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Silver Muse

September - October 2023
Vancouver-Tokyo on Silversea Read more
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  • TravelerSilver Muse
    Day 29

    Impressions

    October 2, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    It’s been a long holiday. I love having different sections to a trip and we had 3 definite parts.
    1. Vancouver. It was very exciting to be back in Vancouver after being an exchange teacher 30 years ago. Lots of fond memories of when mum came to visit. We had such fun together. Our air bnb was pretty good- a bit noisy and also hot at night in the bedrooms. The location while central was in a seedy part of town with lots of security guards and drug addicts. We had a good time sight seeing - Granville island and the Whistler Day was great.
    2. The cruise - I loved Alaska. It was magnificent scenery and very exciting to visit all those places. The ship is spectacular with great food excellent service and very easy holiday holidaying.    Read more

  • TravelerSilver Muse
    Day 28

    Last Tokyo Day

    October 1, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    Plane flight at 10 pm so a full last day. We have a 1pm check out so Royce and I head out for a morning excursion. We use our JR pass which has been very handy. We head to Shibuya crossing and join the hordes of humanity crossing the roads. We find a nearby cat cafe that has a reputation for taking care of its animals and we arrive just in time for feeding. It’s free drinks with a cover charge and pay by the half hour. As we leave a queue is building. We head to Harajuku to walk the famous street and sample some street food and generally people watch. Back to the hotel to freshen up and meet Mike and Kay Chee and we head to an Irish pub not too far away for some Guinness and fish and chips. To Happy Pancakes for the lightest fluffiest pancakes on the planet.
    Back to the hotel and our driver is there ready to take us to the airport. Mike and Kay chee breeze through thanks to their FF status and Royce and I are stuck in the economy queue and then a queue for our airport lounge which is very busy. We settle with a couple of drinks and snacks and it’s time to board! 9 hours seems a bit of a short flight really!    Read more

  • TravelerSilver Muse
    Day 27

    Mt Fuji

    September 30, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Ahmed our driver picks us up at 8 am warning
    us that the traffic will be heavy on a Saturday as many locals head to Mt Fuji on the weekend. Lots of traffic but so worth it as we wind our way to the 5th station two thirds of the way up the mountain. It’s cloudy foggy and we can’t see anything but are still so excited to be here. We leave and magically the clouds disappear and we are rewarded with a clear of the peak. A miracle! The rest of the day is spent admiring the mountain from the van, a boat, a garden, while eating ice cream and from every vantage point that Ahmed can manage to take us. What a perfect Mt Fuji day.
    We head back to ABC Ramen around the corner from the hotel for more gyoza deliciousness and a waffle on the go for Mike and we agree a great day was had by all.    Read more

  • TravelerSilver Muse
    Day 26

    Exploring Tokyo

    September 29, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    Our hotel is very busy with tour groups and breakfast is a bit of a schmozzle however we eat and set off for the Tsukiji outer markets for an amazingly crowded and exciting few hours of exploring all things fishy and delicious. We eat fresh oysters and wash them down with our new favorite beer - Asahi! We try fish cakes on a stick, fried oysters and fresh iced lemonade. It’s a hot crowded and memorable experience. By taxi to Tokyo Tower and a surprisingly uncrowded and awesome time getting a birdseye view of the vastness of Tokyo. We go to the top and see the carnival luminousa is docked, we see the rainbow bridge and other landmarks. My Fuji not visible today.
    Beers at hotel are included for Accor members so we relax and regroup and we meet fellow cruisers from our ship.
    Great dinner at ABC ramen in Ginza. Basement vibes and great gyoza, ramen, rice and cocktails. Such fun and delicious food.
    We head to happy pancakes but it is closed so head to a waffle cafe downstairs instead.
    Early night as we have booked a tour to Mt Fuji for tomorrow!    Read more

  • TravelerSilver Muse
    Day 25

    To Tokyo

    September 28, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    Another day another Shinkansen ride. Breakfast and hotel shuttle to train station. Hot Bento boxes - pull the string and it heats up! So clever. Two and a half hours goes quickly in the comfy green car seats. We pass a good view of Mt Fuji and arrive at the Shin station before transfer to JR line and a hot walk to the hotel. It’s much smaller than our last hotel but the rooms are great and free beer helps. Kay Chee and Mike settle in for an afternoon rest and Royce and I scout the area for dinner activities. We find a Starbucks Reserve which is like Starbucks on steroids and drop in for a coffee and very expensive snack. We decide not to suggest the horse meat restaurant but settle on a tempura place and a pub for after dinner drinks. Lovely meal - thank god for google translate and a few drinks at an English style pub rounds off a tiring but fun first day in Tokyo’s Ginza district.Read more

  • TravelerSilver Muse
    Day 24

    To Osaka for the day

    September 27, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    We start and finish the day with Japanese set meal. Breakfast is great with lots of little bowls of stuff and rice porridge so beautifully served. I love Japan, everything is so thoughtfully done and designed for comfort. The toilets are thoughtful and helpful! So polite and thinking of other people ( not the toilets but the people).
    We navigated the Shinkansen 🚄 to Osaka. Had a great day but very HOT and humid! To Osaka Castle, the Nishiki Market for yummy seafood and beers and then through Dotomburi area with entertainment and restaurants and lots of people. Mike wanted to head to the water area so after a very long taxi ride we came across the Silver Muse! In port Osaka , what a surprise- it was very hard not to try to stow away onboard! Back to Kyoto by Shinkansen 🚄 and dinner at the station - very nice salmon and rice and lots of things! We are all totally exhausted but happy after a big day out!    Read more

  • TravelerSilver Muse
    Day 23

    Kyoto sightseeing

    September 26, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    Breakfast at the hotel is delicious a great mix of western and Japanese. We head across the road to the first of our UESCO world heritage sites for the day Nishihonganji - It’s a working Buddhist temple with amazing structures and gardens and some rather strange sounding music coming from the worship area. We head back to pick up our team mates and take off for the day. Next stop Bamboo forest. We decide to take taxis today - it’s very hot and humid. The taxi driver takes us to the very best spot and gets out to show us where to go - it’s quite awe inspiring - tall bamboo forest with winding paths and lots of tourists like us! We then head to the golden pavilion via a noodle house where we slurp our way through delicious noodles with tempura prawns and tofu and other things. We think we order 1 big bottle of beer but end up with four so the following walk to the pavilion itself is a bit tough in the heat! A great sight to see and another world heritage site. We head to the Nijo Castle for more world heritage site viewing and tour the palace inside. We’ve had enough for now and decide to head back to hotel to freshen up before we head to Gion area later this evening. It’s been an amazing day. Disappointing Ramen restaurant but great walk through old town area.Read more

  • TravelerSilver Muse
    Day 22

    To Kyoto

    September 25, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    We farewell the Silver Muse with an easy disembarkation and a smooth pick up from Blacklane to Yokohama Shinkansen Station. We exchange our vouchers for a 7 day rail pass in Green car class which has a bit more leg room. It’s a lengthy process as there is a queue and it takes our attendant a long time to process the passes and book our first train ticket. Straight to the platform for a short wait for the Shinkansen 🚅 and we manage our luggage and onto the train. We are on the Mt Fuji side and get great views of the top of Fiji and the shrouding mists. We have bought bento boxes and beer at the station and enjoy a snack on the train. The green car has plenty of room and comfy seats. We can’t get the big bag up above but manage to have it near us. All good.Read more

  • TravelerSilver Muse
    Day 22

    Last sea day

    September 25, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Beautiful sunshine greets us for our last sea day. A morning swim and a very light breakfast in the arts cafe.
    Art gallery shows all our beautiful creations done in art classes with Betty and Henry. Collage, printing, watercolor and jewelry… so clever.
    Grill lunch in sunshine by the pool with warm weather.
    It’s time for Packing!!!
    Farewell dinner in Indochine and we have our last lobster. So much seafood!
    Piano man farewell and I am a singing star and I give a speech to thank Mark Ferris.    Read more

  • TravelerSilver Muse
    Day 20

    Kushiro

    September 23, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Everyone is feeling good and had a fabulous day in Kushiro. Walk to marshlands, looking at the giant cranes and lunch in the fish market where we buy a bowl of rice and add the fresh fish toppings. We enjoy our lunch with Mike and Kay Chee who are on another bus. We stop at the museum and the fisherman’s wharf where we see the worlds cruelest claw machine where you can win a live crab. There is one in the tank and it’s so cruel!! Pizza and beer on board and the captains cocktail party with Mike and Kay Chee after the most moving sail away complete with drummers and townspeople waving us off. Not many ships visit this port so we were a novelty. A lovely dinner in Silver Note followed by piano man fun in Dolce Vita lounge and again I am a tambourine and dancing champion. All my cruise dreams are coming true!Read more

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