Kanmon Straits

 Although I was too tired to write the previous day and thought to have an early night, I decided to stay up at least until 2 in the mornimg. This was because the Captain had announced just before midnight that we would be sailing along the Kanmon Straits between the Japanese islands of Kyushu and Honshu. In so doing we would be passing the city of Shimonoseki and a road bridge between the two islands at that point.

Sure enough at around 1pm we passed under that bridge which was so well lighted up that I could photograph it in the dark. It certainly looked impressive. Albina had watched the lights of Shimonoseki from our balcony and was convinced that some of the residences at the sides of the channels were deliberately flashing their lights at us. After all, our ship was now a TV celebrity in the eyes of Southern Japan because of its pioneering visit. 

At 7.30am, after a shower, I walked forward to the Observation Deck at the end of my corridor. However although both sides of the straits were still visible the channel was much wider now and each shore was obviously several miles away. A couple peering at passing objects with their binoculars had pinned their sight earlier on a black object visible in the water. On closer inspection this turned out to be a submarine with 2 people standing in the tower, they said. I wonder whose submarine that was?

Breakfast alone again, so this time I had a porridge and eggs benedict in the posh Borealis Restaurant. They even serve you a glass of white wine with your breakfast, whether you want it or not. I listened to a description this morning of the Hawaii excursions in a talk given by the Destination Desk. I noticed that Albina only had a tour organized for Honolulu. She had nothing organized for the islands of Maui and the hawaii Big Island. I got back to the cabin. Albina had slept most of the night which was very good news. But she was still sleeping now, which is not such good news. She put off any description of her next excursions for later. What about lunch today? Also later. Can I bring down any fruit crumble with custard please? Oh, OK then. 

At 3pm she got up, all perky and ready to move, She ate the berry crumble and custard and followed it up with the watermelon and apricots I had brought her down from breakfast yesterday. Now we are getting somewhere.

In the meantime Captain Pineda had announced that we were now leaving the island of Shikoku on the port side. So we are coming out onto the Pacific and will approach the three Japanese destinations from that side, starting with Osaka tomorrow morning.

Instead of dinner we decided to have our own tea ceremony, but not quite Japanese style. I prepared the tea and Albina served up the canapes presented each day by Fred Olsen Cruise Line kitchens. These canapes, always six in number, are served up every day and each with a different flavour. The kitchen staff who lovingly prepare them deliver them roughly around 4pm every day to every cabin in the top two corridors, and describe the contents with lip smacking details. It is obviously a work of great pride to them and I have to listen every day with great patience is they give me a detailed description of each one. By the time Albina asks "What did he say?" I will have forgotten. I am obviously a culinary philistine.

I had missed the talk on Stalin's library, a bizarre subject covered by Soviet historian Geoff Roberts. However, I did attend a classical concert for piano and Spanish guitar, where there was some sublime harmony. I had contacted the Guest Services and asked them to print out my lecture on Phileas Fogg, as it will be easier to edit anything if needed.

Tonight was formal night again but with Albina spending the whole day in her cabin, there was no point my upsetting her again by putting on my dinner jacket. I went for the halfway house, I put on a smart jacket with black edged trimmings and a tie. I thought I look good and so did Albina. I attended a very lively concert by pianist and vocalist Elias Hendricks, a classical singer who loves sole and pop music. He claims that there is still a lot of sole music disguised as pop, and listed Rihanna, as one camouflaged sole singer. He gave some excellent renditions of pop music delivered with a sole arrangement.

Time for the evening quiz, and again we only got 13 out of 15. No cigar.