Isaac, Joy and Papa Go Japan: Day 3 and 4, Higashikawa, Otaru, Sounkyo and Asahidake
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I did not plan to drive around the entire island of Hokkaido in the few days we had. It would not be practical or fun. So I decided to keep things within the centre of Hokkaido.
From Shikotsuko, we drove to Higashikawa (my favourite town) and stayed at my friends’ B&B. Dinner was spent watching the Rugby World Cup Finals with my friends (they were rooting for England) while Isaac and Joy played with their kids, who were a few years younger. Jody and Nina adore big sister Joy, whom they met when she came visiting during my solo trip with her when she turned 12, and the girls were happy to see her again.
The next morning, we set off again, without any plans once more. I thought, perhaps we could drive out to Otaru, just to have a look. Frankly, it was just an excuse to drive, as the drive itself is very pleasant. I told them, “Otaru is famous for their canals.”
Joy asked, “And?”
“That’s pretty much it,” I said. It is one big tourist trap, to be honest, and I told them, “Essentially, we are driving all the way to see Otaru’s Long Kangs.” They laughed and were cool with their father’s rather stupid travel plans.
“The canals are actually quite nice when it is winter, to be honest,” I added, trying to make it sound a bit more exciting.
When we got to Otaru, I found a parking lot near the canals and was quite pleased it said ¥100 for 30 minutes. After parking, I realized I read it wrongly and it was actually ¥400 for 30 minutes during the day, and ¥100 for 30 minutes AT NIGHT.
“We better not stay too long,” I told the kids. Joy, the financially-minded of the two, said, “Ya, not worth paying that kind of parking for Long Kang.”
So we snapped some photos, walked around the food court a bit, and then left Otaru. I figured we would get lunch further away, en route to Sounkyo, where we planned to stay the night.
Sounkyo is a quaint mountain resort area, located in Kamikawa. It is considered a touristy place, but a good base to hike Daisetsuzan National Park from. We stopped at a ramen place in Kamikawa called Yoshino, just off the highway. And wow, the ramen was great. They even had thick slices of Miton roast pork available as a side, in limited quantities. This is part of the fun of road trips: stumbling upon good places to eat.
After eating at Yoshino, we drove on to Sounkyo and stopped at the Twin Waterfalls rest stop. That was when we encountered some serious cold and wind chill. It was -1ºC and windy there. We looked at the majestic cliffs for a bit, stared at the waterfall which was not flowing very rapidly (Spring is when the ice melts and you get a grander sight) and then we ran into the souvenir store to enjoy some heat.
The store ladies were so kind, and offered us cups of soup. They had a hot pot set up with paper cups to serve their customers, and we were very thankful for the soup. So much so that I felt I had to buy some stuff there, in gratitude. I bought some sweets and grapes. You may have seen the Instastory of Joy and me eating said grapes in our ryokan later, and attempting to spit the seeds into the bowl.
I asked the kids if they wanted to climb the stairs to the viewing platform but the sign said, “20 minutes” and there was a sign to look out for bears. So we chickened out. Actually we were just lazy. It was too much of a climb on a cold autumn’s day just to see two off-peak waterfalls.
We finally checked into Kumoi Hotel, a nice little place that was renovated only two years ago. Many of these onsen hotels in areas like this tend to be old and tired. A couple of the hotels I saw along the way had signs with missing words in their names. But not the Kumoi.
The kids had to set up the futon beds themselves, something they learned to do in our first house, and I have to say, it is handy having two assistants to set up the beds.
At least this Sounkyo area had three restaurants open till 8pm, so we did not need to tabao food. We chose an Italian place called Bear Grill, run by a handsome old man who made great food.
We also stopped by the Seicomart, the FamilyMart of Hokkaido, to resupply our drinks and junk food. And then retired to our hotel.
Because the Kumoi has its own onsen baths, I took the kids to the baths and taught the son how it works. Joy already had some experience in our previous trip so she was fine. The son took some convincing. “Nobody will look at your junk lah,” I assured him.
I gave him pointers on how to use an onsen, like putting a small towel on his head, and using the same small towel to cover his lower bits. The butt, that one cannot cover, the small towel was not big enough.
The kids enjoyed the onsen experience thoroughly, and we vowed to do it again when we could. And we ended our night at Sounkyo with a movie screening in the room, where I introduced them to The Matrix. Suffice to say, their minds were blown.
The next morning we drove back towards Higashikawa and stopped at the Seven Stars Tree. It is a scenic spot where, I later learned, a famous oak tree, that was once used on the packaging of seven stars tobacco, stood.
I only found out when I got to the Tree. Great, we drove all this way to see a cigarette advertisement. But the view was really nice lah. So it was not for nothing.
We also made a stop at the Shirogane Blue Pond, which was recently upgraded with new viewing platforms and lights. There, we spotted some dumb tourists taking photos on a tree branch that grew over the water. This is why we can’t have nice things.
By then it was close to sunset, and I didn’t want to drive in the dark, so we drove to Hotel Bear Monte, near Asahidake mountain, where I booked a night in this bigger, fancier onsen hotel. It took a lot of talking to convince the kids that it is okay to walk around the hotel in our yukata. And even to have the buffet dinner wearing our takata.
“This is how the farmers used to do it, on their vacations to onsen hotels,” I told the kids. They looked a little skeptical but took to it eventually. So we walked here walked there, like a boss, in our yukatas.
Like Japanese farmers on their winter onsen vacations.
#travel
#mrbrowntravels
#mrbrowninJapan
#isaacjoyandpapagojapan
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how do you say the same in italian 在 Roundfinger Facebook 的精選貼文
ใช้เวลาน้อยลง ได้ผลลัพธ์มากขึ้น
หลักคิดข้อหนึ่งในหนังสือ 'สิ่งสำคัญของชีวิต' ที่ผมได้รับจากคุณมานิต อุดมคุณธรรม คือหลัก 80/20 ซึ่งพูดถึงการให้น้ำหนักกับสิ่งสำคัญ 20% ซึ่งส่งผลมากกว่า 80% ที่ไม่สำคัญ
คุณมานิตแนะว่า ให้ลองสังเกตดีๆ ในชีวิตเราส่วนใหญ่เรามีสิ่งที่ใช้บ่อยๆ แค่ 20% เช่น เสื้อผ้าในตู้ ใส่บ่อยจริงๆ ก็คือ 20% ของมัน ที่เหลืออีก 80% มักไม่ค่อยได้หยิบ
...Continue ReadingSpend less time getting more results
One of the main thinking of ' important things of life ' that I received from Mr. Manit Udom virtue is the 80/20 which speaks of giving weight to 20 % important things which affects more than 80 % that don't matter.
Mr. Manit suggests that you can take good notice in our lives. Most of us have 20 % of the things that we use, such as clothes in the closet. It is 20 % of it's the rest of it. The remaining 80 % often don't
This is applied to work. It takes 20 % concentrate and intensive to get more results than spending 80 % without focus.
...
This principle is vilfredo pareto, an Italian thinker and economist, who noted that 20 % of lantao peas planted in his garden yield 80 % of the total productivity because it is 20 % completely strong. Then he further explored that 80 % of the market products are from only 20 % of manufacturers who are the market owner.
Then this thinking is often taken notice
+ 20 % Of Dealers Make Money 80 %
+ 20 % of customers make 80 % profit.
+ 20 % of cuddle k in software damage 80 %
+ 20 % of patients spend 80 % of the public health system.
Etc.
For Executives and core workers, this thinking is applied to work to be more efficient by spending less time and energy.
...
The principle is that
1. Realize that capital, time and energy are limited.
2. Focus on important work
3. Don't waste time on things we don't need to do or work that can let others take care of.
4. Don't regret or worry about the 80 % that doesn't matter because it may only affect 20 % let's be dedicated to 20 % that gives 80 % result.
5. Choose to spend time and energy on what really applies to the work. What is the outer shell which is made with familiar. Too long meeting should be adjusted. The unnecessary journey should adjust how to contact or gather together on the same day or same place.
6. For Freelancer, you need to know who the customer is quality focus and dedicated to him. Create quality work regularly. You will get more jobs from little customers, but good quality, which may be better than getting a job and headache with many problems. Unexpected pattern. Guess.
7. for initiatives to do new things, focus on important goals instead of pying eyes. Look for 'new opportunities' all the time. Your energy will flow to not have enough power to push important goals to stand out.
8. Sitting down to work, when you know what today's important things are, turn off all the channels and sit down and focus on that job. one inserted interference makes it takes 30-60 minutes to restore meditation while continuing. Focus makes more progress than doing many things together
9. in terms of personal life, when we know that the important things we live are only 20 % from all. We are more conscious. When we buy new items, the cravings are less. Less burden in life. We may feel lighter. Too.
10. When it takes a little time but we get a lot of work. The rest of time, we can apply in other parts of life such as exercise, meet friends, take care of parents or children. It is caused by 20 % intensive time to get
...
Mr. Manit once told me, " if you work without management, no focus, no priorities, you will spend too much time on unnecessary. Believe it or not, I work one day equal to you do four days then big smile. " Oh, I can do 20 % but you can do 80 % 20 %
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Order online via inbox to @[495024317175218:274:KOOB] page.Translated
how do you say the same in italian 在 Jazel Lim Facebook 的最佳貼文
#OOTD with Jazellianne pronounced as (Jah-zal-leh-unn) because I feel French but at the same time Italian from my look & as if my name is not hard enough to get right. Which beeteedubs(btw) is pronounced as Jay-zel as in when you say gel not zil. Make sense? Or Hazel replace with a J & that my friend is how you say my name. Didn’t Beyoncé teach ya’ll enough?
But not the “Giselle” kinda pronunciation. I’m glad I got that off. Like finahhleee. lol
Let’s put that aside, education done. I’m doing a giveaway!!
I’m happy to be part of Lola’s 1st Anniversary, & I am gonna he giving away
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I will announce winner in my comment section so do keep me on your “notification” list. Turn me on 😎😉
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how do you say the same in italian 在 letters and sounds (Italian Pronunciation) (1/3) - YouTube 的推薦與評價
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