Ski

Hashtag inimitable. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kg-y4z_iO9Q?rel=0&w=480&h=360] For this award.

That was good timing. I was on sabbatical for a little over a week in a mountain town, and the only days it didn’t snow were the days of my arrival and departure.

Recently, I’ve been enjoying the delights of air travel. In addition to the scores of flights I’ve taken in economy class, I’ve had the chance to check out the C class service of Thai Airways on their A380, the onboard lounge on the Emirates A380, and the 787 (before the grounding) on a trans-India flight.

I was undefeated in February and remain undefeated for the year. I’ve yet to play a match in 2012, but I have a few matches to play in March, so my revamped swing will really be put to the test.

When you think of Hokkaido, I’m sure what comes to mind is Genghis Khan and chocolate-covered potato chips. After spending the past few days at Sapporo, Furano, and Asahikawa, I can assure you that there is a lot more to Hokkaido than that.

http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377

After the turfgrass science seminar at Shinjuku I went to Hokkaido for a few days of post-seminar exercise and relaxation. Two Hokkaido institutions, the Sapporo Brewery and the Rocye chocolate company have joined forces to make a chocolate bitter brew.

Today’s turfgrass science seminar was at the Shinjuku Maynds Tower, just a block away from Shinjuku station. With an average of more than three million passengers a day, Shinjuku is the world’s busiest train station.

Sometimes one goes to a place so beautiful that the photos don’t quite do it justice. Here are four photos from the Gala Yuzawa and Yuzawa Kogen ski areas, looking over the town of Yuzawa in Japan’s Niigata prefecture with the Echigo Mountains in the background.

I have just spent a few days at Hokkaido and I am reminded of why I like it so much. In no specific order, I especially appreciate the: Skiing – I was just at Niseko for three days of skiing.