Hokkaido! Day 1

Day 1- Morioka --> Aomori --> Kikonai --> Kitakami --> Hakodate

The night before I left, I actually didn’t get any sleep. I had to leave at 6:30, and after a night of hookah, I was back at my apartment at 2:30. So I managed to clean, take a shower, and organize all the crap in my apartment. Afterwards, I went to the internet café on Odori, Hero, to burn some time. I found a few more interesting things about where I was about to go. Thank god they had a drink bar, because fatigue was starting to set in. I went through two hours there; it was soo weird to see that when I went in it was night time, and when I left it was bright and shiny. I didn’t feel like taking a taxi, so I just walked to the station. I really do like walking, and I think this vacation is going to be full of that (and ya’know, sitting on my ass, since everything is local trains).

I made it to my first train on time, huzzah! And I was able t get a good seat, where no one could really bother me. There was a girl in front of me though (the seat was like two mini-benches facing each other, and they go throughout the bus in pairs) that was -all- dolled up. At 6:30 in the morning people! Fresh curls, fake eyelashes, all wrapped up in a bow. *sigh* The funny thing though was her passing out. Granted, I wanted to sleep to, but I couldn’t because I was soo excited!! The way she slept on her head completely ruined one side of her curls T-T. Poor thing. So while Sleeping Beauty was catching ZzZZs, I was starting a new book. Well, I actually had had it for almost a year, but I didn’t have the time to read it. Part of the Immortality series, “Wielding a Red Sword” is about how the new office for Mars is filled out. I like it so far, but I think “ Riding a Pale Horse” was a lot better. Who knows, I’m only half-way through the book. Yes, I just started my vacation, and I am half-way though my book . I have a lot of time on my hands throughout the train rides.

Anyways, I was able to make it to Aomori with no problems. HOWEVER, then the drama begins. So to fill in with some back story, the reason why I am riding all Futsu trains is because I bought the Hokkaido- North Japan pass. It lets you travel unlimitedly on all Futsu trains for 5 consecutive days. It made the travel costs a lot cheaper. It did have the exception to let me ride in the longest underwater tunnel via Shinkansen, huzzah!! However, to do that, you must board and disembark in one specific town. Well, I started in the wrong town. So, while I was riding on the Shinkansen, I was called out on it, and I had to immediately get off at the next exit, unless I really wanted to pay (hell no!!). Knowing I was wrong, I went to the ticket counter at the new station and explained my situation. Unfortunately, the man talking to me was a complete bastard. I asked him what I could do, and he just started at me with an emotionless face. Then I asked him if he had a time chart or map, and he sad no. WTF U R AT A TRAIN STATION, WHY YOU HAS NO MAP DERRRR. And then wouldn’t you believe it, he pulls out a map. OI VE. After keeping my kewl (because I was getting really pissed off), I finally got him to realize what the hell was going on, and figure out how to get me back on track. In all honesty, it wasn’t the man that pissed me off who helped me, it was another guy working there. Maybe I had the village idiot help me, I don’t know. While I was waiting at this station, a random guy started up a conversation with me. His English was absolutely fantastic. He was maybe in his 30s, and he said he hasn’t used his English since he was in school, but it was still very good. Anyways, I eventually got back on track. Funny thing is with the detour, I still arrived in Hakodate at the time I estimated LOL. I was able to talk with a really nice lady too, who gave me some advice about town, and a little guidance on what I was actually looking at through the window as we approached the city. Soo sweet!

Once I left the station, I bought a day-pass for the trolley that goes throughout the town. Having that in town made sight-seeing a little easier. It seem like everything is in really close proximity to each other. After I threw my stuff into the hotel, I started off with one of the temples they had in town. It was completely empty. I hate to say it, but once I got there, I immediately thought of Sailor Moon, lol. Rei is a temple priestess, and the style of the temple (and stairs) was really similar to hers. Still, it was a beautiful place. I bought a fortune slip, but since I can’t read crap, I gotta translate it T-T. After that I walked to where I could see the sea. I was kinda surprised to see some surfers, but c'mon, that’s just me being stupid because it IS summer. The weather in Hokkaido isn’t any different from Morioka, still pretty warm. After that I went to the star fortress. I didn’t go up into the observation building because it was $10, and I knew I was going to Mt. Hakodate later that day. Plus, I just bought postcards with the aerial view, lol. I did take a walk around there though. Its more a park now than anything. Its kind of funny that it used to be a fortress, and now people have picnics and exercise there. Oh how time makes fools of us all.
I finally started to feel hungry, and right next to the park is a burger joint called Lucky Pierot. I don’t think there are any of these back in Honshu, but man, you can’t miss it. I would relate it to a Schoops and Applebees in sporadic design, but its more on the crazy and uncanny, like a circus. I had a “ Lucky Cheeseburger”, but they have other things that are a little more outstanding. But man….. That was a delicious burger!!!! Omg they had just the perfect amount of mustard and ketchup, and this other sauce that was sweet but it seemed like there were really small chunks of cream cheese in there ON TOP of having a big slide of cheddar. No question, my best burger in Japan so far. *starts drooling just by remembering*.

Once I was finished savoring my deliciousness, I realized I was starting to get dark so I needed to hit my last “day-light” locations before I went to the observation tower. I wasn’t going to make it to the foreign residency, so I went to look for the warehouses. I thought I was just going to be taking pictures of really plain things, but wow, they completely changed the inside of the buildings to a shopping center! Really fun things, a lot with Russian influence. I also had a great view of the port during sunset, so those were good times. I continued to look for highlight spots on my map, making my way up to the boarding station for Mt. Hakodate. I found the location foreigners first stepped foot onto Hokkaido, the infamous street view, and the foreign merchant living quarters (but it was too dark to get a good picture of anything). Thank goodness I had a map with me, or I would of easily gotten lost in town. I found the boarding station and since it was around 8pm, it was a busy time. Going up the lift was really exciting!! I think I’ve only been on a lift maybe one other time in my life. Its crazy how they work with sooo many people inside. I think maybe 50 people could fit in, but maybe I’m wrong. Once you reach the top, you don’t want to get out! But since you can climb up a few extra flights in the mountain station, I headed for the roof. Of course it was jam-packed there too, with everyone and their brother trying to get a good shot of the night scene. From what I researched online, the view from Mt. Hakodate is one of the top 3 in the -world-! *shock* I will admit, I was a little moved. Unfortunately, I was kinda pissed that I couldn’t get a good shot though *sigh* I tried to enjoy the view a little longer, but I found a good time to head down. This time I was able to get a little closer to the window, but uugh…. going down a lift… it’s like landing in an airplane, and I don’t like that soo much T-T. Regardless, I got down in one piece, huzzah!

After enjoying the night view, I wondered how I cold enjoy the night life. It kinda sucks to go to a bar alone, so I was hoping I could do something else. One of Hakodate’s food specialties include squid, and after roaming around a little, I found a charming little alleyway full of a variety of restaurants. One of them had squid on the menu, so I plopped down, drank a Sapporo “classic” beer and enjoyed my snack. I have to call it a snack, cause it was sooo small!!! The chef put a ginger sauce on it, and it was really tasty! I’m used to different festivals just soaking it in a soy sauce glaze. I wasn’t full after this, so I scouted he area a litte more. One of the restaurants there was Korean owned, and once she said “Anngyonhasaeyo” and I replied back in Korean, she had me. LOL. I tried to resist because I wanted to try the local cuisine, but she already was “pushing” me inside, ^_^(). There were only 2 other people there, and the hostess was ready to make us all friends. I’ll admitt, since I had a large beer at the restaurant prior, I was a little tipsy, and ready to chat. The chef was able to make me something I didn’t have before, a sandwich that was kimchi and cheese… om nom nom nom. I’ll never eat a grilled-cheese the same way again.. For some reason they also gave me coffee with this, a “must-have” from what they say. It did go well together though. I was promised some pat-bing-suu as well, but nooooo, a group of men came and then the cook became too busy cooking their meal. To be a little more visual, these shops are very very tiny, as where you enter in, there are maybe only…. 8-9 seats, surrounding the area that the chef is cooking in. There are tables outside the restaurants, but they maybe fit 5-6 out there, like a park-bench. So yeah, once 6 hungry guys come into your restaurant, it’s gonna be busy. Especially since there is only one chef. I knew I had an early start the next day, and it was already midnight, so I made my way back to the hotel, and passed out once my head hit the pillow.