Bikers Paradise

My sleep was comfortable enough and no snoring from roommates as they had their own rooms! The rain was still drizzling in the morning so I opted for only a walk along the lake front instead of a run. The highlight was seeing a swan nest on the shore. Someone thoughtfully put protection and a cover over it ❤️

I tried the hotel onsen before mustering for breakfast. The destination was Denny's! Yup, that one, but with a Japanese flair complete with electronic ordering. I chose the avocado with chicken salad and an order of eggplant with spinach. It was delicious 😋

The forecast wasn't in our favour 🌧️ The route took us up into mountains along a ridge road in the clouds. Some good twists and turns in the forests too.

Our destination was Bikers Paradise! This cafe is owned by the CEO of Ducati. Normally a hopping destination for riders, on this foggy rainy day we had it all to ourselves! Granted gloves were getting soaked, everyone was having fun. We enjoyed some coffees and a light lunch. The pizza was tiny 🍕😂

Back onto the bikes and the clouds opened up even more 🌧️🌧️😌 One of our sightseeing destinations was under construction and totally shrouded in clouds. We continued onwards to Hakone Shrine and the Torri of Peace. The Torri is in Lake Ashi. My brother and I walked down for photos, while dad enjoyed a streaming hot pot of noodle soup to warm up.

HakoneOnsen Sanso Nakamura was our destination for the night. The checkin process was slow as usual. Passports, info and then a personalized escort to the room and explanation of the onsen. They have two sizes and alternate days between men and women to allow guests to experience both even if only staying night.

Our room was on the lower level, which almost felt like the basement. The hallway had stale aroma of an era of heavy smoking. That combined with a mild misty smell made me think of staying in grandma's basement 😌 We were happy that we we did not need to make our beds.

Riding gear was totally drenched and we decorated our traditional tatami room so everything could dry. The minisplit heater got it nice and toasty to help the endeavor.

Dad was tired and not very hungry after his soup. He stayed back while we walked into town for dinner. The couple from Israel had a reservation at a fancy fixed-Prix restaurant. They invited us to join and we graciously accepted. The meal experience lasted 2 hours and comprised of six delicious courses 😋

On our walk home the wind was still blowing pretty strong. The town was fully shrouded in fog, giving it a very cozy, yet eerie feeling.Baca lagi