Monday

Home again safe and sound and now to recuperate from the incredible stimulation of three weeks journey..and to assimilate it all,too.  Travel is certainly an education and we sure are lucky to live where we do!

Sunday night in Tokyo

well, I sure wish we were in Vancouver instead of here.  We now have a ten hour flight.  I am feeling crappy, too, having the Hanoi trots.  My neighbour Larry said they don't call it globe trotting for nothing!  Hope I make it the rest of the way.

Saturday in Hanoi

Last day before heading home. We had an adventure  this morning as we had decided to look at a store that sold and /made cheong sams, which is the Chinese equivalent of this Vietnamese garment. There were two cabs and none of us in our cab knew where we were going.  However, we drove around in circles for 30 minutes, not knowing what to do, or where to go.  It seemed apparent that our cab driver didn't know where to go either. I was sitting in the middle in the back seat, a truly scary place to be, as I could see all the mayhem in front of us.  It was a sea of scooters, many with three or four on them and often children, in between two parents or at the back or front of one or other parent.  It was dreadful as the streets lights seem to have any bearing of traffic. One just goes...we finally came to a stop and the driver told us to get out..we fortunately had the phone number of our guide Hong Anh and she said stay where we were and she would come and get us.  Turns out, our cab couldn't go down the street because of traffic restrictions and the store was a couple of long blocks away.  Our guide came and took us to the store, which was quite a lovely one indeed but the prices were very high and no one bought anything. I saw a nice beaded purse for $280.00.  USD. I didn't buy. I felt badly for our little guide who went to so much trouble to find this nice spot for us, although we were more like bargain hunters.  We took a taxi back to our hotel and then went to the corner for lunch and we had a nice soup and egg rolls.  Then, went to a store across from our hotel which sold lovely silk things, too, and more to our budget!
The others went off adventuring and I back to the hotel for R n R.  The others are having a massage for $20 and they look forward to that...I don't care for them, so will not bother with that. Good to rest up today after such a busy time!  

Friday in Hanoi

Well, after  breakfast left the hotel at 7:45 a.m. For a 4 hour drive to Halong bay.  We were met at the harbour with a private boat for the 9 of us..one was ill.  There were two tables set up with tablecloths and an assortment of wine glasses, knives and forks.  No chopsticks!  I actually asked for them.  We had a very nice lunch with soup, and mussels, spring rolls, a crab she'll filled with crab and ??? Then squid, then rice, and pineapple which was quite delightful. Following a leisurely sail,around the bay, we went to see the cave for which it is famous. Well, many steep steps up and down.   Inside. A huge cavern, with stalactite of calcium carbonate. Tomorrow is a free day so goodness knows what that will entail. 

Unbelievable number of motor bikes with two or three or more people on them.  You just see a tide of them on the road , all honking at one another.  You take your life in your hand crossing the road. 

Apparently 80% of the people here smoke.  Cigarettes are $1.00 a package.  

We have such a nice young girl as our guide.  Hong Anh....she took tourism at university and rides her motorbike to our hotel each day.  She will,accompany us to,the airport on Sunday for the start of our trip home.  Our first flight of three leaves here at 1:55 pm, then from Tokyo we leave at 9:55 pm (exactly) then from Vancouver arriving at 7:21p.m. the day before.  

Thursday in Hanoi

today another busy day.  Met our guide at 9 am to start, after quite delightful breakfast.  Odd things like one might find on a lunch or dinner buffet, plus breakfast things.
Our first stop was to see the tomb of Ho Chi Minh along with ten thousand others.  Many of whom were little children, of kindgarten age and less...all lined up with their uniforms of matching t shirts and holding on to the one in front by his or her t shirt hem.  Dear little things they were too.  This took nearly two hours and then we went for lunch in a hotel. It was very nice, and we had two,tables and food was served family style.  Lovely table settings with lots of wine glasses etc.  none of us had wine, though.  Following lunch we went to see the presidential castle and then the Royal palace and then to a lacquer place.  Bought two pretty trays.  Then off,to,the pottery area of town where little money was spent but it seemed like a lot because their money has so many zeros.  200,000 dong is worth ten dollars. We had two beers tonight and shared it between the three of us and the bill was 70,000 dong which was $3.50 or $1.75 per large draft beer. I changed the equivalent of $50 yen and seem to have spent it already.  Tonight we went to a nice restaurant recommended by our guide.  She is so cute. My room mate said she wanted Vietnamese food but not from a street vendor so we were escorted to hotel and had most interesting meal and then took a taxi back to our hotel.. $5.00 shared between the five of us.
Tomorrow an early start for Halong Bay.  4 hours there and back and a couple of hours there.  It will be another full day. I bet we won't be home until 8 pm. Saturday is a free day prior to leaving for home Sunday and gaining a day in the process.  I may not survive until then.  I find I enjoy the eating part more than the touring part ..😄😄😄 t'was ever thus.

Wednesday continued

I discovered I was in business class flying today and my companions were further back in the plane and in steerage.  How that happened I don't know, except perhaps I asked for a window seat and they all preferred an aisle?
Our hotel,is splendid.  Marble, and granite and hardwood floors, and spacious.  Our guide has warned us about thievery and we are to be most cautious.,

Wednesday

April 15 Wednesday 

We boarded our flight to Hanoi at 8:35 as promised ( well of course, this is Japan) and of course, the plane took off at exactly 8:55 as promised.  It is a most wonderful plane.  I am in row 16 unlike my companions who are further back, so don't know if I somehow got into first class, because the seat is spacious, it has a leg rest and a foot rest both and the tray comes out from the arm. Almost immediately upon departure, drinks of all sorts are served, followed by lunch.  I chose the fried chicken option..haha...it was the oriental version of fried chicken. Very nice, but served with Asian accoutrements, and flavours. And miso soup.  My other option was something which looked like noodles with seafood, but who knows what that was.  My Japanese neighbour had the same as I so I cannot surmise what that was.  The toilet had the same warm toilet seat and bidet functions too.  Amazing.  There is a screen of proportions ( not the mini ) in front.  Possibly has English on it but haven't turned it on.  There is also a USB port on the seat back in front, although when I plugged it in it didn't charge, so not sure what I would do with that .

It is a long flight from Tokyo to Hanoi of 5 hours.  And I thought it was a hop skip and a jump the way Nagisa spoke of it.  It is the same as going from one side of Canada to another, almost. 2200+ miles.

We were met by a nice young gal and she took us to our hotel, and after 30 minutes or so we headed out for a stroll! So, we walked 

from 3:30 until 6 with a stop for some traditional Vietnamese treats.  One was mixed fruit with evaporated milk on it. Truly delicious.  Later when we were all flagging, stopped for an egg coffee which was incredibly delightful.  Whipped egg with hot espresso on it.  Sweet and frothy, and thick, and strong.  Served in a bowl with hot water in it to,keep,the coffee hot.  Served with a spoon.  Walked another few blocks to,the restaurant for dinner at 6 pm.  No raw fish and lots of tasty things...chick, rice spring rolls, shrimp, pu,pain soup, and watermelon and pineapple for dessert.  The streets are filled with vendors of all sorts of meat, fish, and vegetables, all looking wonderful and fresh in spite of no refrigeration.  Streets lined with clutter and people and wires above a complex weave.  Following dinner we saw a water puppet show which was incredible....

Tuesday pm

Well, go on the bullet train in the rain.  We boarded at 8:35 and landed in Tokyo at 10:55..exactly!  We were met by a tour guide and walked in the rain to a parked bus about 3 blocks away!  I think rain is a fact of life here, as hotels all seem to have umbrellas for loan at the entrance.  So far we seem to have experienced rain almost daily.   We went to the New Otani hotel for lunch, which is a most splendid place indeed.  We had the most marvellous lunch there in a garden restaurant.  It was a Teppanaki lunch, which meant all the meal was cooked on a grill in the middle of the table.  We had snapper and scallops to begin, then steak and chicken, vegetables also...including squash, onion, and aubergine. Then rice, Miso soup, and to end, there was orange sherbet.  The gardens there were splendid. We then drove to the Imperial Palace and many walked to see the front entrance of the Palace.  It was a sea of umbrellas walking to the palace gates.

Taxi drivers wear dark black suits. 

Japanese drivers drive on the other side of the road, like the UK

We arrived at the hotel adjoining the airport and it is beautiful indeed. We leave here on the same floor as the departure gate at 7:15 am for the 9 pm flight.  We are truly pooped! Another full,day with lots of walking and lots of rain, too. 

Tuesday

Our dinner last night was at the train station near by and quite a splendid one, too.  We had a little fire in front of us for cooking the assortment of vegetables and the thinly sliced beef.  The beef was so thinly sliced it took but a few moments in the heated broth to cook.  There were assorted dips in front of us..one that tasted and looked like peanut butter but I think was likely sesame.  Very flavourful.  When in inevitable raw fish came, I cooked mine in the same broth and it was quite delightful.  The fish really was so fresh and had no fishy taste at all. We ate the veggies in the broth, too, and there was also tofu(yum) then tempura came, and I always enjoy that.  The end was little squares of cheesecake...very lightly flavoured lemon. The whole meal quite a taste treat.  No yucky egg pudding type things. No seaweed, no miso soup.  Hurrah!  Today's final lunch will be something like the Manchurian restaurant I gather...to be revealed.  Today we lose most of our group,who are heading back to Kelowna and only ten of us continue to Hanoi, after a night in the hotel in Tokyo.  To be continued....

Monday

well, back at the hotel at last at 4:45 after leaving here this a.m. at 9:30.  We rode subways, and taxis today and visited marvellous a Shinto Shrine and a Buddhist temple, both simply fabulous.  In between we had lunch at a French restaurant which seemed pretty close to Japanese food, to me, in that there was soup, and rice.  But we had chicken that was cooked and that was a real plus. We then visited a geisha street and then a museum.  The museum was so interesting in that it was fabric, clothing, lacquer ware.  I enjoyed that very much.  Following that we headed home.  I am pretty pooped after all,that time on my feet except for the 45 minutes at lunch. We have a bit of a break until dinner at the train station near by.  Our lunch cost 1000 yen which is approximately $10. 

Sunday

A pleasant day today..weather wise and adventure wise.  We left Kanazawa this a.m. At 8:10 am train.  And I mean 8:10!  You don't mess with the time in Japan. We had breakfast at 6:30 am then. Walked over to the train. Station which was a short little walk and then got on the train.  It was amazingly quiet and smooth. it took two hours to get to Kyoto, and we were met with a guide who was so good.  She was easy to understand unlike our other guides. After a trp to see  some Shinto shrines we had lunch at a little Japanese restaurant....a box lunch, with lots of fish, and miso soup and egg custards and rice, and pickles, and followed by watermelon which was truly delightful.  I am done with fish! We had a walking tour of a lovely garden in the afternoon and finally headed to the hotel ,around 4:45.  We left for dinner at 5:30 which was at as restaurant of our choosing and we 11 headed out to find a non Japanese restaurant .  We found one and had such a nice hamburger patty, deep fried shrimp, small amount of macaroni, and cabbage.  It was delightful!  Tomorrow another adventure filled day.  Our fare on the train was $70 and we go on the bullet rain the day after tomorrow and the fare for the one way ride to Tokyo is $150.  That will be fun.
We had a really long walk tonight to find the restaurant.  Just what I needed! It is now 9 p.m. and really ready for bed after the 4:10 am start. 

Saturday

Today we left about 9 am for a trip to Kenroku-en-garden.  What a beautiful place, too.  There were the most magnificent cherry trees in bloom.  Hundreds of them.  There were beautiful Japanese gardens and ponds too. It was pretty chilly again, although there was no rain.  Following this we went to the Kanazawa castle park.  Then we went to place that does silk painting and I did a little flower on a silk banner.  I enjoyed that as it was like colouring in a paint book when I was a child.  Paint inside the lines. I bought a little silk napkin which is so pretty.  Following this, we went  for lunch.  A Japanese restaurant with raw tuna, miso soup, rice, tempura and some noodles (soba I think)  in a broth.  All very tasty but I really will be glad of a change to cooked food.  After lunch we went to a street where geishas are trained and perform in the evening.  They charge 2000$ for an hour of entertainment.  We then visited some gold shops where gold foils are used.  I'm didn't buy anything.  Home at abut 4 and dinner tonight at 6:45 then leave tomorrow for a train to Kyoto for a couple of nights.  The train back from Kyoto to Tokyo will be the bullet train.  That will be most interesting. 
Had typical Japanese dinner tonight.  I am truly done with raw fish!  It is so beautifully presented but it still tiny squid, raw tuna, raw snapper, or tofu, in a broth, or seaweed in a dense green colour!  I long for a Big Mac!  However, each course takes a long time so basically I am full without having consumed a lot of food.  Now for bed!

Saturday

Today we left about 9 am for a trip to Kenroku-en-garden.  What a beautiful place, too.  There were the most magnificent cherry trees in bloom.  Hundreds of them.  There were beautiful Japanese gardens and ponds too. It was pretty chilly again, although there was no rain.  Following this we went to the Kanazawa castle park.  Then we went to place that does silk painting and I did a little flower on a silk banner.  I enjoyed that as it was like colouring in a paint book when I was a child.  Paint inside the lines. I bought a little silk napkin which is so pretty.  Following this, we went  for lunch.  A Japanese restaurant with raw tuna, miso soup, rice, tempura and some noodles (soba I think)  in a broth.  All very tasty but I really will be glad of a change to cooked food.  After lunch we went to a street where geishas are trained and perform in the evening.  They charge 2000$ for an hour of entertainment.  We then visited some gold shops where gold foils are used.  I'm didn't buy anything.  Home at abut 4 and dinner tonight at 6:45 then leave tomorrow for a train to Kyoto for a couple of nights.  The train back from Kyoto to Tokyo will be the bullet train.  That will be most interesting. 

Friday..

This a.m. Friday, we left Kasugai and departed from our hosts.  We were driven to the train depot, where a hired coach met us.  For breakfast our hosts provided little buns like hot cross buns, with raisins and butter inside.  Hot interesting.  Also strawberries, coffee, and a little tiny bottle of an unknown liquid...it was like yogurt only very liquid. We drove up a mountain with lots of snow and snowy peaks in the distance.  And snow piles in the ditch.   Takayama is our lunch stop.  Brr.  We stopped at a Ginya and wandered through this facility with no shoes on our feet.  Kind of facility for Shogun of many years ago.  Some had bare feet too.  It was mighty cold.  Then had lunch at a place that had a burner for each person filled with veggies..onions, mushrooms, etc. into this broth cooking the vegetables we put thinly sliced beef to cook.  It was so delicious.  Put the meat and vegetables onto rice bowl.  There was also miso soup, egg custard, which I didn't eat, and tea.  Then out into the rain to our bus.  We are in Kanazawa now in a little hotel..or rooms are little anyway.  Only wifi in lobby.😁 it is raining here, too, and tomorrow am we are putting our bags out for sending to Tokyo and we will only have our carry on for a couple of days. That will be interesting to manage.  It is nice to have a hotel room as we will be able to relax a bit.  It is hard work being hosted non stop for three days..both for them and for us. Or me at any rate.  Tonight a buffet dinner.  Slept a bit on the bus...as much as possible anyway! 

Thursday p.m.

  We are having an amazingly exhausting time here!  Fun indeed but no down time these last few days.  I and another gal were hosted by a couple Reiko and Yukihiko Sato. They are in their early 50s and have two sons, one of who is s at university and the other 17 years old.  They are an extremely wealthy family, but show no sign of that in their demeanour .They all seem to drive expensive cars here, and Satos are no exception as both have Toyota hybrid vehicles. One is an SUV and the other a Prius neither of which is found in Canada.  All cars have back up cameras and gps and everyone, and I mean everyone backs into parking spaces here.  They whiz in like there is no tomorrow.  Sato and his family own a saki plant, or whatever you call it. Kind of like a winery...fermentation etc. The saki is superb and is 18% alcohol so packs a punch.  Have had it both ways, warmed and ice cold.  Our first of three nights we spent in another gal's home as Satos had water shut off to their area of the city, so that was a real adventure.  Slept on a tatami mat and freezing cold, although warm enough under the covers, my nose was cold.  They seem to have space heaters in all used areas, others are neither insulated nor heated. I, for some unknown reason, needed to go to the bathroom every 2 hours.  Fortunately, the toilet seats are warm, so maybe that was the attraction.  Last night came to Sato's and we have beds and a washroom on the same level as the bedroom. Warmer indeed.  Their living room has heated floors, and lovely hardwood floors, too. 

Today we went for breakfast to a little bakery place and had ham and cheese sandwiches and coffee, and Mr Sato (Yukihiko) had corn soup with his sandwich. We went to a castle in the morning which was rebuilt after warm time bombing.  Then lunch to a Japanese feet under the table restaurant which 6 of us treated our three hosts to lunch.  More raw fish, miso etc. each of us paid 3000 yen for our share for 11 or approximately 30$.  Then we woman went to a kimono place, then back to Sato's parents home for a make your own sushi dinner.  Finally home to pack for tomorrow's early start at 7:45.  There is no down time and my knees not great.  I am also finding it much colder than anticipated so could have used warmer jackets or sweaters or something.  It has rained a bit, as well, contributing to the coolness. Tomorrow off to Kanazawa via coach and will be able to check into our hotel at 6 pm.  It is all go, go, go. We will connect with the rest of the 35 tomorrow as we have been with 6 the last few days, so that will be nice.  It is a bit of sensory overload...maybe that is an understatement!

Diane Draffiny

Thursday a.m.

Well, had a good sleep in a bed...and was quite warm under the covers.  The bedroom is on upper level and there is a toilet up here and a sink.  Shower is on main floor with attached tub.  You wash outside bath tub.  You take off shoes when entering toilet, house, and wear slippers. Or nothing, on your feet. On the main floor, floor  is heated. The temperatures are around 10 degrees outside  There was snow yesterday in Tokyo. We had a bit of rain here, but not too wet.
Our hosts are so kind, all of them.  They drive us around like packed sardines in their vehicles. They treat us like royalty and we have had some marvellous meals, although truthfully fish raw isn't my go to meal.  The Chinese food last night appealed more to me.  This home of Sato.san is new seeming and small footprint but spacious.  The kitchens are all tiny but as someone mentioned when no cooking required you don't need a lot of space.  There was no hot water in the house this a.m. and we surmise it might be turned off during the night.  There are two boys in this family, and the older one is at university in Yokohama.  The father owns a large saki factory which is like a winery.  We tried the saki, too and it is about 18% alcohol content. Very pleasant tasting, and smooth.  He works from 8:30 a.m. Until 7:30 pm.  He is not really the hands on brewer, but the boss!  Wives don't work..they are the housewives.  Funny relationship between family members it seems to me.  No warmth between, more like business arrangement.  But I don't know that for sure. Maybe arranged marriage?  Cells phones are everywhere and they are constantly on them, phoning not surfing.   This is an exceedingly handsome couple.  The wife, Reiko, looks young, and I thought she might by Sato.san's daughter, but she in fact is his wife and is 52 years old.  Sato is tall, good looking with pink colouring, not sallow.  Very handsome.  Few people speak English so communication is very difficult.  Thus the joke telling hilarity.  It is hard to explain what is funny, and more laughs are forthcoming than the joke warrants.
We are going for breakfast this a.m then driving into Nagoya today and see a kimono shop possibly. Sushi party  tonight here. 

Wednesday

Well, what a. Day.  Left for the. Airport. At 7:30 for the. Flight to the airport which left. At exactly 9:35, just as advertised. We arrived at. Nagano airport to be met by our charming hosts who after depositing. Our. Luggage in the two rather. Splendid. Toyota hybrid SUVs returned to the airport for lunch.  An interesting restaurant where food passed by our table  to be chosen as desired. We had very lovey fresh sushi and tempura.   Mother. To the Toyota museum then to the saki place like a winery of our hosts. Sato. San. We then went for a celebratory dinner of two of our hosts.  It was at a restaurant and consisted of possibly 11 courses...mostly fish, raw, and some soup..miso and other, plus some fish cooked in little bowls with veggies and a raw egg, the dessert was small individual flans, then cake with strawberries and whip,cream and coffee and green tea.  There was wine and saki, then coffee too in little Demi Tasse cups. After dinner we went to a spa..quite a marvellous place where you washed yourself first, then went into individual hot tubs all at 40 degrees C.  Then back to our home stay, which was interesting.  It was not the one we were meant to stay at as their water was off for the day by the city for repairs.  She we stayed with Tamie and I slept on a tatami mat and was really quite cold unless under the covers. My nose was cold and I got up every two hours to go to the bathroom!  Sliding doors, into the warm toilet seat.  There are space heaters everywhere in this house, which belonged to Tamie's parents who have either died or in a care home.  She doesn't live here but she was hosting 6 people...all of whom have slept on tatami mats.

Breakfast was interesting, coffee, fruit, tea, salad, rice filled cake like things. So interesting.
We drove around off and on all day. Shinto shrine, for men , and another for women.  Then the university Chobu, where welcome ceremony and snacks and visit the museum there. Then a Chinese meal for ten of us.  Six guests and the rest hosts.  It was delightful and great hilarity at the joke telling...translation from English to Japanese. seemed hilarious but maybe the excess of beer, saki, Chinese saki that is might have contributed to,the hilarity.
Then to,our hosts home.  Very nice indeed.

Monday p.m.

Well, we had planned to have dinner at the hotel, but on checking the menu, we decided that the meal would be either 54$ or 75$ depending on the choice, and that would be a bit excessive.  So, we took the free shuttle into town and had dinner at the mall at a place not unlike Denny's with the meals pictured outside the restaurant in full three D splendour.  I had hamburger steak, french fries and green beans which was quite delightful.  All for 734 yen or approximately $7.50.  Then, the free shuttle back to the hotel.  There were 8 of us who did the same.
There are yellow lines on the sidewalks with dots at corners...this is apparently for those who have sight problems so they may identify the cross roads.
Gas seems about the same price.
Our gifts for the host family must be wrapped, apparently, so there was a scramble today to find wrapping paper and scotch tape.  Who knew?
Early start tomorrow with breakfast at 6:45 and then the plane ride to Kasugai. 

Monday

This a.m. after breakfast in the hotel, in which I loaded up on carbs...(missed them in our raw fish dinner last night) we met a very quiet speaking guide and proceeded to a museum of history and culture.  In involved a trip on the shuttle from the hotel, then on a tram, then a 20 minute walk.  It was sucha beautiful museum and the high light was one of the Japanese guides there, when finding out we were from Canada, expressed great interest in Anne of Green Gables.  How funny!  They seem to love her here.  The guide spoke no English but was able to say Anne Stanley with red hair. After the museum, we went for lunch via a team ride to downtown.  It started to rain just as we got off the tram, and there we were i to a street mall..covered and seemingly endless.  We spotted for lunch at a little place where we chose a sandwich and a drink from the assortment on display.  I a had a croissant with shrimp and then a drink of iced cappuccino.  It has been a very hot and humid day..lore humid than hot.  We then walked to a little in man factory.  The gentleman made plastic parts which were then made for use by Mitsubishi.  He had a little Pomeranian dog and his hobby was guitar, which he was learning via computer. We two, then came back to the hotel via cab, for 1500 yen, or approximately 15$.  Well worth it.  My room mate has a sprained ankle, and I had had enough wandering. Had dozed off and on in our hotel room and will probably have dinner in the hotel this evening.  We have been responsible for our own lunch and dinner today. Tomorrow we leave early for our flight to Kasugai to meet our host family for three nights.  

Sunday

What a long exhausting day!  And a rather sad day, too.  We went to see the Glover Gardens first.  He was a fellow who came here in the mid 1800s from Scotland and basically started the exportation of tea, started coal mining, and steam engines, bringing technology to Japan.  His house in these gardens is a mix of oriental and wooden. He became very wealthy by age 24.  He married a Japanese woman. We went up a kind of funicular, to his house with a lovely view of all harbour from there.  Then to,see China town and Confucius Shrine with seventy two statutes of his disciples. It was quite magnificent place. All red and gold.  Following this we went for lunch to the Best Western Hotel and it was a splendid lunch indeed. All cooked!  We spent the afternoon at the site of the atom bomb in 1945.  That was unpleasant and upsetting.  We got home at 5: 30 pm and then for dinner at 6:30.  This was in the hotel and was a Japanese meal...so very beautifully presented.    Much raw fish!  I must say it is highly over rated.  Today was very warm and humid. We have a free day tomorrow and I don't know what will be in store. Today I took an umbrella, a jacket and didn't take my walking poles, not wanting to try to manage them and an umbrella as well.  Should have had the walking sticks.  In a couple of days we meet our host family. 

Saturday

Arrived in Nagasaki after two hour flight, on which I slept the whole,way.  Nagasaki is so different from Tokyo.  Very green, small buildings and quite hilly, approaching a town like Kelowna. Temperature is mild, very misty. A large Christian element here.  We went to a store for tea and Castella cakes, and many of us bought these cakes for our host families.  Loved the green here.  It is furthest south and west of the archipelago. Homes have tile roofs and are the typical curved style, going up at the ends. Like pagodas.  Our guide is an elderly gentleman who has a cute sense of humour, rather delightful.
Many tunnels throughout the city.  Infrastructure must have been incredible.  They get typhoons here at the same time of year as caribbean has their hurricanes. 
Many cherry trees and the Japanese seem to make an opportunity to sit under them with a picnic lunch, when weather is suitable.  They take their shoes off to sit on the tarp under the tree. Our hotel is very grand indeed with a large room and two queen beds.  We had a wonderful Chinese dinner tonight with unlimited beer and wine, saki, and hard liquor...of which I only had beer.  Meal had about 8 courses..shrimp, pork, smoked goose, noodles, soup, dessert. I don't remember them all.  
I have reassessed the topography...it resembles Capri, not Kelowna. Toilet seat again splendid and warm with bidet and shower capability. Tomorrow a tour of the city and possibly spa!  Naked spa, I mean.

Friday

Well, started early, as we were up,about 4 a.m. Breakfast was at 6 so we opened the place.  A huge room, with rather odd assortment of food. Japanese in the middle, and eggs, fruit, around the perimeter.  Had trouble finding anything that appealed to me but the croissants tasted good, as did the coffee.
I took my walking sticks today and was glad of them. Went to a large garden area in the centre of town.  Very pretty.  Lots of blooming cherry trees, all along the boulevards as well as ginkgo trees, although they are not in bloom.  Had tempura for lunch. Which was good. Wandered around in the afternoon past lots of stores, saw a Shinto shrine, then to some government buildings.  Skyscrapers are unbelievable. 20% people smoke here. Many people with masks on because of allergies to both cedar trees and Cyprus, trees.  We got back to the hotel from the coach about 6:30 p.m. to go for dinner at 6:45, then walked about three blocks through the train station to a restaurant with lots of sushi, sashimi, fish soup cooked on a induction cook top.  Lots of beer, wine, then steak and french fries, noodles, then home made tofu with seaweed sauce(yummy...NOT) then a bland white custard thing for dessert.  I know why the Japanese are slim. My feet are sore from all the walking. Very windy today, but no rain..rain forecast for tomorrow and we are off to Nagasaki.
We have a small room, with silk comforter. Very light and warm.
All the men wear suits! Frustrating not to be able read a word or understand anything either...at least where the alphabet is the same, you can kind of figure out a bit of the meaning.  Here...nada!
Tomorrow another adventure.  

Wednesday or Thursday

Long day today, but all went well.  Left Vancouver at 4:20 p.m. after arriving there at 10:30 a.m.  Direct flight to Tokyo.  Full plane.  Interesting that it was daylight all the way until just before we touched down in Tokyo. We arrived about 6:40 p.m. and are now in the hotel which is quite lovely, but the room is sooo tiny.  However, it does have a heated toilet seat witha lot of exotic functions, such as shower, bidet.  Wow, now that is a new experience.
Our "little group" leader is quite the wild dresser, with wild leopard tights, in yellow and black, running shoes with heavy socks, and a pink jacket.  We will have no trouble in locating her.  She seems fun.
Nagisa is like a worried mother hen.  Counting her chicks constantly.  She is doing such a good job.
Wifi is great...a necessity of course.  Go figure!
Tomorrow a day of sightseeing.