2012 Oct Cruise Getaway to Japan
Most tourist desintations around China are packed with Chinese on the long golden week holiday, so we decided to get a cruise where the crowd won't exceed the ship capacity. It turned out to be the most relaxing holiday ever, no airport delays, no jet-lags, no lugging baggages around, and the best of all, no sechedule to keep up.
9/30 - Taxi to the Baoshan International Cruise Terminal. All check-in process went smoothly. Had late lunch and tour of the ship after embarkation.
10/1 - Sailing toward Japan on East China Sea, had loads of time to catch up on ship services, activities, etc.
10/2 - We arrived Wakayama和歌山市 later than scheduled, so our tour World Heritage site of Mount Koya was delayed by over an hour. After ~2hr bus ride, we finally arrived in the Koya area for some vegetarian lunch. The afternoon was spent wondering in temples and shrines and soaking completely in the tranquility and peace. It was near dark when we arrived back at the ship.
"Mount Koya (Koyasan) is the center of Shingon Buddhism, an important Buddhist sect which was
introduced to Japan in 805 by Kobo Daishi (also known as Kukai), one of Japan's most significant religious figures. A small, secluded temple town has developed around the sect's headquarters that Kobo Daishi built on Koyasan's wooded mountaintop. It is also the site of Kobo Daishi's mausoleum and the start and end point of the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage."
10/3 - Costa Victoria sailed in the clouds and light rain through the Uraga Suido toward Yokohama harbor and finally arrived at the terminal berth after 1pm. Weather wasn't very cooperative, so we just went for a brief walk near the harbor, visited an instant noodle museum, had Japanese sushi dinner, and walked by Chinatown to Motomachi shopping streets. Unfortunately all shops were already closed by the time we got there. Rain started pouring down as we headed back to the ship.
10/4 - Clouds started to lift in the morning. Boys weren't interested sightseeing anymore, so two of us walked around Yokohama more while boys catching up with friends in the ship's kids club.
10/5 - Arrived at Hososhima port of small town Hyuga later than scheduled in the afternoon. Luckily it's a very small town that doesn't have too much sights to see, only the Umagase Gorge not far. We had trouble getting cash from ATM machines to do any shopping or dinner, so we returned to the ship early. City of Hyuga even put on a brief firework show to entertain passengers.
10/6 - Last day at sea
Sailing in the East China Sea toward Shanghai. Relaxing day to end a wonderful cruise.