The Backpack Adventures

Day 293: August 21, 2022 Sunday – From Osaka with Love Day 3 It was a picturesque Sunday morning as the sun bathed the surroundings in a warm glow. After savoring a delightful breakfast, we bid farewell to the Otaru Asari Classe Hotel and embarked on our next adventure. Ms. Akiko, eager to experience the charm of Otaru Canal , guided our way back to Central Otaru. However, upon our arrival, we discovered that the canal boat ride was fully booked, dampening our spirits momentarily.  The view from our room in  Otaru Asari Classe Hotel We met our Japanese family at the lobby to wait for breakfast Here's our breakfast for today. Yum! Otaru Canal Bye for now Otaru City! Undeterred, we accepted the turn of events and set our course for the enchanting Lake Toya , nestled in the towns of Toyako and Sobetsu. Akaigawa Roadside Station Toilet break at Akaigawa Roadside Station Akaigawa Pokemon Manhole Cover As we journeyed towards our destination, our curiosity led us to make a stop at the

Day 292: August 20, 2022 Saturday – From Osaka with Love Day 2 We woke up to a rainy day which is not a pleasant sight as our destinations today are mostly outdoors. Thankfully, the weather cleared before we checked out of One’s Villa Sapporo House . Mr. Toshi and his family rented a Toyota Voxy minivan when they arrived yesterday which meant that we would have a two-vehicle convoy for this road trip. Off to Otaru City We rode with Mr. Toshi and Karin-chan in the Toyota Voxy while Ms. Taeko, Ms. Sawa, Ms. Akiko, and Ryo-kun were in our car.  From Sapporo City, our first destination for the day is Otaru City ( 小樽市 ). It is a port city located in the west of Sapporo City. It is famous for its canal, music boxes, and glassworks. First stop:  Former Mitsui Bank Otaru Branch Inside the vault of the  Former Mitsui Bank Otaru Branch We headed to our next destination on foot. We made a brief stopover to check out the  マジック・クロック (Magic Clock) We first visited the Former Mitsui Bank Otaru Branc