Court Hotel Hiroshima

This is my first travelpod entry! I love to travel around the world so much, but let me write about my small hometown first.<br> I live in Iwakuni city, Japan. Iwakuni is a small town near Hiroshima, where an atomic bomb was first dropped about 65 years ago.<br> Iwakuni is famous for ...

... bomb dome- once an exhibition hall, it's metal dome frame was seriously disfigured along with the rest of the building and has been left like this in order to remind people. The museum also is a reminder of what happened here with documents and artefacts documenting the decision-making process that occured on both sides to lead to this even that wiped out so many lives. Well balanced historically, it was still tough to listen to so many personal and tragic stories with ...

Charlotte and I knew very little about Hiroshima, except that there was an atomic bomb dropped here at some point in World War 2, yet somehow we were drawn here. Now i understand more about the place and events that unravelled here, and i can say that i now see the visit to its memorial peace grounds and museum a must, for those interested in history, war and the sheer scale of atrocities that can both be inflicted and endured by mankind.<br>The city today, stands like many ...

... and less congested than Osaka. Because this is our second day in Japan, we did not have to go thru the immigration procedures that were necessary yesterday in Osaka. So after we breakfasted and ensured we were properly attired, we disembarked from the ship. Just off the ship was a large silver needle-like structure that was on shore and filling most of the window from our room. Beside that Needle was the Information Building for the port. And it was a good first ...

... was sick, it had a crazy looking guy with ¥10000 notes on the cover. I think it was some kind of Japanese grindhouse with greed, gore, rape, and so on. So we made it to Hiroshima, it took ages to actually get to the station. The whole time dad was arguing that it would be easier and cheaper to take a taxi then the tram, and that we had probably missed our stop. So when we got to our station, we caught a taxi. After all the signing in was done, we dropped off ...

... dome, literally a bombed out skeleton of a once modern building. It was close to the center of the blast and thus survived to some degree, the searing heet that emanated from the blast. Hundreds of children lost their lives or were orphaned in the blast. Many children were not in school but helping to dismantle certain buildings in Hiroshima to protect the city from catching on fire should there be potential air raids from ...

... shoes at the door and sleep on futons and tatami mats. Most provide you with breakfast in the morning, and have their own private hot baths. So really, its kind of like a Japanese B&amp;B.<br><br>Although it had atmosphere and great rooms, it was so freaking hard to find. We ended up being guided around half the city by a woman and these highschool students who really looked like they wanted to go home. It was quite an experience though, and it was uncanny how we were all ...

... tact with crusts. I'm not sure where the crusts find their way to, but all I know is that they are nonexistent within Japan. The vending machines found on just about every corner dispense all kinds of hot beverages in cans or bottles, most of which being various forms of coffee or tea with soy milk resulting in a convenient snack for one dollar at any time of the day. Japanese sweets are almost always filled with a sweetened bean-paste called Asuka, surrounded by a ...

... calling one of my best mates, Sarah. 'What's the matter, Em?' she asked me. 'I don't want to die!' I sobbed. 'I'm going to South America on my own and I don't want to get kidnapped or killed!' 'Well love, just make sure you're careful of the water. A lot of people get sick that way,' she said, half-cut (it was a Saturday night and she was out and about!). It was such sound advice I laughed, thanked her and went to bed again ...

... headed off to get some food. Junya was recommended this famous Okonomiyaki (friend egg pancake thing) restaurant in Hiroshima and we had some great Okonomiyaki, Hirsohima style. Everywhere in Japan having a "famous food" Hiroshima's being Okonomiyaki. If I can find the name of the resteraunt, I'll pop it on here, but it's definately worth a visit. After filling our stomachs we headed for the infamous Dome, the only thing left in Hiroshima to remind us of the tragedy of Nuclear ...