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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Apr 18, 2010 02:00 PM Yuzhno-Sakhaklinsk...
We have still here piles of snow along the streets and a white mountain Gorny Vozdukh overlooking the town. I took a long walk to see the places of interest. Probably the most interesting is the museum located in the former Japanese headquarters ( till 1945 Southern Sakhalin was the possesion of Japan - they call it Karafuto). It is pagoda -style building with interesting exibitions inside. Second-nice will be St Innokyenty Russian Orthodox Church. I found also new and nice catholic church of St James. During the Russian Empire time Sakhalin was a penal colony (like Australia in early days). Russian writer A Tchekhov was here in 1890 - his little museum is also worth to see in Kurilskaya St. I have lovely sunny weather, but the spring did not arrive here yet...
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Apr 17, 2010 02:00 PM Russian Far East
In the tiny Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk airport everything was smooth: no questions from immigrations, no questions or bribe suggestions at the customs (but they screen all luggage). In front of the airport (left side) bus 63 was waiting just for me (other 11 pax took a taxi). I paid 14 roubles for me and another 14 for my backpack (it is worth to have some Russian money - I did not see any exchange office in the airport).
Bus took me to the railway station. It is not busy (no rail connection to the mainland Russia) so the institution of the babushka-room does not exist here. I went to the cheapest hotel in town - Moneron Hotel just near the station. A room with share bath and WC costs already 1100 roubles (1 USD is worth 29 roubles). From the window I see Lenin Square with a huge statue of Lenin. In the reception you can read main local daily paper: Sovyetsky Sakhalin. No much changes...
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Apr 16, 2010 02:00 PM Time to say: Sayonara Japan!
From the instruction for the guests in my business hotel room:
A TAKEOUT OF BUILT-IN TOWELS IS PROHIBITION !.
Aren't they funny? Yes, I had a lot of fun here in Japan.
This is fortunately the last day of the validity of my Japan Rail Pass so I will travel to the airport without extra cost. In the morning I will took a train to Sapporo (4 hours) and then a special train to the New Chitose Airport. In the late afternoon I have my flight on little DASH Caribou. In the evening I should land in Russia. Please, keep your fingers crossed...
7 hours later:
Can you imagine? In the huge and modern Sapporo airport they have free internet facility in the international arrival hall! So even before your check-in you can use it - waiting for your flight. I am already after check-in to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. They said there will be 12 passengers only on this flight - what a luxury! It is the time to go to the security control. So, Sayonara Japan!
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Apr 15, 2010 02:00 PM The fourth corner of Hokkaido...
It took me four hours by express train to get from Sapporo to Kushiro... Kushiro is little-known, tidy town in the south-east of Hokkaido Island. Youth hostel is located here quite far from the station so I decided to try Japanese -business hotel- It is worth to know: paying only 600 yen more you get single room with private bath, fridge and TV, yukata cloth and unlimited usage of internet...
It is Palude Hotel - just 3 min walk from the station...
Kushiro area is known for its white cranes - one of the symbols of Japan. But I was traveling onward - to the easternmost point of Hokkaido - Cape Nosappu. At the beginning by futsu - local one-carriage train. Then by bus. I had sunny day! From the futsu window I saw on the way many deers... Then there is a bus from Nemuro to the cape.
And from the cape -where many monuments are erected - I saw Kuril Islands. Since the second war it is Russian territory, but claimed also by Japan since it is so close to Hokkaido...
Wonderful sunset on the elegant city bridge in Kushiro... It seems to be my last evening in Japan... Sentimental me... But I like Japan...
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Apr 14, 2010 02:00 PM Japan. The nostalgy of Otaru...
It is only 40 minutes by train (my railpass still works) from Sapporo to the little, charming port of Otaru. When Japan open the doors for the West at the end of 19th century Otaru was one of important gateways. Many buildings from that era remained... Warehouses and banks, there is also picturesque canal and romantic gas lamps around. One of streets - Nichigin-dori was called The Wall Street of The North due to the many banks. In the former building of the Bank of Japan now is a museum where you can see old banknotes and coins. Thick steel door of the treasurer will take you to the place where they kept money... Otaru is definitely worth to see!
Good news: with a help of my friend in Poland (thanks a lot Bogus!) I go electronic ticket for the just-introduced flight to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk on Saturday. I hope I will not be the only passenger and they will not cancel the flight... Russians sometimes are unpredictable...
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Apr 13, 2010 02:00 PM Sapporo beer... Jengis Khan for dinner...
I am back in Sapporo trying to find my way to Sakhalin.
This is quite young town - designed at the end of 19th century. Wide streets, high buildings and more then 1,8 mln inhabitants. World knew a little about Sapporo before the winter olympic games in 1972. I remember that another Wojciech from my country got a gold medal in jumping during this games.
The most atmospheric place in Sapporo is the old fish market - a little quarter of old houses where they sell more lobsters then fish... The landmark of the city is a old clock tower. Close to the old one is a new one TV tower - like a miniature of Eiffels in Paris...
Still snowing here. In the afternoon I took a train to get to the famous Sapporo brewery for the free tour. All production automated, only 100 people work there. At the end you have allowance of 3 glases to drink in 20 minutes... Thank you!
Back in Sapporo I decided to try local speciality - a meat dish called Jengis Khan. Not bad - in fact the first solid meal since my visit to my Polish friends near Tokyo... Bon apetit!
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Apr 12, 2010 02:00 PM Unlucky in Wakkanai... 60 kms to Sakhalin!
I am in the northern tip of Japan - only 60 kms from the Russian port of Korsakov on the Sakhalin...
Sometimes the experience and the determination are not enough. You need also some luck to make your plan working.
It is snowing non- stop since the morning. I went to the Wakkanai port. I recognized two little Russian fishing boats. I went aboard to speak to the captain. -Russian authorities do not allow us to take the passengers! Sorry! They did not change the mind even when I offer discretly the bribe. In addition they said that the cyclone is coming from the east so they do not know when they will sail out.
Then I was trying to get to the second boat. Guard stopped me at the gate. Police car arrived soon. Two guys in the black coats, one of them speaking Russian. I have been investigated and taken for the control at the immigration services post. They searched my bag. Finally they said let me go, but they know that Russians are not allowed to take passengers on the fishing boats. There is a chance on big, cargo ships but at the moment there is no such a ship in the port...
First Japanese ferry will cross the straits to Sakhalin on June 8th - just let you know. Then it will be simple to go to Russia. But it will cost hefty 25000 yen for the one way!
It is still snowing - I decided to come back to Sapporo and look for the flight before snow will completly cover the single rail track to this last Japanese outpost...
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Apr 11, 2010 02:00 PM Through the snowy Hokkaido
It is more then 400 kms from Sapporo to the little port of Wakkanai at the northernmost point of Japan. Rail travel takes about 6 hours. I started at 12.37 - they are always on time! It is hard to believe but north of Sapporo there is more and more snow. Sun was shinning above the fields when we were meandring along the little rivers, at the bottom of picturesque hills. Less and less settlements... It looks like Siberia... Winter landscape... I reached little Wakkanai station when it was already dark. I found the youth hostel near the station closed. Fortunately the other one - on the hill was open. Cold inside, but the welcome was very warm. I am the only guest...
They say: no Russian ships in the coming days. Should I trust them?
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Apr 10, 2010 02:00 PM From the tropics of Okinawa to the snows of Hokkaido
All day on the trains! Superexpres shinkansen goes only as far as Hatchinoche on Honsiu island. Then I changed a train and we soon entered 53-kms long undersea tunnel between the islands of Honsiu and Hokkaido. After some half an hour in the darkness I saw the snows on the hills of Hokkaido. We arrived soon to Hakodate and I changed the train again...
The area of Hokkaido gives 20% of the area of Japan. But only 5 % of the population live here. The landscape is different, village houses are not as nice as in the south.
Hokkaido until mid-19th century was little known - Ainu people lived here. Later was colonized by Japanese and now it is hard to see Ainu here.
In Sapporo, in the late evening I found the Sapporo house YH, not far from the station. Almost empty place -they charge 3150 yen per dorm bed. One traditional Japanese bathroom for all - it is in the basement. Bring your earplugs - rail track is just nearby and you will count all trains passing by...
It is cold - only 4 deg Celsius - I dream again about the heat of Okinawa...
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Apr 09, 2010 02:00 PM Bad news about the ship and more...
In the afternoon I arrived by Hikari superexpress to Tokyo.
Somebody was waiting for me: Mirek and his Family - the Poles living temporary in Japan. Thanks a lot for your invitation and your warm hospitality! It was so nice to speak again Polish...
As you know, I plan to go to Russian Sakhalin from the top of Japan - Hokkaido island by sea. I got a bed message. Russian ship just sailed yesterday from Otaru and they do not know if there will be another one sailing in the coming days. I have to go to the port immediately to check availability - from the distance it is very hard to get any reliable information, if you do not speak Japanese.
Another bad news: Polish government jet crashed with our president and many other politicians on board. Tragedy... So sorry!...
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