19 May 2015

First day back in Bangkok and missing Hokkaido. Particularly these which are literally the most delicious things I've ever eaten. They are called cheese tarts but are a delightful hybrid of soufflé and cheesecake. Kinotoya is regarded as the best shop in all japan. 

18 May 2015

Views of Hokkaido Shrine

17 May 2014

The Sapporo brewery tour. Capped of by grilled lamb Gengis Khan Style

16 May 2015

Sapporo has tons of parks. This is Nakajima which features several shrines, a tea house, museums, and a concert hall. 

15 May 2015

Spring in Sapporo. Still snow on the mountains. 

But flowers are in bloom. I loved these nearly black tulips. 

View of the Old Government Building from our hotel.

And catching a home game of the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters. Thank god they play in a dome! 

14 May 2015

The small town of Otaru is known for its canals and shops.  We also discovered a wine bar featuring Hokkaido wine. Which given the cold temperatures isn't the greatest, but the beer is spectacular! 

Carved wine barrels

Cool sculpture in a back alley

13 May 2015

We arrived this morning to the island of Hokkaido in Japan.  It's a brisk 60F here, and a pleasant break from the heat of Thailand.  We are starting our trip in Otaru on the north part of the island.  There are lots of hotsprings in the area; fortunately we have a private one on our balcony.

And here's the view from the tub. It opens directly into the neighboring forest. 

It's cool enough the cherry blossoms are still in bloom.

Enjoyed a lovely walk in the woods between rain showers.

Lots of white birches here.  This one looked like an eye and eyebrow to me. 

There also appears to be a stone carver in the area.