Destinations
Costa neoRomantica Ports of Call - Where the Anchor Drops Te x t & I m a g e s b y LI LY R I A N I
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I’ve been on a few cruises before this but all those did not prepare me for my first time onboard Costa neoRomantica by Costa Cruises, a nine-day cruise that dropped anchor at four beautiful port cities: Kobe, Kochi and Miyakojima in Japan; and Keelung in Taiwan.To experience Costa neoRomantica, I explored various urban destinations, ranging from metropolitan Tokyo to resort city Miyakojima and gold city Keelung. My exciting journey did not start during the cruise but extends before and after taking it. For this trip, I began my journey in Tokyo and concluded it in Yokohama.
Oi Terminal, Tokyo Located around half an hour away from Oi Terminal is the Tsukiji Outer Market, a seafood lovers’ haven. It is strange how the human mind works the same regardless of ethnicity, status or interest when it comes to food: our curiosity and fascination over the market took the best of us as we explored it, thus reduced our walking speed. I finally understood why some say that an hour or two at this place is simply not enough. Tsukiji Outer Market Its lively and energetic atmosphere is highly contagious - I jump in excitement every time I see a dish that is
interesting and refreshing, vegetables packaged cleverly and desserts presented beautifully. The torched scallops, fresh sea urchins, sashimi, barbecued tiger prawns and strawberry desserts wrapped inside a mochi ball are the must-trys here. Tsukiji Honganji Temple Located right next to Tsukiji Outer Market is the Tsukiji Honganji Temple, built in Asakusa in 1657 and later relocated to Tsukiji after it was leveled by the Great Kanto earthquake in 1923. It is a Jodo Shinshu Buddhist temple known for its architectural design that takes cue from several South Asian temples.
