When we woke up we both were still a bit shaken by the experience of feeling an earthquake in the middle of the night. We keep the NHK app (national broadcaster in Japan) on our laptop and sure enough, the earthquake was real. Our room was on a high floor which probably added to the swaying feeling we experienced.
Situation normal in Japan…yes, an earthquake but no cause for alarm.
And just as we were about to leave, another employee of the hotel came along and wanted to chat. It is amazing that we can somehow make a conversation work without any shared language.
He was very excited and proud to have a conversation with us. We wish him well. Recently the phone mount for my trike broke which is so annoying. It is the second time it has happened. That’s why we have to wear our phones around our necks to keep track of our route.
Our hotel has a grand lobby and reception area. Yesterday when we arrived, sweaty and tired, there was a large group of Japanese people here for an event. The women were beautifully attired in traditional kimonos and the men were well dressed as well. We give credit to the staff and the Japanese people in the lobby as they made us feel welcome despite looking somewhat u dredressed.
Ground golf is a very popular sport here. It is also well loved in South Korea. Each player has one club and ball. It is more social and less challenging than regular golf. We like that it appeals to people of all ages, but mostly older people.
Oh the bliss of riding on a cycling route that has been created and designed to accommodate cyclists and walkers. We get to ride this for over 20 km into the centre of Sapporo.
