20 October - goodbye Shikoku :( - but hello to Hiroshima

so my journey on Shikoku must end....  what a beautiful island, with beautiful people and beautiful bike riding weather!!  I can now say it was perfect!  so many wonderful memories.

but catch that ferry (just in time!) and head off across the inland sea to Hiroshima.

I am staying at the World Friendship Centre that was set up by a Quaker, Barbara Reynolds in 1955 and it caters for travellers plus gives workshops on Peace and sharing throughout the world.  The caretakers are usually Americans on a 2 year stint and Maggie & Bernd were new arrivals and enthusiastic about their time here.  They give English speaking classes and I was invited to speak with 3 ladies (about my age) on my travels throughout Shikoku...  we all agreed that Shikoku is a beautiful island :)

but first evening I went for a walk around the Peace Park and soaked up some of the atmosphere of the promotion of peace throughout the world...  I don't feel any malice following that terrible bombing 70 years ago - it is what it is - and lets not let it happen again is the message of Hiroshima.

I left my 100 cranes at the Children's Peace Memorial - where the statue of Sadako Sasaki stands - rang the bell and hoped that one day there would be Eternal Peace throughout the world - tho it looks pretty hopeless at the moment....

I felt totally safe, strolling around the park at night - as one does throughout the areas of Japan that I have visited....  although now there were heaps of European faces and languages I could understand, which was a tad weird...

enough prattling on -

Sunrise in Matsuyama

Eco friendly Hotel - showing you the water level
you should set without flooding the bathroom

Early morning traffic - high school kids on bikes -
note the traffic cop (in white shirt and helmet)
even tho there's traffic lights, he waves a glow-stick to allow the
cyclists right of way, making the cars stop!

On my way to ferry terminal, came across this massive church-like building

Google tells me its a Marriage venue!!!!!

Goodbye beautiful Shikoku :(

Last look out thru the tinted windows of the ferry

Under the bridge at Kure

and back on land with Autumn colours in Hiroshima

Says it all

The Flame that will only be extinguished when the last
nuclear weapon is disabled

Sadako Sasaki memorial
Children's Peace Monument

my meagre 100 cranes disappeared amongst the thousands
when I came back the next day, they were already well covered by more
bunches of 1000, folded by school kids
I saw one little troupe of primary school kids and a proud little girl was carrying their
bunch of rainbow coloured cranes
the kids are certainly taught about the happenings and the meaning of Peace

The A Dome - across the river

and up close

 after the Peace Park - I needed some actual sustenance, so went into a little pizza cafe and had a gorgonzola pizza and spotted some Anna Brut!!  tho I only had a draught beer

shopping centre was still happening

and guess what!!  my favourite shop and even cheaper here
and they even had the vacuum travel bags I had been looking for - Yay!!

for my Swedish family - :)

Goodnight!!