April 12 - Tokyo, Japan

 Here we are back in Tokyo again.  We're here all day, then overnight.  Tomorrow is changeover day when one segment ends and the next begins.  We're staying on as we booked it as one whole 30-day cruise.  Steve and Leona are getting off tomorrow since they only booked this segment.  And Susan and Jerry got off today due to his medical condition.

Our tour today took us to a garden, the name of which I've forgotten, but it was another Shogun lord's palace garden.  It's a lovely oasis right in the middle of the city.  

We passed this on the way into the port.  It's an air vent for an underwater tunnel.

This building is right near the terminal.  Seems an appropriate design.

And this is a local television station's building.

Notice all the supports for this tree.

At our first meeting way back on our first day in Tokyo we were told that Japan has a lot of rules, which make life easier for everyone.  Stay to the left on escalators.  Always stand in a line for the bus or subway.  Even in the parks they have rules and here are some of them.  You probably have to click on them to enlarge for easier reading.

This wasn't in the park, but you see it everywhere around Tokyo.  Walk on the left, bicycles on the right.

Not a manhole cover, but nice directions on the sidewalk.

Another sidewalk guide for the blind.

Gardens are tucked in wherever they can.

More of the bicycles just parked without being locked up.

Our next stop was to the Tokyo Tower which was built in 1958.  It's reminiscent of the big tower on Mt. Sutro in San Francisco and serves the same function as a radio tower.  There's an observation deck about 150 meters up, roughly half-way up the 333 meter high tower.  It was the tallest when built, but is now the second highest.

From the bottom

And looking down through the glass floor up on the Observation deck.

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At the top is a beautiful new building, and at the bottom is one that looks like it's being torn apart.

Back on board, we ran into Steve and Jan/Tom in La Veranda having lunch.  Leona had gone off to find a Mikimoto store to check out their pearls.  And then Sarah came along so we had a nice visit.  The afternoon was spent napping (M) and playing around on the computer (me).  We were given our tour tickets for the next leg so I went through those and made a few changes.

Then we met one final time with Steve/Leona for a drink up in Observation Lounge before going off to our last dinner together in Chartreuse.  It was quite busy there tonight.  We had a great time but had to say our goodbyes to Steve/Leona.  We'll pick up our semi-weekly Zoom calls with them upon our return.

Us, Steve, Leona, Jan and Tom.  It was casual night, since it was the last night of the segment, but Leona had to show us her Mikimoto pearls.  We will miss them.