Life Lessons

Daimaru Department Store in Kobe...could be
Macy's in NYC

One of the strangest things about travel is its insistence on teaching you something about  your life.  We had left our warm, cozy home in Durango about five days before arriving in Kobe, Japan.  I hesitate to say that the five days spent in between Durango and Kobe were miserable, but I think I can safely say they were uncomfortable.  We had long hours of disorienting travel, rain in Hong Kong, high seas in the South China Sea, rain again in Keelung, more high seas travelling to Okinawa, and nothing of interest to us in Okinawa.  But now, as the sun rose on the 6th day, a new world was revealed.  We had found smooth sailing and arrived in calm waters to the Japanese city of Kobe. We breathed in the sunshine and everything was bright and fresh and newly minted.

Kobe Shopping Mall

We docked around noon, and I was eager to explore new territory.  Dwight decided to stay aboard ship and enjoy the quiet, but I took a shuttle into town and discovered a bustling city center.  It was New York, only newer, shinier, cleaner, and more polite.  One thing we would discover about Japan is its familiarity with disaster.  In 1995, Kobe suffered an epic earthquake which demolished much of the city.   As has happened in many Japanese cities destroyed by disasters, both natural and man-made, the citizens went to work and created a new community out of the ashes.

My main mission on my afternoon visit to Kobe was to find new batteries (CR 2032) for my tablet keyboard.  That was not an easy task!  The tourist desk sent me to the
big department store Daimaru.  It was large enough to hold anything under the sun, but alas, no batteries.  Their information desk, however, equipped me with a map on which they circled the electronics store where certainly I would find batteries.  This exchange was accomplished with much gesturing and consternation over lack of English on their part and Japanese on mine.  We both consulted our cell phone translators.  Even though European cities also have language barriers, the familiar script and phonics make one at least feel grounded.  In Japan, the strange calligraphy and sounds were very disorienting.

I headed out, map in hand; I found my way to a long arcade filled with shoppers and eventually to the electronics store.  A quick walk around found no batteries, so I stopped at the information counter and again begain a language dance trying to convey what I was looking for.  Cell phones again came out and eventually eyes lit up and said, "Ah...batteries" in halting English.  I was directed up the escalator to the 4th floor where I found a whole wall filled with every battery imaginable.  I walked out with two CR 2032 batteries and felt like I had won the Super Bowl.  Such an exhilerating feeling, conquering a new land!

Gate to Chinatown in downtown Kobe

Chinatown Food Stall

Kobe beef

I rewarded myself with a walk through Kobe's Chinatown where food stalls proliferated. Then, I topped it off with a walk through Daimaru's food halls which catered to every taste in the world including stqands with the famous Kobe marbled beef.  And finally, I came upon a small Shinto temple in the middle of the towering skyscrapers.  I offered a prayer of thanks to be able to visit this marvelous city. 

Great afternoon!

Life Lessons learned:   You have to leave home to appreciate home; and, to have new adventures and learn new things , you have to perservere through the dark times.  Got it!