We've been to Yokohama 3 previous times and have exclusively stayed in Yokohama. However, today we booked a private shore excursion to Tokyo with Cheryl & Ed from Cruise Critic.
It's about an hour drive to Tokyo on a little bus and our guide, Hiroko was good although I wish she was a bit more pro-active in painting things out. We first visited the Meiji Shrine and followed that with a visit to a shogun castle and the Emperor's Garden. It was blazing hot at 93°f. We then visited the Tsukiji Outer Market which focuses on fish and fish related meals. We found them a bit pricey but found a nice little restaurant which had noodle bowls for around $5. With the hot day a Asahi beer tasted wonderful.
Afterwards we visited the Sensoji Temple by means of the Kaminarimon Gate and a very long shopping street. We also had the opportunity to go to the top of the Asakusa Tourist Information office. From there we drove back to the Yokohama Cruise ship terminal. While the others headed back to the ship, we headed back into Yokohama in search of a cash machine which we found in a post office. Angela also found a 2020 Olympics pin there.
Back in the ship we showered and ate a little Lido dinner before watching the 9pm introduction to the cruise emceed by Lance.
Shortly thereafter the Maasdam set sail in the dark at 10pm. It turned out some friends from a prior cruise had just boarded, so we watched the sailaway together until the pilot was discharged. We had a lot of catching up to do. We continued that updating when we introduced Ann's son to the 10:30pm Lido feeding. He took to it like a pro!
Two things that struck me today are first, how clean the large trucks are. The second this is how little graffiti is present.
We're in Shimizu tomorrow as the first in the series of a number of Japanese and Russian ports. Stay tuned
No comments:
Post a Comment