Wonderful Experience in Hokkaido II

Day #6: 23th August 2006
Rusutsu Amusement Park　留寿都遊園地
Oh man, this was great! We got free passes worth 4000 yen to the amusement park! Thanks to the manager!

This was one crazy ride - the roller coaster spirals in the helix-like rail!

The Standing Coaster, which had seats so high that you more like standing than sitting. Not as scary as I thought, though.

Now, this is the one I liked the most! We did this twice. At the end of the second ride, something went wrong and the safety bar couldn't be unlocked. Thought we're going to get stuck in the roller coaster until someone calls the fire department!

This, was one boring ride though. It was a wonder how I didn't fall asleep during the ride.

We got a total of ten rides, until we finally decided it was too much for the head and stopped before we puke. Deki's highest record of roller coaster rides in a day still stands at twenty, though. Anyway, not planning to break her record.

(Fun-o-meter: )

Day #7: 24th August 2006
"The Other" Primary School
Uh, I can't remember what's the name of the primary school, so I'll refer to it as "the other" primary school. This school was even a smaller, and older one, with not more than 20 students. (There was only one first grader and no second grader - oh, poor boy!) Like old Japanese schools, this one was built in just one long row.

Jeez, the kids ran along the van in the rain when we left, as if we were Hollywood stars!

(Fun-o-meter: )

Making Soba　そば打ち体験
Made country soba (田舎そば) with Mr Namikoshi.

This is where the buckwheat seeds come from.

The seeds are grinded into powder. The process is rather akin to making tofu.

Buckwheat hulls were used to fill pillows.

About 6kg of buckwheat seeds gave us 3kg of buckwheat powder.

Added water to the buckwheat powder and kneaded it to form dough.

Rolled.

And cut into thin stripes.

The buckwheat noodles were then boiled.

Rinsed with cold water.

And served with dipping sauce (tsuyu), onion (お葱) and wasabi (山葵).

Didn't taste like soba in restaurants but good enough, considering that we are first-timers.

(Fun-o-meter: )