June 26th, Thursday started out great because I was finally able to sleep until 4:30 AM. Perhaps it was the onsen the night before that soothed me enough to sleep longer.
Breakfast was pretty good. I like having a Japanese breakfast.
The hotel was full of children on school field trips.
One teacher tried to encourage his shy students to use the English they'd learned when we bumped into them in the elevator.
As the bus neared the farm we were told that it was a little early for the lavender.
What?
Art had researched this and thought lavender season was from mid June through July.
Chika, our Hokkaido tour guide said lavender season is actually in July.
WHAT?
Still, they reassured us that there would be some early blooming lavender available for us to look at.
This hay bale sculpture was cute too and reflected how I felt.
Still... we did get to see these lavender buds.
We'd taken Mom to see Washington state's incredible Skagit Valley tulip fields a few years ago. She was rather underwhelmed by these flower fields.
We then went to Herb Hill farm, and Mom was too tired so I sat with her on this short ride through the fields.
Art and Dennis walked.
Yes, of course we tried the lavender ice cream. Hmmmm... I really couldn't detect much of a lavender taste. Actually, I don't even know what lavender is supposed to taste like.
Art and Dennis were able to take these great shots of the fields. We were happy to see some flowers blooming.
We then went to Sounkyo to see the Gin Ga no Taki and Ryu Sei no Taki. It's the Husband and Wife waterfalls. Taki means waterfall. Ginga is wife and Ryusei is husband. The Ginga waterfall is taller, thinner and graceful while the Ryusei is shorter and stronger flowing.
Here's our tour guides. Left to right are Li Lin, Chika and Michael.
The hotel map was a little confusing to figure out where the onsen was.
Kathy and I along with our two other new friends decided to do the onsen again. We wanted to be sure to try the outdoor onsen.
We cooked vegetables and meat on a grill for dinner and it was OK. But, we loved the ice cream.
Although Kathy gave me permission to use her photo, I didn't get a chance to ask the other two so I've blurred their faces.
It's ironic that we came to Hokkaido for the lavender and seafood, but what really made the happiest impression in my mind was the onsens. Art feels the same.
Mom never tried the onsen, but her happy time would come at the end of the trip. My brother? Hmmm... could it be the sake or Asahi beer factory we'd visit later?
The hotel was full of children on school field trips.
One teacher tried to encourage his shy students to use the English they'd learned when we bumped into them in the elevator.
As the bus neared the farm we were told that it was a little early for the lavender.
What?
Art had researched this and thought lavender season was from mid June through July.
Chika, our Hokkaido tour guide said lavender season is actually in July.
WHAT?
Still, they reassured us that there would be some early blooming lavender available for us to look at.
This hay bale sculpture was cute too and reflected how I felt.
Still... we did get to see these lavender buds.
We'd taken Mom to see Washington state's incredible Skagit Valley tulip fields a few years ago. She was rather underwhelmed by these flower fields.
We then went to Herb Hill farm, and Mom was too tired so I sat with her on this short ride through the fields.
Art and Dennis walked.
Here's our tour guides. Left to right are Li Lin, Chika and Michael.
The hotel map was a little confusing to figure out where the onsen was.
Kathy and I along with our two other new friends decided to do the onsen again. We wanted to be sure to try the outdoor onsen.
It's ironic that we came to Hokkaido for the lavender and seafood, but what really made the happiest impression in my mind was the onsens. Art feels the same.
Mom never tried the onsen, but her happy time would come at the end of the trip. My brother? Hmmm... could it be the sake or Asahi beer factory we'd visit later?
So much food in this post, Kay! And I'm sorry you didn't get to see the lavender fields in bloom; I do think it would be later. Here it is in September and October. I'm just glad to have you back in my news feed. :-)
ReplyDeleteI do so love your smiling faces, but those hay bales are just a hoot! Happy trails!
ReplyDelete(ツ) from Cottage Country Ontario , ON, Canada!
such a wonderful experience, to see the fields, too bad they weren't at their peak, your mum does look a little tired on the cart, all the food looks lovely but the ice cream would maybe smell more like lavender than taste, I tried lavender cookies and found them not really tasting of anything, I am enjoying this trip very much, thank you,
ReplyDeleteLavender ice cream??
ReplyDeleteSorry you missed the lavender. But I must say everything in that area looks simple, clean and beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThe great posture from the straw. I believe that this kind of breakfast is not my favourite.
ReplyDeleteI have to ask, what did the lavender ice cream taste like? So unique-looking!
ReplyDeleteI've actually forgotten what it tastes like. Art has a better memory, but he says it's like the fragrance. Hmmmm... I don't know about that.
DeleteI had to look onsen up in the dictionary!!!! I love lavender and am sorry that you didn't get to see it in bloom this year... We missed seeing the sunflowers in bloom at Biltmore this year... Guess every year is different... I do love to smell lavender but like you, I've never tasted it. What did it taste like?
ReplyDeleteHave a great week, Kay.
Hugs,
Betsy
I really couldn't taste much of anything. It was probably like vanilla. I was hoping for something distinctive.
DeleteI am so sorry about the lavender fields but think if fun that you really got into the naked bathing. Maybe there is an onsen back home??
ReplyDeleteNope, no onsens here in Hawaii even though we do have volcanoes.
DeleteI'd love to try an outdoor onsen: fresh air and relaxed body. Bet you just have to ask the right folks for an onsen in Hawaii. Bet the folks at the unofficial nude beaches would know. But then again, with such a beach, the onsen would just avoid sand and the occasional shark.
ReplyDeleteDrumMajor
You & mom really look healthy!
ReplyDeleteALOHA from Honolulu
ComfortSpiral
=^..^= . <3 . >< } } (°>
Your brother sounds like my kinda guy. A brewery stop isn't a bad way to top off a wonderful trip! Might need it to inject a little liquid courage to face up to an onsen.
ReplyDeleteyour mom seems to be doing so well on this trip, good for her!
ReplyDeleteAnother onsen dip - good for you. The ice creams looked tasty. Can't wait to read what it was that made your mother happy at the end of this trip.
ReplyDeleteWe were too early for lavender too...but that was in Genting Highland. Not Furano.
ReplyDeleteOur lavender blooms here in July too, and is finished now. Lavender fields are lovely, but the season is short. I see that the field of sunflowers was just starting to bloom. That was a beautiful farm with the patchwork of fields.
ReplyDeleteJapanese food always has so many little dishes. I wouldn't want to be the dishwasher.
It sounds like you weren't too impressed with the food!
ReplyDeleteI figure lavender would taste awful
ReplyDeleteOccasionally we will see some great hay bale art around here. Look how happy you guys are in the ice cream picture.
ReplyDeleteReading on.....
ReplyDeleteAnother great series of photos. Lavender is one of my favorite scents but I have never brought myself to try the lavender infused chocolate I see for sale at World Market.
ReplyDelete