The Visit pt 2

The next day we went to Miyajima, or the island with the temples and the deer just outside of Hiroshima.  I have been there a dozen times (probably more like only 8) but I don't mind going as it is pretty calm and peaceful.  This time wasn't too crowded due to it being a Monday and light rain, so that was really nice as well.  We made a quick stop at McDonald's for breakfast which was nice for me as I never do it regularly.  The visitors would have probably gone for anything but McDonald's is quick and has coffee.

On the island we did the usual thing of walking to see the red gate in the water and then visiting the various temples.  I was a little tired and winded from all of the steps so I didn't go into all of the temples but everyone else enjoyed themselves.  My dad's fiance is a big gardener so she really enjoyed the care that has been taken to all of nature on the island.

We ate okonomiyaki for lunch at a place where they cook it right in front of you.  Not like you get in the states though.  The chef doesn't throw the knives in the air or light the grill with a big flash of fire.  Instead he just cooks quietly.  Okonomiyaki is made from a thin pancake/crepe that is salty not sweet.  You can add various things to it but we had it with noodles, egg, bacon, cabbage, and cheese.  My dad also got oysters with his.  I recommend it to anyone who wants to eat Japanese food but who doesn't like seafood.

We did the obligatory souvenir shopping and then went back to see the gate when the tide was out.  Our guests walked down to it but again, being tired, Motoaki and I gave it a miss. 

We then left the island and headed to Iwakuni, the city with a US Naval Base that our first home stay student, Nana, came from.  The main site there is the Kintai bridge which is a wooden arch bridge.  This is also a peaceful place that was a little deserted due to the late time of day and it being not a holiday.  We also took time to tour the iris gardens and temples which were a big hit for Shelia and my sister.  I am not the biggest flower fan (I prefer greens) but this was my first time to see the iris and they were impressive.

We got on the road at about 6 pm for the long ride home.  Unfortunately we got back too late to Maniwa and none of the good restaurants were open, so we ended up getting Joyfull.  Joyfull is similar to Denny's in that it serves sit-down fast food.  It is good for foreigners because it is cheap and has a colored menu (as well as a mix of things like hamburgers, spaghetti, chicken, etc), but I felt a little embarrassed at the quality of it.