神戶市: 神戶海濱地區 Kobe Bay Area

Date: Friday, 11th April 2008 (Lunch Time)

We were at Mosaic Town during lunch time. This place is located at a bay area of Kobe which overlooking Kobe Port (red tower) & Oriental Hotel (shape of ship). We did an hour of shopping or two there.... Over here, we saw a mini fun-fair, children's favourites!

We had lunch in Mosaic, a restaurant called 'Shell' (1st picture below) - decorated like wooden sailing ship with many wooden crafts & antique items in it. First, we have to collect number and wait for calling. Once we were ushered to our seat, we ordered their BBQ chicken set with a bowl of rice* (it is soft and shiny, usually tasty!) and miso soup. None of the waiters or waitresses knew English, so we just point fingers at the menu while ordering ka ka ka...!

[ The padi (or rice*) in Japan is being harvested in a different way - after collected all padi from the standing crops, the padi was not send to factory for processing straight away, it was indeed dried under the sun naturally for weeks (together with the weather of Japan) - in order for the rice to turn out soft and shiny.... amazing !! ]

The toilet we went (inside "Shell Restaurant") is the first toilet we accessed in Kobe which is quite complicated - there are many buttons on the left and right side of it (I felt awkward to snap the photo - you may not eat after seeing it ka ka ka!). I remembered the moment I sat on it, I felt the warmness on my buttocks (this is purposely fixed, for cold weather I guessed). Buttons on the left is to select the methods of washing. Buttons on the right side is to 'stop' and flushes the wastes away. 2 types of tissues readily available - 1 to place on the bowl seat (disposable) and 1 for wiping. Their toilets are usually clean.

And, I also can't imagine Kobe has got varieties of colourful flowers.... can't stop my hand in clicking the camera :-) Ah, this purple/white/pink tall flowers I took there (picture below) - PARADICHLOROBENZENE, apparently, its being used as clothing insect repellent. It can effectively prevent clothes from moths attack. Suitable for wardrobes, closets, drawers, containers and etc. This product is also available in Singapore.

盈盈, our Japanese tour guide told us that not many young people can afford to go holidaying overseas. It is not because of their weak financials but the mindset of Japanese is to work non-stop and earn more $$$. To them, such enjoyment is considered over lavish or wasteful. Therefore, we only sees old japanese peoples travelling and young peoples stay back to work harder. Eh, eh! This is true.....