Monday, September 2. 28 C. A bit choppy, blue sky and full sun. Beautiful!
It is hard for us to accept the fact that we will be home two weeks this coming Friday. Where did the time go?
It is hard for us to accept the fact that we will be home two weeks this coming Friday. Where did the time go?
A 10 hour sleep!! What are we, six month olds? No, it is the movement of the ship in a lively ocean plus a bit of old age setting in methinks. Both Fellette and I love that sensation but it also does make for some degree of sleepiness for sure.
At 5:00 AM we were both wide awake and ready for a coffee! I opened the curtains and then the balcony sliding door and it was such a delight to take in some deep breaths and actually do some knee bends in my PJ's as Fellette made the first coffee. This is the first time that we have been able to leave the door wide open and hear the sound of the sea . What a lovely sound and experience.
As we pulled alongside the pier at Otaru, obviously a port near Sapporo, there were groups of civilians having little flags and welcoming us here. What a difference from the two previous Russian ports. The place just LOOKS clean and neat. You can sense it!
The Customs officials coming aboard were neatly dressed civilians, no Militaristic Uniforms here. Also, we can just walk off the ship onto the street in front of the ship and wander about freely! The way it should be and is in most civilized places in the world.
Wow, what a day, what a place! If the rest of japan is as neat, clean and orderly as this I will be quite happy.
We went through Japanese Customs and Immigration on the ship in good time and were out and on the buses right on schedule.
We had a great tour of the city which is amazingly clean, even in the industrial sections and poorer areas. We were always greeted by small waves from almost anybody. At first I thought they must have paid people to wave at us as we docked, but no, even as we went through the streets people smiled and waved.
Amongst other places we went to a the Hokkaido Jingu Shinto Shrine. [Hokkaido is the most northerly of the Islands of Japan.] We were told about the religions of japan, which most people do not seem to hold firm beliefs on but rather go along with the idea of 'Do no harm and get along with everybody and respect nature'. Those are my words.
WWII is not talked about. I think that Japan has a National Guilt about what they did and would rather not talk about it, wishing that it never happened. Again, my words.
After some more touring we ended up at an Open Air Museum at The Historical Museum of Hokkaido where we had an hour to wander about. This is where many of the older building from around the Island were dismantled and re-erected in this interesting hypothetical village. The building were originally built between 1886 and 1920 when Japan emerged from its centuries of isolation in and emerged into the real world and embraced trade, becoming the powerhouse it was before they blew it all in WWII.
The buildings were moved here rather than tear them down as Sapporo was turning into a modern city, in the real sense of the word, so wooden building had no place in it any more.
Back to the ship around 5:30 for a cool shower and a dinner in the dining room all by ourselves. Great Day!
The Customs officials coming aboard were neatly dressed civilians, no Militaristic Uniforms here. Also, we can just walk off the ship onto the street in front of the ship and wander about freely! The way it should be and is in most civilized places in the world.
Wow, what a day, what a place! If the rest of japan is as neat, clean and orderly as this I will be quite happy.
We went through Japanese Customs and Immigration on the ship in good time and were out and on the buses right on schedule.
We had a great tour of the city which is amazingly clean, even in the industrial sections and poorer areas. We were always greeted by small waves from almost anybody. At first I thought they must have paid people to wave at us as we docked, but no, even as we went through the streets people smiled and waved.
Amongst other places we went to a the Hokkaido Jingu Shinto Shrine. [Hokkaido is the most northerly of the Islands of Japan.] We were told about the religions of japan, which most people do not seem to hold firm beliefs on but rather go along with the idea of 'Do no harm and get along with everybody and respect nature'. Those are my words.
WWII is not talked about. I think that Japan has a National Guilt about what they did and would rather not talk about it, wishing that it never happened. Again, my words.
After some more touring we ended up at an Open Air Museum at The Historical Museum of Hokkaido where we had an hour to wander about. This is where many of the older building from around the Island were dismantled and re-erected in this interesting hypothetical village. The building were originally built between 1886 and 1920 when Japan emerged from its centuries of isolation in and emerged into the real world and embraced trade, becoming the powerhouse it was before they blew it all in WWII.
The buildings were moved here rather than tear them down as Sapporo was turning into a modern city, in the real sense of the word, so wooden building had no place in it any more.
Back to the ship around 5:30 for a cool shower and a dinner in the dining room all by ourselves. Great Day!
Yes, the officials are watering the rugs for us to walk on to ensure we do not bring germs into the city. Can that really be? Works both ways, but those are Japanese doing it, not the ship's crew[?]
I have no idea what the sign says. It may say 'This way to the toilets'.
Yup, Tony Romas is here.
This building was disassembled and moved here some time ago.
Same here.
Inside an older home.
Peaceful park inside this make-believe city.
The flower is bigger than Fellette's face.
Best picture of the day.
Everything is neat and orderly in this place. Buses ready to get back to the ship, all exactly lined up with drivers in white gloves!
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