I Survived Hokkaido! - Episode 2

Continued...

Over buffet lunch I tried a cheese soup for the first time. Hokkaido is famous for their milk and cheese. 

We were given each a slice of rock melon. When other tour groups came and saw this I overheard them saying that they must have this rock melon too. Unbeknownst to them, only Chan Brothers has this in the package. 

We were moving to the waterfall. Yamashita-san would be alert to wild life along the way and he would slow down or stop for a moment so that we could gaze at them. 

This one should be the Ezo fox which is widely distributed in Hokkaido.

This is a mountainous area with wild life.

Later we spotted a deer roaming freely. 

Hokkaido deer is known as the Yezo sika deer.

At last at the waterfall. 

And the water that rush below.

You could spot some deer resting or foraging along the river.

As we were in the mountainous area, the temperature was much colder.

The waterfall and the trees made it so much cooler.

The hotel for the day is just nearby. We were hanging hotel everyday living like gypsies. It was nomadic yet free-spirited but itinerant.

Now we have been warned that typhoon Jebi that swept through Kansai was making its way up north and passing by Hokkaido. Jebi was reported to be the strongest in 25 years. After hitting land and travelling through huge land masses, it should have wilted down somewhat though the wind would be still strong. 

I found across the street what may have been the most beautiful and largest 7-Eleven anywhere. A building all by itself with its own car park surrounded by hills. I wanted to get some Michelin Star ramen cup noodles but they did not carry them but they have every other type of cup noodles. I met our tour guide Shallen in 7-Eleven and she said not to worry, in the next few days, wherever we are going there will be 7-Eleven but we never got to 7-Eleven again. I'll explain why later. So if you go to Japan buy me this ramen.

Hokkaido is popular for mutton and they called it Genghis Khan. It is a Japanese grilled mutton prepared on convex metal skillet.

So I did my on Genghis Khan.

It is not only during NS that you feed from mass tray. The hotels here have them for every meal.

In the days ahead we are supposed to have some special food like abalone, Kurobuta pork or Kobe Beef. Out of pocket expenses. 

We were at the Choyo Resort hotel.

The Japanese love Onsen. Onsen is a hot spring or a resort that is built around a hot spring. All our hotels has Onsen. I am sure you like Onsen eggs or onsen tamago was originally cooked in the hot springs in Japan where egg yolk and egg white solidify at different temperatures. 

Please do not ask me for photos of the Onsen as it is not allowed. Why would you want photos of naked people walking around anyway. For those who has served NS, you will have no problem. Only question is with a small towel where do you cover? The place where the sun don't shine or your face. After soaking in 42 degrees temperature you do feel like an egg. An onsen egg. 

We ere hidden in a valley yet the wind was very strong for the night. The tail end of a typhoon.

After missing a flight connection and now the typhoon ha gone, the days ahead must be brighter.

Acres of green and nature is good for the soul.

Farming is huge here.

Rolling hills and plains.

We went to the flower park. Lavender season was just over. Here, thanks to captain G who booked this special transport to take us for a ride all over the garden.

We also visited another flower park. 

It was like tapestry.

Endless rolls of flowers with a painted skyline was a spectacle.

Kind of like honeymoon for the wife.

We have our lavender ice cream looking at this beautiful place.

We were on the move again. This time to Furano to the New Furano Prince Hotel. 

There is this shop below sells toys, magazines, cakes, cookies, water and beer. It was going to be a very important shop.

Just across a small street you will find this little shops in a forest.

It is like the enchanted forest.

We got to taste this most delicious milk here.

Imagine how it looks come winter. It shall be snow clad.



It was about nightfall.



We got back to the hotel for dinner.

The lights came  out at night. We saw that there was a pub and we wanted some beer. We could not find it and later when we found it we check and found that the prices at the pub and the hotel were out of this world. So we gladly bought some from the shop and if that was not enough, I have got my own whisky.

We went for Onsen too.  We have gotten over the missed flight. The Typhoon has past. Tomorrow is going to be a fine day according to the weather forecast.

To Be Continued...