Hokkaido, Japan!

 

 Hokkaido. A much anticipated trip, but also one of our most challenging trip. Truly used all our resources to make it the best trip we could. And you know what, it was a good one. Not the nice relaxing family vacation that we had desired, but it was a good one. 

 Hokkaido is the most northern Japanese island. Lyndon had been talking about it since Japan came onto his radar. When you are lacking for good dairy, and all the places with good dairy advertise it as Hokkaido cream or milk makes you want to go. So we literally went there for Lyndon to indulge in all things dairy.

 We spent a week there on our way back to the States. Our plan was to fly into Sapporo, pick up a rental car, drive to Furano, and enjoy being able to visit national parks, farms, volcanoes, flower fields, and all that Hokkaido has to offer. The relaxing part did not happen, due to unfortunate events all our travel and accommodation fell through once we got to Japan. We had to improvise, go with the flow and make the best of the situation at hand. It all worked out.  

  After an exhausting fist day in Hokkaido we found some rest in Odori Park in Sapporo. We stayed in a lovely hotel across the street the park. We spent all our time there. There were amazing slides that we could climb up and slide down really fast. The kids we in heaven playing on all the playgrounds, creek, slides, dirt. We walked up and down the entire park. It is a beautiful place. Public parks are cities greatest treasures. They provide so many wonder things. While we were there the park was getting ready for a garden festival. We got to see them setting up, and the kids were given lots of oragami gifts. We could see the dazzling Sapporo TV Tower. We did relax there and enjoyed the cool weather. It was cold! Compared to Singapore we were in Siberia, haha. 


Group sliding. 


Mr. Independent. 


Posing with the Hokkaido bear mascot . These bear statues were everywhere. 






Suckers after a delicious ramen lunch. 








 I had been thinking why did this have to happen. We were very meticulous with all our travels plans, and it was really frustrating that things were not working out. It did not help that we had just left our home, and had to do all the packing and stuff there. I think it was just another lesson along the lines of knowing we can do hard things. I know we can do hard things, but now we know we are extremely resourceful and even in hard situations we can make the best of them. And ice cream solves a lot of problems. 

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