Olympics Live Online: The Half Time Vacation 2008

Taking the A380 for the first time was exciting, but then later I found out it's the same when you get in ... except there's a lot more wide eyed green horn people like yourself ...

After 7 hours to Tokyo, we went from a 2000 seater plane to a 20 seater plane to Sapporo ... which is a lot more fun than the A380 .. one cute japanese air-stewardess who takes care of everything, including the shutting of the plane main exit door and all the announcements, serving of drinks and blankets and newspaper ... For a while I thought she was going to fly the plane when she went over to the cockpit.

My first meal at the airport ... couldn't resist the noodles.

Arrival at Sapporo. Less hurried than Tokyo, a lot colder in Summer, but nice.

Sapporo Beer Museum. This is where you get the best of best beers in the world, other than Tiger of course ... Majulah Singapura.

My favourite part of the trip here was to down a pint of Sapporo extra dry with barbequed mutton and beef. Absolutely heavenly!!! 5000 Yen per person for all you can eat and drink. The waitress would give you huge plastic bags to wrap up your bags and sweaters so they wouldn't be smoked and stink after the meal.

The Chocolate factory.

Saw this girl with her granny at the Choc factory. Was impressed by her 5 inches tall boots, and I think her granny walked faster than her. Three hours later she was standing right next to me in the train ... strange coincidence ... or bad karma for me?

First time doing laundry at a hotel. So excited that we washed all our clothes twice.

Special seats in the train for people with 'internal organ disability'. Does erectile dysfunction count?

The joy of eating a Tako salad and pickles at a park bench with pigeons salivating by the side ...

The Hokkaido Historical Village. Huge open air museum with houses dating from 300 years ago to present.

Woodcutters' squatter.

Japanese kids are so cute. Met these guys at a rice storehouse. I had a hard time explaining to them where Singapore is and what I think of the American Elections ...

A model of a old fishing village ..

A model of the farm house

Hotel Prince Furano. Gorgeous hotel up in the mountain. Picture taken from the room at about 4 a.m. Sun rise is about 3 a.m. I jumped out of bed thinking it was morning already. This is one of the rare places in the world where you can eat breakfast three hours after dinner.

Ropeway next to the hotel. They are usually more crowded during winter, for skiing.

Nice view from the mountain top. We were the only two human beings up there. We only found out much later from a Japanese friend why we were the only two there ... bears!!!

Quite and peaceful streets .... very little traffic and people in the afternoon ... wonder where these Japanese people hibernate.

Farm Tomita. Not full bloom yet ... only in July/August ... but not my problem.

The Lavender and melon ice cream !!!! You cannot eat it standing, your legs will wobble with the first taste!!! I had two ...

Taking train to Hell Valley.

Really really small train station.

Stability of the Japanese train is as good as Lexus engine. The two bottles hardly knock one another.

Hell Valley. Why hell? I guess people who have been there told them it looks something like this ... but its not that hot, lots of smoke and sulphur.

Happiness is sitting at the bench and watching the sunset at Lake Toya ...

Happiness is cycling with my wife in Nakafurano without a map ...

and have absolutely no idea where we were going ...

but you get to see Japanese odourless farms ...

It's not that tough cycling and navigating through these farms ... especially when you have training cycling up and down the East Coast Park.

I am the only Jackie Chan Stuntman with a belly ... good long-tee to keep me warm

Tuition centre in Japan !!! For the farmers' sons i suppose ....

This tree is famous ... used in cigarettes adverts (Mild Seven) ... but I still cannot see the connection, cigarette and tree ... bikini gals and cigarettes I can relate ... but not trees

Otaru ... used to be a fishing village and port. Old warehouses lined up this canal. But they are restaurants now, very similar to Boat Quay Singapore.

The Sushiya street in Otaru. Sushi bars, music box shops, glassware shops

and the ultimate ... Le Tao chocolate shop

Back in Tokyo ... vending machines more than cars in Singapore.

Marine Parade in Tokyo. I think a prankster from VJC did it ...

Shimbashi Station. The Japanese signs and train guides are really easy to read, especially for the tourists from Japan.

Asakusa

Met this Spanish guy at the station who was lost and couldn't understand a thing of the Jap railway system ... then brought him and his wife all the way to Asakusa ... his first day in Tokyo and he lost his luggage on the way here ... later found out we were staying in the same hotel. Nice chap.

Ginza district. For the well heeled and nothing to do but spend people.

The prettiest building I have ever seen .. pic taken in natural lighting.

The Mcdonalds in Tokyo is like a time-out space for the Japanese. Nobody is talking and you cannot find a table for two people to sit opposite one another. You either read, sleep, or work with your laptop. Feels like a study room.