DAY 1 IN TOKYO, JAPAN

We arrived last night, so officially, this is really Day 2 in Japan.  However, being the first full day, I'll call it Day 1.  As I showed you yesterday, we woke up to a gorgeous Mount Fuji.  Here is a video.

Tokyo Westin is the first restaurant where I've had access to a fabulous buffet breakfast, for free.  That was more than 30 years ago.  Comes with my hotel status, which for Marriott is Platinum.  In Japan, virtually any hotel provides an adequate Japanese breakfast for free.  Same for various parts of the Orient.  But these fabulous international buffet breakfasts are only offered by the major hotels.  Nothing in Europe or the Americas comes close.

First course.

Second.

Checked to see if the Chiba cherry blossoms were still blooming,  Yes, but just getting from Tokyo where we are located to Chiba is a journey, then there is a train change, which takes another hour to reach the flowering parks,  Asked Google AI;

To reach Mobara Park and Aoba no Mori Park from The Westin Tokyo (located near Ebisu/Meguro), you'll generally take trains to Chiba city and then transfer to local lines, with a key first step being the JR Yamanote Line to Tokyo Station or Shinagawa Station, then onto the Sobu Line/Keiyo Line for Chiba, and local lines towards Mobara/Ichihara for the parks; it's a multi-step journey involving JR and possibly local private railways, best planned with a real-time transit app like Japan Transit Planner (Jorudan) or Google Maps for precise directions and times. 

Taxi?  More than $100 each way,  Three-hour round trip.  Temperature in the low 40s fahrenheit.  Ah, not worth the time, cost and discomfort.  Thus, walked underground to the shopping mall.  

Saw this otoro with all that fat.  Had to have it, and it only cost less than $10.

Had lunch in my room with a view of Mount Fuji.  Sapporo Beer, warmed the Gekkeikan Sake, and also the rice, got some sliced cabbage, sliced turnips came with the sashimi....a grand feast.

Probably my best lunch on this trip, because of the incredible otoro and spectacular view of Mount Fuji.

Then sunset.

Next, our Executive Lounge at the top of the Tokyo Westin.  Did not have much to eat because of my huge late lunch in our room.  Glenlivet on rocks with a view of Tokyo.  Tokyo Tower and Rainbow Bridge.

Then, the moment arrived.

• You need to first read this posting of mine from almost two years ago:  SOME WEIRD AND CRAZY THINGS ABOUT TOKYO.
• In other words, I have a bottle of 20-year old Nikka Yoichi in the adjacent Escalier Bar in the Tokyo Westin Hotel.  I've had one for many years.  Except that when I asked for it two years ago, they could not find it.  So that is the story you read if you clicked on that posting.
• They did "find" it the next day.  That's me with that bottle.
• I asked Google AI about this whiskey:

A 20-year-old Nikka Yoichi bottle in Tokyo is a rare find, but expect high prices, likely starting around ¥200,000 - ¥400,000+ (approx. $1,300 - $2,600+ USD), as it's a collectible older expression, with online retailers listing it in the thousands of dollars, reflecting its scarcity and demand, so check specialist whisky shops in Ginza or Shinjuku for actual in-store prices. 

• 
  This time began last night, when we went to Escalier, for we arrived too late for the Executive Lounge free drinks.  
  
• Asked for my bottle of Yoichi.  Gave him my business card.

• 
  They could not find the bottle....again.
• The person who walked us to our room when we checked into the hotel was called up.  Koichi.
• We explained to him about how this same bottle was also lost two years ago.
• They checked some more.
• The problem was that the manager of this bar had a day off, and could not be contacted.
• They asked us to return the next night.
• So with great anticipation, walked in to the Skybar Escalier.  The bar manager was there with a smile.  They had found my bottle,

Did not do much today.  Walked only 2061 steps.

Tomorrow, our final day in Tokyo, we plan to re-discover Tokyo through the JR Yamanote line, a train system that makes a complete circle around the main part of the city.  A one day pass cost about $7.50/person.

Uniquely Madison has released numerous videos of noteworthiness.  Here is one which traces a century of music up to the present.  Another one by boogiehead, Most Recognizable Song from 1923 to 2022.  Watch it!  Might waste 14 minutes of your life.  Yet, your period will come, so hang in there.  Life is made of peak enjoyments.

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RITZ-CARLTON LUMINARA: DAY 5

About the NCAA football championship, the favorites to win before the final 4 was decided:

College Football National Championship Odds

• 
  Indiana: +260.
• Georgia: +320.
• Miami: +460.
• Oregon: +500.
• Texas Tech: +750.
• Alabama: +1300.
• Ole Miss: +1400.

 Well Georgia, Texas Tech and Alabama are gone,  Today:

Indiana Hoosiers	13-0	<<+128>>
Oregon Ducks	12-1	<<+328>>
Miami Hurricanes	11-2	<<+330>>
Mississippi Rebels	12-1	<<+570>>

Next:

• Semifinals (Jan. 8-9)
  • Thursday, Jan. 8
    • No. 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 10 Miami (Florida) | Fiesta Bowl (Glendale, AZ) | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN, WatchESPN
  • Friday, Jan. 9
    • No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 5 Oregon | Peach Bowl (Atlanta) | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN, WatchESPN
•  College Football Playoff National Championship Game
  • Monday, Jan. 19
    • Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN, WatchESPN

About NCAA basketball, the top three are Arizona, Michigan and Iowa State.

• Also undefeated are Vanderbilt at #11, Nebraska at #13 and unranked Miami (Ohio).
• Final four will occur on April 4 and 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis.

Today, except for my scotch tasting, was not particularly monumental.  Can't believe I'm showing this, but here is a container ship departing and another one arriving at Laem Chabang, Thailand, the port where we are docked.

Had lunch again at Mistral.  A salad with steak sandwich, plus frozen margarita and Perino beer.

Then my Japanese Nikka and Hombo Shuzo whisky tasting in The Living Room Bar with Alfarino.

There were two more, but that involved extra costs, so skipped them.

But thought I'd have a standard scotch, so added a Dewars While Label.

Interesting thing, but each kept changing and at the end, I think the Mars was the best.  How different from Dewars?  Not much.

About Nikka:

• Founded by Masataka Taketsuru, who travelled from Japan to Scotland in 1918 to learn the process, attending the University of Glasgow.

• 
  He married Jessie Cowan, and they returned to Japan in 1920.
• In 1923, joined Suntory.
• Started Nikka in 1934.
• There is a Japanese series about all the above called Massan, with 250 episodes, starring Tetsuji Tamayama and Charlotte Kate Fox.

• 
  In 2008, Nikka's Yoichi 20 Years Old  was voted best single malt in the World Whiskies Awards, the first time for any Japanese whisky.
• A bottle of this whisky can be found for $1200....or $12,000.
• I have a bottle at the Tokyo Westin Hotel.  Click on that and read the story of how this happened.
• Owned by Asahi Group Holdings since 1954.
• The Ben Nevis Distillery in Scotland was acquired in 1989.

Dinner was at Azur.  Ordered two Bourdeauxs, Chateau Camensac (Left Bank, meaning more Cabernet Sauvignon) and Chateau Cantenac (Right Bank, more Merlot).  To my surprise, the Cantenac was more heavy bodied and smoother.

Dinner started with with a Blue Cheese Wedge Salad and a Vegetarian Hot Sour Soup.  That white wine is a New Zealand Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc.

The second course was a Caesar Salad and two generous portions of seared foie gras.  This combination certainly ranks in the top three of anything I've consumed on this entire trip,

The evening ended in the Art Club.  First, Ashleigh September, then the Golden Soul.

Walked only 1240 steps.  Hope to begin walking more tomorrow.

I haven't said much about the Ritz-Carlton Luminara.  I found a 9-minute video that does a better job than I could.  So if you want to learn more about the most luxurious cruise liner at sea today, WATCH THIS.  Every stateroom is a suite, and the bed is customized King.  The cuisine is the best by far of any cruise ship.  The focus is changing from Mediterranean, where it spent the first few months, to more Asian, for the next five months will keep the yacht in the West Pacific,  

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