Best as I can tell, nothing much has changed about the world at large.  Also, no newsworthy items from Japan.  No threatening typhoons. This is important because we board the Diamond Princess as soon as I complete this blog today. I wrote about our day in Yokohama yesterday.  Last night, just another enjoyable visit to the Sheraton Club Lounge. Sunset. Sunrise this morning. We were warned that the Diamond Princess, when it returns to Yokohama this morning at 6:30AM, would dock at a different pier.  So I searched. The Diamond Princess must be the one to the left.  Yokohama Port is not as complicated as Sydney Harbor, where we had a difficult time getting to the Seabourn Odyssey earlier this year. The  Port of Yokohama  opened to foreign trade in 1859.   Osansbashi Pier has ten piers with 24 berths and opened to international passengers in 2002. The MS Asuka II is home ported here.  I remember enjoying three cruises when it was called the Crystal Harmony.  The conversion occurred in 2006

  On this nostalgic Tuesday, I return to our first Diamond Princess cruise that was close to starting the   Covid Pandemic.  As you know if you read this blog, two weeks from today we again board the Diamond Princess for a 9-day cruise around Japan. But first, just one news flash.  The U.S. House of Representative remained paralyzed when Congressman  Jim Jordan lost the vote today to become speaker .  In a way, this was embarrassing, for he walked unto the floor with a sense of confidence, but was rebuffed by 20 Republicans who voted for someone else.  Democrats all voted for Hakeem Jeffries, who beat Jordan, 212-200.  But with no majority vote of 217 or more, no winner.  Next vote will come at 11AM on Wednesday.  I said yesterday there was no way he could prevail, and GOP sources today said that opposition to Jordan could actually grow in future votes.  I still think that Kevin McCarthy will ultimately return to the speakership, with unofficial cooperation from Democrats, effectively,