Kochi - Sunday 18 August

Smoothe seas, clear skies and the beating of drums greeted us into Kochi on the Japanese island of Shikoku. The Holland America, Maasdam is also in port (but quite a bit smaller than us). Nice new port terminal about 10km out of town. Plenty of stalls and tourist information as we proceeded on shuttle bus into city centre.
Kochi is also going out of its way to support tourism with welcome signage, volunteers etc everywhere. Very nice city centre with wide streets and long, covered, pedestrianised malls leading to Kochi Castle about 1.2km away. Helpful volunteers everywhere.
Pat retrieved her walking stick for a little old lady who was out shopping on her trike. Five minutes up the mall when we made a stop, there she was beside us, insisting that Pat accept a small bag of mandarins in thanks!!
We wandered the park at the foot of the very impressive Kochi Castle (too long and steep to climb after yesterday's efforts). I have been a little ambitious with my intentions and have had to wind back - including resorting to my walking stick. Then back through the very long (1km) parallel, and operating for 300 years, Sunday Market with shops and stalls of all sorts - from knives, to fruit, vegetables, bonsai, flowers, fish, pet crabs in shells of various types etc, etc.
Then for a coffee, more street wandering and a little shopping, including Daimaru for Pat. We even encountered a friendly robot (I wanted to buy him for Christian, but he was not for sale!!).  Walked to Kochi's iconic small red Harimaya Bridge for a photo. Lots of volunteer assistance in town, girls in kimono etc. Quite a few children have been keen to talk - one boy, about 10 and walking with his mother, stopped me to introduce himself and have a chat. He is learning basic English at school. Other small boys stopped to make acquaintance, or for a photo.
Back to the shuttle bus (after trying for a foot massage - but booked out), where we encountered enthusiastic year 10 students, volunteering on a Sunday in school holidays, to undertake a tourist survey (they also have "big homework" to complete in their long summer holidays). Back at the ship, with young undergraduates, also doing a research project on Kochi tourism. As we will be in South Korea tomorrow, we were required to exit Japanese Immigration to reboard the ship.
A late snack for lunch, then time at the pools and spas for one of us (not the one who "loves the water") - beautiful clear day, low 30'sC.
Departing Kochi at 5.30pm, we were farewelled by the sounds of the Japanese taiko drums, other instruments, and singing and dancing.
Very nice dinner again. We have again been lucky to have four very pleasant and compatible dinner mates (the couple from Adelaide are in fact in the next cabin). The late show was a young Spanish magician. Very talented, but for me the show was too much production and too little magic - give me the old style sabres and saws anytime!!!