Kinda strange day…

Spent all morning at the atomic bomb world heritage site.

It was really intense, so many Japanese there! Yes, I’m in Japan, but when Lora and I were at a German concentration camp, it was only foreigners there.

Anyway the mood was somber but not awful. The museum was 1/2 closed for reconstruction, so I missed a lot, but in the end it’s ok. I don’t think I could’ve seen much more. It wasn’t the punch in the guts like the DC holocaust museum, but it was close.

So back outside to the monuments it was.

Yesterday a volunteer helped me at the train station. Today that same guy was volunteering at the museum. He recognized me which was a surprise. We spoke for a bit, and he said that the city and prefectural government were trying hard to increase history -related tourism. Like in Busan, doing a lot to bring tourists and their dollars in, and making improvements too.

Anyway, the rain was horribly cold so I’ll go back on a sunny day to really see Peace Park. There’s lots to see.

The private Hiroshima Museum of Art was pretty great brain bleach, and much warmer. The art was first-rate. Van Gogh, Pissaro, Picasso, Monet, etc. were all well represented. The special exhibition was the art of a well known illustrator of the story of Gulliver’s Travels. His watercolors were great.

Some walking and coffee when the rain stopped were just what I needed. I rode the streetcar to the port to see what there was to see there. Answer: nothing.

More coffee at Starbucks, to wait for dark. Like most asian cities, in the fall there is a light display.

Back to the hotel for dinner and reading.

Here’s todays pictures..