Japanese
Trip 4th day
September 24th
Engaru - Yubetsu - Saroma lake - Abashiri - Hanakoshimizu(Gold line)

Morning comes earlier in Hokkaido. At 5:00AM, it is already light. Nobody in the camp ground but us. We enjoyed morning coffee in the nature. Air is crisp and fresh. What a start for the day!
I tried to start the car, but the battery was dead. We used cigarette lighter to get electric power, and John did not turn it off! It sucked all the "go-go juice" from the car. But we parked our car on the top of the slope. John knew what to do, so I offered to push the car. It's a small car, but it carried lots of stuff including John. It took sometimes for me to move the car. The car started to go down the slope and John started the car. Hallelujah!! Again God protected us.


At 9:30AM we met Yocchi's parent at a coffee store inside a supermarket where Yocchi's mother works. They are very nice. We could tell they really love Yocchi. We were glad to meet them. His father and John are same age. -Can you believe that? - They told us where the good Onsen, hot springs, is.
With Yocchi's parents
We drove to Yubetsu town and found mountains of scallop shells. They are big! When we were in a sea food shop right next to the Okhotsk ocean, a lady gave us a sample from a living scallop shell. It was good and different, not soft at all. There was living power in it.
Mountains of Scallop shells
In U.S.,When you drive around your town, you must see many kinds of churches. In Japan, we see many kinds Shinto shrines and Buddhism temples.
The guard-rail looking white thing at the side of street can be put up higher and used as the wind protector. It is cold and hard to live here in Winter.
Shinto shrine in Yubetsu
We stopped a Hotel at the beach of Saroma lake. Saroma Lake face to Okhotsk ocean and south east of Yubetsu. We ate lunch and took Hot Springs which we call "Onsen." Of course we enjoyed this view while eating and also while taking Onsen. They even had out side Onsen facing the lake.
Saroma lake
This is Toro town. The water you can see is Okhotsk. Morning comes early, but also Sunset comes early around here.
Beautiful Sunset in Okhotsk
After a moment we saw the Okhotsk, we soon saw Abashiri lake and Notoro Lake. Can you see reddish ground near the lake? They are Coral Plant. I had never seen nor heard about this plant. It must grow in only cold places.
Coral Plant at Notoro Lake
We found cute foxes on the handles of this bridge, coral bridge. It's not a famous bridge, but we took a picture because the foxes are cute. You can see coral plant very well from here.
After this we stopped at Abashiri ate supper and drove another 10miles or so. We slept in a parking lot of the road information center.
Two foxes at Coral bridge
(John's idea)

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