We are traveling by bullet train. First we go to Osaka where we will change to
another train which will take us to Hiroshima.
However our suitcases will not catch up with us until we get to
Kurashiki.
We left the hotel at about 9:00 am and used the
hotel shuttle to get to the train station, where we took the bullet train. We had to change at Osaka to get to
Hiroshima. The ride was about 75
minutes. The cars were very clean and
the seats were quite comfortable. I wish
that the planes had as much leg room.
Our first stop was at the Shukkeien Garden which had originally been built in 1619 by the Daimyo of Hiroshima. It is a circular tour garden meaning you start at one place and then go around in a circle returning to your starting point. There were several brides being photographed for their upcoming wedding. They were wearing the most beautiful kimonos. As with all of Hiroshima, the garden was destroyed by the atomic bomb, but it was rebuilt following the original plans.
Our next stop was at a covered shopping street where
we stopped for lunch. Ros and I went to
a “bakery” where we had a sandwich and cup of coffee. It was the first time that I’ve had avocado
in Japan.
We stopped at the hotel to drop off the hand luggage
that we were carrying and I used the bathroom.
We then headed for the Peace Museum which provides a pretty graphic
description of the results of the A-bomb in the museum. There was a memorial fountain in front of the
buildings. Further on in the park is a
memorial hall in which there are pictures of those who died. The current death estimate is about 245,000,
which is still less than the one million lives that the U. S. Army estimated
would be required to invade Japan.
Further on there is a single building left that existed at the time of
the bombing. A dome was placed on the
building to remind one of the “mushroom shaped” cloud. By the time the bus picked us up to return to
the hotel, I was very tired. For the
first time in my life that I can recall, my knees hurt. I do recall that Dr Allen told me not to use
the stair climber in the gym and I have been going up a lot of stairs to see
various temples and shrines.
After resting a while, we met in the lobby and Hiro
was kind enough to take us to a restaurant that made the local specialty. It starts as a pancake. Shredded cabbage and sprouts are put on
top. Most people have pork and/or shell
fish added (I didn’t). Meanwhile noodles
are being heated up and then the vegetables and pan cake are flipped over on
top of the noodles. Then an egg is
placed on the griddle and everything is flipped over on top of the egg. Various seasonings were added. I really enjoyed it.
Dinner - Hiroshima specialty - Our guide appears here as well.
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