Hiroshima

After the Silver Shadow eventually acquired a pilot for the exit from Nagoya bay, the cruise proceeded towards Hiroshima. The Captain decided to retain that port and drop Jeju to put the ship back on schedule.

The guests are not all pleased - some would have preferred different choices of ports and some wanted to leave the bay without a pilot (even though it is required by law and seemed sensible in relatively narrow waterways with a lot of other vessels also sheltering). One called the need for a pilot a 'restrictive practice'. No secrets about his politics.

The 8:45 tour started late. One pair of guests turned up after a phone call was made to their suite. They muttered that they were expecting the tour to start at 9:15. Other guests tutted and said that was never the start time. Just after the bus left the tour area, the latecomers discovered that they were indeed booked on a 9:15 tour and the bus had to return to drop them off. Their friend who had been saving their seats also belonged an a different tour.

The first part of the journey was a little rough as the sea was still what the Captain calls 'grumpy' in the wake of the typhoon. The final part, into the bay of Hiroshima, was flat calm and everyone was able to enjoy the impressive scenery. The mountains are not as high or dramatic as Norway or Alaska, but they are very attractive. No snow-covered peaks here - too far south.

The Hiroshima Peace Park was beautifully presented but sobering. The tour covered the A dome, the flame of peace, the Peace Bell, the cenotaph and a well-presented museum. The museum told the story of  August 6th 1945 and the subsequent rescue efforts, as well as initiatives to abolish nuclear weapons.

The tour ended with a visit to a garden, which had a central lake and several bridges, as well as attractive greenery. Diva did not walk the whole way round as some of the paths were rough and she was determined to avoid another fall.