Seriously I’m not bothered with writing about the morning
routine anymore; my hands only weary down. Then again, it is not necessary as
most of you by now if you have actually bothered reading would know that our
normal waking hour is around 4 am and we usually leave the hotel by 6 or 6.30
in the morning. Maybe that’s what differentiates Sapporo to the other cities we
visited. In Sapporo, we usually leave the hotel at 8 or 8.30 am; thanks to the close
location of our hotel Ana Sapporo to the bus terminal where we had to meet our
guide. Yes, we were visiting Otaru, a port city with beautiful Bay views at the
west coast of Hokkaido, Japan. It was just 30 min bus travel from Sapporo.
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Ana Hotel Sapporo room, Sapporo, Japan. May
2, 2014
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We boarded the Chuo Bus at 9 am.
An Indian family from Calcutta was also joined the tour. They were visiting
Japan for the second time. First time, one year ago, they visited South part of
Japan and as they liked Japan very much, this time they were touring the North
part. Our bus left the Sapporo terminal at 9.15 am. On the way to Otaru, we
enjoyed the sceneries, especially the hill ranges; yes, Japan is really
beautiful!
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A view of hill ranges on the way to
Otaru, Japan.
May 2, 2014
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Our first stop was Otaru Bine, a
wine shop for tasting wine and shopping. At least that’s what the headphone I
was wearing said in English as our guide could not speak in English. The wine
was a fine visit for those who love wine, but I was bored, so I just wandered
around gazing at some of the glassware they had on display. Nevertheless the
first stop was a disappointment for me.
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At Otaru Bine (Wine shop), Otaru, Japan.
May 2, 2014
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We then drove to Otaru Canal
Terminal. This place was the one which I appreciated with many artists trying
to sell their beautiful portraits of the scenery provided in different seasons.
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Otaru Canal, Otaru, Japan. May 2, 2014
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The canal was satiable to the eyes with an oddly western look to it according
to me atleast. With old buildings to the right and a pathway filled with people
and lined with flowers and elegant lamps completely made me forget the first
disappointment. What highlighted the scene was the snow capped mountains
visible from the canal.
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Otaru Canal. A view of snow capped
mountain,
Otaru, Japan. May 2, 2014
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Lunch, according to my parents,
was enjoyable with all kinds of food laid for the pick in the buffet held by the
five star hotel, Grand Park Otaru. The dining hall had beautiful Marina and Ishikari
Bay views. Every section, starting from bread, salad, soup, drinks, noodles,
rice, seafood, chicken, snacks, fruits was filled with many many items. Actually,
I don’t like pizza. But I would have to agree that I especially loved the pizza
there which was odd size. Maybe it tasted good because there was more cheese?
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Grand Park Otaru hotel, Otaru, Japan. May
2, 2014
|
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Lunch at Grand Park Otaru hotel, Otaru,
Japan.
May 2, 2014
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Anyway moving on, our bus next
stopped at a Sake Brewery. There, we were taken for a guided tour about how
sake is prepared. Since the guide spoke only Japanese we could not understand
anything and instead just looked at the machines which were at work. After the
mini tour, we came to a counter on which were placed several bottles of what I
had assumed as sake and on a small tray several cups. The guide helped anyone who
wanted to give a try a cup filled with their choice of sake. I got curious as
some people seemed to enjoy it and I was too tempted as well. It was disgusting,
my tongue almost burned and I quickly returned the cup still filled to the brim
back to the lady. Since it was sake, I thought it would taste different; but it
tasted the same as wine which for your information I’ll confirm that I actually
did taste wine once thinking it was grape juice. Ah the face of my younger’s
self, I remember, became contorted in disgust. Now that I think about it, it’s
actually funny.
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At Sake Brewery, Otaru,
Japan. May 2, 2014
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I was met with disappointed yet
again in the next stop at Kitaichi Glass and Otaru Music Box Museum. We could
not find this museum and wandered around for a while until we came to a small
glass shop where glass was being made and this was apparently enough for my
father. So we decided to walk around the shops, took pictures of beautiful
Sakura trees along the street and however, finally found the Kitaichi Glass and
music box museum.
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Sakura trees, near Kitaichi Glass museum,
Otaru, Japan. May 2, 2014
|
Now let’s get a fact straight that I love history meaning I
love antiques and music boxes to my knowledge were of European antique origin.
This will also explain my craze for pocket watches. So I wanted to buy a music
box. But got dissuaded by my mother, what did she say, I don’t remember. However,
I did end up buying a pocket watch!
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Kitaichi Glass museum, Otaru, Japan. May
2, 2014
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We then left for our last stop of
the day the Tenguyama Ropeway. Aboard the gondola, our guide told us the story
of tengu which a manifestation of evil according to Buddhists. They have long
noses, big heads and an ugly smile. The guide also said that some people
thought that the Europeans were the tengu due to their long noses. Weird was all
I could think!
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Mt. Tengu, Otaru, Japan. May 2, 2014
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At the top of the Mount Tengu, my
parents had a blast with the snow, taking pictures in places they thought
convenient. I stood there with my mobile in my hand irritated until I got
interested by the sun which looked like a single bright spot in the sky. After
that I also joined in on the photo spree.
Later on we went inside the
building (the ropeway station) and I and my father visited a small museum of
tengu artefacts called, Ski museum, while my mother waited. It was boring even
for a history lover like me as we couldn't read anything what with everything
being written in Japanese; we soon lost interest.
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Mt. Tengu, Otaru, Japan. May 2, 2014
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On making our way outside, we
went to the souvenir shop nearby. And here we had a chance to talk to the
Indian family who were also part of our tour and the boy, who is also a lover
of anime, gave me information about the radeo shop in Akihabara (Tokyo), the
anime capital which is said to have the figurines of many anime characters. I
was excited and wanted to visit the shop in no time!
As Mt. Tengu was our last stop,
the bus started returning to Sapporo. Along the way we were shown the historically
significant clock tower. Soon after, we arrived at the Sapporo bus terminal. By
then the time was almost 6.30 pm.
But since we still had a great
deal of the day left, we planned to shop; yes, just window shopping! But at the
end, I believe, that was my mother’s greatest regret, after all she was the one
who brought up the idea of shopping. The first store we entered was a
convenience store which had a separate floor for electronics. And there I saw
one of my greatest addictions, yes, I have an addiction with headphones the
same way I have on with notebooks and pencils. So I wandered around shouting to
my mother in delight and my father suddenly said that he too wanted a headphone,
especially from the company Bose. We soon found it; the sound quality was
splendour unlike any other. We loved it. The only dissuading factor was the price.
In the end, I somehow forced my mother and bought it along with my father.
Next, we went to the shops that
my mother was interested which were mainly footwear shops. I and my father
waited while she was on that spree. My mother decided to buy an intricately
designed black flat. Since we were foreigners, we were not included in their
tax system, and we had to show them our passport to have a tax-free special
bill, at least this was what I understood.
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Bose headphone and the flat shoe,
Sapporo,
Japan. May 2, 2014
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I learned something during these
shopping that hard work was inspiring seeing the sale assistants ran around to
satisfy us, wherein shops in some of the countries wouldn’t have bothered, made
me really happy. I don’t think I will ever forget those people there and their
efforts are well received and appreciated.
By the time we returned to the hotel after buying something
for dinner, the time was 9.30 pm and we were tired but satisfied!
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