Sunday 6 May 2012

Kitakami and Sunflower Furamo

Here are more images from Japan, beginning with a trip from Tomakomai to Sendai on the splendid MS Kitakami of Taiheyo Ferry - a vessel which went straight into a high spot position as one of my all-time favourite ferries. Tomakomai ferry port also proved to be a fine place, having a port museum in the terminal and allowing visitors to walk along the quayside.


The Kitakami:



Sunflower Furamo at the next berth:




The brand new Silver Princess arrives:


An impromptu visit to the Silver Princess:








 

Even the mooring ropes are pink - such attention to detail:


 

Nice models in the Port Museum:


Subsequently very famous in Greece:


Taiheyo Ferry check-in:


The Kitakami's entrance hall:

 

    

The arcade, connecting the various public rooms:


The show lounge:

 

Out on deck in the evening, just prior to departure:



Dinner in the Grosvenor House Restaurant:




Chef cooking steaks to order:


Mmmm!:


 Taiheyo Ferry Japanese red wine - really very decent indeed:


Rather cute waitress bringing tea:


And some more wine - it was necessary to drink quite a lot just to confirm that initial positive impressions were correct:



The waitresses had translation cards, supplied by the company, to help them serve non-Japanese speaking guests:



That was a proper dinner!



The bar:


Showtime:



Capsule cabins - I had one of these this time:


It may not be much, but to me it's home (at least for one night):


Howthe other half live - an eighties-tastic luxury cabin:




Even with mini-bar:


Be careful out on deck:



The next morning, off Sendai:


Breakfast instructions:




The forward-facing observation lounge:


Approaching Sendai:







Painfully slow bus to the city centre:




Pink rabbit traffic cone (the orange cone adjacent appears pleased to see it):


A quick glimpse of downtown Sendai:


Extremely streamlined Shinkansen:






Changing trainsat Ueno:



School children going on a trip:


The next train was a 'Fresh Hitachi' - very smart:


Turning round all the seats:




New antimacassars:




Another change of trains at Mito onto something a little less salubrious, but rather characterful:




The line to Oarai is entirely elevated on a concrete viaduct:





Oarai Ferry Terminal:



Bus-dog:



Sunflower Furamo at Oarai:



Onboard, the Sunflower Furamo proved to be a most eccentric and weird ferry - nothing quite connected together and things were all in unexpected places and odd in terms of scale, shape and decor. A real example of 'design by committee', maybe. (Her sisters are now the Greek Lefka Ori and Sophocles V. - but these may soon be heading back to the Far East):

 



 

The enormous dining saloon on the topmost deck, rather resembling that of a 1930s ocean liner, rather than a 1990s ro-pax ferry:



Dinner:


Sunflower Ferry-branded cakes:



A most strange internal space:

 


Out on deck the next morning:



A dubious breakfast catering innovation - butter and jam in a single package:


Wildlife photography on deck:




Activities throughout the day:

 

Details of some of these activities:



Ah yes - the Scenic Grand Baths. This one was rather good with various temperatures of water in the pools:


Kitakami at the berth behind us back in Tomakomai:


More to follow!

No comments:

Post a Comment