Kyoto, Japan

Today was a pretty awesome day for me. There have been a couple of times while I am shooting photos that I have been in absolute awe of the beauty that I am seeing. The Taj Mahal and Machu Picchu were perfect examples. In this country that is so packed with people there are many places of quiet beauty and today I experienced a couple…. I went to Kyoto from Kobe, leaving about 0800 this morning. It was almost a two hour trip to get to our first destination the Kinkaku-ji temple that is referred to as the “Golden Pavilion” because of being covered in gold leaf. As I was taking my first photo of the Golden Pavilion with the pond in front showing a perfect reflection I thought, this is incredibility beautiful. Then I noticed a Heron on a rock again with a perfect reflection and I thought “Wow”. The Heron was so still that I began to think that it was a statue and then it moved…. I continued to walk the grounds and gardens and continued to marvel at the beauty. Our next stop was the Nijo Castle and yes…. the floors do squeak not matter how lightly you walk. Again this was a beautiful spot and once again the Japanese gardens were amazing. Then it was off to lunch and once again (twice in three stops) I was served scallops which I am really allergic to….. fortunately I figured it out before I ate. When I get off the ship in China for four days I am really going to have to watch it. I certainly won’t be able to read the menu. Anyway, they made accommodations and I had a great lunch. The, once again, it was off to a magical place, the Heian Shinto Shrine. One again the Shrine and its surrounding gardens were absolutely beautiful. The covered Chinese bridge was pretty cool as well. It is amazing how well the Japanese cultivate and use these gardens which go along way to counteract the hectic pace of day to day life. Our final stop was at a craft center when they had lots of Stuff, you know how I like to buy stuff….. Tomorrow, a day at Sea and some relaxation.

Day 15 Kobe, Japan

We sailed into Osaka Harbor early this morning on our way to our port of Kobe, Japan. The sunrise was just beautiful. The sail in was nice just not as dramatic as Yokohama. As usual I was struck how clean and orderly everything is here. You don’t even see old cars on the road or dirty ones for that matter. An amazing place….. As soon as we docked I headed to check in for my tour to Kyoto. I was really looking forward to this one….

Plans for Kobe, Japan

Tomorrow I decided to take a ship's tour and go to Kyoto, Japan. Here is the ship's description:
Kyoto, The Ancient Capital
Duration
Approximately 10 hours
Description
A city of profound history and rich tradition, Kyoto represents the soul of Japan. This must-see tour begins with a ride from Kobe to the ancient capital of Kyoto; then sets out to discover some of Japan's best-known sights. An impressive starting point for the tour is the Kinkaku-ji temple, originally built in 1397 as a retirement dwelling for Shogun Yoshimitsu, then reconstructed in 1955, faithful to the 14th-century design. Elaborate gold foil lends the structure an almost gaudy appearance, as well as being appropriate for its name -- the "Golden Pavilion." Next is the ostentatious 1603 Nijo Castle, complete with "nightingale" floors that were designed to squeak to warn the inhabitants of intruders. Kyoto's 1,100th birthday was celebrated with the construction of the Heian Shinto Shrine. Surrounded by gardens, this two-thirds scale model of the Heian Imperial Palace features a Chinese-style bridge. Finish up your visit to Kyoto with a stop at the Handicraft Center for some souvenir shopping.

Day 14 At Sea

Today was a great day at sea! :-) We had the perfect temperature with a nice breeze. The fun meter is definitely on the rise. I’m glad we had a sea day because Tokyo was a pretty tiring (and Great!) day. We are sailing off the coast of Japan heading for the port of Kobe. That’s where the beef they served us yesterday was from….. pretty tender stuff. The bronzing index was 9.87328 today….. Fabulous!
As you all are aware I been exceedingly happy with Holland America. Their Signature of Excellence Program certainly has set them apart from their competition except for one area…….. The lounge at the aft pool chairs are worst in class…. I certainly hope that by the world voyage they address this deficiency. If you are unfortunate enough to have a bad back you are really going to pay the price with these chairs. I hope someone in Seattle is looking at this. :-)

Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo was a trip! This is one really big city. Having said that, the crowds I expected (the massive wave of human flesh) never materialized to the extent I thought it would. We left at 0900 for about a 1 ½ hour trip into Tokyo. Our first stop…the Imperial Palace Plaza and the famous and really beautiful Nijubashi Bridge. What a great photo op…. the swans certainly make a nice touch. What appeared to be a castle on sorts above the bridge was in fact one of many of the Shogun’s watch towers. Only a few are still in existence. Then it was off to lunch. We went to the Intercontinental Hotel to the Manhattan Club on the 36th floor….what a view. I got great shots of the Parliament building (pyramid at the top) and the Tokyo skyline. After lunch we went to the Ginza district. This is a whole area of very expensive, upscale stores…. Not a highlight for me. Our last stop was great! We went to the Senso-ji Temple or Kannon Temple dedicated to the Buddhist Goddess Kannon. The Temple and 5 story Pagoda were great! On top of that they had tons of little shops selling valuable junk…. It was a amazing day and I came away really impressed with Tokyo. It certainly is worth another visit.

Day 13 Yokohama, Japan

We arrived early in the morning and lined up for traffic control in the Yokohama channel with a channel pilot onboard. Around 0700 we picked up the pilot (2nd) for docking in Yokohama harbor. It was a pretty sail in and the sail under the Yokohama Bay Bridge pretty cool. I love the roller coasters here; they are very big and lovely when lit up in the evenings. Yokohama certainly has a pretty skyline from the harbor. I don’t know what it is but I guess whenever ships come here the internet satellite connection is lost…. I was not happy.

Plans for Yokohama

Tomorrow is going to be very exciting.... Tokyo, first visit. I'm taking a ship's shore excursion... here is the description:

The Best of Tokyo
Duration
Approximately 9 - 10 hours
Description
The wonders of Tokyo are yours to discover on this full day of sightseeing in one of the world's busiest cities. By motorcoach you travel from Yokohama to Tokyo, passing the famous landmark known as the Tokyo Tower -- reminiscent of the Eiffel Tower in Paris -- as you head to the Imperial Palace Plaza in central Tokyo. The palace is the home of Japan's emperor, and there will be time to wander in the Plaza gardens, which provide an excellent view of the palace and its famous Nijubashi Bridge. One of Tokyo's best-known areas is the legendary Ginza -- a shopping district that is virtually unequalled for glitz, glamour and good deals. The next stop is Asakusa. In ancient times this was a notorious entertainment district, but today it is the location of the beautiful Senso-ji Temple, or Kannon Temple. A golden image of the Buddhist goddess, Kannon, is enshrined here. Legend claims the statue was miraculously fished out of the river in AD 628. Luncheon will be served at a local restaurant before you return to the ship in Yokohama.

Day 12 At Sea

Nicest day at sea yet! I had a great day. I could just feel the heat thawing my bones, getting rid of the last remnants of our Bering Sea days of fun….. We just sailed on a southerly course with Japan off to the right, visible off in the distance from time to time. As you can tell from the photo, I took the photo while we were passing the town of Ishinomaki on the island of Honshu. This is hard work relaxing by the pool all day. I included a photo so you could see things from my perspective. Great day! Tomorrow, Tokyo…. Very, very exciting

Day 11 Aomori, Japan

We arrived early this morning into Aomori Japan. It was very exciting for me….first visit! I did a little shopping at the pier before leaving on my shore excursion to Hirosaki City. The drive was lovely, passing rice paddies during the harvest and seeing the rice tied up and hanging to dry. After arriving into Hirosaki City we went straight to the castle. It was beautiful….the castle, moats, lotus blossoms and the grounds in general were magnificent. As usual I took a gazillion photos. Then we went to check out the Nebuta Festival floats which are used in their annual festival. The floats are very colorful and have lights inside to shine through. We also had some entertainment with some musicians playing the equivalent to the Japanese version of the guitar…. The name escapes me. Nice visit. Then it was off to lunch at the Hirosaki City Hotel…. Very nice. After lunch we first went to the Zenringai area an old Samurai town with 33 Zen temples. Interesting...... but, difficult to get great photos. I absolutely hate it when someone parks a car or there is construction going on at a great site….grrrrrrr! Finally we went to the Saison Temple. Now this 300 year old Pagoda was awesome. It was five stories high and very, very impressive. I even paid 100 yen to have the privilege to ring the ceremonial temple bell….. I felt a little like a High Priest……nah! It was a spectacular day!