European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 1, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse Sunday april 1 2007 s c e n e stars and stripes Page 19 travel signature from professional wrestler Stone cold Steve Austin hanging on a nearby Wall cheered me on with some Comfort in my belly i now had to cheer myself Onward to the peace memorial Park and the bomb dome Hiroshima Central District is relatively com pact and the museums the peace Park and the main shopping area Are within about a mile and a half of each other so after stuffing myself walked a few blocks West toward the Park the peace Park is filled with memorials and statues dedicated to the victims of the atomic bomb explosion the artwork plaques and monuments All have one Mes Sage the people Here never want another place on Earth to suffer a similar Fate on the Day of the bombing families and Homes simply disappeared the bomb absolutely levelled the City in about a 2miie radius those who survived the initial blast died later buried under debris burned in citywide fires or after dehydration and infection set in months and years later More died from can cer the Parks peace memorial museum slowly walks visitors through this painful journey from Hiroshima former Home to japans 5th army division to its destruction and its recovery the museum displays include the science behind nuclear Power and the scientists role in creat ing then protesting the use of nuclear Wear the living breathing Hiroshima is perhaps the Best memorial of Allons shows copies of decades Worth of letters from stuffing and full ppm a Towens Pancake a seat at the bar allows for a perfect View of the precision at the griddle the mayors of Hiroshima to leaders throughout the world As they tested nuclear weapons the last two Are addressed to George w Bush and Kim Jong ii outside it proved easier to find signs of Hope and Healing paper cranes a Symbol of happiness and longevity Money water and fresh Flowers adorned Many of the memorials throughout the Park most of the visitors were Japa Nese smiling and posing peace memorial Park for pictures taken with cell phones perhaps the most hopeful site lies at the Northern end of the Park the Industrial promotion Hall was one of a handful of build Ings that survived the atomic blast and the fires that followed instead of razing it City officials decided to preserve it As a reminder of the destruction now through its Skeleton one can see glimpses of today Hiroshima the lights from a baseball stadium sky scraping apart ment towers rebuilt department stores this was my last Stop in the Park As 1 made my Way Back into the modern City along the Way people jogged and walked their dogs kids ran ahead of parents without worry the Liv ing breathing Hiroshima is perhaps the Best memorial of All i wanted a few More moments of peace before heading to the train station so i wan dered a few blocks North to the Shuk keen Garden this Small but immaculately groomed Garden originally was created in the Early 15th Century but was destroyed by the atomic blast yet like most everything else in Hiroshima it was hard to imagine its absence after the bomb hit Hiroshima experts said it would be 75 years before plants would grow still with in a year people found Canna lilies flowering and on an Early sunday in february 61 years later the Plum Trees were Blooming getting there from Marine corps air station Iwakuni take the Sanyo or train to Hiroshima station 740 yen about one Way Stop in the stations tourist office to pick up a map and a Seto sea Island Wel come card which provides discounts for some tourist destinations also ask advice about walking around the Colyor taking the Street car i opted for walking and probably covered about three Miles before the Day was done Shuk keen Garden is a Small but carefully planned Garden originally built in the 15th Century replanted and tended after the atomic bomb explosion it serves As a respite to Hiroshima Busy streets the first atomic bomb used in warfare was Hiroshima by forces at aug 6 1945 it exploded about feet above what is now peace memorial Park the bomb levelled nearly every building for three Square Kilometres and the entire City broke out in fires the weapon killed an estimated people both directly after the blast and subsequently from radiation diseases the Park includes an eternal flame various memorials for victims and a cent graph for korean victims about 10 percent of Trie people killed were korean forced labourers Hiroshima peace memorial museum inside the Park the museum gives an i depth look at the history of Hiroshima As a Trade educational and military City As Well As the destruction of the bomb and its aftermath it includes several graphic displays and stories about individuals who died during the bombing it also talks about the science and politics involved in the nuclear age and makes an open Call for the end of nuclear proliferation open daily to statue of the bomb children inside the Park this statue and area Are dedicated to the children who died in the bombing and afterwards As radiation took its toll a Crane a Symbol of happiness and longevity sits atop the child to remember Sadako Sasaki who was exposed to the bomb when she was 2 and died 10 years later from leukaemia before she died she set out to fold paper cranes with the Hopes of a cure her Story and her Art survived and has been copied by thousands bomb dome inside the Park Hiroshima Industrial promotion Hall was one of a handful of buildings that survived the atomic blast and the fires that followed instead of razing it City officials decided to preserve the Skeleton As a reminder of the destruction Hondo i shopping Arcade this shopping District is bordered by and Rijo Avenue and includes a covered shopping Plaza and department stores full of goods Florist shops and restaurants its a Good place to look for an inexpensive lunch i found Konomi Yaki Here and stuffed myself for yen about you also might consider picking out a Bou Quet of Flowers before heading Over to the memorial Park Shuk keen Garden this Small but immaculately groomed Garden was originally created in the Early 15th Century and was destroyed by the atomic blast but like most every thing else in Hiroshima it has been rebuilt and it is hard to imagine its Plum frees and peonies were gone for a time open Dairy from 9 to 6 april 6 March through november closes through september closes one hour the bomb dome is visible in the distance through Hiroshima peace memorial Park an hour earlier the rest of the year closed dec 29 to Jan 1 admission costs 50 yen about 40 cents for adults audio guide costs another 300 yen about earlier the rest of the year admission costs 250 yen about for adults and 1 80 yen about 150 for children sources the Hiroshima peace memorial museum Frommert Teri Weaver
