Land of the Rising Sun

Well, we have left the final foreign port on our voyage around the world. We now have 10 days at sea to look forward to as we cross the Pacific to Hawaii. We spent our last five days in Japan, porting first in Yokohama (outside Tokyo) and then in Kobe.  Jay had been looking forward to returning to Japan as it had been 8 years since the last time he was there and 15 years since he had lived in Osaka. Although there is not much use for Japanese in Boulder, the language came back pretty quickly and we were able to make our way around Japan with minimal issues.

We spent the first day going into Tokyo to visit the Meiji Shrine and Harajuku. Harajuku is the “funky fashion center” of Japan, with lots of used clothing and cheap fashion shops. It’s where the young people of Tokyo (and Japan) come to be individuals together and wear Halloween caliber costumes every day of the year. Christy’s first taste of the district occurred in the train station when she saw a Japanese girl wearing an outfit including green hair and red devil horns – on a Friday around noon.

After most of the day in Tokyo we returned to Yokohama for the evening (great sushi!!!!) before heading off to Hiroshima on the bullet train the next day. After some difficulty tracking down the right connections to the correct train station, we hopped on the train for the 4 hour ride to Hiroshima at 200 miles per hour. Upon our arrival we threw ourselves on the whims of chance and tried to locate a hotel for the night – this was the Saturday of the Labor/Thanksgiving holiday in Japan and many hotels were fully booked. Lady Luck smiled on us and we managed to land in a hotel a few hundred yards from the station that included a tatami room so the boys could experience true futon sleeping.

We spent the next day around Hiroshima, primarily at the Hiroshima Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum. The museum presents a fascinating view into the events leading up to and beyond the world’s first atomic bombing on Hiroshima back on August 6th, 1945. It is a highly recommended trip if you get the chance. Modern bombs are more than 3,100 more powerful than the one that destroyed Hiroshima and resulted in 200,000 deaths. In light of the damage done to Hiroshima, the destructive capability of a modern weapon is truly inconceivable.

We spent another night in Hiroshima before taking a quick bullet train ride to Himeji to see the finest example of a Japanese castle (and a pretty poor zoo!). The castle was mobbed with people due to the holiday but the boys got to imagine how difficult it would be to lay siege to a castle. After a final day in Kobe, we have again set sail for the ten day trip to Hawaii. Back to the US!

Shanghai, China

In Shanghai, our ship was docked in the heart of the city of 12 million people.  The city has grown at an amazing pace over the past 15 years and is now one of the largest in the world. We were perfectly located to watch the nightly light show displayed on the downtown buildings and famously tall TV tower.  We also enjoyed watching the steady stream of boats that passed off our balcony – most which were laden with building materials. 

Unfortunately, the weather was cold and rainy so we explored the city under our winter coats and umbrellas.  Despite the weather, we ventured out to the TV tower and city museum, stall markets, cheesy underground tunnel, and on a much needed date night.   

Hong Kong

Pulling into Hong Kong harbor, we were astounded by the row upon row of tall apartment and commercial buildings.  For a city of 7 million people, HK is surprisingly livable city with manageable traffic and an abundance of green space.    We understand why Jay’s brother, Loron, has made it his home for the last 15 years.

As our ship docked in the heart of downtown, we were greeted by Loron, Milton, and Ruth Campbell (Milton’s significant other).  Milton was rejoining the trip after a brief detour due to some medical issues.   All is well now!

We packed in a lot during our four short days.  We visited Ocean Amusement Park, Stanley Market, the Cricket Club, the big Buddha, and Victoria Peak.

Jay’s highlight was golfing on the hardest course in Asia.  The Norman Course is 1 of 13 courses at Mission Hills in Shenzhen, China.

Christy learned a lot about doing business in China by visiting a potential partner in Shenzhen.  She also met with a young woman who runs a family toy manufacturer serving Mattel.  Many opportunities exist in China, but so do the challenges. 

Christy’s newly made friends in Shenzhen took her to a traditional Cantonese dinner (with chicken feet and pigeon heads) and to a foot massage that lasted for 2½ glorious hours.

Special thanks to Loron for planning the visit and arranging activities and accommodation.  Also to Loron’s friend (and Ruth’s cousin) Loch for sharing his family with us and keeping our kids occupied.  And finally to Loron’s business partner Dave for arranging Jay’s golf at Mission Hills.