Monkey Island, sans monkeys.

For the last two days we have been hauled up in a royokan - traditional Japanese Inn - on Miyajima Island, just off the coast of Hiroshima. We are living in luxuary. We have usage of a private onsen as well as the normal onsens so were having two long hot baths a day, youre encouraged to walk around in your bath robe and slippers, they lay your bed our for you every night and my name is on the board out the front welcoming me to the island. We have found the best Japanese restaurant in the world and have eaten there nearly every meal, we have gone CRAZY at the souvenoir shops and there are deer everywhere.

So let me explain yesterdays heavenly experience.

We awoke later than usual and had an onsen. Steaming hot bath with luxourious products to indulge in. We then headed down to breakfast. It was a banquet set out in front of us and served by a gorgeous girl. The bacon and eggs were cooked on an open flame in front of us while we indulged in the fresh fruits yogurts and cheese buns. There was also salad but I still cant get used to eating that for breakfast.

We then headed up the mountain. There is a track that heads through amazing country side and past tiny little tea shops set next to ponds full of koi (hell yes we indulged). About half way up the track you come accross the ropeway. It takes you 400 metres up to a little lookout. This is where the monkeys are meant to be, but alas they were no where to be seen - which we were actually glad about considering the warning signs practically said do not look, touch or engage in any way with the monkeys or they may rip your face off.  From there it was a kilometer walk to the sumit of Mount Misen, passing by shrines and temples alomng the way. There is a fire there that is said to have been burning for 1200 years and was used to light the peace flame in Hiroshimas peace park. The view from the top was of course stunning.

Once we had made it back to the foreshore it was time to hire our bikes. Um yeah bikes. I was dubious to say the least, Jazz was like a child that just been given his first bike at Christmas. There were a lot of WHEEEEEEEEs and bell ringing. After a little while I got the hang of it and it ended up being an amazing way to explore the island. Riding past the beaches while the cherry blossoms fell like snow around us is possibly the highlight of our entire Japan trip.

At hide tide we explored the shrine that the island is famous for. There is a giant tori gate in the ocean that you can walk out to at low tide, and appears to be floating at high tide. Magical. And then we hit the shops. Man these Japanese have some crazy mixed up stuff for sale. The highlight of Jazzys day, turning it from epic to mythical status, was buying an unbrella that looks like a samurai sword. You can even wear it on your back. The elderly shop keep thought this was the funniest thing to happen in a millenia. And the man child was truely sated.

Dinner was divine. And then we headed back to the hotel for another onsen follwed by a massage before falling in to bed to sleep a blissful slumber.

Today we head back to Hiroshima and then to Shimoneski where we catch the ferry to China tomorrow.