Iwakuni Update 5/23/11

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Mother's Day 2011

Riding alongside the river on our way to the pedestrian bridge on our shortcut to the Iwakuni train station. We're off to Hiroshima today. If you look closely, you can see Stan on his bike at the end of the street. I'm admiring this gorgeous azalea hedge beside a house.


Close up of azalea. These always remind me of spring in Alabama.


Crossing the pedestrian bridge. Lots of boats out today. It's a gorgeous sunny day - finally! It's been a very cool Spring this year . . .


Parking at the bike parking area at the station. I've found a space under the stairway.


And Stan's found a space inside on the upper level.


Looking toward the track at a beautifully-painted train car. I think it's the Nishiki River trolley.


Flower stand outside the station. Lots of beautiful flowers here. If they're open when we return, I'll get some to take home.


We're on our train now looking out at the platform in Iwakuni Station. Trains run to Hiroshima about every 10 minutes, so you never have to wait long.

Me (Margie) on the train. I'm trying a juice drink with aloe in it. It's really tasty, but a little thick & lumpy toward the bottom. I imagine it's very healthy though . . .


After a 50 min train ride, we walked outside to the Streetcar track & rode a few more minutes to Hondori Street - the covered shopping street. A couple of blocks on the right, we've stopped at Andersen's Bakery to have a light sandwich lunch. Outside our window, we're watching the "Balloon Man" who's usually here making & selling his wares. We've talked to him before & he's a college student.


This little girl is very happy with her "Hello Kitty" inside a red heart!


In the flower department inside Andersen's. Hydrangeas always make me think of my friend Sue - Happy Mother's Day!


Special Mother's Day cookies for sale, but I'm here for jasmine tea. It's the only place I've been able to find it.


Looking around in Andersen's bakery . . .


Back out on Hondori Street, we've found the entrance to the subway that becomes a monorail a few stops later. We didn't even know Hiroshima had one, but Stan found it while looking for something "different" for us to do today. Thanks, Stan!


These cute HS students were very friendly and interested to know that Stan is a HS sensei (teacher).

Inside the subway station at Hondori Street that becomes the overhead monorail. It's very quiet & empty today.


After just a couple of brief stops, the train headed up, up, up into the beautiful sunlight -- high above the city! We're traveling alongside one of Hiroshima's rivers now.


But now we're making a sweeping turn. That's our yellow monorail train off to the right side of the picture as we cross over the river.


Inside the train there are few passengers.


Passing beautiful city-side views as we continue stopping every minute or two. More and more passengers depart the train, but I don't think any more got on.


The monorail stations looked to me like the back of an old-fashioned caboose, but Stan thought they looked like old-fashioned train stations . . .


Large tiger? hiding on top of a building . . .


Passing a monorail train going the opposite direction.

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Closer view of the track. The electric lines run on the inside to power this train. It's very quiet and smooth, but rocks a little more than the train on dual tracks.


Stopped at the station at the end of the line - we're getting off here. The train will go a little further to cross over to the return side of the track and the engineer will walk from the front to the back (which becomes the front) to head back downtown.


Looking up at the train in the station as we walk down a long ramp toward the street. This monorail train is REALLY high up!


At the bottom of the ramp looking back up. There were lots of school children walking toward us today & they all wanted to practice their English phrases. So cute & friendly!


Crossing a street as we start up a long sloping hill. Those are flowers on a hillside making some sort of design.


Street sign at the intersection. Guess this is a main intersection, but I still don't know exactly where we are . . .


Beautiful azaleas as we keep walking up a gradual hill. There's supposed to be a park up here somewhere!


Stopping to look back at the station. The trains come frequently, so that's another train at the station now.

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As we walked up the hill, we found this small park area with an interesting statue. I think the design is the same as the flowers growing below the building behind us on the other side of the road. Community logo, perhaps? But we see more students walking down from higher up the hill, so we're going to continue on. Oh - see the wall behind the statue & shrubs?


It was a sound-baffle wall for the Expressway! What a difference it makes - it's much louder here!


A large hillside of azaleas just beginning to bloom - this will be gorgeous in another week!


I couldn't resist another closeup.


Up a large stone stairway & look at this fabulous, huge park area we've discovered! Those are in-line skaters practicing on a set-up course. Beyond looks like a stadium dome that we could see from the station.


And another stone staircase keeps going upward toward the stadium. I like these streetlights inside the park.


Walking closer now.


We're climbing up toward the stadium, but looking down into the area where all the skaters are. There are small waterfalls all along this sloping stairway.


About halfway up - my knee starts to give me problems, so I'm going to find a bench to rest it.

Click to watch this brief video of in-line skating & skateboarders - looks like so much fun! I wonder who set up all this?


Did you notice this guy sitting on the bench by the skateboarders? Take a close look at his left leg (in a cast with a crutch nearby!) I'm guessing he'd rather be skateboarding today!

Behind the skaters is a covered area where many families are having picnics on this beautiful day!


Closeup of vinca blooming around a tree.


Cute little boy on a trainer bike. (Well I did take a few pictures while I was waiting for Stan.)


Meanwhile, Stan's now just outside the stadium - more steps up!


Cool statue outside.


And a little girl practicing on her unicycle.


Wow - inside this huge open-air stadium!

Inside the stadium - which is empty today.


Statue in the lobby.


Stan's above the stadium in a helicopter???


Nah - just a model in the lobby!


Now he's walking back down from the stadium. I'm waiting on a bench on the right side about half-way down near one of the purple flags . . .


And we continue walking back downhill toward the monorail station - maybe a mile? The brief rest had been good for my bad knee & I'm ready to walk again!


Very pink dogwood tree blossom.


Back inside the monorail, we were lucky enough to get the back seat in the last car. We can see behind us & off to the side are the instruments. The driver simply moves to the front after the train crosses over to the return track.

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