Traveling Home - Wakkani

 I found another good set of pictures I forgot to post!  These are from my travel days.  Going back home is never as fun as going some place - but at least it didn't take 4 days.  Here are some fun pictures of the travel!

I need gum to fly . . . so I got this lovely breath shower gum . . . not bad really

The futon at the hostel was VERY thin - but it was a cute place

lots of cutesie animals

Nice facilities

Nice lounge with reasonably price beverages.

hairdryer and hairspray provided

they were big on the cutesie clocks

Lots of manga and games and puzzles - the puzzles did not require Japanese - yay!

A more classic clock design

HARRY POTTER - I really wanted to see it but we didn't have time :( we were waiting for the bus.  Yes the movie theater is above the bus station

Life size sully in the lobby!

Shopping street - complete with many many cranes

neat statue

neat dog van

delicious breakfast!

I did enjoy the Seico Mart - or cheap one stop food option.  I had a lovely last Japanese breakfast without fish!  The first time in a month - yay!  here you have a Maxim cafe, egg and ham rice, a small Luna vanilla yogurt (I got this based on a review by a blogger who's reviews I love over at Japanese Snack Reviews), and a Hokkaido printed dorayaki! If you see Hokkaido dorayaki - get it!  It is filled with mochi and red bean - fantastic! I may try to make Hokkaido Dorayaki.  In fact, I'm like 100% sure I will.  How hard can it be?  The Luna yogurt was also quite good - as indicated.  It really is a very small tub of yogurt though. 

Japanese Cemetery

One of the last things I did in Japan was go to the Cemetery.  I love cemeteries.  It is possible I have mentioned this in the past (See This).  I had some idea of the family style pattern I would find in the cemetery from my Jdramas, but I've never been to a Buddhist or Shinto cemetery (I don't know what this is, probably Buddhist).

The van as viewed through the shrine gates - you can see the ocean of course

it is a really pretty place

Nice new one

Another new one

awesome old one

Big awesome old one

mossy old one

a nice Buddha with this one

Another old one with a Buddha too

Nice association of stones

Very cool

It was a really lovely cemetery with a view of the sea situated on nice rolling hills near some large hills/small mountain. Just beautiful.  We also stopped at the marker for all the fisherman lost at sea, which I thought was particularly nice.  It is right on the edge of a cliff overlooking the sea. 

Perfect place.

Japanese Snacks!

I love odd snacks and I have long envied Orchid64 at Japanese Snack Review. Finally, I have a chance to eat some interesting things that I actually choose from a selection of things.  Hopefully we will have a follow up to this blog with even more food!

Fun assortment of stuff!

Kind of odd combo in my opinion.

 Banana = alright, Almond = pretty good, Strawberry = kind of icky, Carmel = pretty delicious

Not poop sticks

 This is a traditional Japanese snack.  Delicious burned sugar flavor!

Traditional son of a peach mochi

 Really really delicious.  Kind of a brown sugar tasting mochi.

Chocolate bar and chocolate sandwich!

 Tastes like a chocolate bar.

Not a frappe = blue Hawaii slushy

 Tastes like blue . . . but not raspberry

Tons of cakes!

I got a chestnut one!

Nice pleasant chestnut flavor.  I don't know why we don't make chestnut cakes.  Yum!

So, far all successful!

Vanished: Japan Part 1

I didn't really vanish.  I'm in Japan!  Yay!  Doing an excavation from the Jomon period on Rebun Island! Yay! Just got internet - despite being told there would be internet . . . boo! It also took use 4 days to get here due  to canceled flights.  All is well now. 

I'm still very very busy. But I thought I'd go for some fun pictures in clusters.  This first group is called - Rebun Island!

Baggage claim Wakkanai Airport - Seal-Nessy!

Real tiny seals.

Ferry to Rebun Island

Our futon beds! More comfy then they look.  The pillows are filled with small beads though.

Breakfast . . .

Yummy breakfast squid!  The seaweed has a sweet sauce!

Start of the site

Slow down for kids!

Really!

We totally mean it!

Campsite across from the hotel.

Lake something . . .

Lake

Beautiful path

More lake

GIANT PLANTS!

Hotel is over there

Walking!

Look English!

We call these kinds of stairs the stair of death!  Stairs of death!

Mount Rishi.

the ocean!

Found a kitten!

Walk to work

right by the ocean

Though some industrial stuff

with lots of small shacks

but its a nice road

For luck!

So, far Japan is great.  Even the rural bit is pretty interesting.  Nice hikes, good food, and nice people.  Most people here aren't used to foreigners so it is quite interesting.  I'm learning many words though I can't spell any of them!  No thanks had to be learned quickly or I would have exploded with food by now.  I'll post more on food later.  And on hikes.  And on the excavation!  I love my job.  Archaeology is very very fun.  Time to stop hogging the internet!