Japan. Onsen Explorer. Day 12

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Onsen Explorer Day 12
The Onsen tour statistics.
Cycled 792 km climbed 6,500m.

Wednesday Otaru.
We are now on a wind down to our tour and now in Otaru, which is a big tourist area down by the canal. Just a few Europeans were seen, most were Japanese taking selfies or being led around by tour guides with flags akimbo. We saw a large French cruise ship in port ready to leave with people making their way with suitcases. Fit young men were seen pulling very smart large wheeled carriages and many tourists were seen taking canal cruises overseen by several artists working on the canal pathway. Another British car was seen today, an Austin Princess 1300 Vanden Plas which had seen better days with peeling veneer and sills made of body filler.
We wandered up and down visiting many glass trinket outlets and looking for something to eat but all looked unappetising and very expensive at around 3,000 JPY (£21). We eventually found a small, cosy back street place selling delicious food at respectable prices of around 1000JPY. The shopping mall was a disappointment with little to attract us, apart from maybe a few different manhole covers. ( What?-you say). The tilting fast train to Chitose airport was very full and crowded with standing passengers, most of whom alighted at Sapporo. We said goodbye to David and Christine at the airport as they were making their way home by another airport tomorrow. The flight was in a Boeing 777 which was maybe 1/4 full so a lie down was an option for many. Once we had landed the train ticket collection was a little difficult. The guy at the desk would not sell tickets and made me use the machine which was in Japanese. He reluctantly offered to work it for me and I asked for 11 tickets. He produced 3 and then walked off. Someone dragged him back under sufferance and eventually he got me 11 but with much huffing and puffing and emptying of my wallet, as it would not take my card.
The first leg was on the monorail before we joined the green line to Kanda station. A short walk got us to the Tokyo Grand Hotel by 11.45 to claim our rooms and a bed after a hard day.

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