20231010 AAAA Trip - Tokyo, Japan - Then end and beginning

2023 Alaska, Asia, Australia, Arabian Peninsula Trip 
Day 24/105 - Tokyo, Japan - Farewell and hello

Today is a busy day for Viking.  This marks the end of the Vancouver-->Tokyo cruise and the beginning of the Tokyo-->Hong Kong cruise.  Lots of folks disembarking and many more embarking.  Rooms to clean, supplies to load and distribute - the entire drill needed to turn a ship around.  We needed fuel, so a bunkering vessel came alongside to deliver the go-juice.

We dealt with it all by leaving and going to the Tsukiji Outer Market - a fish and food market.

We shared an Uber with our friend, Betsy, and headed out. On the way, we drove over the much-celebrated Rainbow Bridge.  I think I forgot to mention yesterday that this was also a highlight of the tour yesterday.  To describe the experience - imagine driving over a bridge, any bridge.  Got it?  That's what it is like going over the Rainbow Bridge.  It is a suspension bridge.  Whoopie.

The place was bustling with end-to-end people.  

It was fun to see all the unusual, at least to us, foods that are commonplace here.

Right across the street is modern, sparkling, Tokyo

The market has a life of its own

Mouthwatering

We saw several vendors using propane torches to cook meals

Waygu beef was all over

Next up, we wandered over to one of the many shrines that dot Tokyo, the Namiyoke Shrine.

A shrine within the shrine

Arlona liked these laughing figures

The weather was absolutely beautiful today with blue skies and warm temperatures.  We decided to take advantage of the weather and head to the Tokyo Tower.

The Tokyo Tower was built in 1958. It stands 333 meters (1093 feet) tall and was designed to serve as a symbol of Tokyo's rebirth after World War II. It was the tallest tower in the world for a time, even taller than the Eiffel Tower that it was modeled after.

We rode the elevator to the main deck and took in the views.

Arlona used the restroom and came back with these photos.  Pretty amazing tech for a public restroom.

A dual-flush toilet with a multi-stream bidet and privacy music to mask your own "music"

Toilet seat cleaner was available - with instructions for use

The sink had an automatic soap dispenser (left), automatic faucet (right), and automatic dryer (front of the sink)

Even the Tokyo Tower has a shrine

Next up was the elevator to the top observation deck.

Our Viking Orion

A robot showed us the way down

Back on the lower platform, we found several downward-facing windows

Me, at the elevator door, being a rebel 

The inspiration for SNL's Coneheads?

We had enough and headed back to the ship. As we approached the gangway, who did we see?  Our neighbors and friends, Jon & Margo are joining us for the Tokyo to Hong Kong, and Hong Kong to Bangkok segments of this journey.  We showed them around the ship and eventually wound up in the Explorers’ Bar for a pre-dinner celebratory cocktail or two.  

They had a few long days between traveling to Tokyo and acclimating to this time, so after a nice dinner in the World Café, we all headed back to the staterooms.  We’re still trying to decide what to see tomorrow, so stay tuned tomorrow to see what adventures the day will hold.