A flock of birds........

Friday has arrived.
For this week's feature, a photo visit to Hokkaido's southern most city of Hakodate is offered. One of the longest undersea railroad tunnels connects the two Japanese islands with Hakodate being Hokkaido's welcoming city. It also played an important historical role as the site in 1869 of the last battle between the feudal Tokugawa Shogunate forces and the newly established Imperial forces that coincided with the opening of Japan that began with Admiral Perry's Black Ships in 1853 sailing into what is now known as Tokyo Bay. The Battle of Hakodate is better known in Japan as the Battle of Goryokaku and brought to an end the Boshin War, Japan's Civil War.

Today, as pictured below, a remnant of that war still stands in the form of a star shaped fortress known as Fort Goryokaku.

Atop the Hakodate Tower which overlooks the star shaped fort is a cafe where one can enjoy famous Hokkaido soft ice cream, one of many dairy products for which Hokkaido with its plethora of dairy cattle is well known.

The gardens and grounds between the tower and the fort also merit exploring. Here a Sound of Music setting and angel wings are discovered in the locale:

Then it is off to the main train station where a unique shrimp or squid cracker (ebi senbei) can be had fresh off the "grill" at the mini food court there:

Then there is the fresh seafood market just blocks from the train station. Here is a favorite, a featured hairy leg Hokkaido Crab for sale:

Pictured here is the Physician Magician as he incorporates his magic skills into a bedside manner that brings patients from across Hakodate:

A Japanese grown treat available in Hakodate are these huge grapes.

Not to be missed is an onsen experience with its mineral baths and Japanese delicacies at meal times. This one is located in the heart of Hakodate:

Even shopping can be part of the Hakodate experience as we encountered Shikoku originated Anpanman in a Hakodate department store. (As a side note, the originator of the children's super hero, Takashi Yanase, extended the role of Anpanman in providing comfort to the children impacted by Japan's 2011 earthquake/tsunami despite his having been ready to retire due to his advanced age.)

And no, Anpanman is this character and not the above included doppelgänger:

Rode my mountain bike to the top of Bennet Gap in Pisgah National Forest. You're seeing Looking Glass Rock here, a plutonic granite dome.

Congrats @Aspie_Rocco
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A really bad Polaroid but as far as I know, the only surviving image of 17 year old me after my HS graduation in 1981 standing in front of my first car. 1963 Thunderbird black hardtop, rare optional 428 engine. My friends called it the Batmobile. My original cost? $125. Had to have it towed home after buying it. Put on a new (rebuilt) carb, brakes, plugs, wires, cap/rotor, cobbled together my own exhaust system, did some body work including using pop rivets and an old realty sign to replace a portion of the driver's side floor pan, saved up the money for a paint refresh courtesy of the local Earl Scheib, and drove it all through HS and my first two years of college. Paid for it all via lawn mowing, snow shoveling and helping out at the local coin shop when able. Good times.