a tour we had to take off our shoes while walking on the floors.

Even with socks on our feet were freezing and we couldn’t feel our toes by the end of the tour. We did hear the floors chirping. I did not see the “no photos” sign so I was in the process of taking my first picture when a guard walked up behind me and loudly said, “No photos!!” Almost gave me a heart attack. Here is that picture.

Time for lunch. We were taken to a very nice Japanese restaurant located in a high end hotel. Each place setting had a bento box which is the Japanese version of a boxed lunch. Very nicely done. It included soup, sticky rice, tofu, shrimp, a sweet potato cake and salmon. Chopsticks and forks were provided. Lucky Bill enjoyed his lunch and mine!

Japanese Has Small Vehicles

Our final destination was the beautiful Kinkaku-ju Temple, also known as The Golden Pavillion. Several people on the cruise ship who had been to Koyoto before, said this was their favorite place. It did not disappoint. It is a Zen Buddhist temple that at one time was a family villa. Built in 1397 as a shogun palace, it later became a temple. The pavillion burned down in 1950 and was rebuilt in 1955. It is a three story building with the top two stories covered with pure gold leaf.

Picture of Their Interior Picture

We were not allowed to go inside. A one way path for tourists led past the temple. Our guide told us the guards would not allow people to go part way and then turn around and walk back. The problem was 100 steps that had to be navigated on the one way path. It turns out the steps were not too bad. I hope people didn’t decide not to go because of the steps. It is such a beautiful place, it is a shame they don’t make it accessible for people with mobility issues. There were lots of tourists there but it was not crowded.

Three young Japanese girls were visiting in traditional dress. We asked if we could take their picture and they gladly agreed.

It was a long day with an hour ride back to the ship, but a very enjoyable day. Back at the ship, it was very close to the time the ship was leaving. We had to go through Japanese immigration again (we had to do this every time we left or came back to the ship while in every Japanese port). As we were walking toward the ship we heard a band playing. We were so surprised to see a band and a crowd of people at the top of the cruise terminal with banners and flags to see us off.

On the ship, passengers had crowded all the decks and balconies to wave goodbye. It was quite a party with the crew passing out drinks, appetitizers and blankets for warmth. We quickly joined the crowd. As the band played “Anchors Away”, the people released pink and green balloons and waved goodbye to us. Wow! What a send off. Thank you, Kobe!!

When we got back to our cabin, we had another nice surprise. An invitation had been placed in our cabin mailbox. A coveted invitation for a tour of The Ship’s Bridge, which is where all the ship’s navigation takes place. Bill has been wanting to do this for a long time. We were under the impression tours had been stopped years ago for security reasons. Bill was thrilled. Can’t wait! 

Next up:  The last Japanese port, scenic cruising and a tour of “The Ship’s Bridge”