Another beautiful day, this time in Kobe, Japan. Today we had no tours planned so we decided to strike out on our own, catching the shuttle from the pier to downtown Kobe. From there we boarded the off/on Loop Bus which took us all round the city.

Our first stop was the Kobe Port Tower, the symbol of Kobe. An elevator ride to the top afforded us with great views of the harbor and city.

From there we hopped back on the Loop Bus to the stop for the Herb Garden and Kobe Ropeway cable cars.

Another great view of the city and gardens below.

At the top was a lovely square and rose gardens modeled after Germany. We grabbed a curry hotdog and juice and then started our decent on foot halfway down the mountain.

Just time for quick bite – hot dog with curry. Not something we would have come up with but surprisingly good.

On the way up we spotted these folks enjoying a peaceful rest in the gardens.

…so on the way down Tim had to give it a try.

Fortunately there was time for a lavender ice cream before reloading the ropeway cars to continue our trip back down the mountain.

Rhonda grabbed a photo of the legendary Japanese heated toilets and control centers which include various washes, drying and music for “privacy”.

Traveling on the city bus was quite an experience. Very crowded and we had absolutely no idea what was being said. But we never felt unsafe. The universal smile, a slight bow and “thank you” go a long way. Finally, back to the ship for a nice sunset and dinner on board. The Millennium has been a great floating hotel for us. We’ve enjoyed the Martini Bar a bit more than we should but it’s been a great gathering place at the end of a day’s adventures.