A Day in Rainy Yokohama

Today I went to Yokohama to meet Peter. I like when he comes for his two months long stints in Japan - it connects me to home. His birthday was a few days ago and (it is becoming a tradition now) he had invited me for a celebratory lunch, then we planned to go down the Yamashita park to China Town and see that too. The weather was cold, dark and rainy so we didn't go as far as China Town but we went to see the brick warehouses turned galleries and shops and that was nice too. I loved the way lights shone through their small windows - they looked very cozy and warm in the dark autumn day. We had a great birthday lunch at a very nice Italian restaurant. The wine was good and the pizza excellent. The nice surprise was the dessert that came as three slices of cakes of your choice! I chose some tiramisu (really wanted to try that) then a slice of orange and casiss cake and then a slice of baked panna cotta (that was the first time I've ever had the baked version). Very good, all of it. Till I remembered to take a picture it was all gone :)

The Ferris wheel at minato Mirai- would like to get on it one day and look across the bay. And see mt. Fuji if I can!

A futuristic sculpture in front of the Landmark Tower - not sure if I like it but the scale is BIG!

Minato Mirai - I love the contrast of the huge concrete buildings and the colorful small ones at their feet. Brings fun and a human touch to the place

On the way to the brick warehouses (World Porters shopping center on the left). The hotel at the background has a rectangular hole cut in its middle so the building serves as a huge frame. When you look through it from one side you see the Bay and from the other Minato Mirai. Whoever designed it didn't just put the building there but made it fit into and enhance the place. The hotel 'belongs' to it. I like that a lot!

Inside World Porters shopping center at Minato Mirai - Christmas has arrived! Halloween left and Cristmas stepped in immediately - the change of mood is palpable

With Peter toasting his birthday. Very nice side dish of fresh tomato with slices of mozzarella and a drizzling of basil in olive oil. Will try that at home

Minato Mirai with the Landmark Tower

The two old brick warehouses transformed into homes of fun shops, galleries and restaurants. They remind me of the old movie 'Puppet on a string' and the warehopuses in Holland. For some unknown reason on this day there were many Porches of every age, type and color parked at the plaza between them. A Porche gathering?!?

Almost singing in the rain. I had a great day!

This was a surprise because you walk inside the building and the first thing you hit on is a HOLE in the floor covered with glass. Quite reflexively I stepped back so not to fall in it. There are old artifacts that were found at the site on the bottom - like a walk-over mini museum. Nice idea

I loved the atmosphere inside the warehouses - the many shops and restaurants are all fun

Beautiful glass objects at one of the shops

The back of the warehouse - I find those buildings cool! The Bay Bridge connecting Tokyo and Yokohama is seen in the distance

An old bridge over one of the channels that I liked. I liked the beige building with the greenish roof in the distance too - very Yokohama both. Tokyo and Yokohama are so different. In Yokohama the influence of foriegn cultures that came to Japan with the ships that visited the port is easily felt. And I love the many channels and the low barges moving on them. A very favourite place of mine!

Some bright Fall colors in the grey of the day - beautiful!

The Christmas Tree in Queen's Court - very festive, very beautiful! At Halloween I was saying I prefered it to Christmas. Now I am not so sure about that!

Cakes, cakes, cakes - YUMMY all of them!