Kobe

From Himeji, on Wednesday 20th September 2006, we took a train on to Kobe.

I was unsure how I'd feel about Kobe. A pre-internet pen pal from Yokohama had died in the earthquake of 1995 whilst visiting family. I felt an inert sense of reservation the whole time and had some strange fears to confront, like worrying I'll laugh at a funeral.



Our first port of call was the port area. After a morning of history, it seemed fitting to have an afternoon of amusement, although Makiko, my old pen pal was a constant thought.



The above roller-coaster, dear reader, is intended for children. Phyllis and I are, thankfully, young at heart, so decided to take a ride.

It was fabulous. I'm sure our screams and laughter could be heard for miles around. The men in charge of the ride certainly seemed to find a certain joy, by the looks on their faces when passing them, at our hilarity.



Next was the big wheel. I hate big wheels, but buoyed up by the thrill of the roller-coaster, I decided to take the plunge.



Ian enjoyed it.



I was a mess.



From the amusement park, we walked on further around the port area. The above boat filled me with delight. I couldn't find out much about it as the vast majority of information provided was in Japanese, but I could work out that it was a prototype for something fast on the oceans! And very Thunderbirds.



The above image, dear reader, was taken at the Earthquake Memorial Park - a section of the port area left untouched after the earthquake. Very moving. I thought of Makiko. Having no idea how, I pondered the end of her life.

Isn't life cruel and simply a series of shitty messes? It begins with strife and always ends the same way.



I took a photograph of this bizarre tower. I've no idea what it is.



And also have no idea what this drink is or why I photographed it. Life, dear reader, is a mystery. Everyone must stand alone.