Mountain? What Mountain?

Shimizu, Japan

Thursday, August 1, 2019

No break in the weather but at least we’re going to be out and about for only four hours or so.

Our first stop was a parking lot where we walked to a boardwalk that took us to the beach where we stood and looked at Mt. Fuji. Well, we looked at where Mt. Fuji would be seen if it was October! It’s way too hot and hazy to see anything during the summer. Our tour description says, “Views of Mt. Fuji are weather permitting.” Even our guide told us it wasn’t visible until the summer was over and the skies cleared in autumn. Oh, well. I’ll buy a postcard.

Shimizu is in the prefecture (similar to a province) that birthed Mr. Honda and Mr. Toyota. Miss Guide (never did get her name) asked how many of us drove Japanese cars and nearly every hand went up. Even she was a bit surprised. This is also the area where green tea is grown. Miss Guide told us how to brew a proper green tea, or I think she did. Her English was excellent, very clear, but no volume. Many requests for her to speak up but no such luck. 

The trees throughout the city are pruned again like giant bonsai. We went to a Japanese garden near the ruins of an Edo-era castle. Very lovely but couldn’t hear any of Miss G’s narration. AND when she stopped to talk about something she would stop in the sun, not the shade. When several of us walked to a shady spot she insisted we return to the group. This is most unusual. The guides don’t want to stand in the sun anymore than we do. It was downhill from there. At our last stop, another shrine, Jim and I and a few others chose to meander through the little farmer’s market on the grounds in the shade. Then we went into a little snack shop. I couldn’t read any of the menu but I could point to an ice cream cone,, green tea, please. The lady opened a freezer case and took out a small container about the size of a hockey puck, opened the lid and stuck it into a machine on the counter, much like you’d put a K-cup of coffee into a Keurig. Instead of coffee, this machine made soft ice cream. She put a cone underneath the spout and, badda boom, a green tea soft serve cone. Very green and very good. (Note to self: check Amazon for one of those machines.)

One of our fellow travelers who went with the guide on a tour of the shrines (there were five) in the sun, swooned and had to be carried back to the visitors center for water and a/c. Sorry for her but, Told Ya So!!!! This is the first time we have ever stiffed a guide; no tip. Just get me back to the boat!

Last week when we had dinner with the oncologist he said he’d been to Japan and just didn’t understand the appeal. I’m beginning to feel the same. Twelve more days. But we will go around this island and up to a couple of Russian ports. I hope Vladivostok and Korsakov are as quirky and oddly charming as Petropavlovsk. And as temperate.