Hokkaido Trip (day 4)

Day 4 is mostly Sapporo (札幌) City Tour.
Sapporo is the 5th largest city in Japan and the capital of Hokkaido.
The city hosted 1972 Winter Olympics, first ever held in Asia.

Morning jog around Odori Park (大通公园) to lose out some fats.
Famous landmark here is Sapporo TV’s Tower


Visited Sapporo Beer factory, they said is the best beer in Japan.
I guess I enjoy the pretty instructor more... :P

Hokkaido’s Former Government Building


Then it was 4 hours of crazy shopping spree at Sapporo JR Station!! *boh lat*
The building itself housed several shopping malls like Stellar Place, Daimaru Sapporo branch, etc. It was a nightmare for me! I could easily survive exploring any shopping malls in Malaysia, but I sesat jalan 3 times trying to find my way back from toilet, yes the place is so complicated!!


Did not shop much, instead we went up to the Sapporo Tower (tallest building in Sapporo, 173 m, 38F) and just sit there...

Toilet with a scenic view, so relieved... :P

Went on sitting again in Starbucks.
About 10bucks per latte, price seems reasonable... :)


Some night walk around the hotel


Late night dessert (ice cream with a thick milky taste, quite good!)

Late night snack just besides the hotel

My special day

Today is a special day, its the first day of ghost month (aka 七月初一, 鬼节) and it is also my birthday (20, Aug). Here is how my day went

Received 3 cute cup cakes from Goet Kwone



Lunch with Qian Fang, at Smoky Jack Ribs and Steakhouse, upper penang road. I had cod fish while QF had grilled sea brass




Head on for the 1st class for my MBA course for semester 4.
After getting through all the discussion and learning, end up eating wantan mee ALONE in Chulia street 10.45pm


Its been a great day! I just wish.... :)

Hokkaido Trip (day 3)

Started day 3 at old port street otaru (小樽运河)



Spotted a very "ham sap" mascot there!
You can see this erotic fella everywhere in hokkaido!

Lunch

Weather forecast was right! it was raining non-stop right after lunch... :(
We didnt really explore the whole Otaru handicraft Street (小樽步行街).
Visited famous music box shop and bought a music box


We walk a bit in the rain


But end up just sitting in a coffee house most of the time (lazy mah...)
I like the place because they will sell you special coffee cup and you can get unlimited refills of coffee (free 1 piece of cake too!).
Boss mali mali bagi refill..



Next stop is the famous white chocolate factory (白色恋人)



Famous white chocolate not to be missed...

Went back to Sapporo (札幌), dinner is famous ramen.

CONTIUNE shopping at Tanukikoji underground shopping street (狸小路) *pengsan*

Hokkaido Trip (day 2)

Day 2 started with cherry farm where we can plug and eat rightaway from the fruit tree.


Then to Biei (美瑛) a small town


Hokkaido corn is so fresh and sweet that you can even eat it on its own


Now the highlight of the trip is - Farm Tomita(富田农场) in Furano(富良野)!! Summer is the best visiting season as lavender bursts into bloom, blanketing the whole plain, as if painted purple. Wildflowers, including lemon Ezokisuge, orange Ezosukashiyuri and pink wild rose bloom, enhancing an already magnificent spectacle.


Must try, lavender ice cream

Lavence Lee, our nice and kind hearted tour leader




You can get almost anything with lavender - lavender tea, lavender soap, lavender essential oil, lavender pillow, lavender bath tablet and people are just crazy sapu all their souvenirs there (including myself). Some of the best selling souveniers (人気商品Best!)

Finally rest in another Onsen Hotel - Furano Prince hotel. The white doll is a tera tera bozu, little ghosties made of cloth and cotton that are hung in the house during rainy season and prayed to keep the rains at bay. A nice touch from the hotel.