Golden Week Part 5: Bus Tour / Tour de Tokyo en bus

Pendant la Golden Week, nous avons fait un petit tour de Tokyo en bus. Premier arret, la fameuse Tour de Tokyo, d'une hauteur de 332,5 metres, et inspiree par la Tour Eiffel. Elle est peinte en rouge et blanc pour des raisons de securite aerienne. Sa fonction premiere est de servir d'antenne pour la diffusion radio et television. Elle n'est pas suffisamment haute pour assurer une qualite optimum de Television Numerique Terrestre, d'ou la construction d'une nouvelle tour, que nous avions vue la veille, la "Tokyo Sky Tree".

During Golden Week, we did a bus tour of Tokyo. First stop was the Tokyo Tower, 332.5 metres tall, and inspired by the Eiffel Tower in Paris. It is painted red and white due to air traffic safety regulations. Its main function is an antenna for TV and radio broadcasting. However, it is not tall enough to ensure adequate quality of digital terrestrial TV broadcasting (switchover from analog to digital broadcasting is planned for next summer), so a new tower, the "Tokyo Sky Tree", which we had seen the previous day, is currently under construction.



















Les poissons que vous voyez suspendus au fil en bas de la Tour font partie des traditions de Golden Week, pour feter le "Childrens' Day", ou bien la Fete des Enfants.

The fish which you see hanging from a line at the base of the Tower are part of the Golden Week traditions, to celebrate "Childrens' Day".















La vue du haut de la tour
The view from the top of the tower





























Un cimetiere tres connu, au pied de la tour.
A famous burial ground and shrine at the foot of the tower.



















Une fenetre au niveau des pieds, tout en haut de la tour!
A glass "viewing window" in the floor, at the top of the tower. Not for those who are afraid of heights!















Notre guide a pretendu appartenir a un fameux clan de "Ninjas" (elle nous a meme montre certaines de ses armes!), dont deux membres font partie de l'equipe de securite de Hilary Clinton!). Oscar etait tres content lorsqu'elle l'a laisse parler dans le micro dans le bus!!

Our tour guide, who claimed to belong to a famous clan of "Ninjas" (she even showed us some of her arms!), two members of which now work in Hilary Clinton's security team!). Oscar was very pleased when she let him talk to all the other tour members over the bus' microphone !!
















Prochain arret : les jardins du Palais Imperial, la residence principale de l'Empereur du Japon. La superficie totale du Palais et ses jardins fait 7,41 kilometres carres, ce qui est absolument incroyable, par rapport a la taille d'un appartement moyen dans Tokyo!

Next stop was the gardens of the Imperial Palace. the main residence of the Emperor of Japan. The total area of the palace and gardens is 7.41 square kilometres, which, considering the size of typical Tokyo apartments, is unbelievable luxury!