A Harbour Entrance

Believe it or not we were entering a harbour entrance. Not quit like the entrance to Sydney harbour, but it was still a harbour, and a working one at that. A few ships being loaded or unloaded with overhead cranes, the power station, and another lighthouse. This one was very different to the one leaving Okinawa.

A Sea Wall

 We spotted this sea wall as we sailed along the coast. It does have a light at the end but I would not call it a lighthouse. On the coast we can see more settlement and what could be another power station.

A Power Station?

As well as all the boats, towns and villages, we spotted this construction. I am tipping it is a power station, though I am not sure. A big eyesore on the edge of a pretty coastline spoiling the view. Though the inhabitants of this island do require power. That haze from China is still noticeable.

A Hilly Coastline

Just some of the hills that we saw as we travelled along the coast. If we look close we can see little villages nestled right on the coastline.

Coastal Sailing

We were sailing along the coast to our next port of call. Along the way we spotted little towns hugging the coast, reaching up into the hillsides. There were also many boats going about their business, and that eternal smog coming from China.

Sailing

 

We were back on the seas again sailing along the coast towards our next port of call. This is just one of the many boats that we saw in the late afternoon sun. Notice all the haze too. That haze, so I found out later, was all coming from China.

Okinawa, A Final Goodbye

This is the final view of Okinawa as we left the lighthouse, harbour, and city behind. Tomorrow would be a new day with another adventure.

An Escort

An escort boat leading our cruise ship out of the harbour.

A Sea Wall

This is the view of the light house at the end of a very long sea wall. It looks like it may be connected to land at the other end, but I think that land is another island. At the other end of the wall is a red lighthouse, and why would they put a light house there if it was connected to land?

I am not sure of the purpose of the wall is. Obviously it serves as a breaker to the waves coming in from the East China Sea, but there could be another purpose. It is one of the longest sea walls that I have seen.

Leaving Okinawa

Our view of Okinawa as we left the harbour heading for the next part of our adventure.

Sailing Into The Port of Osaka

The Port of Osaka is one of the main ports in Japan, situated within Osaka Bay. It has become  one of the major ports in Asia.

This was the view from our cabin balcony as we slipped into the Port of Osaka.

Sailing To Osaka

We sailed over night, down the coast of Japan, and were due into Osaka at 1pm. The schedule of our cruise had changed because of the typhoon, so we were still sailing down the coast in daylight hours the next morning.

This suited us fine, and made for great photo opportunities from our cabin balcony. 

We were not far from land at all.

Osaka was in view, but we were still a fair way away. There was time for a quick bight to eat before we docked. By this time we had found the buffet upstairs, and the choice of salad items and cold meats was endless. There was plenty of hot food as well but I was hungry for salad.

Ahhhhh......... food and relaxation watching the world slip by. What more could I need!

Sumida River Cruise Pt 10 - A Second Waterway

This was a second feeder waterway that we passed. It looked like another walkway bridge, and there looked like there were still more walkway bridges  further up the waterway. The high rise is minimum ten stories high. Row after row of it.

There was a meeting of some kind happening on the bridge. a group of men were milling around talking. It may have been a formal meeting about something, but more than likely just an afternoon tea/smoking break.

There were  also more boats moored up this waterway. they we different to those in the last waterway. These were flat bottomed and quite wide ( Sanpans?). I can only dream as to their purpose.

Sumida River Cruise Pt 9 - A Walkway Bridge

Along part of the Sumida River there were other little waterways leading and draining down into the river. As we look along these feeding waterways, we still get to see the high rise. We also see other bridges and boats.

The bridge in the foreground looks like a pedestrian bridge, carrying walkers from one side to the other. The walkers are dressed in business suits, so they may be on there way home, to a business meeting, out for afternoon tea, or who knows? All I do know is that the opening at the end of the bridge is not large enough for cars.

If we look below the main bridge we can just see an archway to a second bridge crossing of this waterway, and looking through the bridge we can see a raised bridge further in the background. I am tipping the raised bridge goes over a busy road. We had already experienced these raised wide walking platforms above roads. Rather than queuing at lights waiting to cross the road, walkways were elevated and accessed by escalators. This kept both the traffic moving and the pedestrians moving.

We can also see boats at the edge of this waterway. I won't even guess as the their purpose, but i doubt they are pleasure craft

A River Cruise Begins

We were back on the bus with our tour guide and transported to the next part of out tour of Tokyo. This was to be a river cruise, departing from Hinode Pier.

This was the view of Hinode Pier as we played follow the leader to board our vessel that would take us on this trip. In the background we have the Intercontinental Hotel, and in the foreground we have a gorgeous boat. Was I hoping too much that this would be our transport up the Sumida River?

Imperial Palace - Tokyo

The next stop on our tour of Tokyo was The Imperial Palace. This is the main residence of the Emperor of Japan. We did get to walk up the pathway to the right in this pic, but the views were actually better from the grounds on this other side of the moat.

The Palace is situated in approximately 3 and a half acres of garden in the center of Tokyo. We could only view it from  outside the grounds, and was surrounded by a moat.

I just loved the bridge over the moat. It reminded me of the old European bridges that i have seen photos of.