No Robots AT ALL

After the madness of Sunday, I planned a quieter day while Robin and Michele visited friends. Decided on museum hopping. Sadly, I forgot the First Rule of Global Museum Visiting - All museums are closed on Monday everywhere!! Never forget this, grasshopper - it will save you much anguish in your travels.

Undaunted, I wandered around through some parks and residential areas near the Koto area with no clear aim. I did discover an interesting item related to my search for unusual UAC's (Utility Access Covers - see the On to Japan post for what this is all about). The sidewalks were decorated with beautiful inset ceramic tiles with a nature theme and styles that varied street-by street. Here are some examples.

I also encountered what has to be the worlds largest pedestrian bridge. Yes, that speck on the right side of the bridge is an entire pedestrian!

I decided to take an afternoon run down to Yokohama. It's a pretty easy and inexpensive hour or so on Japan Rail commuter trains to get there. The area I walked through (between the Yokohama train station and Yokohama Bay) has more in common with Houston than Tokyo. It's all brand new, very car-centric with wide traffic-filled streets and big office buildings. Also some pretty fancy auto dealerships.

I also ran across a particularly horrifying concept in retail shopping. This is a shop just opened by a Danish chain. The store is designed so that you are forced to go down every single aisle in order to exit the place! And sadly (because pirates are so awesome) it's pirate-themed, to the point that store clerks have to wear pirate hats. arrgh.

One bit of nature was a crane that allowed me to slowly sneak up on it and get a decent picture.

Yokohama was also a somewhat more fruitful venue for interesting UAC's - here are a couple.

Had a fancy dinner at a floating restaurant overlooking the bay for a treat. Delicious brochette of perfectly grilled seafood for a main course with appetizers, soup and dessert. Quite nice.

Hopped the train home and called it a night.