The Backpack Adventures

  Day 66:  January 6, 2022 Thursday -  Maruyama Park, Hokkaido Jingu, and Maruyama Zoo Once again, I wake up to the mesmerizing sight of a beautiful snowy morning in Sapporo City. However, this picturesque scene holds a touch of bittersweetness, as today marks my final full day in this captivating place. Thankfully, my dear friends have agreed to make it an unforgettable day by embarking on a back-to-back adventure together. Our destination of choice? The renowned Maruyama Park is nestled on the western side of Sapporo City. Our plan is to immerse ourselves in the park's wonders and explore the various tourist spots that grace its vicinity. Maruyama Koen Station Sums up our itinerary for today As usual, we first had breakfast at Batch's place before heading out. Afterward, we went the usual route of riding the  Gakuentoshi Line  from  Takuhoku Station  to Sapporo Station. We then walked the whole length of the underground walkway going to Odori Station where we bought our ti

Day 65: January 5, 2022 Wednesday - Otaru Day Trip Today is probably one of the highlights of my Winter Break Vacation . For today's itinerary, my Filipino ALT friends and I will be traveling to the historic city of Otaru .  We ate Pinoy breakfast before heading out. Waiting for the train to Otaru in Sapporo Station Speaking of history, today is also the first time that we woke up early and left home early. From Batch's place, we left a little before 8AM and did the usual walk to Takuhoku Station . From there, we rode the Gakuentoshi Line to Soen Station before transferring to the Hakodate Line to Otaru Station . The trip was more or less an hour and a half long and cost us 1130 yen each.  The Backpack Adventures in Otaru Station Otaru Station's Welcome Bell Upon arrival, we did not miss the opportunity to ring the Otaru Welcome Bell and take photos with it. We also made sure to get brochures and sample itineraries in the Otaru Tourist Information Center inside the stat