Saturday, June 09, 2007

I wish I could get the pictures on here...

Unfortunately, I can't find a way yet, but I got a few nifty pictures from my quick trip to Sapporo.

Basically, the trip went something like this: I got up early in the morning (well, 7AM anyway, which is early-ish, I guess) and finished packing for my trip and had a quick breakfast. Then I headed to the train station and got on. The trip there was interspersed with playing Jump Ultimate Stars and reading the Wonderful Wizard of OZ (there's a lot more killing than I expected in that book).

When I got there I first headed to a book store in order to get some English comics and Magazines that I wouldn't be able to get in Obihiro. Then I went to an arcade to play a very impressive Gundam game. I don't really like Gundam, but the game was really cool, in that there are big pods for different players to enter. Said pods are designed to operate similarly to the pods in the series, what with the pedals and double stick shift and what have you. It has a screen that goes about 160 degrees around you to get more of an immersive feel and a really old school Gundam soundtrack. It's also quite expensive, because you also have to by a card for the game (which is about three bucks) and it's about 5 bucks for two bouts. The more you win, the more points you get to gets all sorts of upgrades later. I got a better gun now.

Anyway, after that I had lunch and started walking aimlessly. Then I started walking with an aim. After a long walk looking for a subway, I finally found one. Now, I had written to myself that I was to go to Higashi station but the line I was on only had Hiragishi. Assuming I had made a mistake with the spelling, and not thinking whether or not I was on the wrong line, I headed to Hirigishi. I soon became apparent that I was very lost and while I got help from several gas station attendants, I could only follow their vague pointing. Luckily I stumble across a travel agency and the guy inside was able to help me (as you can assume it was Higashi all along). It wasn't the log walk that bothered me so much as it was my heavy luggage.

After finally getting to my hotel, I was told that my room was available for a second night, which I took. Then I just walked around, went to my room and watched a rifftrax.

The next day, I went to Odori Park and TV Tower, which is tall, but not really impressively tall. I don't see the point really. But Odori Park as quite pretty and a nice place for a picnic (or at least a bento). I also had some BBQ corn and potato cookies, which really just taste like regular cookies. After a quick nap in the park, I walked around again and found a place called Space Create, which is one of those Manga Kisaten (Sp?) where people can go lock themselves up in a small closet sized room where they can read manga (there is a large library of it) watch TV, surf the net, play PS2 and order food. It's no wonder that this country breeds creepy introverts. I wonder what our excuse is... Anyhoo, I decided to try it and had some fun playing Biohazard 4. A truly awesome game that I spent far too little time with.

Anyhoo, I had some curry and went back to the hotel some time in the evening. The next day, I checked out and more or less repeated a few of the things I've done before, as well, as visiting the old government building call Red Brick. I unfortunately couldn't read a damn thing so I could not guess the historical significance of this place. Still, it seemed nice. Also: duck pond! Woo!

And that was pretty much it for me. I went home and now I'm back here in an empty apartment (my roommate left for parts sort of known) and a broken refrigerator (the freezer works though). Man, I just wish I could get those pictures off my phone.