Andrew Returns

I'm the only one of us who's lingered on, but at one time both of my younger brothers were here in Hiroshima. Over the winter holiday, my brother Andrew came for about a week and a half and brought along his wife.

It was good, especially the chance to get to know my sister-in-law a bit better, and for my daughter to spend some time with non-Japanese family.

Anyway, after a very long absence, I'm sticking my toe back in the water by posting a few photos from their visit. If you wander through, or you're still checking this blog from time to time, welcome and thanks for stopping by.

You can see from the photo at left that the weather wasn't always ideal for sightseeing, but with enough flannel and curry you can survive very nearly anything. Seriously, google it.

If you've been to Hiroshima, you've probably also visited Miyajima. That was an obvious choice for New Year's, so we actually went twice, once for the Fire Festival on New Year's Eve and again two days later to march around gaping at old wooden things. And if you've been to Miyajima, you've no doubt had your own run-in with the sacred deer.

Here's a shot down the souvenir alley toward the pagoda above Itsukushima Shrine.

And here are just a few more.

The obligatory shot of the torii gate, which I never seem to get right.

My daughter and her aunt all dressed up for a visit to Gokoku Shrine, near Hiroshima Castle.

My brother strikes a fairly ridiculous pose as he gazes out over the Seto Inland Sea from the top of Miyajima's Mt. Misen.

And that's all I have at the moment. Bye!