To Yokohama

• After the success of the Manon general, the gods smiled and thursday dawned fine and several degrees cooler! It was time to get Traviata up and running, which involved a 50 minute journey by train and tube to the port of Yokohama. We all travelled independantly using our pre-payed traval passes. The Tokyo and district train system is wonderfully clean and efficient but can be quite bewildering. Changing lines at any station can involve wandering miles of underground passages. Yokohama was a lovely surprize, much quieter and more open than Tokyo. The Harbour, bordered by gardens, is beautiful and a short walk from the theatre (not so beautiful!). A number of the group rode Japan`s fastest elevator (70 floors in 40 seconds), others found the local answer to the London Eye, and a whiskey shop (I wonder who?). I found a Jaguar dealership and Bluewater! The stage and piano was fairly painless, and it was nice to find all the Traviata actors and dancers had made it safely to Japan!
• Friday today, and we`re all about to head back to Yokohama for a 1 pm general. The weather is lovely again. It really is inconsiderate puting work smack in the middle of a perfect sightseeing day.....