Tokyo Bay

[Frank C]

A short travelogue for you ... right now it is Monday evening @ 9 PM here, but still 5 am Monday morning for USA West Coast, perhaps 8 am at the Chesapeake?

I'm on the 16th floor of Intercontinental Tokyo Bay hotel, a south view overlooking the piers, Rainbow Bridge, the Ferris Wheel to the east across the Bay. The wheel does carry passengers, but its physical rotation is imperceptible at distance. However, the wheel (maybe 15 stories tall?) is fully cloaked in multi-colored, computer animated lights. They truly look like fireworks, synchronized radial dancing, whirling spokes light from the hub to rim, around and around, then back to the hub, every color imaginable. I learned today that the wheel's computer animation changes so constantly that one would never see the same pattern during the same evening - amazing! It reminds me of the dancing fountains in Las Vegas (Bellagio?).

This is a completely different view of Tokyo than I've seen before, previously stayed in the City proper, Shinagawa Prince hotel, adjacent to a train station, busy with city congestion. This hotel is on a New Pier Project - absolutely beautiful views across the Bay, and also back across the city, past Toshiba's HQ office building (a quarter-mile west, meeting earlier today) with Tokyo Tower about half-a-mile beyond.

Back to hotel by 2:30 from the meeting. There was maybe 20 knots of wind across the bay this afternoon, until about 5 pm, whitecaps and 2'+ chop. I watched dozens of large ferries approach berths very, very slowly, and small ships show churning bow thrusters to keep from being blown onto their piers ... all the while pitching up and down on the chop. Yet, a walk on the pier this evening at 7pm, no wind, glassy water, warm and humid ... kinda felt like "earthquake weather" in California (hoping that's not prophetic). Never saw this before either ... moving walkways swing out to join the upper ship decks, just like jetways at the airports.

Strangely, all I saw today was commercial traffic on this Bay, and lots of it - but absolutely zero pleasure craft? It's really too bad, that wind would have provided some rippin' luffs for sailors this afternoon. I've seen many pleasure boats tied along canals, just off the bay, but perhaps there are very few who would take advantage on a Monday? - it's a work day.

Thought you'd enjoy the waterviews . . . off to Taipei tomorrow morning, Computex computer show on Wednesday, then back to SF on Thursday, via Hong Kong.

[Sloop John B]

Twenty knot winds across the Bay! Thats why it was so hard to bomb Tokyo some 60 years ago from a decent altitude. Still managed to burn out one square mile after another.

Sounds like things have changed. Curious about the going rate for a room on the 16th floor of the Intercontinental.

[Mark Prouty]

Strangely, all I saw today was commercial traffic on this Bay, and lots of it - but absolutely zero pleasure craft? It's really too bad, that wind would have provided some rippin' luffs for sailors this afternoon. I've seen many pleasure boats tied along canals, just off the bay, but perhaps there are very few who would take advantage on a Monday? - it's a work day.

Thought you'd enjoy the waterviews . . . off to Taipei tomorrow morning, Computex computer show on Wednesday, then back to SF on Thursday, via Hong Kong.

Very strange that there is no pleasure craft on the bay. On a day like that in SF, I'd imagine you'd see plenty of pleasure boats even if it were a Monday. Travel like you're experiencing sounds like a nice job perk. Bring back some of that high tech computer knowledge. I'm still waiting for my flying car! I'd even settle for a virtual one.

[Frank C]

. . . Sounds like things have changed. Curious about the going rate for a room on the 16th floor of the Intercontinental.

South room on 16th is Y28,500, easily double that for the 24th floor. The airfare was a killer at Y346,400, due to the computer show. Gate agent took pity and upgraded to BizClass. And that Ferris Wheel ... loss for words earlier, but it's really like a giant, constantly changing pinwheel.

[Mark Prouty]

South room on 16th is Y28,500, easily double that for the 24th floor. The airfare was a killer at Y346,400, due to the computer show.

Yikes, according to my ciphering, that takes you back about $260 for the room and $3,134 for airfare.

[TonyHouk]

Wow,
For what you are getting I get for free. I get an all expense paid trip to Atsugi, Japan with free airfare and a nice room. I don't get the view but everything alse is free. I guess I better add that I am in the Reserves and that is one of the Detachment place we go to. Another place we detach out of is Sigonella, Italy. The Med or the Pacific you pick which one for free. Happy sails, Tony

[Chip Hindes]

For what you are getting I get for free.

Yeah, but what's the chance you'll get a free upgrade to biz class?

Times do change. Back in the day when I got free airfare to Japan and back, the yen was hovering around 300-330 per dollar, and I seem to recall you could buy one of those little Suzuki 2-stroke motorcyle cars, new, for well under Y1M. I bought a well used but perfectly servicable Toyota Corona for $400. People were complaining because only a few years earlier the yen had been over 500 per dollar.

A carton of cigarettes was $2.25 at the PX.

[Tom Root]

Chip And Tony,

Yep, remember those days for sure, 1976 was the 1st time there, and 1992 was the last. I always got a cheapie used vehicle, (Loved the 2 stroke vans) and was able to travel/SCUBA dive on my time off!

I still want to go back to Okinawa some day with the other half, but gotta do the P.I. (Phillipine Islands) with her 1st. We may go this year there, and then on to the Great Barrier Reef Down Under. Now, just how can one fit an X in a seabag?

[TonyHouk]

For Chip,
I get Biz class all the time. I am a transport safety specialist for my squadron. What that means I am a snicker bword, sky muffin or coffee tea or me winch. I even get to go up and tour the cockpit anytime I want. I have been recalled for a while now so these trips come around a lot.

For Tom,
I lived in the Phillippines when I was yougner for two years. I felt a lot safer when Marcos had martial law on then after. I heard it is wise to be on guard when you are there now. If you retired from the service why not hitch a ride space "A" for a lift? Happy sails to all, Tony

[Frank C]

. . . Yikes, according to my ciphering, that takes you back about $260 for the room and $3,134 for airfare.

Now back home to SF Bay. Final leg was 12+ hours from HKG to SFO, economy class.

Not to grouse though, not only was the outbound upgrade free, so too was the entire trip. Client asked me to go to Computex at the last minute, and I countered that I'd make the time if they'd make the arrangements. Hotel overlooking T-Bay was their choice, maybe in thanks.

I like Tokyo a lot, and Taipei perhaps even more. Food is terrific (crab shou-ron-pou, sp? was amazing)! The major streets are all 8 lanes or more, showing lots of open sky overhead. Motor scooters buzz like mosquitoes, comical really. Buildings are modern (not vouching for building codes, though?) and Taiwan 101 is THE tallest building in the world. Taiwan is like Japan of 20 years ago. China is like 25 years ago, but moving even faster.

BTW, outbound bizclass included use of a Bose noise-cancelling headset. That's one amazing piece of technology, sorely missed on the return flights. I'd buy one, but shopping for something that's a little more compact to carry.