As I just looked back at the port here in Kobe and saw the people waving and taking pictures and waving the same yellow hands at us that we saw in Kagoshima, I am again filled with the belief that people everywhere, given the chance, will get along with each other. Not only get along, but help and nourish each other. This we have seen throughout our entire trip. Everyone going out of their way to help. I am not just speaking of people who deal with tourists, and thereby make their livings from us. I mean everyday people. People on their way to or from work. People out for a Sunday shopping trip. Anything you can think of. Whenever we needed help, whoever we approached, would try to help. Some were more able than others, but every one, to a person, tried to help. I will never believe that is was just pure luck that we were able to find the people willing to help from the others who wouldn’t have.
That is the best thing we have gotten from our travels. The understanding that people, left to their own devices, would live in peace.
Now the question is, how do we do that?
Well, on to Kobe. We arrived here at 3pm on Saturday. (our Saturday, sometime on Friday your time) We were greeted by a water display from fire boats. They just went back and forth around the ship.
At the dock we were greeted by band playing songs were heard of. Sorry, can’t remember any right now. It’s hard to see in this picture, but the band is on the right hand side.
We took a walk with friends and had a look. Kobe is a large city. This ship seems to stop primarily at large cities. Our last world cruise stopped in large cities, but at smaller ports as well. We were traveling in the south Pacific and visited some small islands.
Anyway, we walked around and saw a sign that said Spring Show. Arleen had to know what that was. So we went upstairs and found a home show. You know, toilets and flooring and other stuff. We were looking for an internet cafe or something like that, since the Japanese government does not let the ship have internet access while in port. Not sure why.
While we were up at the show, looking around and asking about internet places (all to no avail since no one spoke English) Arleen noticed that the people attending the show had nice green cloth bags, given out by the show. So, of course, she asked for one. They were very happy to give her one, but made sure she tore off a coupon on the paper inside the bag, and gave it to the man in a tent. He had her put on a protective hat with facemask, and then told her, with sign language, to pick up a piece of pottery and throw it onto the floor. She did so, and everyone cheered. We have no real idea why she was supposed to do that or why they cheered. Duane and the rest of our group did the same and got the same cheers. Go figure.
Then today, we awoke to rain. After watching the end of yesterday’s round at the Masters at 6am, we went back to sleep. Duane had considered taking a bullet train to Hiroshima and visiting the Peace Museum there. It turned out to be quite an expensive undertaking with no surety as to how long he would have there. He decided not to go. When we got up the second time, the rain had stopped.
When we were ready to go ashore, the rain stopped. We carried our umbrellas all day for nothing. See, it does work. We spent our day walking around a different part of the city. We took the ship’s shuttle bus into China Town. Yes, Japanese cities have China Towns. We looked around at the covered streets (sort of like what we have in Las Vegas’ downtown) and then took a round-the-city bus. It was so crowded, we couldn’t get off where we wanted, and they were too busy to collect our fare. Anyway, we had had enough of that. The tour was in Japanese, anyway. So we walked again.
We found the Iquta Jinia Shrine on our map, and eventually, with lots of help, the Shrine itself. It was beautiful. Here in the middle of a bustling modern city, was a quiet oasis of peace and beauty. It had gardens, streams and cherry blossoms in with the normal temple stuff.
Stuff like: big jingle-like bells that you rang and then you bowed and clapped your hands, both after making an offering.
Had to show you this outfit. This is in a shrine….
Here you can see how the shrine is right next to an office building.
They were having a special ceremony for a newborn. People were wearing both modern and traditional clothing. We found that to be true also, at a wedding we came upon at a church turned restaurant.
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