KOBE

KOBE
So today I went to Kobe. I felt like I just wanted to get out of this city. I had my backpack all packed with my handy Lonely Planet guide, Dictionary, water, and all the other essentials for a day trip. I was a little more tired than I wanted to be as the night before I went to the Tiger Pub with Eric who works there. He just wants to go to try and pick up on the locals. A usually crowded night at the main foreigners bar found us sitting with the owner and the other bartender who was now off work. I talked to the other bartender who also teaches English to people who pay him 30$ and hour at Starbucks here to have English conversation with him. He is leaving soon to go on a tour throughout ALL of southeast Asia except Myanmar and Burma and wind up in Australia. Crazy but Im sure he’ll have fun! Anyhow, they wanted to go hit on girls who hang out around the downtown train station. Basically it’s the only place besides bars young people hang out here. Eric and he both speak some Japanese so they hit on, what looked liked to me some high schoolers, playing drinking games right outside the 7-11. No one seems to care as I don’t think alcohol is a big deal here. Then we wondered some more and saw the local hooligans. They are soo funny to watch. The cruise the main street on gopeds revving the engine as thought they were Harleys.. As the guy with us said, "Oh yea thats intimidating....Two guys doubled up on a moped, who have hair like Bon-Jovi in the 80's and all bleached to some horrible not-natural color, wearing what looks like my sisters clothes." Very accurate description of them actually. The most trouble they do is rev there engines and yell. They yell, "Big penis?!" to Americans who walk by them at night. But kids in the middle school think its funny to ask this too. Then we watched some streets musicians. They don’t want money. They just sit outside to play as they all live at home and can’t go anywhere to practice. They weren’t very good but one guy was playing the blues and did a hatchet job to Eric Clapton’s Heaven. After that I went to bed at 1:30.
And on to Kobe....I made my way to the station and none of the words on the ticket seller ting were in English. I did a lil’ more guessing and got my ticket then followed the signs. I actually got a seat and was able to sit the whole way. The trains say it will be arriving at "1:03" and they REALLY do show up at exactly that time. I wasn’t sure what they were saying over the speaker and didn’t want to get off at the wrong stop so I asked the guy next to me, and he let me know when I got there.
I made my way to Harbor land. It’s a amusement park next to the bay. REALLY big Ferris Wheel and a roller coaster. Next door is a place called MOSAIC. REALLY nice outdoor mall and many nice restaurants that look out onto the bay. This section does not look like a port at all. I found a ALL YO CAN EAT fishmarket!! I was in heaven! First all you can eat place I have seen! IT was only 1690 yen, which was good for how much I ate.
I then walked all around the famous port tower. IT was very cool. It was 600 yen to goto the top but I just went to the 4th floor of the mall an had a great shot of the bay. They had a monument to the 5,000 who died in 1995 in the Earthquake. It was just nice to sit and relax by the water on a nice cool day.
I then walked to the Motomachi neighborhood where I believe 5,000 Chinese live. It basically is Chinatown. Lots of Mao things for sale and LOTS of Chinese food stands. All very clean though. I walked trough about a mile long mall. I bought MANY sweets! I like the balls of rice, I think they are called mochi. I also bought dried pineapple, and a bun with beans in it. They are really sweet Japanese beans. Not sure the name and it doesn’t sound good but it’s a healthy and good dessert. I was soo full but it was all good! They had many nice and expensive stores. This city is 1.5 million or so. About 3 times Himeji and was a lot cooler. Many malls and bars and such. I bought some gifts and then went to a store called UNI-Qlo. Its like the GAP for Japan and they have good sales. I bought a tank top for 390 yen. I found an Abercrombie and Fitch and T-shirts were 39-59 $!!!! Way expensive! But it was a nice city and I would recommend it. Not overwhelming like a Tokyo or anything.
Its only a 40 min ride and cost 10$ each way so I will go again. I watched the news and listened to NPR the whole way. IT went by fast. Others just slept. The girl next to me kept laying her head on me and I would have to shove her over to the other side a few times. And My feet were VERY tired when I got home but it was neat to see another city and now at least I know I can navigate the subway. Only bad thing was that my Camelback in my backpack leak all over me and down my pants. It look like I was either really sweating or I peed myself. Next time...no Camel Pack.

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