Sapporo

Hokkaido

Japan

February 9, 2014

Threatening Clouds. Cold. Bitter Cold. Painful Cold.

-9C  16F

So what did you expect, Khun Jan?  Palm trees and a papaya salad?

It’s the Sapporo Snow Festival in the dead of winter.  Across the Sea of Japan.  From Vladivostok.

A layer or two or three.  Hat, scarf, gloves.  Get out of the house!

It’s after noon already!!  An umbrella couldn’t hurt.  Just in case.

First, the ice sculptures.  Can’t get a decent shot with all the beer and sake poster ads. 

Snack on the street: steamed bun stuffed with warm beef and spicy sauce. $2.00

Lunch: bowl of hot soup with noodles. $6.00

Special treat: Coffee and pastry. $8.50!

Last stop: Illuminated snow sculptures.  Tripod and remote shutter release.  Ever try manipulating photo equipment wearing wool gloves?

Get over it! 

Some friends take a high calorie cruise to a Caribbean port or two.  Others fly twenty hours to Sydney to see an opera house. 

Not you, Mr. Jan.  Freeze your butt off in the Arctic! (NB Never again.) 

Headed for Kalimantan? Flores and Komodo?  Maybe Sulawesi?  To defrost! 

Watermelon anyone?