Sapporo

Owing to some dodgy planning on my behalf and a relative scarcity of available hotel rooms, I only have 1 day in Sapporo. I immediately realize my mistake as Sapporo is a happening place. It is also the easiest city to navigate as it uses a grid system. Very useful to someone like me with limited directional abilities (or none?)

As it is autumn, Sapporo is in the middle of its autumn festival. This involves substantial food and drink in Odori Park, which stretches for many blocks. I have a guide map that tells me what is offered in each block of the park. But I've jumped ahead ...

Firstly I stop for a coffee at Starbucks (what, again?! You should buy shares in the company blah blah blah I'm not listening). Quick quiz: how many Starbucks are there in the 2km between the train station and my hotel? Answer: 5 (seriously). I then pick up stacks of tourist info (in English!) from the tourist info place at the station.

Given my limited time, I choose to range around the inner city. Firstly I walk to the TV Tower (1st photo) and visit the observatory at the top. Panoramic views over much of Hokkaido, the 2nd photo is just a sample.

I then walk through Odori Park, taking in the atmosphere as many people have gathered to eat and drink. I deviate from the park to wander through the Botanical Gardens. In the greenhouse I spy a familiar palm tree and suppress my natural instinct to cut it down (impractical as I only have a Swiss Army knife).

Finally it's time to eat and I choose a combo platter of lamb chop and 3 prawns. I make a decent fist of the chop with chopsticks, not so much the prawns. Continuing the seafood theme, I buy a plate of grilled oysters (5th photo) and find they're not too bad.

I was meant to rent a car at 10am but it's closer to 2:30 by the time I reach Toyota car rental (which coincidentally adjoins the hotel where I stayed). Problems setting up the Bluetooth pairing, but that will have to wait. Time to hit the open road again!Meer informatie