Nagasaki

During our first 12-day cruise we stopped at 4 different Japanese ports.  Unfortunately, I didn’t make it off the ship the day we stopped in Tokyo.  I had to spot an ice show for some guests visiting from land, and didn’t feel up to rushing once I was done.  Instead, I had a movie day with my roommate and took a nice long nap before going to the crew talent show.  We surprised a cast member with a performance of “Seasons of Love” at the end of the show.  It was a great night, and I was glad I saved energy during the day.

“Seasons of Love”

Our last stop in Japan was in Nagasaki.  I woke up early to ensure that I could get off.  It was a warm, sunny day, and after a couple rocky nights on the ship, I was eager to be on land!  My friends and I had heard that there were nice gardens near the port, so we trekked over after disembarking.  The walk up to the gardens was lovely.  We had a great view of the ship, and enjoyed window shopping at the little shops that lined the street.

View of the ship

Just before the entrance to the gardens, we came across the Oura Cathedral, the oldest Catholic church in Nagasaki.  There were gorgeous statues outside, and a lovely altar inside.  It was an interesting mix of Eastern and Western styles.  The church was simultaneously foreign and familiar.

Oura Cathedral

We walked out of the cathedral and into Glover Gardens, named after Thomas Glover, a coal miner and trader that assisted the modernization of Japan in the 19th century.  His home, as well as the homes of other Westerners in Nagasaki, were open to walk through.  There were also fountains, statues, and lovely flowers scattered throughout the gardens.

Sun room at Glover’s home

Fountain at the gardens

There was also a heart stone at Glover Gardens.  Touching the stone is supposed to bring you luck in love.  You could purchase a paper heart to write a wish on and hang from the tree about the heart stone for extra luck.  I opted to simply touch the stone.  Only time will tell if it brings me luck!

At the heart stone

We ended the day with some delicious Asian Pear ice cream and a light lunch.  It was another great day!  I’m looking forward to more Japan ports in the coming weeks.