Hakone Part 2

Two days before we left for Hakone I found out that one area of the mountain has been declared a "no go" zone due to increased volcano activity.  Bummer!  It seemed like such an exciting place - with the pits and sulfuric steam it looked like something from an Indian Jones movie.  Plus they boiled eggs in the hot springs (which causes their shells to turn black) and if you eat one it adds seven years to your life.  What a missed opportunity!  The good news about living here - we can go back!

So instead we focus on getting a view of Mt. Fuji and exploring the Lake Ashi area.  We started out with a "little" breakfast at our ryokan.  We opted for the Western version of breakfast.  Cereal!  We hadn't seen it for months.  

We go to Lake Ashi and try our luck with observing Mt. Fuji.  She was being shy and had a little cloud cover, but we could still see the top of her.  It's snow covered, so it blends with the clouds.  It looked more impressive in person! 

Selfie with Mt. Fuji!  No, really - look on the right.

Where's Waldo?  I mean, Mt. Fuji?  Look closely at the left.

Since we didn't get to hike around the volcanic mountain we go into a cedar forest. It was a nice little walk, and at the end we're luckily able to grab a bus that went back to Lake Ashi...after I convince Steve it is not a good idea to walk back along the narrow, windy, lots of blind curves road with no shoulder and cars driving very fast. 

Smell the trees!

We then take a boat tour so we can go across the lake and stop at another location so we can travel up one of the mountains on a ropeway - or gondola, as we normally call them.  At the lake it's beautiful and still partly cloudy.  But at the top, we watch the clouds come in....

At the top - what view??

At the lake

I do get one good picture before the clouds block everything.  That's Lake Ashi in the foreground and past the mountain range is the Pacific ocean in the background, with the sun about to set.

When we return to our ryokan, we're glad to have a nice soak in our onsen before another scrumptious dinner.  

Do they sell these in the gift shop??

Different flowers tonight!

This is nothing special - I always present my food like this at home.  Ha!

As we're packing up the next morning, the thing Steve dreads the most finally happens - he smashes his head on one of the low door sills.  Ouch!  He has me take a picture so he can see the cut, but I don't know which is worse - the pain from the injury or Steve realizing he's started to go bald.  I try to hold back from telling him it's been like that for a couple years now...

So sad!

We enjoy our train ride back to Tokyo, but we're sad to leave Hakone.

Good news from the kennel!  The dogs did well.  Tie-Dye was a little stressed at first, but luckily we found a place run by the Japanese version of Cesar Millan, and he helped Tie-Dye settle in.  They even made some new friends!  Yes!  This means more travels for us!

Who is this dog and why is he jumping on me?  Tahoe, help!