Don't think I've ever seen red okra before . . . but that's what this looks like!

This unusual container is an entire dead shrub, but the fresh flowers & leaves each have a sealed tube of water to keep them fresh.

This one with two identical vases reminded me of a bird.

Look what happens if I bend down & center one of the orchids inside one of these straw art circles . . .

Wow!

Looking down a table of displays.

This may look off-balance to the Western eye . . . but it represents  a very well planned arrangement, and is a typical shape for ikebana. There are very strict rules that must be followed.

This closeup shows the many varieties of flowers and leaves that were used.

More dramatic arrangements.

I like these bamboo containers.

In low containers, a metal "frog" is used to hold stems, but this is how they are held inside this bamboo container - with a little bamboo fork.

Look at the 'S' bend on this pine branch. Some are forced & shaped with heavy wires, but some are grown this way, intentionally, of course using wires while they grow.

See these green & yellow "flowers"?

They're actually made of stained glass in copper wire! These bright green leaves belong to a "good luck" jade plant.

Looking around the room.

Stan liked this display best.

Sitting in the snack area, looking through the windows at the beautiful, serene pond outside.

I love these overhead lights in the lobby.

Looking from underneath, doesn't it look like a flower?

Outside of this beautiful complex of buildings that make up the Sinfonia. We've attended a couple of concerts here & a dance recital. Now, we're going to try to find a shortcut back under the train track, since we want to end up on 188 to bike to our favorite sushi restaurant. If we were going straight back to the air station, we would just take this wide street out front and end up by the gate on the new road.

Oh - behind the buildings & to the left, we found the official bicycle parking. Oops, we parked on the sidewalk outside the front door . . .

Look at the cool tracks that organize the bicycles!

This is a VERY narrow walkway. I had no trouble on my 3-wheeler . . .

but Stan kept bumping the wall! (Ouch!) It was a cool shortcut, though, as long as no one else was coming toward us!

After riding under a train tunnel, we came out from our "shortcut" on 188 near the bridge that goes into town. See the freight train on the next bridge?

Looking behind us toward downtown. The guardrails protect us bicyclists, as well as pedestrians, since we all share the sidewalks.

This bridge on 188 has been under construction for several years now.

That's Stan in front of me.

Look at this beautiful pink flower in front of someone's house.

A lady working in her garden on this beautiful day.

Riding back from town on 188. That's Stan's barber on the right.

I love this odd-shaped blue building! (it's wider on the back)

Lots of kids coming from school on this late Sunday afternoon. We understand that they have sports and club activities on weekends. Education is taken very seriously in Japan . . .

Crossing another bridge, we see some jet skiiers.

Riding our bikes over another Hwy 188 bridge as a motorcycle rides past.

Continuing on 188 toward Akiyama for sushi. That's Stan in front of me.

After a short ride, we're here -- where everybody knows our name . . . well, at least they know what we like!  As soon as we sit down, they start bringing our favorites.

After eating our fill of sushi, we're riding back inside the gate.

The sun is setting as we ride toward our building and home.

Hiroshima 9/5

Cool classic American car . . .

Stan & I rode our bikes to the local train station today. When we arrived at the bicycle parking at Iwakuni Station, Stan had to park his bike on the top row. To make it easier, the track slides out. Sherri's going to love this!

Ta-da!

Leigh Ann & Allen on the local train to Hiroshima.

Stan, Margie (me!) and Sandy.

I like this lady's cool fruit bag.

This man's t-shirt says "Captain Santa" on the back.

Getting off the train at Hiroshima Station.

Waiting for the streetcar in downtown Hiroshima. What a convenient way to get around!

Hondori Street in Hiroshima. This is a large covered shopping area.