Join Bill & Mary Ann On A Journey Like No Other-2024 GWV On The Zuiderdam For 128 Days

[Toad]

Some years back I did break a tooth on the rolls so do be careful! 
 

Any interesting wildlife in Guam, birds, reptiles etc?

[WCB]

Report #51  Monday February 19, 2024 Presidents Day   Saipan, USA- Northern Mariana Islands Docked Starboard Side To Pier 8am-5pm Overcast And Cloudy 80 Degrees Part #1 Of 6......55 Pictures

 

Some days cannot be predicted.  Today was one of them.  We arrived to our port of call, Saipan, early this morning under very overcast and cloudy skies.  This island is the capital of the of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.  It is also the largest with a population of 53,000 or less people.  Once again they speak English and Chamorro the same as Guam.  This area appealed to the Japanese tourists, but for some reason, the trend has left.  It’s just a guess, but from what we saw yesterday, we suppose the Japanese tourists have chosen Guam for their destination these days.  The island does have a lot to offer in the way of WWII history, turquoise waters, and white sandy beaches.  And it appeared that the temperature would far more tolerable today compared to yesterday.

 

So it was breakfast as usual for us at 7:30am, although the restaurant was not busy.  Later on, we learned that 500 guests had booked tours today, so many must have eaten breakfast in the Lido instead.   Just as we were on our way to check out the dock area at 9am, the alarms went off ship wide, and strobe lights were flashing everywhere.  This was not a drill.  Within minutes, Captain Frank was on the speakers saying there was an unexplained odor on deck four, and the area would be closed off.   People in those rooms would have to evacuate the cabins and go outside on deck three portside.  Until they found the source of the smell, they took no chances.   It was discovered that there was an ammonia leak from a canister of a refrigerator unit that caused the alarms to go off.  Once that was aired out, the folks could return to their rooms.  It was reassuring how quickly that event was under control, thanks to the frequent drills that are conducted onboard. 

 

At the same time as the ammonia scare, the local ladies were doing a dance on the pier. Our officers were actually dancing with them.  We viewed this from the promenade deck for one minute, then the entire group of officers and staff members began running back onboard to address the problem.  While that was happening, the tour buses were filling up and also the surprise shuttle that was used for a transfer to downtown Garapan.  We had been under the impression that town was 5 minutes away.  Then we heard that it was a 40 minute walk to town.  Which was it?  Now that the locals offered a free transfer, we need not to worry.  Besides, it looked and felt so much like rain was coming, we did not want to get drowned.  With the strong winds blowing, we would not have stayed very dry even with umbrellas. 

 

We left the ship by 10am and boarded the waiting bus.  It was only a 10 minute ride at the most.  It took us to nearby Garapan, the main town where there were lots of hotels, restaurants, and shopping centers or malls.  We noticed a huge difference from what we saw in Guam yesterday.  This town had a more 1950’s look about it, with strip malls and local eateries.  The bus dropped us off at the newest DFS mall.  From there we followed the excellent map that had been handed out when we boarded the bus. 

 

On the way to this drop-off, we noticed a building that did not seem to belong here.  Namely, it was the Imperial Pacific Resort and Casino.  Standing out like a sore thumb, this building had gold-leaf figures of dolphins and seahorses plastered all over the outside of this massive structure.  Flanking the impressive entrance were statues of King Neptune standing guard.  This looked more like something you might find in Las Vegas or in Paris or Rome…..not here.  And with all this grandeur, this place was permanently closed, shut down since 2020 we heard.  There must be a story to it, and we shall do some research to satisfy our curiosity. 

 

From here we walked to the American Memorial Park where pathways led to the American WWII Memorial Court of Honor and Flag Circle.  Located in the middle of a tree-studded park, we walked the trails that led to a small marina with some moored sailboats.  The walkway led to a nice beach called Micro Beach with a narrow strip of white sand and very shallow waters.  While watching some kite boarders getting ready to launch themselves into the water, one of the fellows came over to chat with us.  Asking if we were from the ship, we said we were.  As luck would have it, he introduced himself as the pilot that had brought the ship in this morning.  Knowing this was a tricky port to enter, he explained that Captain Frank had contacted him yesterday and they coordinated a plan of entrance with the help of simulators.  Giving them more than one choice, they had a plan or two already mapped out for the early morning approach.  Fascinating, we listened to him giving details about winds , coral reefs, and azipods.  As we said goodbye, he helped his group launch their kites and away they all went.  He said he would see us later in the day to repeat the sail away, hoping the winds will die down by then. 

 

From here, we made our way back towards town passing by the nicer hotel of the Hyatt Regency.  We had done some research on restaurants, specifically pizza cafes, and found one highly recommended called American Pizza and Grill.  We had passed it on the way to the park, so it would be lunch first, then perhaps some shopping later. 

 

It wasn’t a fancy restaurant, but an actual pizzeria with many choices.  We decided on a large Hawaiian pizza with two Asahi pint draft beers.  Sure tasted good and the pizza was excellent.  Most of the customers were locals, so you know it is good.  After relaxing for an hour, we headed off to a market called I Love Saipan.  It had most everything you needed or did not need.  Lots of chocolate-covered macadamia nuts and snack items were for sale, and the crew members were stocking up.  We did not find anything we could live without , so went back to the bus drop-off spot.  We were told that the pick-up place had moved to the other end of the mall.  OK, we walked through the DFS, which was all high-end stores.   Then we joined a line of rather upset guests who had waited for 45 minutes for a bus.  Two of the coaches had arrived full of mostly crew members who were on their way back to the ship.  Obviously, they had a different place to board the coaches.  Finally a bus arrived, more than half full.  But the driver let most of us on, even if we had to stand in the aisle.   One of the nice crew members gave his seat up so I could sit.  He insisted.   We could have walked back, but the ride took only 10 minutes.

 

Back at the pier by 3pm, the official could not board the bus to check our room keys and ID’s.  So once we got off, we went through a bag check, a wanding, and a room key check.  Getting back on the ship required our cards and another xray check as always.  Can’t be too careful we suppose.  

 

While waiting for the ship to leave, we spotted a sting ray right down from our room.  All by itself, it floated alongside the ship then disappeared.  Reading the map, we learned that nearby Managaha Island had schools of tuna, trevally, barracuda, sharks, turtles, and sting rays.  Ferries took snorkelers there every couple of hours.  And the ship offered tours there for 2 hours for $120.  Other tours included a drive to the north or the south part of the island for 3 hours and $120. 

 

Sailing through the narrow channel flanked by shallow water and coral beds, it took a while for the ship to get in deeper waters.  Just by sheer luck, we saw jumping dolphins for a brief moment.  Once clear of the reef, the pilot left the ship and waved to all of us watching.  It was the same fellow we talked to on the beach.  Like we said, a lucky day.  The sun went down without any color, and now we were off for a 1366 nautical mile run to our first port in Japan, Ishigaki.  A new one for us.

 

Dinner featured the Culinary Council menu with good choices.  One appetizer was a crab cake and the other a baby beet salad.  Caesar salads as usual, then followed by prime rib with croquette potatoes.  Gravy on the side please and best of all……we had different dinner rolls tonight.  They were “seedless” and soft on the inside, crispy on the outside.   Wish we would have asked sooner.  Dessert was the craquelin, a donut-like chocolate filled delight.  A hard chocolate candy on the top had been formed with the ship printed in the center.  Sweet way to end a fun day.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

 

[WCB]

Report #52  Tuesday  February 20, 2024 Sea Day Enroute To Ishigaki Island, Japan  Overcast With Rain Showers  77 Degrees 30 Knot Wind 10' Swells And Rough  Part #1 Of 1.......No Pictures

 

A day at sea was what we all needed after two busy days in port.  It would have been easy to sleep in later this morning, but we do not want to give up our table in the Pinnacle Grill at breakfast.  The minute we are not there or arrive late, it will be occupied by someone who thinks they are missing something.  It’s funny how we all become territorial.

 

We half-expected the weather to be a lot cooler today, as we are heading northwest now.  But we were wrong, because the air temperature was still warm, and when the sun did peek out, it was still hot.  The problem was that it was mostly cloudy and windy.  The sea swells were at least 10 feet, and the ship was rolling quite a bit most all day. 

 

We had gone to the Seaview Pool like we do on sea days, and did enjoy some sun for a while.  Greg wandered on back and joined us, bringing us up to speed on their day in Saipan yesterday.  We knew they had hired a driver and went to see the WW II sites.  Heo had already sent his photos of their tour with Ginni and Rich.  Suddenly, the clouds got darker and it began to sprinkle.  Thinking it would pass over, it did not and we were getting wet.  Taking cover, we stayed a little longer then left before the noon whistle.    It is better to hear the Captain’s talk while in our room, since the speakers around the pool are not the best. 

 

He addressed one of the questions asked of him concerning our entrance into the port yesterday.  He explained in detail everything the pilot had told us, and then thanked our hosts, Luisa and Gene for asking the question.  Then he mentioned that the clocks would go back one hour tonight to be on Japan time.  Made sense to us, but later in the day, Kimberly reversed that request and said we would do the hour back in a few days from now.  Well, that’s a first.

 

There were new speakers giving lectures today.  One was Tim Tamashiro discussing Okinawa, and Asumi Hama talking about Japanese essentials.  We guess the port talk on the first port in Japan will occur soon. 

 

There were dance classes during the course of the day, but with the motion of the ship, we doubt they happened.  The Sit, Knit, and Needlepoint group has expanded to some of the ladies working outside on the promenade deck.   It is incredible how quickly some of their blankets are completed.  We were happy to complete our 8 laps around the deck.

 

Lunch was room service Cobb salads, a shared beef panini, and a chicken quesadilla.  Time for another walk around the deck, we found it to be very wet.  One of us is much more cautious, paying attention to the signs that say slippery when wet.  The showers continued off and on all afternoon.  Good time to finish yesterday’s pictures and report.  By the way, we noticed that there was a noodle bar in the Lido at lunchtime.  Not sure what that was all about. 

 

Dinner had several good things for a change.  The Thai beef salad was one of the appetizers, along with a salad and a bowl of chicken noodle soup.  Once again, the soup is spaghetti soup, but still tasty.  Our mains were sweet and sour chicken with rice and bell peppers.  Very good and served hot as could be.  The rolls were also much better….softer and no seeds.  They got it right.  Dessert was one panna cotta, but served in a glass instead of upside down on a dessert plate.  No fun unless you can wiggle it. 

 

A new performer joined the ship by the name of Venus Tsai, a violinist who has played since she was 6 years old.  Having dinner at a table for two, we seem to finish much earlier than we used to.  And it is way too early to wait for the showtime.  If she has a day performance, we may be able to catch it. 

 

We wonder if the weather will cool off more tomorrow?  The Captain did say the seas might level off for smoother sailing.  Hope he is correct.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

[gadabout60]

Don’t they often have food pop ups in the Lido? I would have thought that a noodle bar was just that

[WCB]

Report #53  Wednesday  February 21, 2024   Sea Day #2 Of 3 Enroute To Ishigaki Island, Japan  Sunny And Warmer  80 Degrees Slight Breeze 4' Swell  Part #1 Of 1........No Pictures-----Dressy Night

 

What a difference a day makes.  The last few days the seas were rough and rolling, and today, they leveled out and we are all appreciating that.  It makes getting around the ship a whole lot easier.  Even the clouds had about disappeared and the skies were mostly blue.  The air remained warm with the temperature of 77 degrees and it was even hot in the sun at the Seaview Pool.  There is a group of maybe a dozen sunbathers that come back there about every sea day.   They are determined to keep their tans at least for a couple of weeks or so.

 

Today we had another Safety Drill, even though we did this exercise in the beginning of the month.  It was for the entire ship and began at 1pm.  As we stated before, it has been simplified to a very easy chore, as we do not have to lug our life vests along.  The first group was called from decks one, four, and five.  Then the rest of the passenger decks proceeded to go at 1:30pm.  We decided to go down to deck three 10 minutes early, and found there was no one in the elevators, as well as no one in the line to get our room keys checked.  All in all, the drill took us no more than 10 minutes.  Then by watching the safety video on our room TV, the regular programming resumed.  Easy peasy…..lemon squeezy.

 

Kimberly gave her talk on the first port of Ishigaki, Japan, at 10am.  We are sure she had a full house.  We intend to watch this on our room TV and be able to take notes.  This will be a new stop for us, so we shall also be doing some Google research.  It has been many years since we explored a lot of Japan…perhaps over 20 years.  One of the more recent world cruises did do some of Japan and Korea, but the stops were minimal.  As long as we have the local currency (Yen), we will be able to get around just fine.

 

After a relaxing day, dinnertime arrived.  The “dressy” theme was A Night of Music, with a menu that reflected some of the old time songs we know and love.  Bottom line……it was the same appetizers and entrees with fancy names.  However for one of us, there was a treat of the veal cutlet or the giant veal chop that was on the Club orange menu.   Trying to keep things lighter, one of us had the cheese tortellini.  Adding a tomato soup and a Caesar salad, the meal was complete.  Well almost….a dish of fresh berries with a scoop of ice cream, and a slice of chocolate cheesecake that was really cake finished our meal. 

 

And the clocks went back one hour tonight, not last night.  There was no explanation as to why we delayed the change for a day.  Doesn’t much matter when you are at sea we guess. 

 

The entertainment was one show at 9pm with the String Trio, Rolling Stone Lounge Band, the Billboard Onboard and the grand Voyage Band united to wow the guests in the World Stage.   We learned that there was a crew party tonight, so that is probably why the show was early and at one time for all.  Our waiters were excited to attend as soon as they finished their duties.  They deserve it.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

[WCB]

Report #54  Thursday  February 22, 2024   Sea Day #3 Of 3 Enroute To Ishigaki Island, Japan  Partly Cloudy With Periods Of Sun  75 Degrees Slight Breeze 4' Swell  Part #1 Of 1........43 Pictures-----Casual Dress

 

Surprise, surprise…..when we woke up this morning, it was still warm outside.  We sure did not expect that, especially knowing we have headed northwest for going on three days now.   Guess we will not have to pull out the heavy clothes quite yet.   One nice thing is that the seas are behaving.  There were no swells to speak of and the winds were minimal.  If anything, they were following once again. 

 

It appeared many of the usual diners in the Pinnacle Grill this morning slept in later.    We began with 10 customers at 7:30am, which increased by 8:50am.  Now you might think that the service would be better with fewer people, but that was not the case.  One of us was lucky to get a refill on the coffee in an hour.  Then we remembered there had been a crew party last night, so the waiters were having trouble waking up too.  Normally there are a couple of really cute waitresses in here, but they seem to alternate between the Neptune and here.  And when they are here, the coffee cups never run dry.

 

It was another lazy day, but our morning walk was pleasant.  Most of the guests were in the World Stage listening to Kimberly’s talk on Naha, Okinawa, which will be on February 25 and 26.  We still needed to watch the lecture on tomorrow’s port of Ishigaki and see what there is to see and do.  We also had a job to do – fill out the Immigrations and Customs Inspection forms, following the instructions given.  We also had one custom’s declaration card to complete.  Now we are ready for the face to passport check when we arrive to our first Japanese port tomorrow. 

 

The other surprise of the day was some wildlife spotting.  During our morning hike, we actually saw a turtle alongside the ship.  Only one.  We also saw small white floating markers every now and then.  They may have been attached to nets or traps.   The ship has to stay clear of those because if they tangle around the azipods, we could be in trouble.   There were many flying fish, but only two boobies diving for them.  Then this afternoon, while watching the birds dive, we spotted dolphins.  Not in large numbers, but two at a time.  They did not jump high, but skimmed the surface and dove.  They were too fast to get a photo, but it is always a thrill to see them. 

 

We actually had a real sunset tonight.  If it wasn’t for a thin layer of haze on the horizon, there may have been a chance for a green flash.  Never happened, but one day we might see one.   Dinner was good with a coconut shrimp appetizer and a bowl of Indonesian soup…..both excellent.  Mains were Weiner schnitzel with lingonberry sauce.  For a change, everything on the plate was appetizing like the carrots and sliced fried potatoes.  We could do without the fried lettuce used as a garnish.   What was nice was the dessert of strawberry shortcake, but not really traditional.  This old time dessert was served in a glass and was layered with a tangy cake on the bottom and a parfait-like cream on the top.  There was an essence of strawberry and few pieces of mango added. 

 

There was a different type of show tonight with a balloon artist called Syan.  One of the top balloon artists in Japan, he will demonstrate his speed and polished skills this evening.  We understand the combined talents of the ship’s musicians was a success last night.

 

Looking forward to Japan.

 

Bill & Mary Ann 

 

 

 

[Toad]

A turtle was an amazing find! Keep on hiking;)

[Travelexpert35]

Just wanted to say that I’m really enjoying your posts. You always have lots of detail and I know it takes a lot of your time. So Thank You!!

[Riversedge]

13 minutes ago, Travelexpert35 said:

Just wanted to say that I’m really enjoying your posts. You always have lots of detail and I know it takes a lot of your time. So Thank You!!

Thanks from me too.  I love your informative posts.  

[WCB]

Report #55  Friday  February 23, 2024    Ishigaki Island, Japan  Docked Starboard Side To Pier    Overcast  And Cloudy With Some Drizzle  Cooler  70 Degrees 16mph Wind  Part #1 Of 3........55 Pictures-----Casual Dress

 

Being that our first Japanese port was today, it was necessary to have a face to passport check with the local immigration’s officers.  We had the forms filled out and took them with us to breakfast so we could go directly when our floor was called.   They did start the procedure close to 8am, but this time, it was a more detailed visit taking longer.  Deck six was summoned by 9am, and we lined up shortly after the call.  This was the first time ever that we had trays of pastries and glasses of water offered to us while we waited in the long line.  Obviously, the earlier guests were not too patient while waiting, and they decided the best thing to do was give them food.  Most of the time, it works.

 

Scanning our room card, first, we proceeded to a customs agent who checked our forms, then our passport photos, and had us place two index fingers on a scanner.  Our photo was also taken at the same time.  One of us failed the finger printing and had to repeat it.  A visa stamp was placed in our passports.  Then we were set loose to get another little sticker put on our room keys on the way out of the dining room.   This will be good for the rest of the Japanese ports we assume. 

 

Gathering our few things like our wallets and passports we left the ship after 10am.  We had to bring the one declaration card with us to hand off to the officials on the pier.  Some officials were also showing posters of forbidden items to bring off  of the ship.  That included food of any kind and liquids with the exception of a sealed bottle of water.  Individual wrapped snacks, like a power bar, were allowed off, but they also could be subject to confiscation.  We took nothing....not even water.  Some guests carrying bags were randomly checked.  Even though it had been drizzling earlier, we did not take umbrellas. 

 

Speaking of the weather, it was really different today with heavy overcast and light drizzles in the early morning.  Although it felt and looked like rain, it never did.  The temperature was in the high 60’s with little wind.  But certainly different from yesterday when we had warm sun and clear skies. 

 

Our port today was Ishigaki, an 85 square mile island that is only 7 miles wide.   The population is 50,000 pretty healthy people, according to Kimberly.  Located in the southern area of Japanese islands, this island is a vacation destination for many local Japanese as well as other visitors.  There are coral reefs, tropical fish, blue waters and miles of sandy beaches.  The prettiest area is Kabira Bay, but there is no swimming there as there are too many ferries and a powerful riptide.  During the months of May through October, there are habu jellyfish that can cause a bad sting.  Most of the smaller beaches are netted, but that is never a guarantee against the stings. 

 

There were some tours offered today which included sight-seeing, culture, and crafts.  They ranged from $135 to $200 with lunch.  We ran into Kimberly this morning outside the Pinnacle Grill where she was placing one of the balloon creations from the balloon artist at last night’s show.   She mentioned that she was going with a group of friends to nearby Taketomi Island, a 10 minute ferry ride away.   She had showed photos of this island that was surrounded with beach and reefs.  Maybe with the dismal weather, they may have changed their minds.

 

There were shuttles today to take us from the spacious dock to the Ferry Terminal in downtown.  It was over a 3 kilometer ride, which is walkable, but we chose not to add that to the walk in town.  There were at least three nice and roomy buses to take the guests every 20 minutes or so to town.  An interesting fact was today happened to be the Emperor’s birthday and somewhat of a holiday.  Not everything would be opened.

 

The ride took us over the Southern Gate Bridge and ended at the ferry terminal.  Before we boarded this bus, we were given a nice city map, which was far superior to the ship’s map.  We had done our homework and located a recommended wood-fired pizza restaurant in downtown.  Now the trick was finding it.  Naturally, all of the streets were marked with signs with Japanese symbols, but they also had numbers, which helped.  There was a mall of sorts to see, so we followed the map to the Euglena Mall.  Expecting a typical city mall, this was different.  It was a series of small stores and shops with a covered canopy over the top.  It was opened on both ends.  There were cafes, and food shops, as well as very small clothing stores and some souvenir shops.   It was more like a municipal market.

 

From there we followed the map to the Torin-ji Temple and Gongendo Shrine, the oldest wooden building in all of Okinawa.  It is a Buddhist temple and Shinto Shrine with a very unassuming entrance.  After reading some of the signs in the garden, we discovered this complex had been almost destroyed during a tsunami in the 1700’s.  It had been re-built and restored ever since then.  It was worth the walk to find it.  Across the street from the temple was a small garden where we visited with friends that seem to take the same path in the ports as we do.  They had to laugh when we said we were off to find pizza.  Japanese cuisine might be good, but not necessarily safe as far as the shellfish allergy is concerned.

 

There was a good street map on the corner, so after studying it, we realized we could locate Pizzeria Il Trecorde if we took our time.  It was not on a main street, but we did find it.  It was not marked from the main road, but happened to be fairly close to the mall.  It was not a big establishment, but a cozy pizza parlor with a few customers eating lunch.  They were all locals.  Good for us, they did have an English/Japanese menu.  There was a number of red or white sauce pizzas to chose from.  First of all, we started with glasses of draft beer, then ordered one pizza to share.  Our waitress who spoke little English pointed to the menu where it said each of us had to order a pizza, unless one of us was under 12 years old.  Funny, we do not have those restrictions at home, but “when in Rome, do as the Romans do” applied here.  So each of us got a 10 inch Margherita pizza with a very thin crust and parma ham on the top with basil.  They were just as good as they looked on their website.  There is something about a wood-fired pizza compared to an oven baked one.  Far superior, we savored every bite and left only crumbs.  When we got the bill, it was 3900 Yen which sounded really expensive, but doing the math, it turned out to be around $26 USD.  What a deal.  And even better, they had western-style restrooms.  If you have ever traveled in Asian countries, you know that restrooms are not always people-friendly.  Lucky for us.

 

Making our way back to the ferry terminal, we boarded a waiting coach and got back to the pier after 2pm.  We spent the rest of the afternoon working online.   All aboard was 4:30pm, and we left around 5pm.  Although the rain never did happen (only a drizzle), the seas became rough and the ship began to roll.  As the evening approached, the swell was noticeable.

 

By the way, before we arrived to the port, the TV reception was cut off.  There was no live feed, only pre-recorded ship stations and the movie station.  This has happened in other places we have been, but not too often.  Calling the front desk, we were advised that while in Japan we may have limited reception depending on the local rules and regulations.  It was a good time to watch Kimberly’s talk on the next port of Naha, Okinawa.  Later after dinner, the reception did come back, but it was spotty at best.

 

Dinner was good, although we were not all that hungry.  Wonder why?  Part of it was the hardy lunch, but also the fact that once we left the port, it got rough.  Rough enough to make one of us slightly queasy.  Thank goodness for the seasick pills, as they work rather quickly.   Chicken noodle soup was the perfect starter, as was the crab and corn fritters and a Caesar salad.  One of us had the lamb shank and the other the chicken alternate.  Both were good, as was the dessert of a flan and a plate of watermelon for a change. 

 

On the World Stage tonight, there was an instrumentalist by the name of Chaw.  He was billed as leaving a mark on the world of music. 

 

Tomorrow, we will be in Naha, the first of a two day stay there.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

 

[WCB]

Report #56  Saturday  February 24, 2024  Naha, Okinawa Japan Day #1 Of 2  Docked Starboard Side To Pier 7am-Overnite  Overcast With Scattered Clouds 70 Degrees  Part #1 Of 4........66 Pictures---Casual Dress

 

The Zuiderdam arrived to the port of Naha, Okinawa in the early morning darkness.  The clearance happened right away around 8am, and everyone was free to go ashore, since we had done the face-to-passport drill yesterday.  We went out on the promenade deck around 9am, and caught the last of the traditional dance performed by local kids.  Dressed in bright red costumes, the little kids were the best.  Then we saw the line-up of officers at attention alongside the ship.  They were waiting for the President of HAL , Gus Antorcha, to arrive with his colleague.  When they appeared, they rushed to help them with their luggage and escort them onboard.   The next three days will be filled with special events.

 

We did not realize that 160 islands make up Okinawa with Naha being the capital.  There are a total of 330,000 people living here and have the distinction of having the longest lifespan in the world.  It is no secret that their diet consists of healthy foods, but on the other hand, they enjoy the fattiest beef and pork.  Perhaps due to the high price of the delicacy, they eat small amounts.  Two of our friends went to a steakhouse while in Ishigaki yesterday, and shared one of those special steaks.  They both claimed they never had tasted anything like it as it melted in their mouths.  We may have to check this out ourselves while we are Japanese ports.

 

With warm weather, this island attracts 6 million visitors a year  - mostly from Japan, but also worldwide.  There is a lot to see and do in and out of town.  This island is rich in military history as it was heavily involved in WW II.  One of the most visited sights is the Peace Memorial Park, 12 miles south of Naha.  It was the scene of the final confrontations of the Battle of Okinawa, where 200,000 people lost their lives in 1945.   Other sights out of town were Shurijo Castle Park,  a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the Shurei-mon Gate, the symbol of Okinawa.  There are even caves to explore called Gyokusendo Cave about 10 miles out of town.   Our former host, Tom, was taking a group of his clients to the cave today, but he claimed he was waiting on the outside until they went through it.  He may have a 2 hour wait  but did not mind since he can’t take tight spots like that.  We get it.  The same feeling overcame one of us while exploring ancient caves in Turkey several years ago.   We were never warned that we would have to crawl on our knees to access some of the caverns.  Nope…never again.  Anyway, the ship’s tours ran from $135 to $210 (with lunch).  A couple of them ended up at the Kokusai Street district, where we intended to walk.

 

Leaving the ship was tricky, since we were directed to go through the terminal building, where we had to show our passport photos to the officials.  That involved going upstairs across the building then down an escalator where the info desk was set up.  Here we got a good walking map, and some other booklets and pamphlets for extra info.  Following the orange cones, we made our way out of the dock area and to the main street. 

 

Our destination was Kokusai Street about 1.2 miles from the port gate.  This district is located in the heart of Naha and is full of department stores, shopping malls and arcades, souvenir shops, hotels, and steakhouses and many eateries.  The most recognizable spots had to be A&W, KFC, and McDonalds.  The rest of the cafes and restaurants were 100% Japanese cuisine.  You can’t go by the photos, since you had no idea what was in the food.  Common to Japanese dishes are oyster and clam juice…..both lethal to one of us.  So if we are not sure of the contents, we have to pass it up.  We did see one steakhouse after another, but many would not open until dinnertime.  

 

What we did find amusing was a mini robot that was vacuuming the area in front of a building.  It must have been programmed to stay within so many feet of the front patio and doorway.  It was still operating when we walked back two hours later.  And some folks from the ship were also watching it like we did, getting a laugh out of it going in circles.  At least that part of the sidewalk was very clean.  One thing we did notice when exploring some of the side alleyways were piles of cigarette butts, discarded  in front of the bars and small cafes probably at night time.   Another good reason to make use of the vacuuming robots.

 

So we window-shopped hundreds of stores as well as the arcades, making it as far as McDonalds.  By then, we had walked over three miles and decided to head back down the same way.  On the corner where we turned up this famous street was a huge modern mall, so we went inside to check it out.  Yep, a big mall with all of the familiar high end shops and boutiques.  On the bottom level there was a grocery store and a deli.  It was very busy as it was already after noon, and people were lined up buying lunch.  We decided to head back to the ship and get lunch there.  We could always explore more tomorrow.

 

We did spot the Okinawa Urban Monorail which runs right through town to the airport.  We know of some folks that will take that Yui Rail, as they call it here, to see some of the further out sights tomorrow.   The castle, Gate, and Gardens can be explored from the monorail stop.

 

At least the weather was in our favor.  Despite the high overcast, it was comfortable with temps in the high 60’s.  Perfect hiking weather for sure.  We took our sweet time strolling back down towards the pier, admiring some gardens with blooming cherry trees on the way.   Passing by the guardians of the street were the two Dragon Pillar Monuments.  These lion dogs as we call them, are actually called Shisas here.  About every building in town has some form of shisa on them, especially the roofs.  They are used to protect the occupants according to their culture and beliefs.  It was about then that we spotted the Costa Serena coming into the harbor.  She docked in the other cruise terminal, much further away from downtown.

 

Back onboard, we ordered lunch and relaxed the rest of the afternoon.  Downloading the photos kept us busy.  Once again, the TV reception is zero and all that can be viewed is HAL programs.  At least we have access to many movies, even though most of them are really old.  One of the newer ones, Crazy Rich Asians, was on the grid, so we watched it before dinner.  So many of the places in Singapore that were in that movie, we recognized.  Now we are happy to be going there later on this cruise. 

 

Some Japanese items were on the dining room menu tonight.  We had one lumpia and one other Asian appetizer with two salads.  Mains were the sesame chicken with sweet and sour sauce and jasmine rice.  Very good.  Desserts were an unconventional strawberry cheesecake, and one hot fudge sundae with nuts.  

 

Murder on the Orient Express was on the big screen in the World Stage.  Or, we could watch it on our room TV, but without the popcorn.

 

One more full day in Naha, then we will have two sea days before arriving to Tokyo.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

 

[WCB]

Report #57  Sunday  February 25, 2024  Naha, Okinawa Japan Day #2 Of 2  Docked Starboard Side To Pier  Leave At 11pm  Overcast With Scattered Clouds And Sprinkles 60 Degrees  Part #1 Of 3........55 Pictures---Casual Dress

 

We both slept well last night because there was no rocking and rolling for a change.  Of course, we were overnight in the port of Naha, and docked.  We heard from our morning waiters that some of the crew went off to the neon lights of Kokusai Street and had a fine time.  It’s not very often that we have overnights, so the crew and some of guests really enjoy a “night out”. 

 

It was breakfast as usual for us….that is, until the President of HAL, Gus, and his colleague arrived for their morning meal.  Although there were only a handful of us present today, a hush fell over the room when Gus walked in.  And you have never seen such a fuss made over the two of them by the staff.  To be fair, we also had all the pastries offered as well as full cups of coffee.   Everything had to be perfect, even though the new guests might not have even noticed anything unusual. 

 

About 8:50am, Kimberly came on the speakers, as she always does, with a resounding Japanese greeting which sounds like “Ohio”.  We all just about jumped out of our seats it was so loud.  We could see our buddy Don holding his ears and loudly complaining about the intrusion.  We had to laugh because Gus had overheard Don with the complaint, saying he agreed, it was too loud.  Don did not apologize, but stayed his ground, not intimidated by the president’s presence in the room.   With that, all of us resumed our meal, and by 9am or so, it was time to go.  As it turned out, Don was not aware of Gus being in the restaurant, or as he said, he would not have put his foot in his mouth.

 

Doing some research, we did locate a recommended pizza restaurant to check out.  So we took the same walk we did yesterday, and both agreed it did not seem as far today.  For one thing, the weather had cooled off and the wind was blowing, like a storm was on the way.   The skies remained heavily overcast and we did have occasional light showers.  More like a mist, but enough to pack the umbrellas.  It was also the first day since boarding in Ft. Lauderdale that we put on long jeans and wore a jacket and a sweatshirt.  From here on, as we head north to Tokyo, we expect colder temps. 

 

Passing the Fukushuen Garden along the way, we peeked inside before the establishment was opened.  Serving as a relaxing oasis for the locals and tourists, it is a symbol of the ancient Chinese that once ruled here.  It was also a good way to beautify an urban section of the city.  The garden consists of ponds with koi carp, a fountain, several small buildings and plantings that reflect the colors of the seasons.  A convenient restaurant is on the property as well.  Admission was a mere 200 Yen or $1.35 US.  A night time visit was 300 Yen.  Bet it would be pretty to see it lit up at night.

 

One of us was looking for a new pair of black dress sandals, so we went back to the modern mall.  There was not one pair of shoes that were not enclosed, like old fashioned dress shoes.  Hate to say it, but everything we saw was dumpy.   It is possible that Japanese ladies do not wear sandals.  Now if you were looking for old fashioned flip flops, they were sold by the thousands in all of the shops on Kokusai Street.  Go figure. 

 

Much to our surprise, Kokusai Street had been closed to through traffic by noontime.  Perhaps this happens every Sunday, and the street becomes a food court.  We are only guessing, but there may be several food trucks that set up in the cordoned-off street.  There were a few of them there already.    One thing for sure, it was no where near as crowded as yesterday.  Somewhere in our travels we seem to recall that Saturday is a work and school day, and Sunday is their only day of the week they get off.  Yesterday, the only local kids we saw were in strollers.  We went as far as the arcade, and happened to run into friends Greg, Ginni, and Rich.  Heo was off running ahead of the group as he always does.  The two guys had come here last night for the lights and partying.  They said they did have a fine time among the locals.   And they also have a better knowledge of the food being served here.  They live in Sydney and indulge in varied cuisine from all over the world.  We did see from some photos they sent us that someone tried the fried Spam….something we ate on occasion as kids.  We both remember salty and greasy, an acquired taste.  We did see a stack of regular Spam cans for 480 Yen or about $3.20 USD.   Not to date ourselves, but we bet that same can would have sold for under a dollar when we were little.

 

We made another sweep through the arcade, still not finding any souvenir-like treasure to buy.  We already have a pair of the lion dogs (shisa) we bought for good luck while in Japan 22 years ago.  So it was getting close to 1pm, and time to search for that pizza venue.  Thanks to a good website, we were able to see the side streets (without names) and looked for the flag of Italy flying outside.  If it wasn’t for the flag, we might not have found it.  Anyway, it was a very cozy café that held maybe 12 customers.  There were some folks in there when we arrived, so we took a table in the back.  The waiter did have a Japanese/ English menu, and by pointing to the pizza we wanted as well as the beer, it worked just fine.  Starting with two Orion drafts, we ordered one large Margherita pizza with various mushrooms.  And once again, they had a wood-fired oven, making the best tasting pizza in our humble opinion.  With the photos and memorabilia on the walls, we would have sworn we were in the middle of Naples, Italy. 

 

It was so nice to be able to sit and relax after the hike.  We prolonged our stay by ordering a dessert of a pizza shell with Nutella and mixed berries in the center.  The four slices were dusted with powdered sugar and cocoa powder.  A great way to end a nice lunch.  And all of that for about the equivalent of $26.   The cook and waiter both bowed as we complimented them and said goodbye or sayonara.

 

The wind had picked up on our way back, and down by the water, it was worse.  There was a mist in the air, and we thought rain would come any minute.  It never did rain and we never used the umbrellas.  For a change, we had to turn the thermostat up in our room to get warm.  The only thing we don’t like is not being comfortable on our veranda.  We could go out bundled up, but with the wind, it was just too chilly.  It was a good time to work online and finally pick out a movie to watch, as we still have no live signal.  It appears that some new movies have been added, which is good, since most of them are really dated.  

 

Dinner for us was the usual time, despite that fact that a special event was happening in the Lido Pool area tonight.  The Grand Fun Fair was held from 7:30 to 9:30pm, our dinner time.   Carnival games and contests would take place.  It was free admission, and the tickets people won could be used for prizes.  Gus Antorcha would be present to share in the fun as well as enjoy complimentary drinks, appetizers, treats and snacks.  Obviously, this event was aimed at the early dining crowd, which happens to be the majority these days.  The dining room menu won over the event with an appetizer of a pork and beef egg roll, chicken noodle soup, and entrees of beef Wellington and an orange-glazed chicken meal. Carrot cake with a side of ice cream finished the ample meal.   All was good and tasty and hot as could be.   Finishing by 9pm, we could have gone to the fair, but eating and drinking would be out of the question.  We wonder why this was planned on a port night, when the folks were exhausted from a day in and out of town?  On previous cruises, these events were always held during an afternoon while we are at sea.  Makes more sense to us, but what do we know?

 

We will have two days at sea on the way to Tokyo.  Captain Frank said to expect up to 35 mph winds, rolling and rocking.  And there will be more activities with Gus with a presentation in the World Stage tomorrow for a Q&A and announcements of the world cruise in 2026. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

 

 

[WCB]

Report #58  Monday  February 26, 2024  Sea Day #1 Of 2 Enroute To Tokyo, Japan  Cloudy And Overcast 35mph Wind 12' Swell  Rough A Lot Of Pitching And Rolling  Part #1 Of 1.......No Pictures

 

Last night we think the swells got even worse, which was confirmed today when Captain Frank said we had 12 foot seas and gale force winds of 35 mph.  It was cooler as well with temps in the 60’s….even lower with the wind chill.   Despite it all, we still got outside for our morning walk.  The teak lounges were mostly empty of guests today.  Actually, the starboard side was pretty wet from the spray off of the waves.  

 

Normally we take a ride up to deck nine to sit in the sun, which was not out at all today.  So it worked out well when we saw Greg and Rene, the spa manager, having a breaktime in the Lido.  Better to talk here than out in the blowing wind.  Greg brought us up to date with the Fun Fair from last night saying it was good for snacks, drinks of beer, wine, or soda, and lots of loud noise.  They did not last too long, and neither did another couple who picked up glasses of wine and headed to the Rolling Stones Lounge instead.  Now we know why this event was held while the ship was docked.  With high seas and blasting winds, it would have been impossible to play those games very well. 

 

Today was the presentation with Gus Antorcha in the World Stage at 2pm.  Among other things promoting the company, he announced the Grand World Voyage for 2026.  It will be on the Volendam  and will do a westbound itinerary.  We will give the details when we get the new flyer.    The Q&A lasted almost two hours with Gus answering most questions the best he could.  It was more or less a repeat of last year’s grilling, with about the same results.  There were some questions that Gus did not know the details, such as perks that entice the guests to book certain cruises.   Or the reason  behind the 200% fee for booking a room for one.  We all understand that, but the single folks did not like the answer.   One announcement made total sense to us and that there will not be two grand world voyages offered at the same time again like they are doing now and next year.  Even by adding the New Zealand/Australia cruise this year divided our group in half.   Filling the ships to capacity was not in the cards.

 

Tonight was the special President’s Club Reception and Dinner beginning at 5:30pm in the Rolling Stones Lounge.  Sailing onboard this trip are 26 members, with another 12 guests being inducted.   We were greeted and seated with friends Pauline and Mike, then joined by Jan who we have known for many years.   Drinks of our choice were offered as well as some pretty fancy hors oeuvres.  Then with a couple of short speeches, the new inductees were called up one or two at a time with the Captain, Henk, and Gus.  They had their photos taken and by 6:30pm, we were ready to be seated in the Pinnacle Grill for a fine meal.  But first we had a group photo taken with the entire group. 

 

Each table in the center section of the Pinnacle Grill was used.  Everyone had a place marker and a host.  We were seated with the Chief Engineer, Pedro, a nice fellow from the Netherlands.  Although we had not met him, he was also on the Volendam last fall while we sailed Alaska and the Tales of the South Pacific.  Small world.  Anyway our meal was off to a good start with a poached lobster salad or a lemon mascarpone risotto.  A very tangy almost bitter palate cleanser of orange spritz granita had us ready for the main course.  All three of us ordered the slow roasted black angus beef tenderloin with a cherry puree.  Potato crisps, whipped parsnip and truffle gravy accompanied the meat.  Something light purple was on the plate, which we deducted was two tiny macaroon cookies with a duck foie gras in the center.  Different, it went well with the meat.  And very rich.  The other main choice was seared black cod with fingerling potatoes, a tomato concasse with tomato oil.   Not huge portions, it was most filling.  But the best was yet to arrive.  It was the dessert of Basque cheesecake with strawberry ice cream,  brandy snap, and assorted berries.  Our waiter promised the dessert had no calories.  We wish……  Served with the meal were wines – one white wine from Napa and the red from Italy.   Only our host indulged.   The evening ended by 9pm where we all lined up to thank the staff for such a fine evening. 

 

There was a show with the singers and dancers in the World Stage but somehow we doubt there will be dancing with the ship rolling as it was.   By the way, we intermittently lost the TV reception today.  Why we are not sure.  Even the Chief Engineer did not know, but promised to check into it.  At least the TV was working when we got back to our room, and we watched a good movie with Keanu Reeves on the Prime channel.   The only other option was tuning into one of the recorded movies.  That was another complaint at the Q&A today.  The movies we get in our room are numerous, but very old.  The answer by Gus was  -  we will look into it.  And maybe he will.

 

Another day at sea, then we will be in Tokyo. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

[WCB]

Report #59  Tuesday  February 27, 2024    Sea Day #2 Of 2 Enroute To Tokyo, Japan    Cloudy With Some Sun 35mph Wind  14' Swell  48 Degrees  38mph Wind  Very Rough   Part #1 Of 1.......43 Pictures

 

Today began with a surprise.  The weather had taken a turn for the colder.  Not only cold, but gale force winds, temperatures in the 50’s, and rough seas.  We swear the sea swells were 14 feet or better.  The spray from the waves came as high as our deck six at times.  By the time we decided to take our morning walk, most of the outside doors on the promenade deck were closed off.  We could see why.  The starboard side was drenched from the sea spray, making it slippery when walking.  Of course the tender boats overhead were dripping down on us as well.  We thought our heavy sweatshirts would be sufficient, but they were like wearing next to nothing.  Time to pull out the heavy jackets.

 

Back in our room, we bundled up and the walk was fine.  It sure wasn’t crowded since most of the lounges had no cushions or towels.  The busier place had to be on deck nine poolside, where the Shop were selling $10 items.  Some of those items were heavy sweater-like ponchos and they were selling quickly.  Not everyone thought to bring something warm to wear on this cruise.  And the smart folks in the Shops know that.

 

Finally, Kimberly gave her talk on Tokyo at 1pm.  Since that was our lunch time, we didn’t attend in person, but caught it later on the TV.  And once again, the reception on the TV was spotty.  Several times during the day, we lost the connection.  Only the inhouse channels worked.  By 4pm, the Tokyo lecture was on TV, and we watched it taking notes.  When we were here over 20 years ago, we must have docked in Yokohama, but tomorrow we will be in the new International Cruise Terminal, the first time for the Zuiderdam and we heard, the first of HAL’s ships to dock here. 

 

There was a nice sunset tonight for a change.  Although the day began cloudy, it cleared up and we had sun for most of the day.  Not a lot of heat in it but sitting out by the Seaview Pool before lunch was pleasant.  We had looked for the packets of hot chocolate to make us two cups, but they were nowhere to be found.  Thinking they had been eliminated, one of the deck waiters asked if we would like something to drink.  We asked him about the chocolate and he went in search of some.  Lucky for us, he found it, and it sure tasted good.  Funny, just a week ago, sitting back here was almost too hot.

 

There was a theme for the dining room this evening called Kaiseki Dinner.  Red Japanese lanterns were hung in each entrance along with red lights on the floor.  It was quite festive as was the menu.  Appetizers were Asian such as miso soup and sesame chicken bites.  Our entrees were grilled teriyaki chicken breasts with jasmine rice and broccoli.  Desserts were one lemon sorbet and a croquant chocolate cake with banana and caramel.   Not exactly all Japanese, the meal was fine.  Tomorrow ends the second segment of this cruise, however, they chose not to repeat the farewell in the dining room like they did prior to arriving to Honolulu.  Fine with us and most of the world cruisers we know.  We did get another sticker of the stats for the second segment to add to our booklets. 

 

Got to rest up for two busy days in Tokyo, a city of millions.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

[oakridger]

Thanks @WCB.  I am looking forward to going to Japan within the next 5 or so years so will be watching for the reports from you and the other Zuiderdam folks.  Fingers crossed for nicer weather!

 

 

~Nancy

[Beav1279]

Thank you so much for taking us along on your cruise! I followed your blog for many trips but stopped getting notifications, so I'm very glad to have found you here! May you continue to have blessed travel ❤️ 

[WCB]

Report #60  Wednesday  February 28, 2024  Tokyo, Japan Day #1 Of 2  Docked Starboard Side To Pier 8am-Overnight    38-57 Degrees With Some Wind Clear Skies With Sun  Part #1 Of 5.......55 Pictures---Casual Dress

 

Well here we are in Tokyo, the capital city of Japan.  The country has a total population of 127 million people, and according to the local travel guide, over 14 million of those folks live right here in Tokyo.   The word “crowded” does not come close to what you might find in the center of downtown, especially the ritzy Ginza area.  We have had the privilege of visiting Tokyo on previous cruises, one of which was the Asia/Pacific Explorer cruise on the Volendam in 2002.  On our two day stay back then, we toured every museum, shrine, and temple.  We ended each day with a hotel lunch and a shopping spree through the Beverly Hills of Tokyo – the Ginza district.  We will never forget just trying to cross the street to enter one of the massive malls, and once inside, we were shoulder-to-shoulder with scores of customers.   Thinking by going up higher on the escalator did not help, since the higher we went, the more people were there.  Once we made our way back outside, we never attempted a repeat performance.  Guess we are not shoppers at heart unless we are looking for something we really need. 

 

We docked very early this morning right in Tokyo’s harbor, a first for this ship and the first for any HAL ship we have been told.  The International Cruise Terminal was built in 2020 and is quite impressive.  It has four spacious floors for the customs and immigrations, the entrance level for buses and taxis, and an observation deck with reception and multipurpose rooms.  When a cruise ship is in port, they offer a shuttle that takes people to the Tokyo Teleport Station where other transportation can be taken.  One of those options is the subway system which is quite extensive as well as complicated.  In addition to that shuttle was another bus that took a loop to the Hilton Hotel, Odaiba Kaihin Park, and Ariake Garden then back to the pier terminal.  That is the bus we took.

 

Leaving the ship around 10am, we bundled up with our arctic jackets which really helped with the cold weather today.  The skies were cloud-free, but the temperature was near 40 degrees with a strong wind that was bone-chilling.  We had no doubt that the day would warm up once the sun was up.  We had done some homework with the stops that were offered, but sometimes you just have to get out and explore.   No one got off at the Hilton TokyoOdaiba Hotel, and the same thing happened at the following stop at the park.  The last stop was at a mall, not a garden, so all of us got off.  Like many other buildings in this area, it was new and full of stores on five floors. 

 

Entering the food market was interesting.  We noticed a bank of what looked like cell phones, and we learned later that these are used to log every item in your cart, store the price, and total it all up when you are done.  By tapping your credit card, you bag up your stuff and leave the store.  Simple.  From here we went up each level, checking everything out.  The only store we recognized was H&M.  On the fifth floor we found the food court and some restaurants.  One of them was a TGI Fridays.  It was after noon time, so we went in and found our waiter spoke good English.  And their menus were in both Japanese and English.  We started with draft beers and added a platter of cheese nachos to share.  For a special treat, we split a chocolate and vanilla ice cream Oreo Surprise which was really good.    Afterwards, we walked around the entire floor of cafes and restaurants.  There was a food court style seating in the center where many little kids were with their moms.  Since today was a Wednesday, all of the older kids were in school. 

 

The nice aspect of visiting this mall was that it was not crowded like we knew the center of Tokyo would be.  This was just one of many new buildings here, so tomorrow we shall explore some more options near the Hilton Hotel. 

 

We found the bus pick-up spot and got back to the ship by 2pm.  We noticed there was a spot where we could get free WiFi if we could log on with the Kindle.  We’ll try that tomorrow as well.  We were right that it warmed up, especially on our veranda.  It was out of the wind with the full sun shining that it actually got too hot.  Relaxing outside with a view of Mt. Fuji could not have been better.  

 

Dinnertime came right after the sun set behind the mountain.  We figured that some guests might go out to town for dinner, but it seemed that most everyone was in the dining room.  For a change, we ordered the beef carpaccio for appetizers and two different salads.  Mains were the Club Orange special of beef short ribs, mashed potatoes, and a mole gravy.  We shared a plate of egg noodles that came with the stroganoff.  Desserts were one scoop of pistachio ice cream and an almond cake with vanilla ice cream.  All good.

 

There was a Japanese Fusion show this evening in the World Stage performed by local musicians and dancers.  It is always a treat to see these cultural shows and listen to the traditional music using Japanese instruments. 

 

One more day in Tokyo and we hope for the same weather.  It appears that there may be a storm in the next port.

 

Bill & Mary Ann 

 

 

 

[WCB]

Report #61  Thursday  February 29, 2024  Day #2 Tokyo, Japan  Cloudy With A Little Sun  40-51 Degrees 13mph Wind All Aboard 7pm  Part #1 Of 3......55 Pictures---Casual Dress

 

Well, another day in Tokyo, but far different from yesterday.  The weather had changed quite a bit in that it was heavily overcast compared to the brilliant sun we enjoyed yesterday.  On the plus side, there was far less wind and it was not as chilly.  It would be a fine day for a long walk.

 

Once again, we stayed onboard until 10am, then headed for the Loop bus again.  This time we got off at the first stop, which was the Hilton Tokyo Odaiba Hotel.  We could have walked to here from the terminal, but decided to save our energy for town.  Almost across the street from the hotel was the Statue of Liberty, or a replica of it, only smaller in size.   With a little research, we learned that the real statue had been on loan from France and spent one year on display here in Tokyo, of all places.  She overlooks the Tokyo Waterfront City, where we hiked today. 

 

This entire area was recently built on land fill we read somewhere.  Many of the structures were used for the 2020 Olympics, so the city built up around it all.  There are enough malls to keep one busy for months, let alone 2 days.  What we appreciated by staying in this area was the fact that nothing was over-crowded, like we know downtown Tokyo is.  We have been fortunate enough to have toured the shrines, temples, parks, and museums more than once, so exploring this part of Tokyo was refreshing. 

 

This marina was created for the scenery and also for jogging and biking.  There are spots where people can fish, relax at a waterfront café, or even spend some time on a sandy beach.  A wooden boardwalk lines the water’s edge, and although there is no swimming allowed, it did not stop the group of middle schoolers wading in the shallow surf without their shoes.  Some of these kids were playing volleyball.  Checking the local map, we saw that three schools are located across the street from this manmade beach.   As well as a park full of trees and paths, there are nice and clean facilities available for all. 

 

Doing some internet searches, we had located a pizzeria on the corner.  However, it appeared to be closed.  Knowing we could find a suitable lunch at the mall we visited yesterday, we decided to try and find it.   For some reason, the Ariake Garden was not printed on either map we had.  While we were checking out maps, a very nice young fellow came over and asked if he could help us.   He spoke limited English, but well enough to point out the direction we needed to go.  We thanked him and he was on his way. 

 

We knew we had to cross the Nozomi Bridge that crossed over the Ariake West Canal.  At least we did remember the bus went that way yesterday.  But then after that, we weren’t sure, since the bus had turned on several streets to be able to drive into the mall’s garage.  Almost at the point of giving up, we decided to go a few more long blocks before turning back.  And that’s when we spotted the green vertical sign on the corner saying Ariake Garden.  This five story (or more) building was part of the Villa Fountaine Hotel, and was basically hidden within the jungle of high rises.  Now all we had to do was find how to get inside the mall. 

 

Walking around the building, we recognized the food market, Aeon, and knew we were in the right place.  We headed right up to the fifth floor and the food court.  Yesterday we had spotted a pizzeria with a wood-fired oven and that’s where we ended up.   Since we have enjoyed so much Japanese dishes on the ship, we were looking for our favorite lunch….pizza.  Obviously, the Japanese like it too.  The cute waitress helped us figure out the menu, and we ordered two beers with a cheese, bacon, and olive pizza.   The bacon was more like sliced ham and was quite good.  We added a dessert of lemon cheesecake which was also excellent. 

 

The bus schedule allowed the driver a one hour break, so we caught the next coach around 2:30pm.   There was a line of folks waiting by then, and we were lucky to get seats.  Worse come to worse, we would have walked back.  There were two streets full of more shopping malls and attractions and it may have taken hours to get back.  If we ever return to Tokyo, we shall continue our exploration. 

 

The sun never did come out, and it appeared that it might rain.  So it was a good time to work online until dinnertime.  There was no sunset tonight, and we never did see Mt. Fuji again, so we were happy for both sights yesterday.  At 5pm, Captain Frank came on with his daily talk.  It came with a surprise.  He has planted the idea that tomorrow’s port of Omaezaki may have to be cancelled due to an impending storm with high winds.  The authorities there said we might be able to dock, but if the conditions got worse, we might be stuck there…unable to leave.  With that in mind, Captain Frank said the decision would be made later tonight whether it is a go or not.  And after studying the port map, we found that everything to see is far from the town.  If it is raining, then we would rather skip it.   We still have two days in Kobe, then another Japanese port after that.   Right now, it is 10:30pm, and we have heard nothing. 

 

Dinner was good with chicken noodle soup, cocktail shrimp and Caesar salads.  Mains were one sliced tenderloin steak, and a lasagna.  The dinner rolls continue to be soft and fresh.  Dessert was a strawberry tart and plate of sliced pineapple.  Still refreshing.  Presty stopped by as he was making the rounds to the tables around us.  We asked how many people left in Tokyo and he said 31.  But 90 got on, so we are up in numbers now. The total number of passengers is 1172.  Many of these guests will get off in Singapore, which suggests they are local and took advantage of the special last minute offers to fill the ship.   We had also asked him about the dining room layout for the Zaandam.  He promised to get us a copy, and within minutes, he came back with both lower and upper dining room table numbers.  Perfect.  Now we can zero in on the Alaska and South Pacific cruises in the fall. 

 

We could still see the lights of Tokyo and the outlying areas two hours after leaving.   It also looked like it rained during dinnertime as the outside decks were dripping wet.  Perhaps we are hitting that storm earlier than expected. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

 

[WCB]

Report #62  Friday  March 1, 2024  Omaezaki, Japan Cancelled- Sea Day- Cruising The Coast  50mph Winds Very Rough Seas Overcast With Sun 20' Swell  Part 1Of 2.......55 Pictures—Casual

 

Our port of call today was Omaezaki, or was it?  Most of us never heard of this city, so it would be a new stop for us.   There were a few tours here priced from $130 to $150 and between 4 to 6 hours.  Stops would include castles, shrines, temple, a museum, basic highlights, a fish market and souvenir shopping.  However it was not to be.  At 7:45am this morning, Captain Frank made the announcement that Omaezaki had to be cancelled.  It had been decided it was far too impossible to dock safely due to high winds and rough seas.  It came as no surprise because we had been warned this could happen.   Actually, to be perfectly honest, most of the folks we know were worn out from two full days in Tokyo and appreciated the change to a day at sea. 

 

So the Captain provided some scenic cruising going into the bays to give us a look at the coastline of Japan.  There were dark ominous clouds overhead, and we did see rain falling over the mountainous terrain.  The winds were measured at 35 mph, but later increased to almost 50mph.   The sea swells were significant at 12 to 20 feet, making the ship roll and even shudder at times.   The safest place it seemed was in our room.  The mist from the waves came as high as our veranda, soaking everything out there.  And it was cold with temps in the high 40’s.  The wind chill brought that number even lower. 

 

While working on the computer, one of the veranda side panels broke loose, even though it had been locked.  Just about then, our room attendant came with a basket of clean laundry.  He went and got a key and locked it again, and to keep it from rattling, he moved the table against it.  That’s a first. 

 

Around 11:30am, Kimberly announced that the clouds had lifted from Mt. Fuji and it was clear for all to see.  Of course, it was only visible from the starboard side, so we went up to the Seaview Pool to take some pictures.  Grabbing some hot chocolate packets, we made a cupful to warm up.  Sitting at a table in the sun helped a little.  One by one, the Lido waiters began popping outside to take pictures with their cell phones.   It is not often that we see such an awesome sight as this sacred mountain.  Japan’s highest peak, it is so revered by the people that many make a pilgrimage every summer to the top.  It is a centuries-old tradition to summit this symmetrical active volcano.   We agree that Mt. Fuji is majestic and can see why it has been the subject of many famous painters and poets as well. 

 

This needed the good camera to get the best shots, so we went down to get it.  The camera expert went back to deck 10, and I followed later.  On the way up the staircase from the Seaview Pool, a gust of wind hit so hard, it ripped my wool scarf from my neck and it went airborne.  Holding onto my sunglasses, the scarf disappeared from sight.  Sometimes these items will blow back on deck three, but it was heavy and could have blown overboard.   Perhaps it will end up in the lost and found box at the front desk.  Have to check later.  

 

We spent most of the day inside, because the decks had been closed off.  Even though the dark clouds got blown away, the mist from the high waves drenched the portside of the ship.  Captain Frank came on the speakers with his noon talk, and said that after doing a loop in the bay near Omaezaki, he resumed sailing southwest towards Osaka Bay 195 nautical miles away.   It is possible we will be an hour earlier arriving to Kobe tomorrow.  He did say the weather in Kobe will be better as far as the sea condition, but the temperatures will remain chilly. 

 

Kimberly finally gave a talk on Kobe, where we will be docked for two days.  There was not enough time for her to squeeze in this lecture, since the ports were happening very close.  So we took notes about not only Kobe, but Osaka, Kyoto and Nara….all close to the port of Kobe.  In fact, the tours offered will take guests to the outlying areas.  We have been to all of the sights in this triangle of cities, so we intend to stay in Kobe.  Doing some internet searches of the downtown, we will be able to navigate that area. 

 

Dinnertime came quickly, as there was no sunset at all.  It just got dark, and the wind continued blowing strong.  Anyway, we ordered one chicken noodle soup, a Thai salad, and one Caesar salad.  Mains were a simple beef rib meat linguine and one osso buco.  Both were good and really too much as the servings were generous.  Dessert was one scoop of mango sorbet and one tiny chocolate mousse. 

 

Entertainment tonight was provided by a group of four fellows from various parts of Spain.  They performed classical, opera, and pop music as well as Latin, folk ballads, and theater. It appeared the dinner guests were leaving early to either get seats in the World Stage or go to bed early to be ready for two more busy port days.  

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

 

[WCB]

Report #63  Saturday  March 2, 2024  Kobe, Japan  Docked Starboard Side To Pier 8am-Overnight   Sunny And Cold 35 Degrees In The Morning To 50 In The Afternoon Part #1 Of 4.......55 Pictures---Casual

 

Better late than never.  Thanks to Kimberly’s last minute talk on Kobe, we have some info we can share about this city.  It is the 6^th largest city in Japan and has a population of 5.5 million folks that speak Japanese.   Located 403 nautical miles from Tokyo, the history here goes back beyond centuries.  A modern city today, it was hit by an earthquake back in 1995, causing much damage and loss of life.  Both of us being born and raised in San Francisco, we know first hand of such earthquakes.  The one in 1989 brings back terrible memories of such devastation.  And you never know when or where they are going to occur.  And yet we still choose to stay …..

 

There are a myriad of things to do and see in Kobe, and one of those recommended by Kimberly was to taste their Kobe beef.  It is particularly tender and moist due to the high fat content.  World famous, the beef is quite expensive with a restaurant meal costing from $75 to $250 per person.  Besides hundreds of restaurants, there are museums, a waterfall, a funicular to Mt. Rokko, and an herb and botanical gardens to explore.  Ship excursions included a trip to see castles, shrines, temples, and gardens in Kyoto, Osaka, or Nara Park.  They ran from $120 to $270, the more expensive ones included a lunch and/or a bullet train ride.  Kimberly did give some details on how to catch the local transit as well to do it on your own.

 

We decided to take advantage of the complimentary shuttle to central Kobe where we had access to shopping, exploring, and dining.   Once off of the ship and into the three story terminal, we found our way to the shuttle stop.  It was on the second floor, and not accessed from the street level.  Looking outside the spacious terminal, we noticed there were overhead highways criss-crossing everywhere and navigating our way out into town might have been difficult.  By the way, we passed a group of official-looking Japanese locals coming onboard with a bouquet of flowers and possibly a plaque as a gift for the Zuiderdam’s inaugural visit here.   We should hear about the ceremony when Captain Frank talks at the sail away tomorrow.

 

It was a big help to find the Kobe Tartan shirt-wearin docents who were giving folks directions in English.  There were plenty of maps too, even though most all of the printing was in Japanese.   The bus took us to the Kobe Daimaru Department Store for the drop-off.  Directly across the street, we saw the opening to the Motomachi Shopping Street, a domed almost 1 mile arcade filled with all types of shops and restaurants.  It was fun just window-shopping since we did not need anything in particular.  It started to get more crowded by 11:30am, and then we remembered it was Saturday, and many locals would be out and about.  Most all of the cafes, tea houses, and restaurants were small.  When they filled up with customers, people would wait outside until seats were available. 

 

Once at the far end, we were going to continue walking, but had no idea which way to go.   The streets and alleyways were not laid out in a simple grid, so getting lost was possible.  So it was best to head back the way we came, and pass through China Town which was close by.  What a surprise we had there.  Everybody and their brother was jammed in this small venue where dozens of small eateries were cooking and serving every type of Chinese food you might imagine.  Sure smelled and looked good as lines were forming around the alleyways for the folks buying the street food.  If there was a restaurant, then the locals lined up outside a dozen deep waiting for a space inside to eat.  It was all we could do to make our way to the entrance.  If we had been here on a weekday, we doubt there would have been such a crowd. 

 

Since it was already close to 2pm, we went back to the bus stop and rode the shuttle back.  And we spent the rest of the afternoon kicking back.  Did we mention how cold it was today?  There were enough clouds floating by to keep the temperature in the 40’s.   We were lucky there was no wind, and even with our arctic coats, it was still cold.  The ship was nice and toasty.

 

At 7pm, there was a fireworks display, but it occurred on the opposite side of the ship from our room.  By the time we remembered, it was over.  We did hear the sound of the fireworks exploding from our veranda.  Did we mention that the side panel on the veranda blew open again last night making one heck of a racket.  Woke both of us up several times, but we did not know where the noise was coming from at first.  We suppose our room steward had not locked it tight enough or it broke.  So this morning, we had a visit from the fix-it man who repaired both panels.  Now they are solid and will not rattle or pop open like they have been doing. 

 

Now the mystery of the day was the theme for dinner tonight…….a Biergarten.  Isn’t that like Octoberfest where we come from?  And usually held in the fall?  It was slated for tonight’s Lido dinner where they promised German-style beer (for sale) and great food, music and a festive atmosphere.   In the dining room, we were given the same German menu and also had the music.  And we were not alone in wondering why this was happening on a port night in a Japanese city, and why wasn’t it done on a sea day?  Our waiters had no idea why.  With no live entertainment this evening (there was a movie Bullet Train), most folks ate dinner and headed off to bed since some were on tours early tomorrow morning. 

 

Our dinner was good with some different items such as a dumpling soup and a plate of German latkes and sour cream.  Two salads were followed by one Weiner schnitzel and a bowl of mac and cheese made with spaetzle pasta and Gouda cheese covered with frizzled onions.  For a change, it was nice.  Dessert was bee sting cake and a bit of vanilla ice cream.  Not sure that was German, but the cake was quite good with a custard filling.

 

Tomorrow we shall head in a different direction to see what else we can find in Kobe.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

 

[superoma]

46 minutes ago, WCB said:

Report #63  Saturday  March 2, 2024  Kobe, Japan  Docked Starboard Side To Pier 8am-Overnight   Sunny And Cold 35 Degrees In The Morning To 50 In The Afternoon Part #1 Of 4.......55 Pictures---Casual

 

Better late than never.  Thanks to Kimberly’s last minute talk on Kobe, we have some info we can share about this city.  It is the 6^th largest city in Japan and has a population of 5.5 million folks that speak Japanese.   Located 403 nautical miles from Tokyo, the history here goes back beyond centuries.  A modern city today, it was hit by an earthquake back in 1995, causing much damage and loss of life.  Both of us being born and raised in San Francisco, we know first hand of such earthquakes.  The one in 1989 brings back terrible memories of such devastation.  And you never know when or where they are going to occur.  And yet we still choose to stay …..

 

There are a myriad of things to do and see in Kobe, and one of those recommended by Kimberly was to taste their Kobe beef.  It is particularly tender and moist due to the high fat content.  World famous, the beef is quite expensive with a restaurant meal costing from $75 to $250 per person.  Besides hundreds of restaurants, there are museums, a waterfall, a funicular to Mt. Rokko, and an herb and botanical gardens to explore.  Ship excursions included a trip to see castles, shrines, temples, and gardens in Kyoto, Osaka, or Nara Park.  They ran from $120 to $270, the more expensive ones included a lunch and/or a bullet train ride.  Kimberly did give some details on how to catch the local transit as well to do it on your own.

 

We decided to take advantage of the complimentary shuttle to central Kobe where we had access to shopping, exploring, and dining.   Once off of the ship and into the three story terminal, we found our way to the shuttle stop.  It was on the second floor, and not accessed from the street level.  Looking outside the spacious terminal, we noticed there were overhead highways criss-crossing everywhere and navigating our way out into town might have been difficult.  By the way, we passed a group of official-looking Japanese locals coming onboard with a bouquet of flowers and possibly a plaque as a gift for the Zuiderdam’s inaugural visit here.   We should hear about the ceremony when Captain Frank talks at the sail away tomorrow.

 

It was a big help to find the Kobe Tartan shirt-wearin docents who were giving folks directions in English.  There were plenty of maps too, even though most all of the printing was in Japanese.   The bus took us to the Kobe Daimaru Department Store for the drop-off.  Directly across the street, we saw the opening to the Motomachi Shopping Street, a domed almost 1 mile arcade filled with all types of shops and restaurants.  It was fun just window-shopping since we did not need anything in particular.  It started to get more crowded by 11:30am, and then we remembered it was Saturday, and many locals would be out and about.  Most all of the cafes, tea houses, and restaurants were small.  When they filled up with customers, people would wait outside until seats were available. 

 

Once at the far end, we were going to continue walking, but had no idea which way to go.   The streets and alleyways were not laid out in a simple grid, so getting lost was possible.  So it was best to head back the way we came, and pass through China Town which was close by.  What a surprise we had there.  Everybody and their brother was jammed in this small venue where dozens of small eateries were cooking and serving every type of Chinese food you might imagine.  Sure smelled and looked good as lines were forming around the alleyways for the folks buying the street food.  If there was a restaurant, then the locals lined up outside a dozen deep waiting for a space inside to eat.  It was all we could do to make our way to the entrance.  If we had been here on a weekday, we doubt there would have been such a crowd. 

 

Since it was already close to 2pm, we went back to the bus stop and rode the shuttle back.  And we spent the rest of the afternoon kicking back.  Did we mention how cold it was today?  There were enough clouds floating by to keep the temperature in the 40’s.   We were lucky there was no wind, and even with our arctic coats, it was still cold.  The ship was nice and toasty.

 

At 7pm, there was a fireworks display, but it occurred on the opposite side of the ship from our room.  By the time we remembered, it was over.  We did hear the sound of the fireworks exploding from our veranda.  Did we mention that the side panel on the veranda blew open again last night making one heck of a racket.  Woke both of us up several times, but we did not know where the noise was coming from at first.  We suppose our room steward had not locked it tight enough or it broke.  So this morning, we had a visit from the fix-it man who repaired both panels.  Now they are solid and will not rattle or pop open like they have been doing. 

 

Now the mystery of the day was the theme for dinner tonight…….a Biergarten.  Isn’t that like Octoberfest where we come from?  And usually held in the fall?  It was slated for tonight’s Lido dinner where they promised German-style beer (for sale) and great food, music and a festive atmosphere.   In the dining room, we were given the same German menu and also had the music.  And we were not alone in wondering why this was happening on a port night in a Japanese city, and why wasn’t it done on a sea day?  Our waiters had no idea why.  With no live entertainment this evening (there was a movie Bullet Train), most folks ate dinner and headed off to bed since some were on tours early tomorrow morning. 

 

Our dinner was good with some different items such as a dumpling soup and a plate of German latkes and sour cream.  Two salads were followed by one Weiner schnitzel and a bowl of mac and cheese made with spaetzle pasta and Gouda cheese covered with frizzled onions.  For a change, it was nice.  Dessert was bee sting cake and a bit of vanilla ice cream.  Not sure that was German, but the cake was quite good with a custard filling.

 

Tomorrow we shall head in a different direction to see what else we can find in Kobe.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

 

Yes, Bienenstich (bee sting cake) is German and I regularly make it for the family. Glad you enjoyed it.

[WCB]

Report #64  Sunday  March 3, 2024  Kobe, Japan  Day #2 Of 2  Docked Starboard Side To Pier Leave At 5pm   Sunny And Cold 33 Degrees In The Morning To 44 Degrees In The Afternoon Part #1 Of 6.......55 Pictures---Casual

 

Our second day in Kobe turned out to be a very nice one, and although the temperature was colder (32 degrees), the sun was out and it looked like it was going to stay out for most of the day.   During breakfast, we heard some folks nearby us saying that they had snow flurries on Mt. Rokko while on their tour yesterday, which is located high above the city.  Looking around at how the guests are dressed, we can say that most people underestimated the weather in this part of the world at this time of year.   We knew what it could be like when we did an independent overland tour not too many years ago.  Departing the ship in Beijing (Tianjin), it was snowing and the freeways were blanketed and closed for a few hours until workers cleared them.  We had brought our heavy duty jackets and gloves and were sure glad we did.  Until we headed south, we wore them every day.

 

Around 10am, we caught the shuttle that went to the same stop as yesterday at Motomachi.  This time we crossed the road and turned right.  It took us to another shopping street arcade, but this time the stores were mostly highend with recognizable names.  Zara, Uni Qlo, Tiffanys, and a myriad of shops we never heard of.  This was the Sannomiya district where many of the fancy hotels were located.  Once again, the eateries were beginning to open, and lines were forming well before their doors opened.  It did not matter that it was so cold outside, the locals were willing to wait for seating inside. 

 

We passed by what appeared to be a church by the name of Kobe St. Morgan Church.  It did not look like a typical entrance for a church, but more like a hotel.  Going inside, we were told this was a meeting place, so we left.  And we still do not know if it was a church or not.  Continuing up this same road, we passed a portal called Sannomiya Shrine with a very old typical Japanese pagoda on the corner.  We found the Sannomiya Center Gai Shopping Street, built the same as yesterday’s arcade shopping street.  This mall was newer than Motomachi and housed hundreds of shops, cafes, and restaurants.  If there was a chance of getting lost, this would have been the place.

 

We exited one of the covered streets to Flower Road, which was a big 8 lane road.  We could see the backdrop of the mountains as well as a number of ways of getting around.  There were buses, of course, but all of locals use the underground metro or the overhead railways.  From this road, we could see all of it including traffic.  Of course, today was Sunday and most all of the people go out shopping today.  Especially the younger crowd. 

 

We did mostly window-shopping except for one special store.  It was a pet shop with the smallest little puppies we have ever seen.   And many fluffy kittens as well.  The prices were shocking for these little guys.  The most expensive was 830,000 yen.  That computes to $5530 USD.  No kidding.  Even the kittens were expensive.  The store was busy with visitors, and we wondered how many pets would be sold today. 

 

By doing some homework yesterday, we figured out that most all of the restaurants were located inside larger buildings such as hotels or shopping malls.  We did find one café that looked promising, but once we entered, we learned that it was a buffet only.  It did look good, but not knowing what we would be eating could be problematic, so we left. 

 

One of the largest and nicest stores was Daimaru Kobe Department Store, right where the bus let us off.  One of our friends had gone there, and told us where to find everything.  Heading up to the 10^th floor, we located the Pizza House, which served Italian food as well as some Japanese items.  It was not too crowded yet at 12:30pm, so we relaxed with two Peroni beers and a meat and cheese pizza.  It was delicious and obviously popular since the café filled up by the time we left.  All of the customers were Japanese too.

 

On this level, there was a roof garden with a view of the downtown area.  If we had more time, we could have sat on the benches and took in some sun.  We did get some good photos of the city below.  Then we went down floor by floor, seeing what was offered.  One floor was strictly high end watches, proving that many people are not ready to give up their convenient time pieces.  Then came the housewares, clothing, and finally cosmetics.  That seems to be the first items you see when going into a department store such as this one.  As well as the departments inside the building, there were 60 shops around the outside.  Gas lamps on the sidewalk were a reminder of the old settlement that was once here.   Before leaving the building, we went down to the basement level to find a food store and a type of cafeteria where you could buy ready-made meals.  A small supermarket was at this level too.  And talk about crowded.  It was all we could do to get back to the escalator out to the street level.

 

Once outside the store, we were at the bus pick-up stop.  We had a few minutes to spare, so went to the nearest 7-11 to try and spend the loose change we had.   We ended up with five bags of popcorn and a box of chocolate-covered nuts….all for under $7.  Not a bad deal. 

 

We arrived back to the ship by 3pm, and warmed up in our room until we left the port.  At 4:40pm, Captain Frank came on the speaker to say we were all lucky to see the start of springtime here in Kobe.  We had a two hour sailing out of Osaka Bay before entering open seas.  Tomorrow we will have some scenic cruising when we enter between islands on the way to our final port of Fukuoka.  That should occur around 4pm.  The weather is expected to stay partly cloudy with less wind and 4 foot swells.  All good news.   By the way, we all received a refund of $10.10 for port and tax charges due to missing the port of Omaezaki .  

 

At sail away, we were given a grand farewell with a band and a display of hundreds of balloons released from the terminal building.  We had the best spot to see this because all of the balloons drifted overhead and out into the far reaches of the harbor.  From the port side, we saw every single balloon go airborne.  We cannot say enough about the special greeting we got from all of the Japanese people while visiting here.  In a city of 5.5 million, that’s saying a lot.

 

We looked forward to a hot dinner tonight just to get warm again.  There were a couple of  appetizers that would do the trick.  One was a sesame BBQ rib, and the other a shrimp quesadilla.   We had salads then mains of chicken meatballs with rigatoni.  It came with a marinara sauce and our waiter brought extra sauce and cheese.  Desserts were one cheesecake and a plate of pineapple.  Good way to end the day.

 

Tonight’s entertainer was Kenny Martyn, a multi-instrumentalist.  He played tunes from Benny Goodman, Acker Bilk, and Duke Ellington.  

 

Really looking forward to our one day at sea.  We all need it.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

 

 

[LouChamp]

Aloha. Glad you are enjoying your journey around Japan. Curious if you tried the egg salad sandwich at 7-11. It sounds funny but since it is a Japanese company they are well known for their egg salad sandwich.  As you know we divide our time between NY and Honolulu. In  Hawaii we love them and of course their spam musubi. Most enjoyable. In NY not so much lol. 

Edited March 4 by LouChamp
Correct typo

[WCB]

Report #65  Monday  March 4, 2024  Sea Day  Cruising The Kanmon Strait- 4pm-9pm Enroute To Fukuoka (Hakata), Japan  Partly Sunny With Sea Haze Cool 50 Degrees Sea State: Calm Part #1 Of 4.......60 Pictures--Casual Dress

 

Today was a good one to relax and enjoy the fact that it had warmed up a few degrees, and the sun might come out later in the morning.  We had sailed south along the coast with fairly smooth seas, little wind, and not much rocking and rolling.  And no one was complaining about that.   There seemed to be a sea haze that resembled fog but it was dry.  For a change, we had some ship traffic, which increased as the day advanced.  Many fishing vessels, tankers, and cargo ships passed by in the distance indicating we must be close to major cities.   We spotted some smaller boats, which had to be a fleet of fishing boats.  They were flying different colors of flags like green, yellow, and orange.  Taking a wild guess, we thought they may display a flag suggesting what company they fished for.  

 

After our morning walk, we went up to the Lido and made cups of steaming hot chocolate to drink outside by the Seaview Pool.  As long as we stayed out of the wind, it was almost warm.  The haze thinned out enough to feel some heat from the sun even if it was minimal.

 

About then, we waited for the horn to blow at high noon.  It was late, so we figured the Captain may have forgotten to blow it.  So when Captain Frank came on the speakers, he explained that he was not able to sound the horn due to the number of small fishing vessels in the area.  We sort of already came to that conclusion and for a change, we were correct.  Then he went on to explain that there had been a change of plans, and he would be docking the Zuiderdam late this evening, instead of tomorrow at 7:30am.   We still had some scenic cruising to do starting around 3:30pm, so he said that since we were so close to the next port, he would prefer to do a speed of 13 knots instead of slower, which would cause some rolling and pitching.  No one would be allowed off of the ship tonight due to customs and immigrations not permitting it.  But tomorrow, we would stick to the original time of 7:30am to be cleared.  Fine with us. 

 

In the meantime, Kimberly had delivered her talk on tomorrow’s port of Fukuoka, Japan at 1pm.  Within the hour, it was on TV.  Perfect time for us to watch it while enjoying burgers from the Dive-In Grill.  We have never been here before and were more or less expecting a small city.  Wrong, it looks huge and once again, full of history, temples, palaces, pagodas, and Japanese gardens.   Much of it will be accessible by walking too.  Taking notes, we should be able to navigate this city a bit easier than Kobe.  The bad news was that it did not appear that there would be a complimentary shuttle to downtown like we had in Kobe and Tokyo.  At least Kimberly had not gotten any confirmation of that yet.  There’s always hope…..

 

At 4pm, the bow was opened and many folks bundled up and went to watch our sailing into the Kammon Strait area.  Passing a lighthouse on a corner, the Captain turned the ship to enter the strait that took us under the Kammon Bridge.   Kimberly did narrate this scenic cruising, but it was not broadcasted on the verandas.   It was on our room TV, but the sound could not be turned up for us to hear it outside on the veranda.  We chose to watch and photograph from our veranda and catch up on the details with the help of Google later on.   It sure would have been nice if the sea haze had cleared up, but it didn’t.  It sort of put a thin gray layer over the pictures.  It was heavy enough at times that we could not separate the horizon of the ocean and the start of the sky.   Dreary might be a better word.  And cold as ever, even though once we entered the strait, the seas were almost like silk.  No wind to speak of.  Of course, many pictures were taken along the hour and half cruise through here.

 

Once past the rambling city and the industrial part of town, the ship turned left and headed towards Fukuoka/Hakata.  And since this will be the final stop for Japan, tomorrow there will be a special departure clearance with the immigration officials in the terminal building in the afternoon.  We’ll provide the details tomorrow after it happens. 

 

We sure hope it does not rain like it has been predicted for this final port.  So far, luck has been on our side.

 

Dinnertime had some very nice choices this evening starting with a most delicious crispy Thai spring roll with rice noodles and sweet and sour sauce.  The best in our opinion.  We both had different salads followed by veal parmigiana on a bed of spaghetti and grilled slices of zucchini.   Doesn’t get much better.  Dessert was a tiny chocolate cupcake with caramel popcorn on top and a plate of fresh pineapple.  We shared a scoop of vanilla ice cream since it went well with both desserts.

 

The Grand Voyage singers and dancers put on a show featuring the tunes of Elton John, one of our favorite entertainers.   He has stood the test of time, and his music is just as popular today as it was when we first heard it.

 

We have to add a note here regarding our visit to China, which is coming up in a few days from now.  We have been advised that we will be blocked with some communications such as Facebook, Google, and other websites.  We do not now the extent of the block, but if you do not get any reports and photos, please know we will be sending them as soon as we can.  We have been  told that China’s “wechat” will be available to download, although we doubt we will do that.  So stay tuned……

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

[WCB]

Report #66  Tuesday  March 5, 2024  Fukuoka, Japan  Docked Starboard Side To Pier  10pm On 3-4-24-5pm On 3-5-24  Heavy Overcast With Rain Showers 50 Degrees  Part #1 Of 6.......55 Pictures---Casual Dress

 

Our port of call for today was Fukuoka, Japan, and our final stop while in this country.  Actually, we had arrived early last night, and the ship was docked by 10pm.  We were not allowed to get off, since the ship had not been cleared by the local officials.  Just as well as it looked like it rained most of the night.  Before we turned in for the evening, we checked outside our veranda door, and saw the waterfront all lit up and decided to snap a few pictures since we would not see this during the day.  It was very striking with the tower all lit up.

 

The weather was not the best today.  The skies were very overcast and there was a 99% chance of rain.  Not a problem….we shall simply pack the umbrellas and wear our waterproof jackets.  After a warm breakfast, we worked on photos from yesterday to keep up with the reports.  We had a message from the front desk that they needed our Chinese visas to be copied for immigrations in China.   Our current visas are in our expired passports, so we had to bring them down to be documented.  This should have taken place when we boarded in Ft. Lauderdale, but for some reason Maja said we could do it later.   By later, that meant now.  As long as we were doing the Chinese check, we also brought the Sri Lanka visa papers we brought with us from home.  Copies were made and all was OK now.  The originals were handed back. 

 

We left the ship after 10am.  We were having more fun trying to get photos of what appeared to be hawks of some kind flying around the top of the ship.  Counting about eight of the large birds, we did some research and discovered they were Japanese golden eagles.  They worked the skies all morning much the way the ravens and other birds of prey will do.  The only other birds we saw on our way to the Bayside Place were a pair of white wagtails.  Of course there were seagulls, crows and cormorants but not in large numbers.

 

There were three tours today that included more shrines, temples, Fukuoka Tower, Tenjin for shopping, and a folk museum.  They ran from $105 to $110 for 3 to 5 hours.  All aboard was 3:30pm today and it would be more complicated with this being the last Japanese port.  But more about that later.

 

Kimberly delivered her talk on this city yesterday, so we did get a few facts.  It is really a combination of two cities….Fukuoka and Hakata.  Located 480 nautical miles from Kobe, it is one of the most populous cities on this southernmost island.  There are 10,000 years of history here that survived on rice farming and fishing.  Ramen noodles were created in this area with a creamy soup with pork added. 

 

Two million visitors come here every year to witness major festivals.  The Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival is for the men, while the girl’s event in May is called the Hakata Dontaka Festival.   Several sights can be reached on foot, but many of them are located further away.  There is a good underground metro as well as trains and buses.  By the way, there was no shuttle provided today, and we heard that made the guests a bit disappointed during the talk yesterday.   Taking taxis were suggested.  And of course, there were always the ship’s excursions to book.

 

We were not docked in the International Terminal, but at a smaller facility right next to it.  Before we left the building, there was a table set up with maps and two local ladies giving directions….in English.  They mapped out a self- walking tour we could do on our own.   Then we ran into Suzanne who was on her way back already.  She also pointed out the way towards town.

 

The walk would take us to wide open spaces surrounding the smaller harbor.  We spotted an orange object on the end of the walkway and checked it out.  It was a memorial to the WWII victims that were displaced during the war.  Hundreds of thousands of locals were transported to China and Korea at that time.  Many years later, some of them returned to their homeland, helping to rebuild the city bigger and better.

 

We zeroed in on the Bayside Place located across the harbor from the pier.  This small harbor has the terminals for the local ferries that operate to the local islands as well as Korea.  The Hakata Port Tower was the one we could see from our veranda last night.  On the top is the radio station for ships.  On the bottom level of this tower is a museum that displays the history and the usefulness of the shipping traffic.  It is set up to appeal to the younger crowd, but also to tourists like us.  Not sure if it was opened to us, one of the workers welcomed us inside.  Another lady invited us to take the elevator to the top to check out the 360 degree view.  So we did and glad we did it.  The only thing that would have made it perfect would be if the sun was out and the rain stopped.  It was more of a misty shower that tended to cloud the photos again.  More and more locals were coming up and we knew it would be crowded, so we went back down.  We toured the little museum then before we left, another nice lady came over and handed us a brochure on this tower and museum.  On the back page, she placed two large ink stamps of the city where it was written “stamp here for memory”.    What a welcome for us strangers.

 

One of the main building here housed a central aquarium which was filled with many types of fish.  Most of them were tropical varieties, but there were also huge turtles, nurse sharks, and colorful reef fish.  This cylindrical tank was three stories tall.  We sure never expected to see this here.  Then we passed by some shops and got lucky with a purchase of a cashmere shawl to replace the one that blew away.  We still had some Japanese yen to spend, and this was a good way to do it.  Exploring this three story building at the base of the tower, we discovered the top floor was for little kids as there was an indoor playground for them.  Nice restrooms were there too, and one of us discovered that the seats of the commodes were heated.   They are also automatic with bidets and auto flush.  Way better than the expected hole in the floor, which we are sure we will find while in China.

 

Back on the second floor we saw a patio that surrounded the outside shops.  From there we could see a huge water stadium.  Reading the map later in or room, we learned that this was called the Boat Race Fukuoka.  The spectators pay 100 yen to enter, then place bets on the six speed boats that race around the stadium.   It is a 600 meter course and a fun way for people to gamble. 

 

We had hoped to find a suitable place to eat lunch, but the closest we could find was a cafeteria-style restaurant.  There were a few bars but they would not open until this evening.  There was Family Mart, which is the equivalent to our 7-11’s.  We still had a handful of coins to spend, so we tried the small grocery store and bought some KitKat bars and more bags of popcorn.  It was starting to rain harder now, so we headed back to the terminal.  

 

Anyone arriving back to the terminal from 12pm to 3:30pm would need to be seen by the immigration officials for a mandatory inspection.   Our room keys were scanned first, then we each went to an official who scanned our passports and placed an exit sticker next to the entrance sticker we got several days ago.  Once this was done, our room keys were stickered with a new black one to indicate we had passed this inspection.  Finally, our current and expired passports with the Chinese visas were turned over to the front desk people where they were banded together.  They will be kept for the Chinese officials to clear us tomorrow we assume.  Once we completed this checkpoint, we were not allowed to leave the ship.  We had taken our hike and did what was required and were back onboard by 2pm. 

 

Lunch was a Cobb salad, beef panini and a club sandwich.  Fresh apple slices were our dessert along with some chocolate-covered almonds from Kobe.  Sometime around 3pm, Kimberly announced for everyone to appear at the customs check or else we would not be able to leave on time.   The second announcement must have worked since we were ready to leave after 3:30pm.  Captain Frank gave his departure talk at 4:30pm, and explained we were waiting on the pilot.  We will be heading into open waters on our way to Shanghai, China and we could expect 35 mph winds as well as a 10 to 12 foot swell.  It wasn’t long after we left the shelter of the bay that we felt the swells.  Showers clouded our exit from the harbor, and we could barely see the tall port tower as we left.

 

Dinner was good with a few items created by the guest chef who is from China.   We tried the sesame seeded chicken appetizers with a sweet and sour sauce.  Very tasty.  Salads came next, then we ordered one kalbi beef entrée and one vegetarian plate of broccoli and vermicelli noodles seasoned with Sichuan sauce.  Very good, we were assured there was not a drop of oyster or clam juice added to it.   Dessert was carrot cake for both of us with a little vanilla ice cream on the side. 

 

The clocks went back tonight which was appreciated by all.  We will be on Beijing time now and it should stay the same until we leave China.  Looking forward to a day at sea.

 

Bill & Mary Ann