Being that our first Japanese port was today, it was necessary to have a face to passport check with the local immigration's officers. We had the forms filled out and took them with us to breakfast so we could go directly when our floor was called. They did start the procedure close to 8am, but this time, it was a more detailed visit taking longer. Deck six was summoned by 9am, and we lined up shortly after the call. This was the first time ever that we had trays of pastries and glasses of water offered to us while we waited in the long line. Obviously, the earlier guests were not too patient while waiting, and they decided the best thing to do was give them food. Most of the time, it works.
Scanning our room card, first, we proceeded to a customs agent who checked our forms, then our passport photos, and had us place two index fingers on a scanner. Our photo was also taken at the same time. One of us failed the finger printing and had to repeat it. A visa stamp was placed in our passports. Then we were set loose to get another little sticker put on our room keys on the way out of the dining room. This will be good for the rest of the Japanese ports we assume.
Gathering our few things like our wallets and passports we left the ship after 10am. We had to bring the one declaration card with us to hand off to the officials on the pier. Some officials were also showing posters of forbidden items to bring off of the ship. That included food of any kind and liquids with the exception of a sealed bottle of water. Individual wrapped snacks, like a power bar, were allowed off, but they also could be subject to confiscation. We took nothing....not even water. Some guests carrying bags were randomly checked. Even though it had been drizzling earlier, we did not take umbrellas.
Speaking of the weather, it was really different today with heavy overcast and light drizzles in the early morning. Although it felt and looked like rain, it never did. The temperature was in the high 60's with little wind. But certainly different from yesterday when we had warm sun and clear skies.
Our port today was Ishigaki, an 85 square mile island that is only 7 miles wide. The population is 50,000 pretty healthy people, according to Kimberly. Located in the southern area of Japanese islands, this island is a vacation destination for many local Japanese as well as other visitors. There are coral reefs, tropical fish, blue waters and miles of sandy beaches. The prettiest area is Kabira Bay, but there is no swimming there as there are too many ferries and a powerful riptide. During the months of May through October, there are habu jellyfish that can cause a bad sting. Most of the smaller beaches are netted, but that is never a guarantee against the stings.
There were some tours offered today which included sight-seeing, culture, and crafts. They ranged from $135 to $200 with lunch. We ran into Kimberly this morning outside the Pinnacle Grill where she was placing one of the balloon creations from the balloon artist at last night's show. She mentioned that she was going with a group of friends to nearby Taketomi Island, a 10 minute ferry ride away. She had showed photos of this island that was surrounded with beach and reefs. Maybe with the dismal weather, they may have changed their minds.
There were shuttles today to take us from the spacious dock to the Ferry Terminal in downtown. It was over a 3 kilometer ride, which is walkable, but we chose not to add that to the walk in town. There were at least three nice and roomy buses to take the guests every 20 minutes or so to town. An interesting fact was today happened to be the Emperor's birthday and somewhat of a holiday. Not everything would be opened.
The ride took us over the Southern Gate Bridge and ended at the ferry terminal. Before we boarded this bus, we were given a nice city map, which was far superior to the ship's map. We had done our homework and located a recommended wood-fired pizza restaurant in downtown. Now the trick was finding it. Naturally, all of the streets were marked with signs with Japanese symbols, but they also had numbers, which helped. There was a mall of sorts to see, so we followed the map to the Euglena Mall. Expecting a typical city mall, this was different. It was a series of small stores and shops with a covered canopy over the top. It was opened on both ends. There were cafes, and food shops, as well as very small clothing stores and some souvenir shops. It was more like a municipal market.
From there we followed the map to the Torin-ji Temple and Gongendo Shrine, the oldest wooden building in all of Okinawa. It is a Buddhist temple and Shinto Shrine with a very unassuming entrance. After reading some of the signs in the garden, we discovered this complex had been almost destroyed during a tsunami in the 1700's. It had been re-built and restored ever since then. It was worth the walk to find it. Across the street from the temple was a small garden where we visited with friends that seem to take the same path in the ports as we do. They had to laugh when we said we were off to find pizza. Japanese cuisine might be good, but not necessarily safe as far as the shellfish allergy is concerned.
There was a good street map on the corner, so after studying it, we realized we could locate Pizzeria Il Trecorde if we took our time. It was not on a main street, but we did find it. It was not marked from the main road, but happened to be fairly close to the mall. It was not a big establishment, but a cozy pizza parlor with a few customers eating lunch. They were all locals. Good for us, they did have an English/Japanese menu. There was a number of red or white sauce pizzas to chose from. First of all, we started with glasses of draft beer, then ordered one pizza to share. Our waitress who spoke little English pointed to the menu where it said each of us had to order a pizza, unless one of us was under 12 years old. Funny, we do not have those restrictions at home, but "when in Rome, do as the Romans do" applied here. So each of us got a 10 inch Margherita pizza with a very thin crust and parma ham on the top with basil. They were just as good as they looked on their website. There is something about a wood-fired pizza compared to an oven baked one. Far superior, we savored every bite and left only crumbs. When we got the bill, it was 3900 Yen which sounded really expensive, but doing the math, it turned out to be around $26 USD. What a deal. And even better, they had western-style restrooms. If you have ever traveled in Asian countries, you know that restrooms are not always people-friendly. Lucky for us.
Making our way back to the ferry terminal, we boarded a waiting coach and got back to the pier after 2pm. We spent the rest of the afternoon working online. All aboard was 4:30pm, and we left around 5pm. Although the rain never did happen (only a drizzle), the seas became rough and the ship began to roll. As the evening approached, the swell was noticeable.
By the way, before we arrived to the port, the TV reception was cut off. There was no live feed, only pre-recorded ship stations and the movie station. This has happened in other places we have been, but not too often. Calling the front desk, we were advised that while in Japan we may have limited reception depending on the local rules and regulations. It was a good time to watch Kimberly's talk on the next port of Naha, Okinawa. Later after dinner, the reception did come back, but it was spotty at best.
Dinner was good, although we were not all that hungry. Wonder why? Part of it was the hardy lunch, but also the fact that once we left the port, it got rough. Rough enough to make one of us slightly queasy. Thank goodness for the seasick pills, as they work rather quickly. Chicken noodle soup was the perfect starter, as was the crab and corn fritters and a Caesar salad. One of us had the lamb shank and the other the chicken alternate. Both were good, as was the dessert of a flan and a plate of watermelon for a change.
On the World Stage tonight, there was an instrumentalist by the name of Chaw. He was billed as leaving a mark on the world of music.
Tomorrow, we will be in Naha, the first of a two day stay there.
Bill & Mary Ann
