Sobe or Udon? The answer will decide. We have officially arrived in Hiroshima, the half way goal of our trip before starting a new route back to Osaka international airport. Do we take the northern windy country sea side escape, or down and across the southern archipelago of oceans and islands? To pose the question a second way, do we head back North where the Sobe noodles are famous, or through the South where udon noodles run king?
We will have to decide soon. We should leave Hiroshima tomorrow or the day after in order to leave enough time to cycle all the way back and then some to visit Kyoto and back.
Either way, today our bikes missed us very much as we commited to a full day of city exploration by foot.
The Hiroshima view from our hotel room =)
We walked around a lot and right up the river from us stood these origami cranes, hand made. Legends say if you make one-thousand, you'll be granted a wish.
Beautiful colored cranes strung together just outside the A-bomb museum.
I came across this city angle along our walk. If you can make out the structure in the rear, that half domed building across the water, that is one of the very few edifices that survived the bomb blast August 6th 1945 blast.
Hiroshima reminds me a bit of Singapore in that streets stay clean and we see lots of plant growth.
These flowers are given all around the museum. That we arrived in spring give these flowers an extra vibrant, new color.
These yellow and the next two photos were snapped from someone's personal outside garden as we walked bye.
And I snapped this picture for only one reason. Purple and gold. Good luck to Nick and Harmony on their new restaurant.
Lunch came in the language of Español. Sis found a Peruvian eatery for us to try.
Soup, salad, and a hearty quesadilla along side an all you can drink juice, tea, and coffee - can't beat it!we definitely had our fill.
By a very unexpected stroke of coincidence, we also ran into a subway Peruvian band entertaining smiling and clapping Japanese folk.
If you haven't noticed yet, the cherry blossoms are in full effect. Walking around the city ensure their pink petals land in your hair and jacket.
The Sakuras are everywhere, and that's not a bad thing.
No matter what day or time of day, we see people picnicking under cherry blossoms. It's the thing to do and if you were here you'd want to too.
We took a detour around the Hiroshima MOCA (Museum Of Cintemporary Art)
Hmm, really loving this interlocking piece. I am always enthralled by puzzles, quandries, and challenges. I believe id make an excellent code decipherer.
Osaka by pedestrian overhead walkway.
Yours truly.
Snack/second lunch. The cyclists appetite is really starting to be a part of my sister and I now. "Tienes hambre?", "Hells yeah!!"
This manhole cover is very unique as you can see. The Hiroshima carps are the local baseball team here.
We hoofed it all the way to the new stadium in order to buy tickets! Yes!!! Unfortunately, it rained. I am so very very disappointed.
You don't understand. I have been trying to go to a sports event for a very long time now. Soccer, tennis, hey, even a cricket match! Zero came into fruition. So I was so excited when sis suggested going to a Carps game since I haven't been to a sportings event more than a year ago when I left home. Fate strikes again, wasn't meant to be.
=\ could not have come ANY closer to seeing a game. Inside the stadium, players warmed up and ready to go, fans chugging beer and stuffing Okonomoyaki, we where there. We where right there. Just a little bit of rain came in between us. And now I'm broken hearted.
The game won't be played until the end of the season and the Carps leave for an away game tomorrow. Aggghhhh....sigh.
Oh well, these things happen. Wasn't meant to be. Instead we were refunded our tickets in full cash (no service fee Ticketmaster!) and strolled for a nice, albeit a bit wet, night on the town. We hit up a popular Yakotori joint with very hospitable and entertaining staff. We talked with an English speaking waiter as we sat at the counter and passed stories back and forth with the cook and a few other diner eaters, having our waiter translate for us. Smiles all around. We're having a great time =)
Still raining. We might have to stay another day, which is no bad idea. I'm looking forward to more urban exploration and giving my bike a tune up before hitting the road again. Stay tuned.
Ciao, much love.
-A
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