A Longer Trip to Hokkaido

[drron]

Flew over several golf courses approaching Chitose.







Then watched our landing.


And had to wait while the first class passengers took their time to deplane so took another picture of our seats.


Once we got off it was straight to the bus ticket office. It was a little cheaper than the train though slower. But it did drop us at the hotel door. We had a 12 minute wait for the bus. That still meant in a little over 15 minutes we were sitting on the Airport shuttle. So a few pics from the bus stop then bus.

 

[drron]

Easy check in and they brought out our bag. Our room. An Upgrade from a basic room to a corner room which gives you at most an extra sq metre of space.

 

[drron]

We didn't feel like going out that night so decided to eat at their restaurant. first their floral displays.




The menu didn't look much and only a few dishes but it turned out surprisingly good. I had what was called a snack plate which came with a salad and soup.




Mrsdrron had a hamburg steak with a cheese and mushroom topping which she really liked plus a salad and rice.




I had an Asahi Black beer and mrsdrron had 2 glasses of white wine. Have no idea what it was but she liked it. Bill came to 4000 yen - $40. Good value.

 

[drron]

After having breakfast we looked at the hotel shop. Lots of interesting stuff but who wants this on their underpants.


Then I went off on a walk heading down the oad the CP is on. lots of hydrangeas in the next block.










A river runs down the middle of the street outside the hotel and a little way down it is just overgrown. But then you have several blocks where they have made it into a nice park. Trees and flowers plus some art. This sign says they planted 500 Japanese trees along here.

 

[drron]

A sun dial.



It uses the shadow of the Sapporo Tower.




Under the Tower an eating area. From my old photos exactly the same as on our previous visit in August 2012.






And cheap trinkets.


Looking down Odori Park from the tower.

 

[drron]

They were having a garden competition in Odori Park so I had a wander around.





And this is the winner of the competition.






This one got the cheif judge award. e gave more than 1.




And this got the Mayor's award.

 

[drron]

Several sculptures in Odori Park.










Another chief judge award.








And yet another chief judge award


And that's the end of the flowers for now.

 

[drron]

So goodbye to the Tower and off to the mid street park again.


Some preschoolers off for a walk.




And photos of what shold be flowering.












Now I thought that inscription was going to be profound but Google translate said it was "it's happy now".

 

[drron]

But then I realised that I had reached my first objective - the Nijo fish market. well known for it's crabs. Sapporo boasts that it is the crab capital of Japan.






Lots of little restaurants.




But the Japanese love their rockmelons and they are expensive.








Scallops are also a major industry in Hokkaido.

 

[drron]

smoked and pickled scallops.

 

[drron]

And what looked to be one of the nicer restaurants. The prices -






My second objective was to walk the shopping street. One end was just across the road from the fish market.




Some unusual offerings.

 

[drron]

Now I went underground. Sapporo has a fair system of underground arcades.




I was going to try a Hokkaido cheese tart and an apple pie.






However as soon as i decided that the line went from 2 people to 12 so I continued on. I came to the Mitsukoshi store. The basement floor of Japanese Department stores is a food hall so in I went. The first thing I saw was their flower shop. i saw this nice orchid.


It was for sale for $341.
And their fruit as usual quite expensive.




Would you pay $162 for a watermelon.


Or even $65.

 

[drron]

I ventured back outside and came across an upmarket seafood place. Had things you could eat with some tables and chairs. A nice way to spend a few minutes.


And back to a but further down in Odori Park. The garden competition extended a fair way.






This one got an effort award.




This one got the Sapporo City Urban Greening fund award.


Another effort award.


And this one was done by the Itcikawa Landscape company.

 

[drron]

So time to leave Odori Park.




And head to the clock tower. It was initially built as a martial arts hall for The Sapporo Agricultural College which is now Sapporo University. The Clock Tower was added in 1881. It was presented to the City in 1903 when the College moved to bigger premises. A Mr. Inoue in 1933 began maintenance on a voluntary basis. The family has continued that ever since.






It now has a wildflower garden surrounding it. The cherry tree has cherries at themoment.






Two terrestial orchids are listed as growing here. I found one of them.

 

[drron]

Time to wander back to the hotel. I found a garlic shop.


And a risotteria.


And sadly a couple of signs similiar to this one.


Which says thanks for visiting us but due to a lack of Personnel we are Closed Mondays. We apologise for any misunderstanding this causes and appreciate your understanding.
But also walking back I passed a restaurant whose pictures outside were good and 3 words that caused me to bring Mrsdrron back for dinner - English menu inside.
We each got a small bowl of edamame and then
started with a sashimi platter for 2 with extra salmon.

Then we each had a skewer of chicken and of beef.

Then fried chicken wings which were quite large but beautiful.

Then I had spicy bean sprouts. Very spicy and like kimchi.

Finally BBQ young corn and tempura corn. Really nice.

Mrsdrron had a carafe of white wine and I a large fraught beer. The whole lot came to 9000 yen - $90.

 

[drron]

The breakfast buffet. mainly a Japanese take on western food. But I did like that beer was on special at breakfast.


Fresh tofu.

 

[drron]

I liked the smelt.


And the gratin was nice with a lot of small scallops in it.




And I started and / or ended with Soup Curry.


This was called pork grilled with soy. Basically bacon cooked with soy and it was quite nice.

 

[drron]

The second morning we walked up to Sapporo station and bought our tickets for the trip to Asahikawa. We originally thought of catching one of JR's special trains the Lavender Express. But there were 2 problems. First only 1 service a day and it left at 7.41am. Second it only went as far as Furano and services from there to Asahikawa weren't frequent. It basically is for people doing a day trip to the flower farms from Sapporo. So we bought tickets for the Kamui express at 1300. Nice easy morning and getting to the hotel not to much before 3pm. In Japan that time is basically set in stone.
Again lovely street flowers.






Again some stores have unusual names.


Daimaru is at the station so we went down to the basement. nice looking flounder.


But pickled salmon.


and scallops.


Plus lots of sausages which looked good.


Then back to the hotel by a different route.

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

Some of my flower photos.
I love hydrangeas ! And Sapporo it was blooming marvellous !

 

[trendwhore]

Morning happy hour beer? Sign me up! Might have to send a fax to management of Dotour to add it to one of their morning sets