Wow, I still really want to do this cruise next year, and moreso now that I've read your impressions! I really hope we can do it, although that much time so far away from our little girls...dunno if we can swing it.
YOu may have run into the odd local that does not want anything to do with foreigners...the only time I encountered this was in Kyoto...I had stopped by a shop and was looking at the items for sale...because of the way things were set up, the shopkeeper couldn't see me...I saw her feet approach until we finally saw each other. The look on her face totally changed when she saw who it was. Needless to say, it went from eager to having a customer to complete disgust when she saw me. That was the only time I was made to feel unwelcome in Japan. Nevertheless she didn't grab a "weapon" and chase me!! But if looks could kill....
Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends ~~M. Angelou~~
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