Hakodate and very high places.

Another day in another place.

 Konichawa

Mme was right. The world did not end last night.    Mme likes to play tricks on me but the end of the world is a bad, bad trick to play on a trusting, loyal, little Japanese dog.

This morning we went out onto the deck as we arrived in Hakodate port and saw the hardworking, sturdy tugs that help Our Ship into the dock.  A bus was waiting to take us into the JR station and Mme stuffed me into her back pack and we went down to the lower deck and onto the dock, where Miss Julie and Miss Pam were waiting.

Sakura - a hard working tug.

Outside the Hakodate JR Station, Mme, Miss Julie and Miss Pam were greeted by two of the  Japanese school girls who waited to meet the passengers from Our Ship.  Two of the girls, Hinaro and Yuki,  walked with us to a cafe where we had breakfast.  They told us about their school and their families.  They are from wealthy families and their fathers are professional people.

And a man from the TV studio filmed our group.  It was very exciting although I could not see very well as I was sitting in the outside of the back pack.  I may be seen on Japanese television tonight.  I may be a TV star.  (Mme says no.  I was in the wrong place for the camera. Oh, now I am very disappointed.) When we left the TV man and his very big camera, it was time for breakfast and then a walk around the Fish Market.

Mme is checking her email at a special place in the Fish Market.  I am in the backpack at her feet.  Can you see me?

We visited two very high places today.

The famous fort and the trees without blossom

We can see a long, long way to the mountains with snow on the tops.  Can you see Our Ship?.  

 A bus outside the JR Station took us to the very high tower in the Goryokaku Park. Goryokaku Tower is a very, very high and we travelled at great speed in the elevator to the top.We could see such a long, long way in the distance, as well as down to the ground.  I am not so nervous now, when I look down to the ground way, way below. Now I know I cannot fall through the glass.

Down on the ground there is a  moat; in the days of the past this was a fort.  It was to keep out the gaijin, the Western men on ships, who were to bring many, many changes to Japan.  The fort did not work well. The Western men on their ships had new ideas for Japan and many changes happened at that time.  Now Goryokaku is a beautiful park with cherry blossom which we will not see.  We are too early.

Today I learned that it is possible to see a long, long way and I can be outside in a very high place. I do not have to be in a very high building.  It is wonderful to be outside, in the sunshine and looking far into the distance.  

The second very high place was a long way from Goryokaku.  We made two bus rides to reach this high place at the top of Mt Hakodate.  It was very exciting.  When we left the second bus we went to the rope-way station and walked into a big cabin. The doors closed and the cabin took us to the top of the mountain. It is very much like an elevator, but it is not inside a building, and you can look down and see the very small rope-way station below and the sea on both sides of the city and the Goryokaku Tower far, far away and Our Ship at the dock.  Our Ship was so far away I worried we would not get back in time before it left, but Mme told me everything was under control.

There was time to see other places while we waited for the bus and Mme and Miss Julie decided to find a cup of coffee - they say bad things about Japanese coffee - and they found the Russian Tea-house.  A Tea-house which has coffee. Mme and Miss Julie were very, very surprised to find the lady at the Russian Tea-house made very good coffee.

We all sat at the back of the Tea-house and Mme checked her email and I made two new friends. Proper Japanese dogs with pointy dog ears.  My ears are not proper Japanese dog ears.  They are very long and no matter how hard I try, I cannot make them stand up.

Sitting on the window ledge in the tea-house with my new friends.

We waited by a sign for the bus to take us back to Our Ship and an American lady and and an American man came along and asked Mme how much money was needed for the bus fare. The American lady saw me in Mme's backpack and asked was I a mascot.  I am not a mascot.  I am a very hard working, very loyal, little Japanese dog.  

We all travelled back to the JR Station in the bus and then Miss Julie was very helpful and offered to take some Japanese money out of the machine  and exchange it for some American money for our new friends.  I do not understand money at all.  Mme says I do not have to think about money, she is the one who thinks about the money. I just have to watch very carefully and be sure no-one steals her money.

I have had such an exciting day.  I have been to very high places and I have found new friends.  I am a very lucky little Japanese dog.