Supposed to be kayaking today so needed to get the 8.21am subway train so up and down for breakfast at 7.30am and after about 15 minutes Tash got the email that we sort of expected cancelling our excursion because of the weather. Not so much that it was raining, it wasn’t, but the wind. As we would later find out that was the correct decision!
So we went back to bed after breakfast and left the hotel at 10.30am instead. Last night and this morning I’d tried for baseball tickets for tonight’s game but it’s completely sold out. I hoped that going to the stadium which is only 10 mins walk might prove differently.
We wandered down and loads of people were queuing but clearly we were not going to get any tickets. The people queuing we think had non-reserve tickets and like a concert we’re hoping to run in and get the best seats. This was at 11.15am and the match kicks off at 6.00pm. It was burning hot and there were already a few hundred people queuing like this. It was astonishing. I Hat made it stranger is today is Thursday...don’t they work?!?
So we left the stadium and I treated myself to an expensive baseball cap which I’m happy with. We got the train down to the xxxxx station and straight into the ferry. Our JR tickets meant it was all for free which really is brilliant. So this Island was really quite a surprise, there is a shrine in the water and a cable car until the mountain but that was turned off because of the wind. However, the big surprise was the modernness of the town itself, loads of nice souvenir shops and restaurants we were spoilt for choice.
However ignoring all that we did the touristy bit and walked round the area and the shrine. The sea was out so we were above to get on the beach and walk under and through the shrine. There were loads of coins in the ground around the bottom of the shrine which I think was the result of people pressing coins into gaps between the sheeps encrusted on the base of the pillars, for luck or prayer, and these had either stayed with int eh gaps or been pushed clear to fall at the base of the structure. Interesting.
After that we walked round more of the town and it’s been the hottest day so far I think. We kept getting breeze but it was constant sweating! Nice!! Got something hung to drink and nibbles at a brewery and then walked down this great Main Street where I found a great t-shirt (in my opinion!) and then a mojito bar...that went down well!! Got some postcards and then the ferry back home but not before missing the ferry we were there for and needing to wait another 10 mins for the next one...so grabbed a beer!!
Writing this whilst on the train home to the hotel, such a good day so far and need to make it a good new night. We’ve given up on the baseball so will go out into town and will likely give karaoke a go. Just to try something different. We feel that the city break is perhaps dragging for everyone so we want to keep their interest. We have another few days of this in Kyoto before the beach! I don’t mind it but I just hope the kids aren’t getting bored by it.
Will update this tomorrow on the train as I intend to have a few drinks now and won’t be able to write in here later. Perhaps “able to” os the wrong word, I will be able to as I’m not going to be drunk, just “can’t be arsed” to update it tonight!!
Didn’t sleep as we tried to organise things for Kyoto and then I went out and got some food/crisps to keep everyone happy whilst we looked for a restaurant. At 8.00pm we got the last green tourist bus and went to the same place as last night but went off to a different area. I knew the bar I was looking for but it was too small so we walked around aimlessly looking for another restaurant. You’d think nothing could be easier...ah no...mum wanted authentic as not western food, basically we were after noodles but could we find one that was right?!? No chance. So we sort of gave u and went to a small restaurant that surprised us.
We had to sit outside because it was busy and the first two items we ordered weren’t available..this was going well! We got that sorted and the waiter was lovely, really wanted to help and Tash was happy because her Gin and Tonic came full and strong in a pint glass!!
The food when it came was lovely, and it was delivered by the cook and he too was really nice. Then it started raining and by that time upstairs was now empty so we were cleared a space and went up there. Loads of locals were around, in fact that’s all it was we had a laugh though and fancied another drink so we crossed the road and went to an Irish pub. That was packed full of mostly Europeans and I suspect English. Had our first pint of the holiday and the girls had their cocktails...Mums second of the day! Again it was a nice atmosphere in there now and it was good fun, I’d happily have stayed longer but it was already 11.30pm so we went and got taxis as the tram had finished and made our way home.
Another good day, we do keep ourselves busy and full on with what we try and do, perhaps it’s a bit too much and we need to slow down a bit, but we’re only here for a short length of time so we want to as much as possible...we can sleep on the train and plane, but I do appreciate that being tired during the day makes the holiday become a chore or a challenge to get through, we don’t want it to be like that. Hard balance to get right.
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