14/07/09 - Where are we going? \\\\\\\\\\\\\\
Wow what a good sleep. Room was chilled from air-con, wrapped up on duvets and in loveliness. I think as I killed the one bed bug (had a whole lot of blood in it) though Karen has been collecting bites previously. It was difficult to get up, so we laid in for a bit. At least I presumed the headless lump on the mats next to me was Karen as there was no way to tell! Otherwise been rethinking plans.
Waiting for Karen again. She's disappeared... "half an hour to get ready" not been yet! But a change of plan. With 5 things to do covering half of Japan, in 2 days, it's a logistical nightmare. But the plan as of this morning is to head off to the South island now. As the trains could take a while and on Thursday we need to know we will be in Tokyo in time for the Ghibli museum.
To add to that we want to go to Hiroshima. And right by us is the "Fugu" capital (deadly blowfish meat - which I guess we could miss, but I was thinking we can do as a dinner trip from Hiroshima). This plan does mean missing the roof of Japan (Nagano) but we'd missed that from before, getting stuck with giant Buddhas. Oh and maybe Himenji on the way? But this may take a while and we saw it on the way from the train (which looked so impressive we wanted to go!)
Now I wait and type for her ladyship to reappear so we can get moving. At least the Shinkansen will get us most places fast. Our trip would look very different without it!
Soon off and in Hiroshima. Seemed like a new day. This early morning thing is good when it gets going (thinks about the 6.30 am start tommorrow) so we assaulted the tourist information lady for maps and locations and lockers and exits and smells (Karen) before heading off. Karen got some croissants (the smells) before heading off on the tram to the main stop off points. Hiroshima, the first atomic bomb used in warfare. Nagasaki on the west coast of the lower west island was the second and apparently twice as big as Hiroshima.
The park was very nice, a ruined building and the eternal flame, the memorials and location of all the names of all known dead. Kids running around as at least 3 schools had trips there. It was only in the museum that it sunk in more. The pictures before looking unrealistic apparently being very realistic, of people walking around zombie like, their eyes covered in blood and their skin dripping off from the burns and radiation.
Karen certainly went quiet. We took out the audio phones (typically in the one museum we DIDN'T need them) then spent hours reading, listening and watching all sorts of things about the place before, during and after. We were runnuing out of time as my alarem went off and we'd only just started the main hall part (actually a good half way through) so had to speed round, reading the parts looking interesting. The amount of information repeated started to get on my nerves, but the videos were good.
Makes me think of all sorts of things. Like Fallout games. And the Watchmen film, with Dr Manhatten. Where the Manhatten project was the name given to the development of atomic weaponry, apparently at Einsteins request. The english we'd met yesterday said Nagasaki was better of the two, especially as it is seen less by tourists, but sadly it wasn't on our way. As Sarah said, HIroshima does leave you feeling a bit different. Myself, more worried for the world.
Again at Sarahs behest (followed by both our books) we had to try the Okinimoki\\\\\\\\\\ a pancake mix thing for food. Both books pointed to the same place and so we headed that way, however as time was short, a taxi was used (thank god - it was not only a trek but we'd never have found the small sign!) and inside like a japanese cafe. Sitting down (to some shuffling of stools) we ordered two with beer and then watched the marvel unfold. Sarah you're right, if you have to make them yourself in Osaka, I'm glad we had them in Hiroshima!
They were a pancake base with lettuce and beansprout mounted on top. These shrunk as they were heated with a pancake on top. Then add bacon and a few bits, crack open and egg and make it a circle similar to the pancake and after a few second flip the pancake onto the egg, then top off with we think was like a smoked barbeque sauce, and green herbs. Cut and devour. We did. It had an odd taste (at least at the start) like smoking, but we still ate it.
Then back to the trains, late by over an hour, to head East again. Off to Okayama, to change to Takamatsa\\\\\\\\\\ where I decided to stop. The next stop was the plan but it meant tommorrow was going to be difficult. We keep missing everything as it's too late, and if we want to hit the roof of Japan, it's about 6 hours of trains (and 3 or 4 at that) so early start and not going too far was the plan. At least now we've been to the four main islands.
Tourist information appeared to have gone home, I read they finished at 6pm, as our train was arriving at 6.03pm I had little hope, but the hostel/hotle man was there. Very friendly old guy (we assumed he didn't get many tourists) who booked us a room in the hotel (not a Ryokan again, I think a slight translation issue, but then he speaks a little more english than my japanese, so we were still doing well!) and then we chatted for about 15 minutes, as he was interested where we'd been, were going and were from. Then Taro made an appearance after we saw the "Takamastu\\\\" soft toys (seems most Japanese cities have something)
So missed the sun, meaning we missed a nice looking park, but now going around for some food, drink and internet. FINALLY found an internet manga place and sitting on a half bed. Could easily sleep here and it would be cheaper, if paying for the sleeping time. Still we have air-con in our room, so that's good too!
Roof of the world and then Tokyo for Ghibli and shopping!
