Leaving Yokohama on our cruise

Friday, November 17th we check out of our lovely hotel and catch a taxi for the short ride to the cruise ship terminal. It only takes 10 minutes. The taxi driver is so professional.  Cap on and white gloves. 800 yen which is around $8.  We could have walked but it’s raining today.

The terminal is a bit of chaos but lots of Celebrity staff guiding you through. First of all we don’t have our baggage tags.  Apparently this was available online but I must have missed that.  We wait about 15 minutes to get our suitcases tagged.  Also we need a paper copy of our passport with regards to Taiwan.  Of course we didn’t have one on paper as everything is digital these days so we line up to get a photocopy.  They have two machines going and the line moves fairly quickly.  We then line up for immigration and security and then around 3:30 we get on the ship.  Our scheduled check in was 1:30 but that doesn’t really mean anything.  We are then directed to our muster station A3 where we watch a demonstration of how to put our life jackets on.  Apparently we could have done this on line but we must have missed it.  Then we can find our cabin #2060 and thankfully our suitcases are waiting for us.  Time to unpack.  There is quite a bit of storage area so we are thankful to finally unpack after 2 weeks.  We’re hungry so we go up to the Oceanview Cafe to get some food.  We manage pizza and Caesar salad and a glass of wine before it closes in preparation of dinner at 6 pm.  

Of course we just ate at 5 but we’re back at the cafe at 6 pm where I have some delicious seafood pasta, salad, glass of wine and some dessert.  Yum!  

We then head out on the deck to take photos of Yokohama as we depart.  It’s a beautiful evening.  Skies are clear and the water is calm.

Then off to the theatre to listen to Jim Hodson who plays 6 different instruments.  Very talented.  I have seen someone play the harmonica and guitar at the same time but never a trumpet and guitar.  Then he plays Stairway to Heaven on the Ukulele.  Never heard the ukulele sound like that.  Great evening.  Of course there is more dancing, music and general partying to be had on the upper floors but we’re knackered so it’s off to bed.  The sea is quite rough because the wind has been blowing so it’s good to be lying down.

Last days in Yokohama

We check out of our hotel in Tokyo and ride the train to Yokohama where we will be staying for two nights prior to boarding our cruise ship.  We have two back to back cruises with Celebrity and will disembark in Sri Lanka on December 6/23.

We head off to explore the waterfront and see where we board the cruise ship.

We head to the Red Brick Warehouse which is full of stores selling Xmas merchandise.

After doing some serious shopping we continuedown the waterfront. 

This is called The Girl with the Red Shoes.

We go to a unique restaurant for dinner called Flashback.  Quite different for Yokohama but we were tired of eating out of 7 Eleven. :)

Off to bed….going on the ship tomorrow.

Disneyland

Today we take the train in to Tokyo station and then to Disneyland. 

Every time we go anywhere this is what we have to figure out!  It’s so challenging.  After almost two weeks here it’s not so overwhelming but still difficult.

It’s a small world 



Beautiful day!













Marlene bought me a birthday cake!

It’s the end of our day and we’re exhausted.  We leave Disneyland to take the train back to our hotel and have dinner courtesy of 711!

More of Tokyo

As we continue through downtown Tokyo…

Godzilla performing with the band?

So busy…you can see Godzilla peeking over the top of the buildings by the Hotel Gracery.

Who would have thought there is a Statue of Liberty in Tokyo?  Right by the Rainbow Bridge.  

We go to this huge shopping center to have something to eat and look around.  Not enough time to do both so Marlene and I look around and then we go for dinner at the Italian place close to our hotel.  Great pizza, salad and glass of wine.  This concludes our tour with Stunning Tours.

Tokyo

We are staying at the Tmark City Hotel which is quite lovely.

This is the view from our hotel room.  We are here for four nights.

This morning we head out to explore Tokyo.  There are just eight of us now and JSook has put together an optional tour to see some of the highlights of Tokyo.

We start at Kiyosumi Gardens is a Japanese Traditional Rock Garden.  Very peaceful.



ISO water - stepping stones

The Torii gate at Meiji Shrine



Saki containers.



It is Sunday at the Shrine and it is common for your children ages 3, 5 and 7 to dress up and have their pictures professionally taken.  The outfits are stunning.



This is the marriage tree.



There were several weddings taking place when we were there.  Here the bride is wearing the large white hood which signifies covering the horns of jealousy.  Her husband to be is beside her.



What a cutie!







Also mothers bring their babies to receive blessings.





After we leave the shrine we drive through the shopping district where there are many designer shops.  Lots of good shopping here.  As we leave the shopping area we see the Shibuya Scramble crossing at a very busy intersection.  The crosswalks go in all directions.  It’s a free for all!



The Tokyo Tower is a communications and observation tower in the Shiba-koen district of Minato, Tokyo.  Built in 1958 it is 333 meters and the second tallest structure in Japan.  It was built to lighten people’s spirits after the war and made of metal recycled from the war such as tanks.





View from the tower.



Standing on clear glass looking down. 



Do you see Godzilla?



These narrow lanes contain some small eateries.  They have been here for years.



Such narrow stairs leading up.



Hardly any room to move…I don’t know how they cook in such cramped quarters but there was some delicious food being served.





Japanese technology is amazing.  This sign of the cat is actually 3D and moving.  It was so realistic!