Yesterday we had perfect weather again for our stop at Hakodate. We were greeted as we got off the ship by friendly locals and since we had seen the major sites here last time we visited we asked for some recommendations of where to go for the day.
We were told that the Trappist Monastery was good so we took the shuttle bus in to the local bus/train station. When we arrived there was lots of schoolgirls out and about. They had a sign saying ” Ask me anything – we are practising our English” Their teacher was with them and as we got off the bus he explained that he had bought his class down to the station for the day so they could practice conversational English with tourists off the ship.
So we stopped and had a chat to these girls for a while before we caught a taxi out to the monastery.
Once we arrived we were disappointed to find out that visitors can’t actually go in to the monastery, just the gardens. The gardens were lovely but lesson learned – ask more questions!
The monastery houses 60 nuns currently.
After a walk through the gardens we waited for the bus back into town. Japanese ice cream is definitely the best tasting anywhere!
So we caught the bus back into town and learned that in Japan you get on the bus in the middle door, take your ticket and don’t pay until you get off the bus. Back in town we made our way down to the morning markets.
Rockmelons were everywhere with very expensive prices. These are over $40 & $45 Aus.
We had to go all the way to Japan to find Australian kangaroo leather shoes for sale.
The market is just a fantastic place to visit. Filled with fresh seafoods of all kinds, some still alive some from the mornings catch.
… and these rockmelons were only $3 – $6 …
Then we came across these rockmelons, which must be pretty special – costing – $50 – $500 – they did come nicely packaged in wooden boxes though.
We spent most of the morning at the markets, chatted to a few more girls from the high school and went back to the ship for a late lunch. Before dinner we just lazed about taking in the views and the great weather.
Our dinner was delicious! I had roast pork and chocolate cake, Tony had gnocchi and a banana split. If I pre-order I can have pretty much what I want even if not on the menu – I only wish I’d known this few weeks ago. The food on the Norwegian Jewel has been the best for me of all the ships we’ve been on so far.
To finish off another great day in Japan we went to the Australian Bee Gees concert, then did some late night shopping and listened to a few more singers in different places on the ship.
Only two days left of the cruise – tomorrow is Aomori where we’re doing a tour.