Angie had some work to finish up and I hung out by the Seaview Pool catching up on podcasts. Angie joined me for some lunch at the buffet. They had a very good farrow salad with cauliflower and pistachios. Also tried some Beecher's Mac and Cheese along with roasted Brussels Sprouts. All very good. Soft serve "twist" for dessert.
After a bit of rest we were ready for our afternoon excursion. The weather forecast called for rain. And they were right. It was another complete washout. We just can't catch a break for outdoor activities. Yesterday was sunny and 20° and we stayed on the ship. Today we had a planned excursion and it was total rain. Even though I found it very frustrating, I would not let it defeat me.
We met our guide outside the port at about 2:30. She led.us to the local bus and we were off to our first stop. The bus took us to Hakata Station where we had a. 25 minute train ride. It was helpful that we had purchased the JR rail pass and IC card in Tokyo. We were going to see Nanzoin or better known as the reclining Buddha.
This is the largest bronze statue in the world at 11m high and 41m long. It weighs about 300 tons. It was so impressive to see up close. Our guide told us about its history. It is a pretty recent addition, only having been completed in 1995. And she also said there was an option to visit inside the Buddha. That sounded like an experience not to be missed. The cost was 500 JPY per person (~$3.85) to go inside. Inside you had to remove your shoes. They then gave you a small wooden plank to write down your wish. They had 88 tiles on the floor which represented the 88 temples of the Shikoku Pilgrimage. This temple is where the Pilgrimage starts. You walked down the tiles and halfway through was a stairway to the prayer room and also where ashes of the Buddha are stored. You placed your plank as an offering. And at the end of the day all the wishes are burned. Afterwards you go down the stairs and continue the Pilgrimage to the end of the tiles. It was an amazing experience.
We also got a ticket to play a game. It was tiny ball attached to feathers you tried to get into the boxes under the cat. We did not succeed.
Next we were headed back to the train station to see the Kushida shrine. The elaborate display outside depicts a boy who had a bear as a friend and then grew up to be a fierce samurai. It a float that is part of Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival each July. Seven teams race Kakiyama - floats that weigh one ton 5 kilometers around the city. This Kakiyama represents the height they used to be before electric poles.
After the shrine it was time for some snacks. We went to a covered outdoor mall and our guide recommended a place that has fried chicken skin on a skewer. Sounded interesting to us so we got a table. They bring cabbage tossed in vinegar with a spicy pepper paste.
We also ordered pork skewers. The chicken skin had some great flavors, accentuated by a sweet hoisin-style sauce.
The pork was moist and tender and had some onions for additional flavor.
We also visited a traditional ramen restaurant. You ordered and paid at a vending machine which printed out tickets.
We ordered the pork ramen. You then looked at the lighted board for which seats were available. They are all small little individual carrels. Very small stools.
You sit down and there is a bamboo curtain that raises when they are ready for your tickets. You also fill out another form for the ramen options you want. How spicy do you want? I went with medium and Angie had mild. How do you like your noodles cooked? Do you want green onions? Do you want garlic? Lots of options.
The resulting ramen had so much flavor. I was glad I ordered medium spice, but it did kind of build up as I ate it. Our guide said she has two levels above medium. I can't imagine how spicy that must have been. But it had so much flavor!!
After our ramen, our guide led us back to the buss station where we had a 15 minute ride back to the cruise terminal. We had the bus to ourselves.
Once again, the public transportation options in Japan far exceed most major cities in the United States. We got off at the cruise terminal and walked through the rain to the ship.
We were glad to finally be out of the rain. We have a sea day tomorrow so we can just relax a bit. I signed up for an Asian beer tasting at 1PM which I am looking forward to attending.
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