After a two day voyage, tracing through Fort Worth Texas, then on to Osaka, and an overnight ferry ride to Toyo Port in Saijo, I along with Rosie's older broher Jerome, and his girlfriend Carolina have made it to our destination. We took the first day (Friday) to get over our jetlag, and then immediately started our Touristic duties, entailing a visit to Hirosima Peace Park, the sight of the A bomb Detonation of World War II. This was definately a humbling experience. No history book I had ever written had prepared me for the feeling of sadness that overwhelms you as you walk through the museum.
Pictured above is the Memorial in the center of the Peace Park. Through it you can see what was referred to as The A Bomb Building. A structure that had survived the Detonation which took plave 2 blocks East and 400 meters above it's location. There were approximately 3 other buildings in the surrounding 3 kilometer diamaeter which survived the blast. I am still trying to wrap my mind around that destructive force that must have been experienced by the Detonation. The Flash from the intiail detonation gave off a heat that was roughly equivalent to the surface of the sun.
Once we had walked through the park, and made our way back to the van it was off to Miyajima Island for the night, to visit a very popular Shrine. The island offered beauty and history in a positive light, as opposed to our previous days experience. Miyajima is popuated with several hundreds of goat sized deer which roma freely throughout the island, and will eat any scrap of paper or whatever items the deem chewable that might be in your possesion.
The next day the Tide had gone out so we got to walk out to the Tori. Got some cool shots in the shrine as well.
I have also made some trips to Niihama, and Takumatsu for interviews, but I did not take my camera with me then. So far so good, now I apply for a work Visa again. From now til I hear back, I am simply a tourist for thre months.
More pics and postings to come.
