Sapporo Day Three-or four? umm....

Yesterday was an interesting day. I woke up early enough to discover that we had missed a small, outer lying section of the Snow Festival in a place called Sato Land. Realizing that it would take a little bit more time to get there than the other places, and beause there were certain other things I wanted to see...I woke andrew up early and we headed off (around 9:30ish....).

First we took our usual walking route towars the ice sculptures but detoured slightly so we could see the Ramen Alley. It`s an incredibly narrow alley hidden away in on eof the city blocks. The only shops there sell Ramen and it all looked delicous. Unfortunatly it was a little too early for Ramen so we simply walked through. The shopkeepers, they minute they see you walking by, always shout `Irrashaimase!` and doozo, and the like to get you to come in and try THEIR ramen. Very funny and a little difficult for me because it makes me want to eat at all the restaruants so no one feels bad.

After that we made our way to the little souvineir shop called Tanukiya. Tanukia are like tiny little Japanese totems of these wierd looking animals. Their balls are considered good luck. That:s right, their balls. So all the little wooden statues, which looked creepy in the first place, had humongous genetalia handing off them. Seriously, usually the genetalia took up more space than their legs. The shop features other souveniers but i wasnt sure what to get anyone. I found two small gifts and I would have loved to buy a Tanuki for someone (maybe dad, or maybe a couple for dad and tamara-the female tanuki`s breasts pale in comparison to the male`s balls though) but they were rather expensive, being hand carved and all. We may go back today to purchase more souveniers since I realized I have a bit more money than I thought (I`ve decided to forgo snowboarding anyway though).

I apologize for the crude turn my entries seem to be taking as of late but I feel it`s my job to report everything.

After Tanukiya we walked to see the finished competeing snow sculptures. My favorites are hong Kong, which featured a really elaborate but typical chinese dragon, Singapore, for the really detailed and beautiful backside of the sculpture featuring the national flower and some doves, hawaii, for it:s mermaid and turtle, Germany, because theirs was awesome, they managed to make the boat they constructed and the figures all look like they were coming out of water, and finally Canada, just ebcause theirs was funny. It was supposed to be a couple dancing and you get a really nice view of the lady`s cleavage...the couple really looks like they are doing something dirty. America was disapointing....they chose the story of the frog prince as their theme and the figure wasnt very well former, though they did a nice job on the trees. There was another one which I thought would have been nicer had the competitors come back to clean the snow off the sculpture. I think they had finished the day before and just decided not to come back because snow was a little piled on top.

Anyway, they were all nice.

From here we made our way to Sato Land. I have learned not to trust websites from this experience and instead ask people the correct route. The website told me to go to one of three subway stations so I chose one and went and the sign at said station told me that I had to go to one of the other two. Poor luck on my part, I suppose. But we made it and Sato land turned out to be a kid oriented zone, just fine for me and Andrew. We got to go tubing down a snow mountain, find our way through an ice maze, and build tiny little snowmen (I called mine Sabishii Lover though I accidently spelled the katakana for lover as robe instead...whoops, now its the the lonely robe). There was supposed to be horse drawn carriages and butter making and mochi smashing but I didnt see it. No problem though. While we were eating I chatted not only with the people who gave me my food but an older lady I gave my seat too. One of the people in the Ramen shop complimented my accent, which was nice.

Leaving sato land, our next trek was to the Sapporo Beer Museum. We went to the correct station and started walking. We made in a brief stop in Hobby/book off where andrew bought a cheap game and I debated relivign the past and buying some old Japanese pokemon cards. No buy...though I`m reconsidering. After this we walked aways, realized we had passed the place, I got frustrated (I really felt like we`d been having travel trouble all day and my foot was hurting so _I just wanted toget there!), andrew got the brunt of my wrath, and the we finally found it. The museum was small but free and cute. It had old Sapporo beer and Ebisu posters that were cool...I would have loved to have one. Andrew tasted the dark beer and there was this adorabel little model of how Beer is made...though I think parts were a little fantastical...you`ll have to see the pics.

After we left the museum we were directed to what I thought was a souvenier shop, part of it was, but the other part was a large menu where they tell you you should eat at the Beer garden. It ws very well planned out, they had somewhere there who spoke english and started talking to us about the beer and the lamb and how many people were getting the tabehoudaiand how delicous it ould be. Well, Andrew and I, after a moment of deciding wether to throw down the 3500 yen each or not, were sold and decided we deserved at least one nice dinner on our trip. Besides, Sapporo is famous for lamb and beer so why not?

We spent Two hours in the restaurant eating and cooking our own lamb. It was delicous and I think we went through five trays. I actually managed to drink two beers, and I`ve decided if I have to drink beer (I know I don`t HAVE to, which is why I only had two and spaced them out with lots of food and cola), Sapporo is okay though I really think I`m not a beer person. Andrew enjoyed his though and I think we definatly got the most out of our Tabe/nomihoudai.

Finally we made a last stop at the arcade to play some relazing games and then we walked home, making it before curfew at 11:30. It was an extremely full and satisfying day.

Today we check out of the hostel and go to the Ryokan. The ryokan is closer to Otaru, which apparently and luckily is having a lantern festival during our stay. So the next round of entries will be focused in that area rather than Sapporo.
Before we head over there we may try to make one last trip to a souvineir store or maybe Mt. Moiwa and the rope walkway, which I did kind of want to see. We`ll figure it out.

Anyway,
Much love and sorry for all the typos!