Growing Pains

I had brought up something to Chiara while we were in Korea about naming our posts after soap operas in the US based on the feel of the area.  For instance the city of Busan would be called "The Young and the Restless" because it was full of partying college age beach goers.  Needless to say we didn't do that but I think it is time to start a similar project in Japan but with sitcoms from our youth...hence the title of this post.  Read on if you want to know how they correspond.

We landed ourrselves, somehow, smack dab in the best and worst place at the same time.  Let me explain.  Our new camping friends had suggested that we must see a few places that also corresponded with ourr proposed route...so why not?!   They were so worth the stops and broke up the pedaling nicley.   First was Iwakuni and a beauthiful anarchic bridge that, though having been rebuilt over the centuries, was non-the-less a wonderful example of advanced engineering and beauty. 

   

 We met a fun, energetic and mildly unhinged Japanese fello that insisted that he get a picture with the 'Americans' flashing our best 'Metal Horns' (he and Chiara really connected on their mutual adulation of Van Halen and Motley Crue).  Riding north from there was an easy day and short ferrry to the World Heritage Site of Miyajima Island.  It was slightly disorienting seeing this many non-Japanese in one place as we had avoided most big tourist spots to this point and were used to being the only 'round eyes' in the area.  We had a beautiful  place to camp and if it wern't for the pernicious 'wild (and I use this term very loosely as I have seen wilder animals at a petting zoo) deer' trying to eat our bags, bikes and tent, this would have been quite a relaxing spot.

     

  After the perfunctory 'selfies' at the site we crossed on the quick ferry back to the mainland and planned our way toward Hiroshima...and that is where things went a bit pear shaped.  Turns out we, as bad students of history, neglected to realize that we had set ourselves on a collision course to arrive in Hiroshima on the 70th Anniversary of the atomic bombing in 1945...and as you might imagine accommodation was not easy to find.  Originally planning to take a few days in a hostel, A/C, blogging and enjoying the sites instead turned into 2 night of sweaty humid camping and loitering outside wifi spots.  There were some amazing upsides that made all the lack of amenities woorth it though...we will let the photos speak for us.

      

(Chiara here.  The first picture is of the Atomic Dome, a building that was right near the epicenter of the atomic bomb. Though initially controvercial, resident of Hiroshima have decided to let the building stand as a reminder of the destruction wrought by the bomb. The second picture is of Buddists chanting and singing for peace, which was a beautiful sight and sound for the thousands that came to the 70th anniversary of the dropping ofthe bomb..  The last two pictures were of the evening lantern ceremony, where people wrote messages of peace on a lantern, lit the lanterns, and floated them down the river in front ofthe Atomic Dome.  The historical significance of this day 70 years ago is hard to quantify.  Hiroshima was almost totally decimated.  It is astounding and shows how much spirit the people of Hiroshima have that they have rebuilt their city into such beautiful place and how hard many people at the ceremony are working towards peace and to rid countries of nuclear weapons.  I will never forget the images and the displays at the Peace Museum and it is hard to believe that any populace had to live with the terrible aftereffects of the atomic bomb.  I am so glad that we were able to see the pride and rememberance that Hiroshima and the countryof Japan have for this awful event.  Back to Bruce...)

Glad we had toughed out the mayhem in an otherwise unassuming, very liveable city that was at the same time very welcoming while feeling like it wanted nothing more than to shake off all of us gawking, day-packing, J-Rail'ers so that it could get back to its daily routine of just beiing a place where people lived.   Oh and two other things, the bike culture was amazing Portland...don't think you are really all that special and make sure you don't miss the amazing local cuisine called okonmiyaki...a must!

We were slightly sad to leaave but ready to let Hiroshima get back to its life. We were excited for our next destination...Saijo and its amazing Sake!  A relatively short ride to this little Sake producing region was rewarded with amazing free sake tastings and an gorgeous thunderstorm (luckily we were awaiting a train at the time so we got to witness it dry and in the safety of the station).  To be continued...