Some final general observations:
- All the figures depicted in road signs are wearing hats
- Automatic doors open just that little bit later
- Apple hasn't dominated here yet
- Food is over-packaged in the extreme
- The landscape is either flat or mountains, there's very little in-between
Thursday
Hiroshima was in full bloom. The river near our hotel was lined with dozens of Sakura trees and had even more parties gathering underneath them. When we returned in the evening a lot of them were still there, shivering in coasts and passing beers around. I guess its the equivalent of our BBQ season taking place regardless of the weather.
Just the name of the city invokes so much history. We paid a trip to the A-Bomb Dome and the Peace Museum. To be honest I found the whole experience a bit overwhelming. I've seen countless reports and documentaries about the atom bomb before, but seeing it up close...lumps of roof tiles with the description that they boiled and melted together, mannequins depicting flesh melting from the body...it was not pleasant. But I guess it's not meant to be pleasant.
There's been a few occasions where we've obviously looked very lost, as helpful locals have then pointed us in the right direction. We weren't looking particularly lost when someone approached us in the park. She mentioned that she had been to the British Museum and it was beautiful. We nodded in agreement. "Have you heard of the bible?" Oh, right. Closer inspection of the park saw dozens of them at work. I'm sure they're lovely people, I just wish they wouldn't.
Dinner that night was our first conveyor belt sushi restaurant of the trip. I only had one thing that made me feel sick so took that as a victory.
Friday
We quite literally set sail, on a boat and everything, for Miyajima. Just when I thought I couldn't be any more impressed with this holiday, we went to this mini tropical paradise. The centre of attention was the torii gate out at sea. The tide rapidly departed and we were able to paddle around it.
If Hiroshima was in bloom, Miyajima was ablaze with colour. You couldn't turn a corner without seeing another cherry blossom tree in full life. The island was full of tourists and package tours, but it was amazing how easily it was to ditch them. Quiet little havens of beauty were never far away. Like the beach front restaurant which gave us superb udon noddles.
In the evening we went searching for a Hiroshima delicacy. Okonomiyaki are large pancakes containing lettuce, bean sprouts, meat, noodles, egg and all types of herbs & spices. We went to a building that contained dozens of stalls selling these beauties. Picking one, we saw masters at work. Watching the cooks put these together was like watching a conductor at a symphony. Bloody tasty it was too, all that and the matriarch of the stall complemented my facial hair. I thanked them the only way I know how: by cracking my head so hard on the extractor fan that I nearly passed out.
Saturday
We made our way back through Japan, passing all the places we visited. My thoughts drifted. It's been 2 weeks but that disastrous journey here feels like a lifetime ago. In short: if Holiday Fatigue exists, I have it, and I'm ready to come home. We spent some of the day in a windswept Yokohama, but my attention was elsewhere. Waiting for the train, we experienced our one proper encounter with a local. An old man struck up conversation with us. He said he spent 12 years in America but his English wasn't very good (it was near perfect). A sweet end. We are spending our last night in Narita, just round the corner from the airport. The only thing that soothes my bruised head is that my journey home couldn't possibly be worse than my journey out here. Fingers crossed...
Japan Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5
- All the figures depicted in road signs are wearing hats
- Automatic doors open just that little bit later
- Apple hasn't dominated here yet
- Food is over-packaged in the extreme
- The landscape is either flat or mountains, there's very little in-between
Thursday
Hiroshima was in full bloom. The river near our hotel was lined with dozens of Sakura trees and had even more parties gathering underneath them. When we returned in the evening a lot of them were still there, shivering in coasts and passing beers around. I guess its the equivalent of our BBQ season taking place regardless of the weather.
Just the name of the city invokes so much history. We paid a trip to the A-Bomb Dome and the Peace Museum. To be honest I found the whole experience a bit overwhelming. I've seen countless reports and documentaries about the atom bomb before, but seeing it up close...lumps of roof tiles with the description that they boiled and melted together, mannequins depicting flesh melting from the body...it was not pleasant. But I guess it's not meant to be pleasant.
There's been a few occasions where we've obviously looked very lost, as helpful locals have then pointed us in the right direction. We weren't looking particularly lost when someone approached us in the park. She mentioned that she had been to the British Museum and it was beautiful. We nodded in agreement. "Have you heard of the bible?" Oh, right. Closer inspection of the park saw dozens of them at work. I'm sure they're lovely people, I just wish they wouldn't.
Dinner that night was our first conveyor belt sushi restaurant of the trip. I only had one thing that made me feel sick so took that as a victory.
Friday
We quite literally set sail, on a boat and everything, for Miyajima. Just when I thought I couldn't be any more impressed with this holiday, we went to this mini tropical paradise. The centre of attention was the torii gate out at sea. The tide rapidly departed and we were able to paddle around it.
If Hiroshima was in bloom, Miyajima was ablaze with colour. You couldn't turn a corner without seeing another cherry blossom tree in full life. The island was full of tourists and package tours, but it was amazing how easily it was to ditch them. Quiet little havens of beauty were never far away. Like the beach front restaurant which gave us superb udon noddles.
In the evening we went searching for a Hiroshima delicacy. Okonomiyaki are large pancakes containing lettuce, bean sprouts, meat, noodles, egg and all types of herbs & spices. We went to a building that contained dozens of stalls selling these beauties. Picking one, we saw masters at work. Watching the cooks put these together was like watching a conductor at a symphony. Bloody tasty it was too, all that and the matriarch of the stall complemented my facial hair. I thanked them the only way I know how: by cracking my head so hard on the extractor fan that I nearly passed out.
Saturday
We made our way back through Japan, passing all the places we visited. My thoughts drifted. It's been 2 weeks but that disastrous journey here feels like a lifetime ago. In short: if Holiday Fatigue exists, I have it, and I'm ready to come home. We spent some of the day in a windswept Yokohama, but my attention was elsewhere. Waiting for the train, we experienced our one proper encounter with a local. An old man struck up conversation with us. He said he spent 12 years in America but his English wasn't very good (it was near perfect). A sweet end. We are spending our last night in Narita, just round the corner from the airport. The only thing that soothes my bruised head is that my journey home couldn't possibly be worse than my journey out here. Fingers crossed...
Japan Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5
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