Fuji in my face

 

November 25 2024

Shinzuka, Japan

And so it begins, independent travel. Wish me luck it may get bumpy.

Last eve was about as bad of food service as possible. $pecialty restaurant, and the service was better at the buffet, and I never ate at the buffet. Water glugged in glass, Me - Thank you - him ‘sure’, and it went downhill after that. I ate as much main as I was going to and put my knife and fork in the correct position on the plate, and waited. I waited probably 15 minutes (2 chapters) and never a visit from the server. Finally I just got up and attempted to walk out. Since the meal was part of the package I tried to walk out. Oh! No! They had to print and present a zero balance bill and have it signed before I could leave. On top of that, the meal was pedestrian.

Back at the room, I still wasn’t certain I was leaving today. So left the packing until later. Laid on the bed and watched the darkness and around 10 rolled over and called it a day.

‘Siri what time is it?”. 6:37am. Time to get up. I put on enough previous days clothes to go get coffee. I found the group military vet picture on my door knob. Picked it up and went to coffee on 13. Saw Richard, and did a quick hand off of the picture and grabbed a cuppa’ Joe and turned around and got hit in the face with Mt Fuji in all his splendor. And it is spectacular. White topped volcano, perfect in shape and proportions. I can see why it is the nation’s symbol. The sun was just coming up, so golden hour photos, and more coffee. Richard melted away while my back was turned.

Back to the room for morning things and then down to Customer service to explain it was hitting the road and to make sure the ship Gods didn’t throw lightning bolts at me. There was a minor discrepancy on the bill. The had charged me for the photo, and I understood it was comped from the Vet package. That took forever in ‘hurry’ time. Maybe 10 minutes. Finally that was sorted out and all was good with the world. Customer service checked with all the major and minor Gods, and ‘Gods said it was good’

At breakfast said “Ta-ta for now” to most of the staff and back to the room to stuff stuff into stuff. Then down to the gangway and HALT ! There was a security on this ship seems to forget that the passengers are their employers and not their prisoners. What a rude bunch. Anyway another 10 minutes as radio chatter and phone calls and burning of incense before I was allowed to touch asphalt again.

Customs - again - this time the full meal deal. I mean full all three of my bags were opened and examined. I don’t remember this much scrutiny the last cruise into Japan. It went smoothy for a Customs inspection and soon I was breathing fresh Japanese air again.

Walking to the taxi stand I met David who works in the casino. What serendipity! He was the very first person to say Hello and recognize me by name and a hug. He was the final crew member to see me off the ship. Sometimes I have to question coincidence.

Got a taxi to the fast train station. Seems I should have done some research on that one. A near hour later and the meter spinning like a slot machine we arrived at the station. Well at least I got there.

I bought a ticket on the best class (Green car) on the fast train, to Kyoto. Booked a hotel that I have no idea where in the city sprawl it could be, but it got me a ride and a room so it’s a start. I have some plans for outings, but I am so wishy washy about things, that you will read about them post outing, not pre-outing.

Sunday in the park with art

 

November 24 2024

Nagoya, Japan

What a night ! When I was on this ship from Alaska to Tokyo, across the North Pacific. I saw some seasickness bags out on the balustrades for the stairs, two or three times. I asked myself if that seemed a bit overkill for the nothing we were experiencing. Last night the ship was rocking and even on as low as deck 7, it was difficult to walk a straight line. The wind was so hard that when the ship would break a wave that the crest of the wave would reach above my room on 11. I fear to imagine how it was on the outside of 12 or 13. The morning came and balcony was glittering in the morning light with salt crystals on the table and railing.

Dinner was another missed memory. It was food. The novel I am reading was better than the meal. After supper, my tummy rebelled. I think there was cream in the sauce, it couldn’t have been a light case of seasickness.

Rebellious stomach or not, I was not going to leave this ship without leaving the $20 I set aside for gambling behind. No one was playing so I had the entire table to myself, again. I threw dice and made bets and more of those clay things kept coming back to me. Listen ship ! I brought you this money and you won’t take it. You are so fickle. I gave the ship a chance to eat the twenty and left with $40. Over all my 20 has made me a seventy in profit. The crew doesn’t know that their tips are all gambling money.

While I was ‘tossing the bones’. Wanda and her husband came over. She said she didn’t know how to play, but she tossed her chip on the Pass line and backed it up with Odds. That is not a neophyte. Then, she tossed a chip to the box girl and said “Seven the hard way!”. We all stopped speechless. There is no way you can ever get a ‘hard’ with an odd number. Maybe she wasn’t fibbing about not knowing how to play. After I left they continued to play and came away in the $300 area to the positive.

Back in the room, I turned out the lights and watch the spray get carried back into the darkness.

Morning came and the usual routine, breakfast, coffee, shower, and then down to deck 4 to touch dirt again. The ship is like 10 miles from the city of Nagoya proper. This is one of the things that keep me from ocean cruising. River cruising, you are right in the city. Shuttle bus to the train station and with the SUICA app it really is convenient to just rest my watch on the IC receiver and have the gates open. Then at the end, repeat and the ride is paid for.

I wanted to add to my shrine sticker collection, and Apple Maps said ride this train until I tell you to get off. Mole your way through the tunnels and when you smell fresh air, turn left and catch the number 2 bus. Go nine stops and there you are! I did and I was! Pure magic.

Then came the wrong turns, on my part. I made the best of it by buying a refill of my Kleenex stash. The 7-11 is laid out a little different than the last one. Just as I find the right aisle, I hear “Hi! It’s Margaret”. A ship mate who is part of the veterans cadre. They had a private guide so I tagged along for 10 minutes, until their guide shut up, so I could ask him where the stamp shop. He took a breath and pointed the basic direction I needed to forge ahead to. Sayonara, Margaret, et al.

I made one slight error, but it was quickly resolved by a Shinto priest. There was a line, but not enough of one, to trigger my line allergy. Two stampers and writers moved the line quickly. Soon I had my 3rd Shrine Autograph. It’s kind of a fun game.

Sunday in the park, everyone was at the shrine. I don’t understand how a 16th century warlord praying at this location to win a battle and winning, makes it a place to bring your children to be blessed for health. Age one, three and five? Seem to be the most appropriate. Parents in modern suits and dresses, the kids in traditional garb, girls in Kimono looking cute. Not totally into this photograph thing. It might take half a dozen camera snaps to catch someone not looking at her sandals.

Next stop Nagoya Castle. Tell me what to do Apple Maps I’ll follow you anywhere. Cross a couple streets, catch the bus, go 8 stops and Castle! I spring onto the bus with the confidence and arielist and take my seat. Exactly like the first bus, crowded, some standing, so many people on the bus …. Not a sound from then. No whispers, no phone app games, absolute silence. It was flippin’ eerie.

So I’m counting stops and am up to six and everyone gets off and the bus driver says “End of the line” in his best Japanese. I ain’t seeing no castle. I step off the bus and look at maps the castle is so far away it’s almost off the map. One of us made a major error, Mr. Maps!

Let’s try this again, only Mr. Maps is on strike and refuses to change his first suggestion. I tried refresh, reload, erase and a new entry. Apple Maps refuses to budge. Fine I know how to call a taxi on the Go app. Go suck an egg Mr.Maps, I’ll spend a tall building ride to get there.

The taxi got me to the entrance, and in past cities the grounds of the castle are free and admission to the structure proper was where the cost was. This castle had several very long Sunday lines to get to the ticket kiosk. I rolled that against my line intolerance and then spied the castle through the gate. This one looked nearly exactly as the previous ones, except instead of being perched atop of an aerie, it looked to like it had been set in the middle of a military parade ground. With those three things, seeing a replica castle make it so have other sights to see and places to go.

I made my way to the Tokugawa Art Museum. Art museums generally not on my tour-do list, but this one was supposed to be great, and on top of that there is a national heritage scroll from the 1400’s that is on display only a few weeks in late November, and now is late November. At the ticket booth I put the required 1400 Yen in the tray. The woman asked me “Are you over 65?” - yes. She picked up 200 and handed them back to me. Seems there are discounts for under 12 and over 65. Better than the 10% Lowe’s gives veterans.

Stepping into the subdued lighting of the museum the first thing you face is a set of samurai armor. It was indeed a piece of art. Black gleaming and fearsome. One side of the room were muzzle lading rifles, on the opposite swords. Just the blades, no handles. Some were designed to be worn on the left and some the right. The way to tell was that the sword maker would put his makers mark on one side of the other, depending.

Around the corner was the afore mentioned scroll. It was cool, though the vast symbology of it was not for me to fully understand. More art, actual art and then ‘Exit through the gift shop’. The t-shirts only went to L.

Again Maps app sent we a very odd way, instead of a more linear way. Zig- zag, instead of straights and a occasional turn. But me and map had made up and it got me to the right station. Ride this train to the main station, change to a different line and ride to the end. Simple, and it was mostly. The central station in Nagoya is a piker in relation to the one in Tokyo. I’m going to need to keep my training wheels on a while longer before I’m ready for the big kid ride of Tokyo central.

Now back on the ship. Finishing this up after dinner. Now packing is the next chore.

Left, Right, Left

 

November 23 2024

Kochi, Japan

Last evening was a unremarkable and unmemorable one. I can remember where I had dinner but not exactly what. I think I went back to my room, flossed, turned out the light and watched Japan’s lights float by. I did see stars which was unexpected, at home, because of city lights stars are difficult to see. Sometime I fell asleep and at the crack of 0530 I woke up. We had an 8am docking so I lolled a while longer until it was full light.

A couple pieces of toast, some O.J. And coffee and the day was ready to be met.

Magic ship card and passport in hand, and I was on land again. We looked to be no place near anyplace. The shuttle bus was a cost, so I asked the vendor how far to walk to town. He laughed and said ‘Three hours’. I could walk to town, touch the city limits sign, turn around and make it back and not miss the ship. I paid the fee.

It might have only been 2 1/2 hours walk there, though probably closer to 6 to walk back. The bus stopped at another middle of nowhere place. Though a walking mall was mere steps away, and the castle was at the end of the mall. That might sound close, but you have never bee to a Japanese mall. They go on forever and when you leave one, you walk indirectly into another. Each block and blocks long. If the information desk would have said ‘Four malls’I would have understood.

I saw a Kimono shop and as I have mentioned previously I am vexed as to if the one hanging on my bedroom wall is special or not. The language really gets in the way. I showed the proprietor three pictures of the one I have at home. She made the appropriate positive sounds, but couldn’t get any insight into it. She did show me one that had a bit of embroidery on it. I asked her the price and she said - half the price of a ticket to a tall building in Osaka and Hiroshima - Well not exactly, but that was how I translated it. I was doubting her price, then she showed me it was a used Kimono and had a spot of soil if you really squinted you could see it, and some very slight wear on neon the cuffs. These people are such perfectionists. I told her I’d be back, which she translated as - Lost Sale.

More mall, and mall and mall. Let’s be smart and break out Apple Maps. The castle was at the end of the mall. I knew there was a Shinto shrine close to the castle, but I was afraid to put it into maps because it was so small. I went on to the castle grounds and saw a woman with a stick with a piece of fabric on it. She was a group tour guide, when walking you just follow the orange and pink, of purple Teddy bear, of maybe a flag through the crowds so as to not get separated from the herd. I knew she would know. - She didn’t. She looked at a paper map and said it was a 10 minute walk away.

I headed in the right direction, past the Japanese knife shops, the antique geegaw shop and a very assertive no smoking shop. I wasn’t getting anywhere because I was headed back to the mall. So Apple Maps, might be worth a try. I had passed it 8 minutes ago, back by the knife shop that had the handsome Akita. Reverse! Back to the Akita knife shop. Talk to the Akita for a few seconds. Five steps and a teeny alley and ten more steps and I was at the shrine. A nice peaceful plot of land, again surrounded by tall buildings. It almost like each of the two small shrines I visited are in one surrounding building’s backyard.

I found the autograph place (I am sure there have a name, I’ll get back with you on that) and the priestess was happy to do it for me. I was slightly disappointed, she used a broad tipped felt pen, not an ink dipped fine point brush. Not to be sexist, but maybe that was because she was a priestess and not a man. Funny rules here, so it could happen.

Back to the dusty tourist trail. Back to the lady with the tassel in a stick, but she had moved on. The castle was in sight at the top of a hill. They always have the best views, don’t ya know? This one was not a 1950’s version of a 1600’s castle. This was an actual 1600’s castle. One surviving of maybe a dozen in the entire country. I faced my Nemesis, and the stairs stared right back at me. Ok you fuckers, I’ll take you on and I’ll only pick photogenic spots to stop and catch my breath, though anyplace could catch my eye. Then my Nemesis threw me a curve ball. Instead of a Left, rise, right rise, etc .. no this one had them spaced apart so it was left, right, rise. Left, right rise. One poor leg and knee doing all the work and based on whether to were right or left side dominant meant that only one leg had to do all the work and the other got to coast. Left leg is not happy. Left leg wants to go on strike! The lying guidebook says 150 steps, with the spacing Left says 300 and Right is laughing.

Part of the way there was the restroom. Three squat and one Western. The three were available and the Western was in use. I waited.

More steps and finally the castle. Shoes off, and into little locked boxes. Glad I didn’t wear the socks with the holes in the heels. The castle was what I had expected, woven mats on the floor, walls made of paper, wood everywhere. Picture a historic Japanese room and you have this castle. I am glad I made it, Left was still bitching, but I don’t know how many more I’ll visit inside. I have a feeling it will be wash, rinse, repeat.

Back down the stairs, Right had to work a bit, but Left was still grumpy.

There is another Romeo and Juliet story in this town regarding a Buddhist priest and a local girl and a small arched bridge. Apple Maps to the rescue. I think Maps and Left colluded. It could have just been a simple, go straight for a bunch of blocks, turn right and go some more block, and there you are. Instead it was walk one block, turn right, go half a block turn left into an alley until the next pathway …. It got a tour of places that other tourists have yet see.

Then the bridge is encircled in scaffolding and Tyvek construction material. So much for that tourist hotspot. — But !! The Kimono lady is right over there. I found her shop and no one was around. I milled around a little and suddenly a voice on my left “You came back!” — see I told you she heard “No sale”

She folded the Kimono and took my 1000 Yen ($6.45) and I hefted the bag off the table. Gawd silk is heavy at times.

Back to the bus and now at my favorite bar with a glass of water and off to ????

Dogs and ramen

November 22 2024

Hiroshima

Woke at 6am and did those morning things, centered around coffee. Hit the trail close to 8am and found a free shuttle bus to someplace so I hopped on it and ended up at a street car. The woman said take #7 and go until it feel right. Feels right turns out to be either one stop before or one stop after and ‘just right’ isn’t it. Though it was a very short walk to my goal, the ‘Atomic Dome’.

The dome we have all seen, ruins still standing with a dome at the top. The big one was supposed to go boom a 1/2 mile away over a bridge, but instead went off sort of directly over the dome. The people inside became fallout and the concrete stayed.

I was glad I got there at 9am, not too many others there yet, so photos are relatively people free. One man was there wearing a SURVIVOR vest, and I am pretty sure it wasn’t from the tv show. He was 4 months old at the time of the Big Bang, his mother is still alive at 106. He did mention she had cancer, but at 106 I’m not going to blame it on the radiation or fallout. 

This is the only city other than San Antonio that builds it’s tourist industry on getting beat up. San Antonio has the Alamo, here the bomb. They do a good job of it. A long very walkable city park, with the dome at one end and an archway at the other down a reflection pool. 

Okay, saw the dome, got the picture. Now on to important things. Where is the closest bathroom? Across a bridge I saw a building that said Rest, Information. That sounds like it could be a place to pee. Usually you exit through the gift shop, here you enter through the gift shop. I found the proper door at the end of the hall. I love Japanese toilets so far, the ones I’ve met all had the water wash your nethers button. Such a civilized way to sit and sometimes think.

I went to the 2nd floor and found a coffee shop, the 3rd had a nice story of Hiroshima pre August 1945 with pictures of the town and the people. In the center was a 20 foot in diameter model of the city before. I had never seen photos of the Before only the After.

On the way back down in the coffee shop was a piano, encircled with plexiglass. It looks kinda beat up so the plexiglass wasn’t just there to keep grubby hands off the keys, it was something special. The story is that a 10 year old girl loved (this) her piano. After the bomb hit, the piano survived and so did she. She made a vow the next day to fold 1000 paper cranes in honor of the people who died. She died a week later unable to complete her vow.

I can read without any emotion statistics. Bomb killed 50 thousand outright and another 20 from radiation later (numbers are not correct), but I read a simple story of a girl, a piano and folded paper and it makes me cry.

Time to get outside before I make a fool of myself.

One the park/mall there was a huge Cadre of people cleaning the sidewalk. It is beginning to fall and the grounds are littered with yellow leaves. These people’s ages run the gamut from teen to septuagenarian. Probably not city workers, and unlikely a jail crew. No they are all volunteers doing their city a public service. Some have regular brooms, some witch brooms, and then there are the one with little sticks cleaning out the cracks and the base of stair steps. I didn’t see anyone with a toothbrush following but they might come later..

Enough bomb stuff, it’s time to explore. Apple Maps says there is a castle over there so let’s follow the blue line. No ! wait, there is a festival of something over there. Wait ! Starbucks ?!? Let’s go to Starbucks !!

Starbucks won. My friend M’s girlfriend M, used to work as a barista and loves most things Starbucks, but I guess working there was the one outlier. S’bucks knows how to market it’s product. They have a series of coffee mugs for sale titles “Been there”, where the country you are in has a special mug. They also have them for the US states and I am not sure about Japan, whether their  mugs are city or ‘state’, regardless, she collects them and I got her a Hiroshima mug. 

Okay, get you mind back on your job - castle. Wait ! There are two poodles in a pram that said yes when I asked if I could talk to them. Mmm.. lots of dog lick kisses and some ears scratched. Maybe I should have asked the people first. 

Oh, ya ! Castle. I didn’t see anyone I knew trying to find the castle. I did find it but only after getting lost in the lair of the mole people at a simple intersection. The castle was pretty. It was there until August 1945 and then gone and then it was resurrected in the 1950’s in it’s current form. I am sure it is nice inside, but I used to live in a 1950’s house, so I’ll pass on this one.

There is an actual Shinto shrine on the property that was worth a stop. At train stations if you look around you can find big rubber stamps and ink pads with a design of something specific for that station. There are blank books specifically printed for collection of these stamps. At shrines there are similar things but a priest makes the stamp impression and then in calligraphic lettering write the date or a blessing. I bought a book and got my first one here.

Back to the mole intersection and back to the festival. It’s a Ramen Festival !! Get a 900 Yen ticket ($5) and take your pick of, must have been 20 stalls, ramen. Some smelled fishy, some had pictures of tofu or tuna or nori. I got a basic ramen with pork. I would have gone more exotic, but I kind of have a slight allergy to lines. Call it a ‘sensitivity’. I found an open seat and it was chopstick time. Don’t be the tourist that makes a fool of herself, by dumping a stick full of noodles in your lap. I did ok. A couple sat next to me, it is correct manners to bring a wad of noodles into your mouth and then slurp and suck the rest in - and no quiet slurping allowed ! It was funny seeing this prim put together young woman leaning over a bowl of noodles like a hungry prisoner sucking up noodles. Noisily.

There was so much food, I didn’t finish it, and on the good side, all the food landed in my tummy and not in my lap.

One of the presenters on YouTube went to this certain building in town. on the top floor it overlooks the Atomic dome and has an adults circular slide down 2 or 3 floors from the top for the adults. Also there is a spot  there that will show you how to fold an Origami crane which you then drop into a slot. The slot feeds a enclosed clear box that runs 11 stories tall, from the ground to the top floor. You can see it from across the street and it is now nearly to the 4th floor. Well that sounds like fun, but not $12 worth of fun. When I saw the price of admission, maybe the $10 Osaka building was a bargain.

There is no time to explore farther afield, so back to the ship to exchange tales of exploration and awe with my fellow passengers. Ahoy.

Vets, and I'm not talking about Dog Docs

 

November 21 2024

On the ocean

It’s about 2pm and there isn’t really anything much to write about. Days at sea are just a lost 24 hours in my life. Though for all my bitching about losing the overnight in Osaka, it is really nice not to be on a long walk, like yesterday. Even with being a wimpy tourist and catching taxis, I still got in 8 miles walking. My feet and body were tired and a nice break today.

Awoke at 5a and could not convince myself that it was time to sleep somewhat longer. So with my nose at the level of my blanket I watched the sky lighten and eventually become day. Still those covers felt so good, I decided to stay a bit longer in their embrace.

Up to 13 for coffee and a quick chat with a couple from Myrtle Beach. I asked what they did in Osaka, she said they went shopping and had a heck of a good time. I didn’t say is, but “Shit lady, you could have stayed in Florida and brought up AliExpress on your computer and saved you the trip!”. She was sweet so I didn’t fall into sarcastic Theresa.

Came back, took a shower and went to breakfast.

I love Craps, the dice game. I don’t understand the odds on many of the bets, but I understand enough to not make totally stupid bets. A year or so I Googled “What is the slowest way to lose at craps?” Which is exactly my goal. I can not count on winning, but like the game. The thing about the game is that when there are others at the table, you are all invested in the same roll each time the dice are thrown. It is a small community of yelling and sighing in unison. Playing at a table alone, just isn’t the same. More a trial of the odds. I am a low limit roller. I set my limit, buy that many chips and use them to place bets. If I win, the winnings go into my left hand pocket and when the original stake is gone, I walk away.

The other night I was playing alone and when I quit my left pocket was fuller than my right pocket started. Cool ! Not the norm, but it was happy with that. What it did do for me was give me some pieces of round clay with a $5 embossed on them. If you take them to a window on the ship they will give you a picture of Abraham Lincoln in exchange.

At breakfast a server who has gone out of his way to know my likes and dis’s and my name took my order. When he brought it I handed him one of those clay discs. He looked at it, and fondled it, and finally he realized what it was !! Funny on the last trip every night the casino was open, this trip the casino is open sporadically and at odd times. So I guess chips are lesser known, where the other trip they were recognized at once.

Back at the room I finished the morning necessities and took another shower and sat by the window and watched the whitecaps.

Closing in on 11 I put my shoes back on and left for the veterans meeting. When I came on board there was the envelope that had a bunch of ‘welcome veteran’ stuff in it, including that Challenge Coin I gave Richard. Richard and Michael (of Michael and Mike) are both retired military, though one is from the USA and one is from Germany. It is their identity. My veteran identity only comes out when it might give me a discount. Otherwise it is just 4 a job I had for 4 years, that’s got me to see more of the world than I would have. We all went to the veterans appreciation meeting, got our picture taken and listened it other vets talk. It was nice that they were so self proud for doing their bit, and that the ship saw merit in their service.

Back to the room for more wave watching, and then up to 13 and there was Richard, Michael and Mike. Mike brought out pictures of his quilting. We oh’ed and ah’ed at them, me more than the rest of the table. I listened intently, asked what I thought were insightful questions to his hobby. I showed his a pictures of a very fine embroidered Kimono that I have hanging in my bedroom. Figuring were are brother and sister in fabric. “Ya, that’s nice. My son has a robe he wears ……..” I changed mental channel on him and realized that conversation for him was - My interests and then will listen to you, until I get to add my story or interests - That Paul Simon lyric “People listening, without hearing’

It’s now 3pm

The Canadian women who had flight delays getting here and were met with indifference on arrival, have received the proper ass kissing by the cruise line. They get VIP escorts through the passport checks, and have been comped dinner at one of the $peciality dining restaurants tonight. They seem quite appeased now.

The other day I had a near calamity. I pulled out my magic ship plastic card and presented it to get no a bus. I saw a flicker on my right, and thought I’d take a look what it was I dropped. Probably some pocket litter. Well it could be pocket litter if you call my main debit card litter. I did have to do a slight low crawl under the bus to retrieve it, but it sure felt great back in my pocket.

I might have more to add later, but for now — see ya - miss ya

You have how many Ferris wheels?

 

November 20 2024

Osaka

The night passed without any incidents. The gays next door didn’t screw all night, or at least they were quiet if they did. We didn’t run aground and we made it to Osaka on time.

That doesn’t mean I was on time. I had read the previous day’s schedule and thought we were only here from 7am to 3pm. Seven came and we were still cruising in, 8 came, 9 and finally I went and read the correct day’s plan and found out it was from 10a to 9p. Much better than I was expecting. It gave me time to munch down a breakfast before heading out to the day.

Boy the Japanese formalities for cruise ships is strict. Not only do you need your special club card for the ship, but at each port you have to at least pass through immigration passport check. Though after that, I am allowed again to breathe the free air of Japan. We docked next to a huge Ferris Wheel so it should be easy to find my way back to the ship.

The walk to the train station was an easy stroll, over some very attractive manhole covers. In the train station it was easy as it could be. My magic app on my watch touched the glass and the doors opened. I hopped on the first train going ’that a way ‘ where ever ‘that a way’ was.

I rode for what felt like the appropriate amount of time and got off. A local couple tried to help me with where I thought I wanted to go, but the Babel Tower got in the way of communication. So the little green man with stars icon lead me through a maze of tunnels. At last I felt the fresh breeze on my face and found the exit. Escalators are a novelty it seems, all I found in the stations were stairs and more stairs. What the travelers with those large oversized monster trucks of suitcases do is beyond my ken. I guess they develop great upper body strength.

In the open air I found bars on my phone, pulled up Google maps and — nothing. It worked in the last city, but Osaka is out of it’s area. I prefer G maps to Apple Maps, but I thought I’d try it and see where it put me. It put me on a street in Osaka !

Next step in figure out where to go? Lonely planed suggested a tall building with a view, and a small Romeo and Juliet shrine to a pair of star crossed lovers in the 1600’s. Let’s go to the top of a building. 1.6 miles away I can do that in my sleep.

I followed the little blue line on my phone and heeded the buzzing on my wrist and did end up at the right location. Well it was a very tall building. There I did find escalators, got on an elevator it was bursting at the seams, I was crammed in to the back for a 39 floor whisk. At that point I found that there were no windows on floor 39 and if I wanted to observe from the observation tower, that would be $10 please. Another escalator was hung over the ground 40 floors below and moved us up 5 more floors. At the top is was exactly what I expected. A floor surrounded by glass and a city below. Well that was not very exciting. I think I got about a dollar a minute worth of views, before escalating over thin air for 90 seconds and then elevating down and onto the street. I am disappointed with myself for the $10 building. I could have spent it foolishly.

I asked Siri how far had I walked today, and she said 3.2 miles. Either I can’t follow a blue line or the measurement in steps is off, but I kind of agreed. The walk to the $10 building s took more than an hour and sure felt more that a mile and a bit.

Romeo and Juliet shrine was a little over 1/2 a mile according to blue line. I followed it

dutifully and it leads me into the land of the mole people again. No trains, only shops and restaurants. For 10 blocks this continues. It must be off, It can’t be reading right in the warren of tunnels. I look for the green guy and stairs and follow him to fresh air. maps pick back up exactly where it should be.

Onward ! The shrine is really tucked away, if you weren’t looking for it or had the maps to pinpoint the location, it would be difficult to find. I passed the alley entrance twice before realizing my mistake.

It was about the same size as the floor plan of my house and tucked in on all four sides by tall sky scrapers. A peaceful place, away from the din of traffic and very few other tourists. But is was made clear that tourists do come here because in icons and English were signs instructing on the proper was to respect the shrine. Bow, 2 claps, make your prayer, ring the bell and bow again. I hope my friend L finds a man soon.

I looked at maps again and had one destination in mind and off to the side was Osaka Castle. Castle ?!?!? Fuck ya !! A mere 1.9 mile walk away. Fuck no !! Taxi !! I shoved Osaka Castle into G Translate and shoved that into the first cab I saw and the door magically opened and I was seated in Grandma’s taxi. All the taxis are spotless inside and the seat backs are covered in doilies. Felt like if my maiden aunt owned a taxi it would look like this.

The castle was pretty nice, I would have happily walked to it instead of the $10 building. A huge fortress, high smooth granite walls, and then a moat and more smooth walls. Then in the center was an 8 to10 floored White Castle. For a Wednesday the grounds were full, it would be wacko in the weekend, or Golden week. The line to enter the castle building proper was half an hour long, to get tickets, and I decided it was something I could live without.

There was a twin sized flat granite stone that just called for my butt to sit on it. It was warmed by the sun and was welcoming to my tired glutes. I thought I was alone and felt something on my hip. Probably another tourist’s bag. I reached down and touched fur ! What the heck ?!?!? Oh, it’s just the castle cat to lounge on the warm rock and perchance get an ear scratch, which I gladly obliged. Five minutes later it was time for the cat to move on to cat business, I watched the castle and patrons for another 5.

Dotombori is one of the sights that the tourist books tout. In the day time it is just a street full of tourists, after dark it becomes a Disneyland of neon and advertisments. There is a street food called Takoyaki. Little batter balls with a piece of squid in the center. I watched the woman make them for a while and then went to figure out how to buy some. First there is a BINGO card of buttons for each item the restaurant serves, and it must be close to 20 buttons. I was lucky and was noticed my one of the Canadian women who missed the first part of the trip. They has local ‘friend’ who also helped me out on which button to press. I made my selection. Popped in a bill and it spit it out. I thought it was too big. Amex tap and pay in is. I got my 8 squid balls and they were exactly that, batter covered squid pieces. Topped with ketchup, mayo and fish flakes. I got that crossed off my list. Not bad, but I am sure that my mouth will be happier with other flavors of street food.

I am tired, my feet are tired. Watch says 7.9 miles walking. Enough. Taxi back to the cruise ship. I look in the search engine for big Ferris Wheel and find one. I look at the map and there is no water anywhere near it. Reenter the question again and who in the world would have thought there were 2 giant Ferris Wheels in the same town. The second one was next to water, and a cruise terminal. I mistype the place in G translate and the cab driver gives me the ‘look’. In a few we get that figured out and start driving, and driving, and driving. I start to question if we are going to the correct place. A couple high priced turns and the ship was right there under this big Ferris wheel. Maybe I should have prayed for better directions back to the ship at the shrine.

So back home, 7 pm, time to go do something.