Dinner and a Show in Tokyo

We got into Tokyo Harbor about 3:30 pm and were greeted by two Tokyo Fire Department boats with a water arch salute. Very nice indeed. Then all the Around the World cruisers had to hurry and board buses for the Hotel Gajoen for dinner and a Japanese cultural music and dance performance.

This is only the start of Tokyo for me. I will be here tomorrow with the ship and then spend the night Sunday after the ship leaves. Monday, ironically April Fool's Day I board a train for Hirosima. However, tonight the party was on! 

At the Hotel Gajden the food and drinks were both traditional and endless.  The sake was weak until I politely asked, and recieved, the good stuff.  The food was amazing: Salmon Piccia and Cavier, Five appetizers none of which I could neither pronounce or recognize, Wan Dish (clear soup), Fried Flounder with Semolina, Sea Brea with Tempura and Sea Salt on the side, Beef Sukiyaki Style (which apparently means with a raw egg on the side you dip the meat in with chop sticks - not for amatures), and last but not least Pistachio Parfait Glasces Fruits Rouge. And more Sake.

The shape and textures were a challenge with chop sticks, especially the meat which is dipped into the raw egg in the bowl to the left. Hard not to drip it all over the place. My friend Bob Brown ate NONE of the courses. Says he's a meat and potatoes man. He missed out.  

Maybe it was the alcohol but, two of the ladies at my table remarked that, "Some men don't know how to dress but, you really pulled it off." How about that, my fashion critics?

These next four photos are of floor to ceiling 3-D pictures along the entry to the hotel. There were fountains, fresh cherry blossoms arrangements, art and statues.  The last one the little boy appears to be playing a dulcimer because he is fretting it from above the strings instead of from under it like a guitar.

Dulcimer Boy. That must be an early McSpadden Dulcimer.

ありがとう、あなたは歓迎

The first impression I get from Japan is from Miyako-jima and Kyoto. Miyako-jima is 1830 km from Tokyo which is were we port tomorrow for two days. There is no comparison. They are about the same distance as Fairfield Bay is from Miami, FL. Japan is obsurbedlyclean and tidy.  Everything is scaled down for a smaller population. Cars, buses, houses, hotel rooms, seats, benches, stair railings, you name it. 

Everything is rigidly structured as well: traffic, lines, formalities,and even nature. Their nature areas with plants and trees, flowers and koa are all very artistist, either manicured or carefully arranged by expected growth, height, profussion, color and how it fit in and balanced with everything else.  It is all very beautiful and calming but just a ting disturbing and uncomfortable. It is as if absolutely everything has to be in some type of tight control. It took me a while to realized what was wrong with such overflowing and generous beauty everywhere you go.  It was planned. Some, thousands of years ago, most more recent, i.e. bonsia trees.

MIYAKO-JIMA, JAPAN

These markers were on poles around town to let you know how far above sea level you are
because tsunamis have been a problem here.

Drink coffe like a boss.  These were all over Miyako-jima.

    

You can tell from this photo from the bus that Myako-jima is not a large city.  I was told many Jananese fly down here for vacations. It's about like flying to Florida from Little Rock.

OKINAWA, JAPAN

Once in Okanawa I got some MOS Burger, fries and Ginger Ale.  I don't know what the sause was but it was tasty. Popular chain.

Liz, I didn't know your alien green car was here!

KYOTO, JAPAN

1600 castle in center of Osaka.

I'd been hearing about Dora Yaka but this was my first.  They are like a double mini-pancake
with cream, green tea or chocolate filling. They even char their logo on it.

He's cooking my what ever its called. It turned out to be bacon wrapped rice on a stick. Yummy.

  

  

OSAKA, JAPAN

The Umeda Sky Building in Osaka.

Escalators seen from the donut.

Going down 10 stories at a time.

Akyra-son our tour guide with his Oceania Bus 17 sign, coming down.

These are views of Osaka from the Umeda Sky Building. The observatory is donut shaped on the 40th floor and open air. The observatory is actually stretched across the top of two forty story buildings. There is a 10 story escalator in two transparent tubes across the open middle. Many tourists took the elevator instead. It would be a long trip and fall.

This is interesting. Those are little red locks shaped like hearts with
personal love messages on them, usually two names and a date.

CABIN 4002

At near the half-way point of my journey, I thought I'd post my cabin. This is my home for 6 months.  I is serviced everyday like a hotel room. When I get back to Fairfield Bay I'll probably stand in the mifddle of my liveing room wondering why the staff hadn't cleaned, where my fresh towels and linens are, my bed not even made up. I'd get hungry because I don't know how to cook. I've got a load of dirty clothes and no one came by to pick it up, clean, day and iron everything. I can still go out on my deck but, looking at the lake and thinking moderate seas of 4-6 foot waves and North Eastern swells would take out my boat, the marina and the campgrounds.

It turns out a small shower is a good thing on a rocking sea at sea. There are walls and bars to hang on to.

In case you are wondering about the title.  It says: Thank you and you are welcome.