Thursday, February 08, 2007

Hokkaido

Just got back from Hokkaido with my family. It was amazinggggggg!!! Spent 2 quality days there...I totally loved it. Best holiday ever.

Day 1

We stayed at this really cool hotel which had lifts just outside the doors. Went skiing and snowboarding for the first time till late at night and I must say it is quite difficult but still I had lots of fun. This is the first time I've really experience snow too...and the snow was awesome...really really soft powdery snow. You walk on it and just sink in...hehe..

The hotel we stayed at had an indoor and outdoor onsen and since James booked this hotel for that sole reason I thought I might as well try it out....but whoaaa the water was really hot...42degrees...fully burnt me..but it was really nice in the onsen outside with snow all around and watching carp swimming in the pond next to the onsen - definately worth the experience. Downside was all the ladies there were super skinny...I think I was the fattest one there...kinda makes you a little depressed. Also, suprisingly the onsen really moisturized my skin and hair. The minerals etc. in it really does wonders!!!!

Also ate lots and lots of food...in fact 3 buffets!!! You know what it's like with buffets. You just eat and eat and keep eating until you are like fully bloated and can't breathe. Well...I don't know about you, but that's me!! hehe Had the best buffet ever!!! Lots of variety and lots of fresh seafood....especially crab!!!

Day 2

Headed to Sapporo and stayed a night at a hotel close to the Snow Festival. Spent a whole day looking around there. It snowed the whole day and was freeeezing especially at night. The ice scupltures were really reallly cool especially when lighted up at night. My favourite was the one with Stitch hehe...Unfortunately though, many of the ice sculptures were melting because apparently this year winter's been quite warm in Hokkaido (global warming?!).

Anyway, tried the ramen (which Hokkaido is well known for) but it didn't taste too much different to others I've tried around Japan. Oh..and bought a heap of those chocolates with those dried strawberries inside. Yummy!!! and those chocolate biscuits for Gem hehe...

The hotel we were staying in Sapporo also had an indoor and outdoor onsen but I was too lazy to go hehe but James and Ivan went and said the outdoor one had an open roof and it was snowing ontop of them whilst they were in the onsen...How cool!!!

Day 3

Woke up late, had buffet breakfast, relaxed, packed, did a super quick round of Sapporo Station and headed back to Tokyo....and met up with Linda and Joseph one last time.

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Also really glad to have met up with my cousins in Tokyo a few days ago. They're all so lovely. =)

1 comment:

Gemmish said...

OMG someone finally wrote us a msg hehe....hi juless =) yeah yeah I went snowboarding...i told u i wanted to go when u n Lorena were here..up to Niigata where Yuuko lives...sheshh...never listen lol...anyway u should definately visit hokkaido in winter if you get the chance...it's so beautiful there! P.S email me.