A view of the Kobe Skybridge from the Windows Cafe last night.
After having written you earlier this morning, I passed by the gangplank on my way back to the room. It was posted there that we passengers needed to be back on board the ship by one o’clock, so that we could leave Kobe for Shimizu by five. That meant that, in a complete reverse of Takamatsu, we would need to get out early, and get in as much time in Kobe as we could before we ran out of time.
Back at the room, I informed Daniel of this, and he was ready to head out right at that moment; he even talked about getting breakfast ashore – maybe that teriyaki burger (a burger? really? are you really Daniel?) with the egg that we saw at a local fast foodery back in Kitakyushu. All well and good, I suppose, but it seemed odd, considering there is plenty to eat on the ship (and all bought and paid for, too).
As it so happened, it was all a non-issue; the shuttles weren’t to be running until 8:30, we were told. So, off to breakfast we went. To be honest, it felt good to actually get something in our stomachs before we really started walking, and I appreciated the opportunity to get my teeth brushed and pills taken before going out in public, too.
On top of everything else, they had mangos available in the cafe, so Daniel could have a smoothie this morning. They’d been a little scarce topside; the two of us were starting to feel like the duck in that one old joke “Got any grapes?” but substituting mangos.
Thus recharged and ready, we headed downstairs to disembark. Except… the port terminal seems absolutely abandoned, apart from a handful of staff. I try to take a photo to prove it, but am immediately told to delete it, as the picture includes security equipment and personnel. Strangely enough, this actually has the effect of flustering me to the point of dropping my room key card; I almost walk off without it, were not for one of those same guards who calls me back.
But we finally make our way out of the terminal, only to find a series of buses specifically for shore excursions. It would seem that, in fact, the shuttles don’t start running until nine.
We also spot an old-fashioned Japanese postbox. I really haven’t thought of mailing anybody; telling people what’s going on is what the Internet is for. But now that I’m putting this together, I’m realizing there’s at least one person I can think of who might appreciate a few postcards.
I’d say we’re burning daylight here, but there really isn’t that much daylight to speak of. It was starting to drip last night when I took that photo of the bridge by the terminal, and now it’s straight up raining. So, early or not, I don’t expect to see a lot of people joining us ashore; in a manner of speaking, we’re likely to be rather alone in the world this morning.
Although there are a few people who get on the bus with us when it finally does arrive, so there’s that.
We’re dropped off in the middle of the Chuo Ward, by the Motomachi Shopping Street. And it seems pretty empty itself, and for good reason; it looks like most of the stores don’t even open until ten. We could practically make our way to the end of the street before anything opens, and then stop in at places on our way back to the pickup spot.
Which is not to say that there aren’t things to see, even as we walk past all these closed storefronts; I can’t tell if this place is selling furniture or dinosaurs – and I wonder, how much is this dinosaur in the window?
Further along, there’s a wooden ship frame hanging from the dome of the awning. And it seems that nobody notices but Daniel and I.
We reach the end of the shopping district, and about to turn around. However after walking for a mile or so(and you’ll recognize this need all too well), I inveigle Daniel into accompanying me downstairs into the subway station, hoping to find a restroom. There is one there, and just like most places I’ve seen, they have the same washlet fixture that I spoke about in Tokyo.
They also have something that looks like a shopping arcade down here, but for whatever reason, it’s both closed and locked. Not sure why.
Returning to the surface, and resuming our walk, back to where we came from, Daniel spots a Christmas tree, complete with lights, although they’re not switched on. I mean, it’s daytime, sort of, and it’s not Christmas anymore. But that seems to beg the question; with that in mind, why not just fold it back up and wheel it out of display?
A cozy little wooded sit down area in the middle of the shopping street.
And a little bit of Engrish; “good jeaning life,”what is that even supposed to mean?
Now, I couldn’t swear to it, but this looks to be a Japanese thrift store. You would probably be all over this, wouldn’t you? Although, as far as I’m concerned, it looks kind of like a garage sale.
Once again, this proves my theory that everybody wants to be whatever they aren’t. American beef can only aspire to Kobe status, but here in Kobe, when they want to market their beef restaurant, they advertise it as ‘[A]merican.’ Our normal is their exotic, and vice versa. That is just the way of the world.
I have to tell you, this would’ve been your kind of city to visit; they seem to have quite a few thrift shops and secondhand shops here. Just the sort of thing you’d love to browse through.
After wondering what happened to this type of vending machine, we finally find this one in Chinatown; appropriately enough, outside of a liquor store.
Speaking of which… we’re puzzled by the crowd around a gazebo here.
There seem to be statues of the various animals of the Chinese zodiac, but apart from that, why the crowd is there, we’re not sure. Maybe they’re gathering around the rabbit, since it’s that year.
Less puzzling is this crowd; somehow, you can just tell which restaurants are the popular ones…
We wander the length of the Chinatown alley (and the alleys upon alleys between it and Motomachi proper), before resolving to find something to eat here before aiming for the 11:45 bus (which, if we miss it, would still give us one more chance to get back. We’ve heard about wasabi senbei crackers (which we agree would be ideal for Erin) being a local specialty, but can’t seem to find any.
What we do manage to find is a stall selling little edibles with Kobe beef. We honestly didn’t expect to be able to afford such, but this is well within our reach. Daniel gets the minced croquette, since he’s not much for beef to begin with, and I get the burger.
It’s really quite good, although, they do stuff the bun with several huge leaves of lettuce, which I have to eat first to get them out of the way. The meat is also covered in a rich broth – or maybe a thin gravy – to put a real exclamation point on the beefy flavor.
We make our way back to the main shopping street, in an effort to not miss the bus. We do, however, stop in at a hundred yen shop and what turns out to be a specialty grocery, rather than a souvenir shop. I’m still trying to find some of those wasabi senbei crackers, but while I can’t recognize them, I do spot something else.
You’ll probably recognize those first three characters on the package, at least; these crackers are apparently okonomiyaki flavor.
We make the bus with time to spare; Daniel points out the banners by the store next to the bus stop (and the name of the store itself), and remarks that the last time we traveled ‘with Denim’ we saw our share of menorahs, too.
And we’re technically home in time for lunch for once. But that’s a whole separate footnote for another letter, I’m sure.
Until that (or my next, whichever comes first) letter, keep an eye on us, and wish us luck. We’re going to need it.
Letters to Rachel 
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