I will continue the inappropriate style travel record "Natsutabi_2021 = Gourmet Series for Individuals". After a night of drinking too much in Rumoi, in the morning I completed my routine and then had breakfast at Hotel New White House, which I haven't visited in a year. The menu is slightly different in order, but it's almost the same (slightly). During my travels, I consciously try to have salad and warm vegetables, such as simmered dishes. And the main dish is a four-color bowl, which includes not only tarako but also shellfish ingredients in addition to salmon and ikura from the previous year. From here, I will slowly start my journey. It's not a reward for enduring the rain training from the previous day, but I enjoy running along the coast under the clear sky... I say casually, while it seems that the weather in western Japan was quite harsh. I don't have rain gear, which makes me happy, so I find myself stopping and taking photos more often on the way from Rumoi to Mashike, lured by the scenery. I have some business to attend to in Sapporo, but since the driving distance is relatively short, I am taking it easy (happy).

When traveling, it's common to experience sleep deprivation due to unfamiliar sleeping arrangements. Despite this, I managed to wake up before 7 am and went to check out the surroundings of Biei and Furano. The weather was clear and sunny. Instead of a morning bath, I opted for a morning shower followed by breakfast, which was served buffet-style with minimal precautions such as wearing gloves. The breakfast spread was satisfying, with the option to add extra ikura (salmon roe) to my rice. I made myself a seafood bowl with the unused ikura. After watching the morning drama, I set off on my journey, noticing some clouds in the sky. The highway from Rumoi to Fukagawa runs through plains, which I enjoy, but the Hokkaido Expressway that it connects to is less interesting. I initially planned to drive straight to Otaru from there, but decided to make a quick stop in Sapporo, so I continued on the highway.

This is the breakfast at a business hotel in Rumoi. I stayed here for sightseeing purposes. I enjoyed a very luxurious and delicious breakfast with ikura and sashimi in the morning. I would like to stay here again when I come to Rumoi.

The restaurant on the first floor of the hotel. Since it's a hotel, there are plenty of parking spaces. I arrived around 12 o'clock. I thought it would be crowded, but there were only two customers ahead of me. No one came after that. Why is that? Feeling a bit uneasy, I ordered the Mega portion. They also have a weekly lunch special for 650 yen. Rice refills are free. The main menu items are spa, curry, and hamburger. The Mega portion that was served was indeed huge Σ(・□・；) I lost my motivation just by looking at it! The staff, being used to this situation, brought me a takeout pack and bag. I might be able to finish it when I'm in top form, but on that day, I decided to take it home. Maybe around 15 pieces? The home-style fried chicken was delicious. The seasoning was just right. It also came with chili sauce, so I could change up the flavor and keep eating. The rice was piled high, providing satisfaction beyond the price. It felt like having lunch and receiving fried chicken as a souvenir. This was a great value lunch. I'll go for the Mega portion again next time!

The Purple Smoke Mansion was quite scary in Rumoi, with two people. I don't know why we decided to stay in Rumoi, but since I had never been to Rumoi before, it was a very welcome choice. So, the hotel is called "White House," right? Is that a very grand hotel name? "Hotel New White House." When we entered the hotel, there was a strong smell of cigarettes. Huh? What's going on? While my wife was checking in, I looked around and noticed that there were smoking and non-smoking areas. There were women smoking with their legs crossed, looking cool. Just kidding, of course, I'm a prejudiced old man. The doors were wide open. Does that even make sense? Is there such a thing as smoking and non-smoking areas? At least I didn't say anything until we checked out, and the door never closed. The door that never closes is a mystery, but for me, it's just annoying. This door was creating the overall smell of the hotel. When we entered the room, the smell of cigarettes was even stronger. "What's going on? Isn't this a non-smoking room?" "There are no non-smoking rooms here." "Huh? In this day and age, that's unacceptable." "In the countryside, that's how it is." "In this day and age, there are no non-smoking rooms in the countryside, that's impossible." "They do exist." I really dislike this person's smugness. That's probably why it lasted so long. Nevertheless, the show continues. The service is not sophisticated, typical of the countryside. I wouldn't want to be told that by someone from Abashiri. Breakfast is included. It's a buffet. The seafood is famous, but it doesn't look very tasty, so I don't have any. The pork belly is a bit raw. The oden is lightly seasoned and delicious. The miso soup has crunchy vegetables. It was torture for me, a vegetable hater. The sausages were slightly crispy. The bacon wasn't cooked enough, and it felt cheap. The meatballs seemed like store-bought. The seafood bowl was eaten normally. People from areas where they don't eat much might enjoy it, but I'm used to it. Well, it's just a normal buffet. So, I wrote various things, but the breakfast was fine with no complaints...I don't need the scent of purple anyway...

This is a review of the breakfast at Hotel New White House in Meo-cho, Rumoi City. The breakfast is served in the Caffe Mercato on the first floor, which also serves lunch. The restaurant has a few tables for seating. The breakfast is a buffet with a mix of Japanese and Western dishes, offering around 30 different items. While the menu is typical for a business hotel breakfast buffet, there is also sashimi available, fitting for a port town. The menu seems to stay consistent without much variation, which may be a timing issue. Overall, it's a decent breakfast option.

A little supplement. This is the inn where I stayed in Rumoi the day before yesterday. All the ryokans and guesthouses were fully booked when I called on the same day, so I ended up staying at a business hotel for three consecutive nights. The room is not bad, but the bath is only a unit bath, which feels a bit pricey for a local line in Hokkaido. The single room costs about 6000 yen, and you can add a breakfast buffet for an additional 1080 yen. The cafe on the first floor serves a buffet only during breakfast time. They have local specialties like soy sauce-marinated ikura in cups and hokki clams as sashimi. The buffet lasts for 3 hours, so it would be nice if they could keep the sashimi chilled. (*￣ー￣) If you want to try it, go early. Personally, I would have been satisfied if they had curry available.

Summer's annual tradition, the Hokkaido motorcycle tour taken during the "natsutabi_2022" summer vacation using the full throttle, in analog remastered version... I decided to do it in real-time, so I missed a day, but I will catch up quickly. So here we go! ☆☆ Click here for the summary of the trip ☆☆ ★★ Check here for real-time reports ★★ I enjoyed delicious meals in the past trips, and this year I will start the day with a hearty breakfast. The self-made seafood bowl is a tradition, and this time I made a slight change by using less salmon roe for the second bowl and pairing it with egg over rice. Although I'm writing leisurely, my mood isn't quite there as it has been raining since morning. Looking at the rain cloud radar, it seems the rain will stop in Rumoi around 10 o'clock, and it looks like we won't encounter rain if we head north. I still haven't decided whether to go to Wakkanai, so I spend time in the garage chatting with a middle-aged rider from Kansai. "Do you often ride in Hokkaido?" "Yes, I come here every year." "Actually, this is my first time riding a motorcycle in Hokkaido. I will turn 60 next month and have a long two-week summer vacation, as it's my retirement age." "Is it to use up your paid leave?" "No, I work under re-employment, so I can carry over my leave, but they told me to take a break to celebrate." "But a two-week tour is enviable." "You'll be there in a few more years, so it must be exciting." Even though he is two years older, I couldn't help but agree (laughs). As the Kansai rider showed no signs of getting up, I bid him farewell and set off in the rain with Bem 2. (To be continued...)