Hokkaido

It was five short years ago this time in July that I went on a "mini-vacation" to Hokkaido, from July 16-22.  Hokkaido is the northern island  of four main islands that make up Japan.  In the summer this island is actually quite nice, not muggy and humid like the area I lived in.  Sapporo hosts an ice festival every year in February, but seeing as I went in July, sadly there were no ice sculptures on display.  There are a few significant sites in the city, mainly the botanical gardens and the old school house.

Dragonfly in the Botanical Gardens just waiting for something.

Old School House and Clock Tower.

But my favorites in Sapporo were the chocolate factory, the view from the tower (a good way to escape the hoards of people in Sapporo for their beer festival), and eating Sapporo ramen!

 The chocolate factory!

 The view from the tower!

 Sapporo ramen!

After a few days in Sapporo I decided to go see the lavender fields in Furano.  They are in bloom from mid July to early August.  And Furano is between Biei and Asahikawa.  Biei has been called "The Belly-Button of Hokkaido" and at the station there is a strange statue to commemorate this...

The belly-button of Hokkaido?

Lavender is planted alongside other flowers to make a rainbow of colors!

 But the best would be the lavender/cantaloupe flavored ice cream!

Asahikawa has a famous zoo, the "Asahiyama Zoo" which I hear is amazing during the winter because they let the penguins out to walk through the zoo twice a day!  However as I went to the zoo in summer, there was no penguin parade.

The penguins are swimming over me!

 Otaru is a port city.  Supposedly the seafood is wonderful, but I'm not a big seafood fan.  There is a music box shop (well actually there are two) and also place to make your own music box!

 Backside of the warehouses along the canal that lead to the harbor.

Let's make a music box!

And don't forget the hand blown glass... not as easy as it looks!

The best would be the Tengu at the top of the mountain overlooking the port.  "Legend has it that the Tengu (long-nosed goblin) has supernatural powers.  Touch his long red nose for protection from evil or the granting of your wish." 

Near the end of this trip I received a text message/e-mail on my phone.  I say text message/e-mail because for me it was a text message, but for my family who sent it, it was an e-mail.  My little brother sent a text message/e-mail informing me that he would be getting married later that year!  Now this is good news, but as I was living in Japan I needed to know exact dates so I could get the time off work.  All worked out well because I was able to get the time off and go back to Utah for the wedding, that is another adventure for another time!

~Adventures in Anything & Everything