Day 19: Onomichi to Hiroshima Hostel life is not the one. I awoke desperately needing a pee, aching all over and with a familiar pain. Really? Cystitis? NOW?! My first port of call after checking out was the pharmacy, thankfully one of the nice employees from the guesthouse came with me to help explain. I'd never really considered my tastes to include Asian men, but, there are some serious hotties over here. This, of course, was one of them. You know, the guy I'm explaining my bladder infection to. Anyway, sweltering in the sun and having downed the mud-like concoction which is Japans answer to cranberry sachets (NOT THE SAME THING!! Also packaging says JP-69, hilarious joke.), I look for a bus eventually arriving to catch the Shinkansen to Hiroshima. My hotel was easy and nice, plus it provides breakfast and a bike. The Urbain hotel Chain is pretty cheap and for a single (£50) you get breakfast, a washing machine, public onsen, reasonable room etc. However, I do feel like I have stayed in every hotel in Japan now. I hopped on my (electric assisted, cheeky shits) bike and headed downtown. I bloody love cycling, I was cycling down the streets "weeeeeeeee"-ing to myself in the sun. First off I went to the Memorial Peace Park. The entire place feels emotional, but no place more so than the atom bomb memorial dome, left exactly as it was when it was destroyed by the atom bomb exploding 500m above. The horror of so many people dying so quickly and there being such a large dedication to it is overwhelming. The peace bell is public property, anyone can ring it, and the signs everywhere explaining the features of the park, also mention Japan's continued call to disarm and not risk anyone else getting nuked. The children's memorial, dedicated to a girl that died of post-bomb related illnesses (leukaemia potentially?)was also very touching. I cried a few times in Hiroshima. Since then I've seen that toss womble Trump suggesting the Japanese need to arm themselves against North Korea. Absolute shit bag, come to Hiroshima for a trip then say the same. There were also parts that made me extremely angry, namely the people selfie-ing in front of the monuments. REALLY? Stupid people. The Memorial hall, underneath the park features heart wrenching stories from survivors of the a-bomb, written shortly after. I also took a trip to Hiroshima Castle, which is bloody beautiful and stands high on a mound surrounded by a wide moat, and beautiful gardens which you can cycke around on my electrically assisted bike. Again, cheeky sods. I then went to see the botanical gardens close by. Here I helped an elderly lady cross a stepping stone path after she refused my help then lost her balance seconds later. Good deeds: done! The garden was a maze of beautiful bridges, stepping stones and pagodas. And the koi were HUGE! Who knew fish could get that big?! Hiroshima at night seemed so busy and vibrant - I was sad to not have any plans but I was drawn into a second floor restaurant sign that read: GYOZA FOR EVERYONE! Certainly a phrase to live by. The streets were rammed and colourful and bright, but seemed to go at a slightly slower pace than Tokyo. I was sad to leave Hiroshima so soon! And that gyoza? Damn. Well done Japan you've converted me to pork gyoza. Jemima
