The delights of various toilets and other things in Muroran

---

Thursday-Day Six Muroran- near Sapporo
Setting the alarm for 7am feels all wrong on holidays but it's a shore day so best not waste it.
We dined in the Carmen dining room deck 3 with 2 other Australian couples who complained about the terrible coffee on board, the terrible service when they had to get to the ship from Beijing, and the terrible tours they have taken. Some people are hard to please.

We really had no idea of what to expect today, people were saying there was nothing to see and best get the train to Sapporo, and others just walked around the quay area and surrounding countryside unwilling to spend on either a tour or a train to somewhere.

We shared a taxi with a German solo traveller and got to the Morue shopping mall prior to its opening opening at 10am. This is in the Nakajima district of Muroran.

The blurb we were given in the tents lining the quay tells us that Muroran has a population of 100,000 with a natural harbour.

So to kill time we walked around a big block, looked at a pet shop, kittens and small dogs seem to be popular; saw a child care centre with an all sand playground, had a chat to a little boy who offered me his posy of berries, and walked beside a canal. The gardens are wild looking, grass not mowed, flowering plants and weeds side by side, and pots of plants decorating the shops.

The shopping mall was much the same as anywhere. Very neat and spacious with immaculate shops and brilliant service. We found a cafe for coffee, and then wandered around the local supermarket and bought a sushi and sashimi platter, bananas, plums, green apple, cheese, almonds, vegechips, yoghurt, water and a blueberry liquor drink for ¥2500- ($25-)and headed for a picnic in the park.

The toilet area in this mall contains those toilets that heat the seat, spray water to your nether regions, and then dries it off with hot air.

On the way to the park we stumbled upon the Nakajima Shinto Shrine, a lovely quiet peaceful contemplative area. We watched a man drive up, wash his hands in the designated area and say his prayers, and then drive off.

Right near this is the Nakajima park and baseball stadium. Very green treed area, log picnic tables with a view towards the children's play area and water feature made a perfect picnic spot. Just the locals doing some surveying, children and families enjoying the blue sky and perfect weather.

Toilets in this area were a complete contrast, squat for the women and the men's virtually open for all to see.

We wandered off to the Higashi Muroran Railway Station and walked through the over bridge and off to the Aeon Mall and past another shrine with a huge bell tower.

Here we found a chemist and with our hand written instructions for purchasing heartburn medication, courtesy of a lovely passerby who helped us on a street corner, we managed to buy something. My charades were totally useless back at the other chemist shop.

We also found McDonalds and a lovely young girl who tried very hard to help us in English. No McCafe, but a great place for diet Coke drinks.

A great day out seeing life in a normal small Japanese city. Our next stop is Tokyo, rather a contrast I would imagine to Muroran.

Taxi back, survey filled out, and back on ship by 3pm to air-con in the cabin and TV.

Both Takaoka and Muroran are new cruise spots so the locals are keen to get an idea of what we spent, where, good points and bad etc. Big money when a cruise ship of this size comes into a port. A lot of locals have also come along to see and photograph the ship.

We pulled away at 8-50pm after a brilliant display of folkloric dancing and drumming. A very colourful group danced energetically and when we pulled away they split into 2 groups and ran forward, much to the dismay of baton wielding policemen who chased them back a safe distance from the pier's edge.

Tonight's live show featured 3 of the 4 cruise singers in a solo 3 part show. The first singer was a young Australian guy who did jazz standards, a young guy from Alabama who sang pop/ ballad numbers and then Robbostine the black American lady who can SING. She ended her set with Whitney Houston "I will Always Love you" the best version I have ever heard sung live, what a voice!!!

And if you get sick of shows you can go and watch movies in the screening room on deck 2 or the TV in your room.

There are many TV stations including an all Australian one with a mix of ABCand commercial programs, movies, children's shows, sitcoms, info channels and many languages. Have watched the Big Bang Theory in French and German, the voice of Raj still sounds Indian.

Martin is having a lot of luck with his Sea Pass card.
Card number 1 fell in the sea as we were boarding the ship for the first time.
Card number 2 was issued within 15 minutes and lasted until today when it demagnetized.
Card number 3 is now in his possession!

---

Photos

garden with an aroma
think they used natual fertilisers, pooooo

our farewell dancers
Goodbye Muroran