Looking about Otaru

An extract from today's issue of the VNPC Bulletin - the Cruisers are now learning something about the attractions of the seaport of Otaru on the west coast of Hokkaido.

Looking about Otaru.

Here is an over view of what might interest Cruisers in Otaru; two morning markets which offer fish, Sankaku Market near the main train station has the usual Hokkaido seafood offering’s including King Crab.  Rinyu morning market is away from the main town area, opens at 7am most days and is very popular with Japanese visitors as a visit to Trip Advisor will confirm.

Can’t face another fish market?  O.K.  Take a walk, or maybe a cruise on a small launch, along the Otaru Canal; it is only about a kilometre in length and will give you a glimpse into Otaru’s port past.   More interested in shops and glitz and spending money?  Try the Otaru Orgel Museum where there are three floors where music boxes can either be admired or purchased. I am as puzzled as you might be about the use of the word orgel which apparently is a German word relating the organ as a musical instrument.

Anyone who fancies glass-ware can go along to the Otaru Taisho Glass Palace where, among other things, glass bead-making sessions are on offer. Further along is the Kitaichi Third Glass Pavilion; this store has wonderful glass lamps and visitors can watch glass blowers at work.

Numerous cafes in Sakaimachi Street will provide the ardent shopper with sustenance to get them through another round of Japanese souvenir shops.

Prefer a more organized tour with an English speaking guide?  Read the next article

This is a special photo selected for this blog post. The Cruisers had to be satisfied with the top picture in the VPNC Bulletin.

Nebuta Warasse

Here is another extract from today's issue of the VNPC Bulletin in which I prattle on about sights to see in Aomori.


Nebuta Warasse

This new museum, an unusual building covered with red metal slats, is found close to the waterfront and is an excellent place to visit for more information about the Nebuta Matsuri written about in the previous Bulletin.

At the time of writing it is open from 9 am until 6 pm each day in April and an entrance fee of 600 yen applies.

As this Volendam cruise is not in town for the festival, the museum allows visitors to see photographs and images of the 300 year old festival.  Lanterns hang along the corridors; recorded music of flutes and taiko drums can be heard; a detailed presentation of some of the past floats can be inspected and special cutaway floats enable museum visitors to learn about float construction. 

Interior of the Nebuta Warasse

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Internet in Japan

Although this blog is the story, strange but true, of My New Life, you can be assured that some features of The Old Life will turn up, just like the proverbial bad penny.

 One of these is the continuation of publishing the occasional excerpt from the VNPC Bulletin; this Bulletin for those of you who have just happened on my blog, is about the places I might visit as part of a cruise from Yokohama, Japan to Vancouver, Canada via the northern Pacific Ocean in 2016.

Pull on your life jackets and climb aboard the good ship VNPC.

The Internet in Japan.

Away from the ship there are a number of options for accessing the internet.

Both paid and free Wi-Fi can be found in airports, restaurants, coffee shops and bars.  English sign-up is not offered on all networks; some are for phone only and some have restricted access.

Free public Wi-Fi for foreign tourists can be found at Seven Eleven stores and at Starbucks, where registration must be done in advance to gain access.  The following link from the Notes of Nomads website explains how things work.

If you are very lucky you might find an internet kiosk, but with the increase in mobile phone use these kiosks are now becoming quite difficult to find.

There is a Starbucks within a fifteen minute walk from Osanbashi Pier, walking alongside Yamashita Park to the second lot of traffic lights, turn right and walk down to the next set of lights near the Audi dealer.  A little further along  on a corner nearby you will a find the Peking Duck restaurant – Starbucks is just nearby in this short street. 

Starbucks - Yokohama Landmark Plaza Store

Once on board the Volendam you might think internet access would be easier as there is no language problem.

However as the following excerpt from Cruiseadvice shows there are other considerations.

The Volendam does provide PC's in an Internet cafe (Explorations) on Deck 5(Upper Promenade). However, if you want to bring your WiFi-enabled laptop, iPhone, PDA, etc., the entire ship is WiFi enabled. You can choose from the Holland America "pay-as-you" go rate for a one-time $3.95 activation charge, and, a 75¢ per minute rate. Alternatively, you can buy a block of non-refundable minutes for:

§  100 minutes for $55.00  (70AUD)

§  250 minutes for $100.00.

Using WiFi, Cell Phones and Internet on the Volendam Tips:

§  Some free minutes may be offered the first day during embarkation. Check with the Internet manager for specific details.

§  It doesn't matter whether you bring your own computer or use the computers on the ship. The price is the same.

§  Think dial up speed when connecting on the ship. If you are sending emails, get all your writing down offline and

then just connect when you actually send them.

Cruisers should keep in mind that the idea of free internet on Holland America cruise ships is for Cruisers living in Dream land and the connection is similar to dial-up.  The signal has to go up to the satellite and come down which makes email preparation crucial unless you are willing to make endless contributions to the company profits and dividend rewards to shareholders.

 At 75c per minute ( the current exchange rate stands at a fraction under one Australian dollar) for time on line, Instagram  and Facebook addicts need to have either deep pockets stuffed with dollars or consider signing up for Online and Screen Addicts Anonymous. The package rates, while offering a slightly lower cost per minute, come with the proviso that any unused time will not be refunded.

Perhaps the best piece of advice comes from a Trip Advisor reviewer, who agreed the ship internet is expensive and unreliable and suggested unplugging the devices and enjoying the time in the various ports along the way.

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