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Letter 11
Thursday 22.08.13 81,08 km
I sit with a plan of this spa "town". I can see my hotel and its name, but the only thing with latin letters is WC. But I do see it starts with the character for "middle", which I've now learned is "waka" in japanese. So it has to stay there, something starting with waka....
It's 6am and I'm busy because I must utilize their wi-fi, which surprised me a
lot, but that's an
additional thing you get for your money. My boiler is bobbling, I going to have
a cup of green tea.
I was welcomed by the owners wife and a more english speaking young man, who
showed to come from
Hong Kong, so he's not totally fit with the japanese language. I insisted taking
off my shoes even
they claimed it wasn't nescesary in the lobby. One knows a thing or two about
japanese habits...?
When I asked to see the room I was taken on a big tour. They must also have
european style rooms
but mine is japanese style. When you're taken round in 3½ floors and speak at
the same time it can
be difficult to keep orientation, but I did later manage to find the bath. The
toilet is easy, it's
just 5 m's down the korridor. You don't have separate shower and toilet in
japanese style hotels,
but there's a "more beautiful" toilet downstairs. And then there's the bath.
First you get into a
room, where there's a lot of baskets, and I assume you put your kimono there. I
don't know what to do
with the towel, but you have to take it with you into the main bathing part, but
there are no hooks
to put it on. But when I come to think about there isn't the little thing to put
on the hook. So you
probably just lay it. But where?
My room before the bed was made
The main bathing is a big room with showers and mirrors in the usual low height
on two walls. Vincent,
my new friend from Hong Kong, says you sit on low stools. The biggest part of
the room is a big pool
filled with hot water from their own hot spring. It was around 8 x 5 m. First
you wash at the shower
and then you enter the pool. It's a long time since I've been bathing like this.
Unfortunately I didn't
have much time, as I'd ordered dinner at 6.30pm. Otherwise I might also have
fallen asleep. You could
choose between 6, 6.30 or 7pm. There's a bathing area for men and for women and
at 9.30pm you switch them. When you switch back I don't remember.
At the meal a girl appeared that spoke quite a bit of english, so I could ask,
how things were supposed
to be done. First I had to choose a soft drink and she'd made a note with all
the possibilities in
english. I chose a Hawthorn, that wasn't strong but definitely with alkohol. And
then I was free to
taste the specialities. Different small vegetable dishes, a fish, some dull
slices of pig, cut in a
way I never saw it before. I had to fry them myself. The fish had laid in acid
or something, so long
that you could eat it all. But not the eyes, she said. I didn't tell I know
someone that eats the
eyes as well, namely Nori. Together with the pork you also fried some mushrooms
and some vegetables.
There was a delicious sauce to dip it in. Their sauces are always very thin and
you just dip in it
before putting it in your mouth. More dishes came, among which was one entirely
made of milk and eggs
but with some black grains of rice in. Another meat dish was deer. And of course
rice. If the miso soup
only came because I asked about it, I don't know. There was also another
vegetable soup and in the
end the desert: yougurt mousse with a red stripe of some fruit paste.
Parts of the dinner - the stove is not lit yet
All in all an orgy of different tastes. Nothing that tasted bad, only maybe
strange. I had a beer,
I had to pay for and for the rest tea. A nice experience.
The girl was from Tokyo and was studying economi and was here in her holiday. It
must be very seasonable
here. Like in Bornholm. Even they also might have customers in the skiing season.
There's skiing
rather close.
Now it's past 7am. I have to prepare for the breakfast, it's from 7.30am.
6 tunnels in a row to get away from Nukabiro Onsen. The longest just about
500 m, but badly lighted.
The last two with a bicycle lane. But here's not much traffic. I get through
with no problems.
It was 21 degr. outside my window. The wheather looks nice. You never know what
happens to the clouds
here in the mountains- Got a mail from Nori. The family worried about me, there
should have been or
should come heavy rain on Hokkaido. Yes I bet. The rain was hammering down all
evening.
Then comes the 7. tunnel, but still with bicycle lane. Have to put the fleece on,
the road declines
along a river and the sun has disappeared. After having climbed two green hills
I end up the the flat
land. There's agriculture here and the road is long with no end. I do a fair
speed from time to time
the wind is against me. It is as if the wind comes and goes.
Am on my way to Obihiro Sta hoping to achive some information on Hagomoro Falls
which is marked in
my map. I've long wanted to stop to eat but haven't found a suitable place, so
when a Road Station
is announced 2 km ahead, it's like having thrown a life line. The first 54 km
have passed.
Go to ask for Hagoromo Falls. They are helpfull as usual. Nelles Map has a
mistake here. It appears
that the falls are those I saw yesterday. It's the first time I've encountered
such a big mistake.
But I'm glad I did see them!
In the station is a tourist info and soon an english speaking is called for.
It's now confirmed
but Nelles are mistaken. And there should be a camp site at Tagachigawa Onsen.
And it should rain
tomorrow afternoon at about 3pm.
When I reach Tagachigawa I'm not shure. It's not much of a town and the camp
site wasn't in my direction.
But I find a big overview of the town and there - up in the corner - is the sign
of a tent. It
shouldn't be hard, after the turning I have to turn right. But there are
different roads to take.
In the first I meet some girls, who a so kind to say: hello, so they speak
apparently some english.
This is a kind of hotel but the owner comes and claims the camp site is just
next door.
I go through a small path and get into a complicated area of roads and tracks of
newly laid asphalt.
Some spots there are toiletbuildings and washing facilities. I also get into an
area with some
tents, but no people. But you can't just put up your tent, can you?
I end up going somewhere called Ecology Center. A man appears on a lawn mover.
He points but changes
his mind. I just have to follow him and then it goes fast on small tracks and
bigger roads. It reminds
me about Beijing where I had to pay a rickshaw driver to go in front of me to my
hostel. But this
one I don't have to pay.
It costs 1500 Y and there isn't even a shower! Well. He asks when I want to
check out but gives up.
I can just leave. After all I have paid already.
He explains where it is, but I know already, there where the tents were placed.
As if I couldn't find a toilet when I saw one
Later he comes in a small car to show me the toilet....? I use the opportunity
to ask for el.power
and he end up opening a small box at the washingarea where there's an outlet.
It's noy entirely
by the book I think.
Ready to pack the bike in the morning - almost
Then I'm not asking for more but goes back to town to shop in Seicemart (a chain).