Bachwig travellers: Enjoying Hakone

Day 3 - Enjoying Hakone

Hakone

Monday, 30 June 2014

Well, we are all waking up early still. The river is really loud but we can't blame that. It's just jet lag and all that travelling and good food. A very early baths were had and then onto our first ever Japanese breakfast. As my brother says, it is very fishy and not in a good way. But there was plenty to try and we came away full. There were soft - very soft - boiled eggs that has been cooked in Onsen water, you mix them in your rice and I added seaweed. Very nice!

We took some coffee back to the room and relaxed for a while. Then it was off on our next adventure. It was nice not to be carrying bags.

We walked back into Hakone-Yumato and explored around a little. At this stage Michael was getting pretty grumpy..a touch overheated, slightly hungry and tired I think! We waited for a bus to Motohakone-Ko and started another long bus ride. This one retraced some of what we had travelled on the train so it was interesting to get another perspective. Michael nodded off and had a wee sleep which I think helped his mood. MotoHakone is on the shores of a lake Ashi so we decided we needed somewhere to have lunch with a sea view. We found this great bakery that was on the ground floor, with a cafe on the first and restaurant on the 2nd.. All the sea view seats were taken on the ground but you could take your purchases up to the cafe as long as you bought a drink up there. The food was fantastic - I would call it japo-French style. And great coffee.

We then jumped in the cruise (which Michael didn't want to do). He kept telling us that we know he doesn't like boats. That's a new one for us! The cruise boats are very Disney - they are themed like a pirate ship. There is recorded commentary and sometimes in English. The views were stunning. We got off at Hakone Machi Ko and Michael was much happier when he got to do some shopping. We found this great shop that sold Karakuri puzzles. These puzzles are local to the area and are both large and small. They had samples to try and museum pieces. It was great fun. The lady who ran the shop was very helpful with very little English but we got along and understood. So Michael is the proud owner of a Karakuri box.

When then walked back to Motohakone via the ancient cedar forest. That was a lovely stroll. We then caught a different bus route back to Hakone Yumoto and walked back to out Ryokan. The bus route back was amazing. The roads are so windey and steep. It is all very very green - very much like parts of New Zealand but just different foliage. Bruce went up to the train line to take photos of trains and Hrdrangas and Michael and I went to the bar with a book for a drink. It was to have a glass of wine as wine isn't served in the Ryokan restaurant.

Then another amazing meal. This one had a chicken curry which was fabulous and of course Bruce skipped that but there is so much in front of you that this is not a problem. We also had a sea bass to share (I think it was sea bass). That was gorgeous!

More bathing..then a well deserved sleep. We have been sleeping so well on our Futons with the roar of the river.