2015 Okinawa & Taiwan

I expect most people know the name Okinawa because of the great naval battle fought there at the end of the 2^nd world war. The situation of the island a long way south of the four main islands meant that the local people had over time developed their own dialect and enjoyed a simple life. This changed as the Japanese were chased out of South East Asia by the Americans and the Japanese leaders sent many thousands of troops to halt this advance. Unfortunately they treated the locals as slave labour and once the battle started many thousands were killed and the locals were even instructed to kill each other to avoid surrendering.

The Peace Memorial Museum lists many names on these stone slabs and is situated in a lovely  position on the coast

one of the stones has names from the UK, although I'm not sure how they got here.

This lovely memorial commemorates those who had been transported from Korea, another Japanese outpost at the time, who were also used as slave labour.

As time went on people were dying of starvation and then after a crippling bombardment from the allies they were left to fend for themselves with many failing to find shelter.

There were many school children visiting, (hopefully not put on for our benefit!) all the writings emphasise the benefits of peace so I hope it went in but ….......

With one last shot of the flame holder, only lit on memorial days apparently.

Our next stop was the site of caves which had been turned into a field hospital with many local schoolgirls (16/17 years old) being pressed into work as orderlies, assistant nurses etc.

This shows the entrance to one of the underground caves but there is no public access.

Over 230 girls worked there, only around 30 escaped to safety at the end when they were just told to leave but that the Emperor expected them to do the right thing, so death came in a mixture of suicide and lack of places to hide once the shelling began. Life extraordinarily cheap it appears. At the entrance to the museum rooms was this lovely creeper

and of course some more bougainvillea! (Along with an unidentified backside!)

Our final stop was the Japanese Naval Command's underground bunker, excavated

by the Koreans and local men with pickaxes!

These are not low level tunnels (Chi chi in Vietnam for example) either but a large complex of tunnels and rooms.

The Commander committed suicide when it was clear he was going to lose, odd that the Emperor, in whose name all this slaying goes on, doesn't feel obliged to do the same …..

Unfortunately for the Okinawans life didn't improve once the Americans were in control. They kept everything on their bases and were no help to the locals as they tried to build back their houses, infra-structures and lives. Eventually after some considerable time the island was ceded back to Japan and clearly things are better now. The modern way to get around being a monorail.

I decided to forego ship lunch and managed to find this

a lovely mix of miso soup, raw fish and tempora with sauces etc. and not a tourist in sight, 

on the way back to the ship saw this sign which is a reminder of the tsunami risk in the area, I hope the early warning system gives them time to get uphill 

and shishi lions on a modern building entrance.

Left the Port to another good drumming display.

Last stop is Taiwan, docking in Keelong to give us a trip to Taipei the capital. It is a pretty wooded island and another one with a variety of influences mainly Japanese and Chinese in most recent years. These tall buildings show a variety of styles and good to see a local influence in some.

Another island another Martyr's Shrine!

Changing of the guard however quite the performance! The gardeners rushing round before the ceremony began.

The guards walk from the gate to the temple at a very slow pace balancing on alternate legs as they go.

Many names here too but displayed within side chapels and a request for no photos of the names but you can take the surrounding area another example clever use of colour and space.

The highlight was a visit to the National museum which holds enormous Chinese bounty brought here by Chiang Kai-shek. I could have spent ages there with great pictures, bronzes, ceramics and jade on display but no photos of course.

Finally we visited the garden of his house, influenced by his wife who had quite western tastes but I would have preferred to stay in the museum. So there is a rose garden with some flowers even though it is their winter too

along with some more Japanese features.

Leaving Keelong one gets a view of a temple on the hill overlooking the harbour

and a reminder of where you are!

Final day at sea before we are back in Hong Kong and I meet for the first time someone who lived in Abbotts Ann until last year, it is a small world as they say. Enjoyed a last dinner with some of my more regular dining companions

and an operatic concert featuring amongst others a young baritone with a stunning voice, Pauls Putnins, which I've put in so I don't forget his name!

So back to Hong Kong and home after a memorable trip.

2015 Hiroshima & Kobe/Kyoto

The captain and staff have been busy during the evening and so we have the option of a city tour while he deals with Japanese bureaucracy (difficult!!) and they attempt to sort out the tender, being lowered here.

The tour turned out to be an unexpected pleasure, an ancient castle somewhat more accessible then the previous one, larger and more museum like

with an interesting notice

and a good view from the top.

Inside were interesting artifacts and drawings.

How anyone can read this is a mystery to me, just looks like squiggles rather than the formal printed characters

and in the grounds a tree which survived the bombing.

This was followed by a visit to the art museum where there was a stunning display of Japanese ladies symbolising the seasons, at their toilettes including 'teeth blackening' all the rage in the late 19^th century apparently(!!) and enjoying themselves playing shuttlecock and board games. No pictures but this is a photo of the artistic entrance to the gardens.

A number of ladies had commented on the loo's which up until now I hadn't used whilst out, however I got my chance and I thought you would like to see the controls for a 'western' one, the alternative being the traditional 'squat'. You can get squirted just about everywhere while sitting on heated sometimes hot seats with automatic flush when you get up. There were a number of misadventures!

We then went on to the peace park, amazingly this building only now showing signs of deterioration survived the original bombing.

A peaceful place with the inevitable bell,

clock which chimes at the exact time of the bombing,

a lovely memorial to the children killed (alesso lemon squeezer anyone?) 

and an eternal flame. 

Situated in the heart of what is now a modern city although not very high rise the park is a very gentle place and the very well behaved children get brought to remember too.

Back to the boat and fortunately we were allowed to sail, so Kyoto is on.

Up early to drive through Kobe on the anniversary of a major earthquake so the Emperor was visiting, fortunately not impeding our progress! Kobe is stretched out along the coast between the mountains and the sea and suffered a tsunami as well as the quake. It rather runs into Kyoto and where one ended and the other began was not easy to judge.

Our first stop was the Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-ji Temple), originally built in 1397 (as a retirement home for Shogun Yoshimitsu) the photos show a reconstruction after a disaffected monk burnt it down in the early 1950's. Fortunately there were enough photographic and archaeological records to allow a faithful copy.

As you can see it is in a stunning position , 

whether the phoenix was always on the top I'm not sure!

They are so clever with the reflections too. The gardens surrounding the palace are quite naturalistic in places,

I'm not sure if you will be able to see much of this poster which shows views of the palace inside, not open to the public and one of it in the snow.

After an early and splendid lunch (great tempora) with these stunning orchids and very smiley greeter

our next visit was to Nijo castle built in 1603.

An extraordinary place now a world heritage site where one wanders around in mules as definitely a 'shoes off' place, with the floorboards making a warbling sound so that any intruders would be heard. Unfortunately a no photo's place inside where there are some beautiful wooden panels on the walls, so you will have to make do with this beautiful gate

up close too

and some workmen keeping the topiary up to scratch, most of which is done by hand with fingers rather than secateurs!!

Our final stop was Kiyomizu temple. On the way passing some traditionally clothed young people.

This shrine is on the side of a hill, a very garish temple gate

and city view from the veranda

working our way down we stopped at a fountain with 3 streams, one for good relationships, another for good job prospects and the last for good health. Many people were queuing up to drink the water!

Looking up shows how high the veranda we had come from was.

Plenty of shopping opportunities and this display of fans caught my eye.

Back to the port where the tower reminded me of the 'Orbit' in Olympic Park in London

and as we sailed out in darkness the inevitable 'big wheel' (all cities seem to have them these days) had a stunning light show of which the following shots are a sample.