Weekend at Lake Kusharo

This weekend I decided that it was time to get out of town. And what better way to do that than with a HAJET sponsored welcome party in Eastern Hokkaido. I drove out Friday night with one of my neighbors to a town called Teshikaga and enjoyed hanging out with the local ALT and some other people who were there early.

The next day was camping out at the lake -- a really gorgeous place with a lakeside onsen and everything. An onsen is a Japanese hot spring. This one was extremely natural. Some stone stairs had been built up, and there was a little wooden shack to leave your clothes at. It was also really hot! I would guess 43 celcius. So a jump in the nice cold lake was necessary. I guess that since this pool was outside, it would be called a rotenburo. Whatever the designation, it was the highlight of the weekened. Well, that and a late night "appearance" by the famed dolphin-creature that lives in the lake...

Sunday was spent lazing about in the sun and swimming in the lake before hopping into the hot hot hot non-airconditioned car and driving home in 32 degree heat. Plenty of ice cream (they sell soft serve cones in the freezer section at conbini's) and cold water kept me from overheating, but they didn't stop me from coming down with a cold. I came home Sunday, had dinner and a bath and was out by 8pm. This morning I was delightfully snotty and croaky. And I foolishly didn't pack my trusty Sudafed (it's illegal in Japan). And I had three classes at the high school today. Maybe it's a good thing I am still working my way through my self-introduction lesson. I may be tired of teaching it, but I've done it so much now I don't have to think about it.