At 2 minutes past 11 on the 9th August 1945, an
American plane dropped a nuclear bomb above the small seaside town of Nagasaki.
150,000 people were killed or injured, and the town suffered extensive damage.
This momentous and tragic event occurred just 6 years after
Chris was born, and its significance is still engraved in our minds.
Considering the gravity of the devastation, it is remarkable that the people of
Nagasaki welcomed an American cruise ship with such graciousness.
Both our entry and sailaway were treated as special events
with the local school band skilfully playing us out with traditional British
and American theme tunes.
The peace park and museum carried no messages of blame or
self pity. The simple and tragic exhibits and monuments spoke for themselves.
Glass bottles melted by the heat of the bomb.
Sculptures donated by international governments and artists
Both the museum and the peace park were laid out with
careful design and lighting to give respect the enormous human tragedy which
was represented.
As in all parts of the town, the floral displays and
sculpted trees created a calm and restful atmosphere. Even our ice creams were
shaped like a flower!
Strangely, for such an otherwise welcoming country, the
entry requirements for Japan were very strict. Every single passenger onboard
was photographed and finger-printed. I now have an internationally recorded
identity!
The Peace Garden was a lovely place we felt it was so peaceful even though when we were there it was crowded with parties of school children all wanting us to be in their photographs. We never saw those sweet ice creams, what a work of art. It must be something new taking fingerprints because they didn't want ours.
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