For us, travelling by bike provides the ultimate in what life offers. Independence, freedom from the usual humdrum/pressures of daily life and being able to go anywhere in the world while travelling slowly. Yet, it can also be humbling. It feels like we are being reminded on this trip, that the best laid plans are meant to be changed. Barry’s motor issues and the strain it has put on his pre-existing back condition, etc have made the changes we are making in routes and scheduling a simple decision. After all, isn’t cycle touring about adapting to whatever comes up and “roll with the punches”? At least, it is for us.
Returning to Osaka for motor repair on B’s trike makes sense…plus we love it there….so no hardship. The next decision is to lighten our load. We have decided to send home our camping gear and a few other extras. This way, if his bike continues to have problems, we can travel with more ease and enjoy the ride. Why suffer when there is a solution? In fact, we often joke that no matter how well thought our route planning is, we will usually make changes on the fly. So, today is about sorting and selecting and repacking. Before we leave Kobe tomorrow, we will be a “leaner, meaner” Team Bartlett.
We are going out for a walk to find the main post office in the neighbourhood. It sounds like there are many requirements we must fulfill in order to mail a box to Canada, so we will pick up the paperwork we need. In this neighbourhood of homes, we see the roof line of this shrine and stop to investigate. These are always special places which are often tucked away
There is always a sense of calm and spirituality when you enter the gates.
We don’t always see a pet dog at a shrine, but this old guy looks to be well looked after with a comfortable home and lots of food. However, his bark is warning us to not come any closer.
Well, he looks welcoming, rubbing his head on the door and wagging his tail, but as we lingered he snarled and barked. We could still hear him as we headed down the street.
We have truly had a day off from cycling…wandering through the neighbourhood by our hotel, doing a bit of window shopping and as always searching for food.
This Udon restaurant looks and smells great so this will be dinner.
A capsule store. These are very popular and I guess the name explains it all. You buy from the acrylic box (capsule) and your toy or item comes out in its own plastic box.
Next to our hotel are narrow streets of cafes and shops. This one, called Tetsujin Street has special significance. It leads to a large recreational and park area with the giant robot, Tetsujin as the centrepiece.
In 1995, Kobe was devastated by a 7.3 earthquake, during which more than 100,000 homes were destroyed and thousands died. Tetsujin is a giant robot based on the Manga character known as Gigantor. He is a 50 ton steel monument who stands 18 metres high.
It is hard to capture the breathtaking breadth and height of Tetsujin in a photo. He stands in this park in Kobe as a protective figure who stands on guard against further disasters. It seems fitting that children and locals gather and play alongside and beneath him.
It was just one of those unexpected moments. We had read about Tetsujin but had no idea that he was basically standing behind our hotel. When we were eating our udon….we looked out the window and there he stood. Wow.
Isn’t travel great where the unexpected events make your day…
