This morning started with a beautiful snow!
this is Hasuike Ropeway Parking, about 9 A.M.
and this is Shiga Kogen Protection of Nature Center, about 10:30 A. M.
At this moment, we can see a light snow mixed with a sunny day from our window, at Hasuike.
We registered 30 cm of fresh snow this morning! It's really a good day to go out and enjoy all this snow!!!
Here are things you can do:
-Hang around in the hotel common areas. You probably will meet someone else who is skiing for a while and you can exchange valuable information about places to go, different techniques, brands... Or, if you are here for a while, you can give some tips about a nice view, your favorite area to ski.
-You could meet interesting people, chat and maybe play something. Ask at the front desk, maybe they have card games that you used to play. Even if you dont remember the rules, playing with people from different countries makes for fun times! Everyone may have different rules ;)
-With lucky, you could meet people from different countries and learn a lot about their traditions, or places you never heard about…
-Snowshoe hiking. Today could be a day that you enjoy the snow differently. Lots of people are snowshoe hiking at the moment, even though it is foggy today. Having fun!
-If you like ice skating, go out and enjoy! It's free! But take care... you have to be fine when the fog and rain has gone!
-Come on, you are in Japan! Try new things, new tastes... So far, Kit Kat Pepper and a Shiga Kogen beer - Caffè espresso taste - are the most unusual things I have found here. But if you want to try something more traditional, why not natto (納豆 - fermented soybeans)???
-Take different pictures. We usually wait for a clear day to take gorgeous pictures. But today can be an opportunity to go out and take completely different pictures. Mysterious images, old looking, sometimes almost sepia, like a draw or a dream…
-Or just rest at the onsen and save energy for having fun when the weather is better!
But I have to say that I saw lots of ski/snowboard lovers going out anyway... who cares if it's not sunny and the sky isn't blue today?!
Carpe diem!
*picture taken about 1 hour ago, as you can't see, this is Hasuike Ropeway Station.
Feb 14, 2009.
9:10 A. M.
Saturday.
* How about you? How do you like to spend a rainy fog day in the mountains?
That's the view from the top of Mt. Yokote (Yokoteyama).
Here you can have a Japanese meal as lamen, oden and udon, in the 2nd floor of the lift building, or you can enjoy fresh bread, coffee, hot chocolate or some hot Russian meal as Stroganoff at the highest bakery of Japan. This bakery is also an amazing place to spend the night and be able to watch the sunset and sunrise from the top of Yokoteyama, 2.300 m above sea level.
Thursday, 9:42 A. M.
Feb 5th, 2009.
