Our Sunday in Tokyo starts with a stroll around the Ginza area, heading the opposite way to yesterday.
We know this is a commercial locality with all the right shops, but ignore that and head past a fabulous art deco building in the direction of the Imperial Palace gounds, not to go in but to visit an adjacent park which has caught my attention because it seems on Google Maps to have not one but two outdoor amphitheatres.
At the first one we sneak though a gate which is left a few inches open, and find a set being built. Quite rightly, within minutes we’re evicted from the area by an unhappy man in a hard hat, but it was interesting.
Enjoying the blossom as we wander, we pass a parade of Ginko Biloba trees with a fascinating story, and onwards to the second amphitheatre. This is less interesting as it’s closed off and perhaps not in use. The various lakes are very elegant.
We head beyond the park to what looks like a substantial chateau, but is in fact the former ministry of justice.
Heading back toward Ginza we pass through a theatre district complete with Godzilla statue, the infamous lizard that is baked into the Japanese psyche. The opera house looks impressive, albeit modern.
Then we’re passing the usual array of famous names, from Rolex and Riedel (£400 for a nice claret glass anyone?) to Prada, Saint Lauren and many more. No time to go shopping as our driver is imminent.
Back at the hotel we nip into reception to get a fabulous coffee from the whizzy machine there and then collect our cases and go to meet our driver. Having had some communication earlier we are not expecting a repeat of the problems of yesterday.
A very respectful driver, we are whisked the 39km to Yokohama Cruise Terminal without stress, although I note on MarineTraffic that Quest is not parked where we had told the transfer company, but at a smaller quay. With my elementary three-word Chinese and lot of pointing at his SatNav he accepts the plan change and we get to the correct dock. We later find the email that told us about this, but not the transfer company!!
Checkin is quite painless, after all there’s only a small number of customers to deal with, not like with the mega ships. We take a turn round the shopping centre and buy moisturiser because I am running low, then wait a few moments before we can get onboard.
Our delightful stewardess Temmy greets us with mimosas and canapés, we ask for a few variations on our service and then head off for lunch.
Sat at Patio Grill in the sunshine we enjoy our customary champagne and burger for first lunch, then take a spin around the decks, chatting to friends old and new.
We watch Noordam sail out, remembering how we innocently missed the start of Covid as we circumnavigated New Zealand on her in 2020. Let’s not have pandemic version two in these next four weeks thanks!
The afternoon rapidly becomes sailaway, and we enjoy a cocktail as Quest slips away from her berth, watched over and waved off by a hoard of locals, all with Japan flags flying to the accompanying military music. It couldn’t be more Eastern than this.
We return to our cabin to shower and dress for dinner, fixing a G&T / V&T whilst we do. Despite the 10º cold we call in at Patio Bar for our pre-dinner champagne cocktail before descending to the MDR (main dining room) on deck four.
Hubby goes for caramelised pear, I have beetroot risotto, we’re both underwhelmed and he points out my versions of both are so much better. In fairness the beetroot is tasty, as is the smoked trout, but the risotto is hopelessly feeble compared to mine. Then comes garlic soup which really is excellent.
Next is lamb ribs for the Hubby and beef rib for me. The lamb disappoints a little, the beef quite a lot, it’s very poor in quality, lacking in both taste and texture. Maybe we’re spoiled having had Cannon Hall farm shop within walking distance for a quarter of a century, but then again maybe we are just descerning?
We finish with raspberry & peach cobbler and volcano cake. The former is good however the latter is a pale shadow of the Pinnacle Grill’s offering on the sister cruise line previously mentioned, but it’s vaguely acceptable.
Tonight’s star rating can best be given as 3.0, sadly not what we consider Seabourn enough, Hopefully things will improve or it’s going to be a long four weeks!
