Another Hiroshima Shopping Trip 11/26/11

It's Saturday of Thanksgiving Weekend, so we decide to make another trip to Hiroshima to finish our shopping. This is looking at our building from the front. Our apartment is on the opposite side. Our building's name is Ayame, which means iris flower.


We're riding bikes to the station - it's a beautiful day & the colors of these flowers in someone's yard remind me of Christmas!


Beautiful early winter garden.


And oranges still on a tree.


The river is high as we ride over the pedestrian bridge toward the downtown Iwakuni station .


Riding behind a lady with a leopard coat & blue back-basket cover. Most Japanese bikes come with baskets because bicycles are used for transportation.


Inside the bicycle parking area at the station.


Wow! Look at those RED tires!


Cap on the back basket of someone's bike says "Please Help Me" in English and Japanese. So we put in some yen.


Flower shop near the station has beautiful poinsettias!


And tiny pansies with bunnies on top. Made me think of Barbara again.


Looking out the train window toward Miyajima Island.


In less than an hour, we're crossing one of the rivers in Hiroshima.


Cute Christmas poster at Hiroshima Station.


Streetcar driver. We're heading for Hondori Street today.


Just a short walk inside the covered shopping, and we've reached Andersen's. The upper section is the original building - the only in this area - that was left standing after the atomic bomb hit Hiroshima in August of 1945.


Third floor in Andersen's has some interesting and beautiful items for sale.


We ran into our friend Akemi and her friend who were going to attend a concert later in Hiroshima, but I didn't take their picture. How fun that we have lived here long enough to frequently run into people we know when we're out & about!


Many colors of poinsettia in the flower department.


And of course Christmas cookies and pastries!


A very large and elaborate calendar for counting off days until Christmas. Our kids used to LOVE the one we had. Wonder where it is now . . .?


Stan's buying our purchases - this is all on the first floor of Andersen's.


Oh look at these cute stuffed fabric mice sleeping in matchboxes!


Back out in the shopping street it's pretty crowded today.


We made a new friend at Starbucks. This little boy was very friendly and just smiled and smiled at us!


We're outside Tokyu Hands department store now, where children are having fun posing with this, uh, stuffed chef's hat character?


Inside I found more cute bunnies!


Oh - and (I think?) they're also umbrellas!!!!!


Teapot department. Really, really cute ones.


In the toy department, I found this REALLY fabulous electronic jazz band playing - wow! Cool, but VERY expensive! Click below to watch & listen . . .


We've finished shopping (finally!) so decided to go to Molly Malone's for a drink & dinner. Kampai! Nancy & Eldon - we always think of you two here!


Looking around MM from our table . . .


Stan's enjoying his delicious hamburger. I think I had my usual quiche and salad - always delicious.


Later, we're back at Hiroshima Station and headed for home. Oh look! Christmas decorations in the windows. It reminded us both of fabulous department store windows in downtown Birmingham when we were children. Wonder if any stores in US still do that?


For the first time EVER - we had to go over to Track 2 for the train to return to Iwakuni. We've always just gone straight out to Track 1. Huh . . .

So when we arrived at Iwakuni Station and found our bikes, we saw that the money was still in the cap on the back of the bike that said "Please Help Me" - I LOVE Japan!
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