Cyclo tour of the town in the morning... main site being the Imperial Citadel.
Spent afternoon by a rooftop pool at another hotel.
Awoke at 4am for an early morning 'photography' trip on the back of a motor cycle with a local photographer.
Went along the river delta, caught a bit of the sunrise, visited a riverside market. Fantastic trip and got some great pictures.
Back to the hotel for breakfast and a half hour kip.
Followed this with another motor cycle trip... this time with the group... a 10 strong convoy. Went to Tang Ton markets, saw a fortune teller, though no one took her up on her offers. Had a 75 year demo an irrigation machine and bounding rice... she also kept singing to herself!
Took a boat trip on the Perfume River to the Perfume Pagoda. The monk that famously burnt himself to death in protest came from this temple.
Lunch at a nunnery... it was 38 degrees in the shade!
Visited the Tu Duc tomb... the king/emporer that lost to the French.
Saw incense stick making and a lady with one arm making the traditional conical hats.
Evening meal near to hotel... bar as well. Stunning waitresses!!!
See some photos on Facebook:
Another huge buddha... I've seen a few now.
Had a look around Isuien Gardens.. very nice...
]]>Travelled to Hiroshima... where the first a-bomb was dropped by the Americans. Visited th dome left standing as it was directly below the a-bomb when it exploded about 600 metres above. Saw the peace memorials and memorial to Sadako... a Japanese girl... 2 years old when the a-bomb was drop. She was athletic and became ill and was diagnosed with leukemia.
]]>Mt. Yufu last erupted 300 years ago. Yufu San is 1584m high and you can do a 2 hour hike to the top.
The first day in Yufuin me and Bjoern went and found a public onsen to try out... apparently we were the first of Luke's groups to do so. The one wee found was out of twon in the paddy fields... the onsen bath was out side, part covered... quite surreal have a bath with the rain coming down on the water... by the way as I write it is hammering down here in Hanio.... the water is up to the steps of the hotel opposite!
To get to Yufiun we travelled on the "Yufuin No Mori" a european style classic express.
Instead of climbing Yufu the next day I decided to go to Beppu and coastal resort town. Good choice... ascended Mt. Kintetsu instead by cable car... then went onto Beppu.
In Beppu I had a sand bath... basically they bury you in hot volcanic sand for 15 minutes! Cool... well hot actually!
Gotta go... must photograph the rain!
]]>Explored Nagasaki today... Peace Park and memorial followed by the bomb museum. Some quite harrowing photographs and video, but interesting. 75,000 people killed in the first few seconds.
Took a cruise around the bay... narration in Japanese though so didn't learn much. Me and Bjoern (who I'd bumped into) nearly fell asleep on the boat.
Walked the picturesque Spectacles Bridge route along the river. Had a half hour display of nature... when we stumbled upon a woman feeding the fish with bread. In the water there were all manner of fish including the obligatory carp. There was also a family of turtles (maybe terrapins) eating the bread as well. Sea eagles kept swooping in to pick up bread as well. Then a heron flew in to join in too. Beautiful...
Saw Matt Twaddell's face on the side of a building!!! Will post picture when I get the chance...
Evening meal on the harbour front... bread was slow, so 'Bento Boy' ran off to the shop to get some... I had 'horse meat' for a starter!
Climbed Mount Inasi after the meal... well went up in a cable car. Got some reasonable pictures of Nagasaki at night... difficult without a tripod.
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