Yokohama 横浜

Oct. 18, 2023: Shortly after we set sail from Seward, Alaska, on October 8th, the captain announced that the unruly waves made it impossible to head towards the Bering Sea. Opting for an alternate route, we turned southwards. Yet, the Pacific Ocean presented its own challenges, stirring with four impending storms, including a formidable super typhoon. Despite the captain's skillful efforts to steer us clear of the tempests, luck did not favor our voyage. The subsequent ten days were filled with continuous upheaval on the open sea. Nonetheless, we endeavored to make the most of our circumstances, engaging in the ship's various entertainments, delighting in an array of exceptional dishes, and committing to a daily goal of 10,000 steps around the deck.

Although our ship successfully avoided one storm after another, we couldn't head west towards Japan until we finally bypassed the super typhoon. By then, we had veered too far south to reach our first two ports in Japan - Hakodate and Sendai, leaving us no option but to head straight for Tokyo and spend the night there. We arrived at a newly inaugurated Tokyo International Cruise Terminal in the morning today. A dockside ceremony greeted us, complete with live musical performances, marking a celebratory end to our tumultuous journey at sea.

Having previously visited Tokyo, we opted to explore Yokohama this time. Renowned for having Japan's largest Chinatown, it was also the most beautiful one we had ever seen. We indulged in various delicious Chinese dishes there, with the Shanghainese-style pan-fried buns catching our attention the most. A popular shop boasted a long queue, we didn’t want to wait and randomly selected a smaller shop to sample their offerings. Traditional pork and seafood-filled buns, both of which were delicious and comparable to those from Xiao Yang's Fry Dumpling in Shanghai.

Subsequently, we boarded a bus to visit the traditional Japanese garden, Sankeien. Its beauty was breathtaking, and strolling through its serene paths was a delightful experience. After our garden excursion, we planned to enjoy a bowl of Japanese ramen in the city center. However, upon arrival, we found ourselves amidst towering skyscrapers, and an elderly volunteer informed us that the city center lacked notable ramen establishments. Consequently, we hailed a taxi to the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum, albeit requiring some explanation to the driver about our destination.

The Ramen Museum comprises several ramen shops, with the first floor dedicated to exhibits detailing the history of ramen. Descending to the basement, we found ourselves in a meticulously recreated old-style street, housing various shops specializing in different styles of ramen. Admission to the museum was $2.5, with an additional $5 offering a taste of delectable ramen. We tried different styles of ramen from two shops, both of which left a lasting impression with their delicious flavors.

Following our satisfying ramen, we utilized the light rail to return to Tokyo, spending time circling around the area near the Tokyo cruise terminal. By day's end, we had accumulated over 20,000 steps on foot in addition to utilizing public transportation and taxis.

十月十八日: 自十月八日离开阿拉斯加的苏厄德后不久船长就宣布白令海去不了，那里风浪太大，决定南下。可太平洋也不太平，有四个风暴包括一个超级台风等着我们，船长觉得有可能从风暴中穿梭航行。可人算不如天算，我们的船躲过一个接一个风暴却始终无法西行往日本去，直到最终绕过超级台风之后才能西行，但此时船往南已经走得太远，这个行程的第一和第二站函馆和仙台去不成了，只能直奔东京，在东京过夜。

几年前来过东京，这次到东京后，我们就去横浜转转。横浜有日本最大的中华街，也是我们去过的最漂亮的中华街，街上有各色各味的中国美餐，最为吸引的是上海生煎，有个网红店外面排着长队，我们就随便选了一家小店试一下，有原味的，还有绿色是海鲜的，味道很不错，不比上海小杨生煎差。

接着坐公交车去日本传统园林三溪园，很漂亮，在园区内漫步很舒坦。原本想去市中心吃碗日本拉面，到那里后发现那里都是高楼大厦，又碰上志愿者告诉我们那里没什么好的拉面店。我们就叫了出租车去新横浜拉面博物馆，上车后咕噜半天才说明了我们想去哪里。

拉面博物馆实际上有几个拉面店组成，一层有关于拉面历史的记载。地下层建成旧时的小街，好几家拉面馆卖不同特色的拉面。进博物馆要付$2.5 门票，但$5就可以吃上一小碗香喷喷的拉面。我们尝试了二家拉面，味道都相当不错。

饭后就乘坐轻轨回东京，在东京游船码头转了一大圈。一天下来，除了坐轻轨，公交车和出租车外又走了二万多步。