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Writer's pictureCarol Liege

Travel Diary Miyako, Japan

Updated: Apr 16, 2022

TUESDAY MARCH 26, 2019

PORT 11:

Kumika Shimzo, Photographer (Upsplash)

Our first of seven ports in Japan spanning ten days. Japanese authorities required every passenger to have their temperature taken and be fingerprinted. It We did not dock until 10 a.m. and by the time every passenger jumped through all the hurdles, the day was about gone. There was not that much to do at this port. There was a shuttle into town, but by the time we got off the ship with our friends the Farrens, some passengers were already returning with reports that it was a waste of time. The Farrens immediately decided to return to the ship. BGM and I were prepared to walk around but learned that it was another hour before the next shuttle so we too returned to the ship.

However, it was still good to get off the ship because we there was a desk set up for us to obtain Yen. We have some Yen with us from our previous trip to Japan, but we turned in our Taiwanese currency for additional Yen.

HOT TIP: THERE IS NO NECESSITY TO KEEP ALL UNUSED CURRENCY. IF NO INTENTION OF RETURNING TO THE COUNTRY, TURN IN WHAT IS LEFTOVER AT THE NEXT COUNTRY IN WHICH A CURR3ENCY EXCHANGE IS AVAILABLE.

We had dinner at Polo Grill with Damien, the General Manager and with the new Chief Concierge, Randall. Roberto, head of food and beverage was scheduled to come but was not feeling well. It was a most pleasant dinner. Damien supplied the white wine and I brought I 90 Pichon.

I continue to be impressed by the key personnel on this cruise. The conversation throughout dinner was very interesting in many respects. Both Damien and Randall are very erudite gentleman with knowledge far beyond their job descriptions on the ship.

At one point, we were talking about music and I brought up my interest in American Musicals. As we talked about some of the legends of the theatre, I mentioned that one of my heroes was Oscar Hammerstein, that I thought his lyrics were among the best ever written, and that his lyric to “You’ve Got To Be Carefully Taught” was the most important lyric in all of theatre music. When I googled the lyric for Randall to read (I have not yet mentioned that he is from South Africa) he immediately said “are you familiar with Nelson Mandela’s words on the same subject?” I then read those words and for those interested, I juxtapose below what Oscar Hammerstein and Nelson Mandela had to say so eloquently:

Hammerstein:

You’ve got to be taught

To hate

And fear

You’ve got to be taught

From year to year

Its got to

Be drummed in your dear little ear

You’ve got to

Be carefully

Taught

You’ve Got to be taught

To be

Afraid

Of people

Who’s eyes are oddly made

And people who’s skin is a different shade

You’ve got to

Be carefully

Taught

You’ve got to be taught

Before it’s too late

Before you are six

Or seven

Or eight

To hate all the people

Your relatives hate

You’ve got to

Be carefully taught

You’ve Got to

Be carefully taught

Mandella

No one is born hating another person because of the color of their skin, or his background or his religion.

People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more

Naturally to the human heart that its opposite.

Because we did not really visit this port, there is no grade assigned to it, but we give our evenings experience A plus, plus

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