Day 3, part 2
(Austin)
After we finished looking at the Ice Sculptures at Susukino site we went to the Sapporo Zoo. The closest subway stop was a 30 minute walk away from the zoo, so after getting off the train we had a long way to walk.
Unlike the central parts of Sapporo, the snow was stacked up along the sides of the road here. You can tell just how much snow had fallen here recently.
Along the way we walked through a park literally covered in snow. In the middle of the park there was a large snow covered hill that many kids were playing on and sledding down. We started making snowballs and had an impromptu snowball fight. Suffice to say: Ryosuke is not good at snowball fights.
Continuing towards the zoo I decided to make a snowman beside the road. We stopped for a while and I rolled some massive snowballs into the parts for a snowman. someone had lost a red winter cap nearby so after I finished the snowman I out the red cap on it. While I had been making it many people had passed behind me. I wonder if they thought I was odd Haha.
Finally we were close enough that we could see the zoo and along the final path we saw some smaller snowmen. It is interesting to see the differences between mine and a Japanese person's snowmen. Theirs were much cuter and had a difference face type with the eyes and mouth. I thought the contrast was actually really cool.
Arriving at the front gate of the zoo, we paid a small fee and went in. It was on now that it dawned on us that some of the animals may not be out due to the snow. Luckily it wasn't really a problem as a good portion of the animals were out and any warm-loving animals were viewable in indoor facilities. They also had a polar bear.
After spending time at the zoo, kidding around and playing in the snow more than looking at the animals, we were hungry so we went to the food place that was in the zoo. We ate lunch and then left. We had a long trek back to the subway station. On the way back we came across the snowman that I made. Someone had taken the winter cap. Perhaps they were the ones who lost it? I'm not sure. However, they didn't just take it and leave, in replacement they created some interesting...bunny ears? They also gave it a little more flair with a a small leafy branch acting as a kind of flower near the neck. Pretty cool.
Near the park Ryosuke decided to uh...die in the snow? We partly covered him up and left him :D
After a lot of walking we made it back to the subway station. It had been a lot of fun but it was time to head to the airport.
