"Doobie Doobie Dooooooooo…Aaaaaaoooooouuuuuuhhhhhh!"
This morning I have a bit of a lie in due to the lack of sleep the day before. Probably didn't help by being woken up by the sound of sirens emanating from the fire station across the road at about 4:00am. I don't want to spend all morning in bed though as I'm only here for two weeks and every second counts.
Realising that I’ve forgotten to buy anything for breakfast in the 711 the night before, I leave the hotel at roughly 11:00am and decide to explore the immediate vicinity (finding something to eat en route)
As I step into the hotel lift, I’m greeted by the mellow sounds of a cover version of the Minnie Ripperton classic “Loving You” done in an easy listening style. Just as it launches into the part that goes “La la la la la, la la la la la, la la la la la la la la la la la…Doobie Doobie Dooooooooo…Aaaaaaoooooouuuuuuhhhhhh!"* (for those of you that are not familiar with this song the end part sounds like poor old Minnie has just fallen into a bottomless pit) the lift reaches the ground floor, the doors open and I’m confronted by two waiting Japanese businessmen. Thank God I wasn’t tempted to join in with the singing, as this could have proven to be rather embarrassing.
Choosing to turn left as I leave the hotel (no particular reason, it just looked a bit more exciting) It's only a short walk before I end up on a bridge overlooking the Toyohira River.
The river (quite fast flowing due to all the water from the melting mountain snow, apparently) is a site to behold. Although the Thames back in London is pretty impressive, it’s rather slow moving and quite dirty in comparison. After a short walk along the path (stopping to take a few pictures) I head back to the hotel, as I’m due to meet Phil there (it’s a good job that we’re going to lunch, as I completely forgot about breakfast)
I meet Phil in the hotel lobby and head up towards the centre of Sapporo. Phil takes me to a little place called Stanley Market (can’t remember what I have to eat, but you can guarantee it was pork based!) where we eat and catch up on old times.
With lunch over and done with, we head up towards Odori Park where Phil shows me a few more points of interest before leaving me on my own to explore. I take a leisurely walk through the park, soaking up the sights and sounds (while trying to avoid getting run over by the numerous people on bicycles) and stop by one of the fountains to watch the world go by and to listen to some nice relaxing hard trance on my CD player.
After an hour of watching fountains, protests by senior citizens and high school boys chasing pigeons (never quite worked out why this particular activity was so enjoyable to them. Even when the park was full of high school girls, the pigeons seemed to get more attention. Maybe it’s a courtship display of agility and speed if they actually manage to catch one. It would be quite funny to see it reversed, with pigeons chasing high school boys in the hope of attracting a mate!) and damaging my tympanic membranes with the sounds of “Eryk Orpheus Vs Group 185”
I decide to explore somewhere new. Unfortunately, I can’t actually remember what I did. I think I just walked around for a bit looking at some shops (sorry I can’t be any more specific than this, but while I was in Japan I made a note of what I had done each day so when I returned I could use this to help me remember specific things when writing this blog. This only works though if you can actually read your own handwriting)
Anyway, later that evening, I meet Phil again in the hotel lobby (exiting the lift to the song “I know him so well”) and head off for the first (of many!) visits to the local Irish pub Brian’s Brew, where we drink, eat chips and talk absolute rubbish to Akimi (hello Akimi!)
This time, as I head back to the hotel for the night, I remember to stop and get breakfast…...and another vodka :D
*You wouldn't believe the trouble it took to get the correct spelling for Aaaaaaoooooouuuuuuhhhhhh
Realising that I’ve forgotten to buy anything for breakfast in the 711 the night before, I leave the hotel at roughly 11:00am and decide to explore the immediate vicinity (finding something to eat en route)
As I step into the hotel lift, I’m greeted by the mellow sounds of a cover version of the Minnie Ripperton classic “Loving You” done in an easy listening style. Just as it launches into the part that goes “La la la la la, la la la la la, la la la la la la la la la la la…Doobie Doobie Dooooooooo…Aaaaaaoooooouuuuuuhhhhhh!"* (for those of you that are not familiar with this song the end part sounds like poor old Minnie has just fallen into a bottomless pit) the lift reaches the ground floor, the doors open and I’m confronted by two waiting Japanese businessmen. Thank God I wasn’t tempted to join in with the singing, as this could have proven to be rather embarrassing.
Choosing to turn left as I leave the hotel (no particular reason, it just looked a bit more exciting) It's only a short walk before I end up on a bridge overlooking the Toyohira River.
The river (quite fast flowing due to all the water from the melting mountain snow, apparently) is a site to behold. Although the Thames back in London is pretty impressive, it’s rather slow moving and quite dirty in comparison. After a short walk along the path (stopping to take a few pictures) I head back to the hotel, as I’m due to meet Phil there (it’s a good job that we’re going to lunch, as I completely forgot about breakfast)
I meet Phil in the hotel lobby and head up towards the centre of Sapporo. Phil takes me to a little place called Stanley Market (can’t remember what I have to eat, but you can guarantee it was pork based!) where we eat and catch up on old times.
With lunch over and done with, we head up towards Odori Park where Phil shows me a few more points of interest before leaving me on my own to explore. I take a leisurely walk through the park, soaking up the sights and sounds (while trying to avoid getting run over by the numerous people on bicycles) and stop by one of the fountains to watch the world go by and to listen to some nice relaxing hard trance on my CD player.
After an hour of watching fountains, protests by senior citizens and high school boys chasing pigeons (never quite worked out why this particular activity was so enjoyable to them. Even when the park was full of high school girls, the pigeons seemed to get more attention. Maybe it’s a courtship display of agility and speed if they actually manage to catch one. It would be quite funny to see it reversed, with pigeons chasing high school boys in the hope of attracting a mate!) and damaging my tympanic membranes with the sounds of “Eryk Orpheus Vs Group 185”
I decide to explore somewhere new. Unfortunately, I can’t actually remember what I did. I think I just walked around for a bit looking at some shops (sorry I can’t be any more specific than this, but while I was in Japan I made a note of what I had done each day so when I returned I could use this to help me remember specific things when writing this blog. This only works though if you can actually read your own handwriting)
Anyway, later that evening, I meet Phil again in the hotel lobby (exiting the lift to the song “I know him so well”) and head off for the first (of many!) visits to the local Irish pub Brian’s Brew, where we drink, eat chips and talk absolute rubbish to Akimi (hello Akimi!)
This time, as I head back to the hotel for the night, I remember to stop and get breakfast…...and another vodka :D
*You wouldn't believe the trouble it took to get the correct spelling for Aaaaaaoooooouuuuuuhhhhhh
posted by Colin at 3:00 AM
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