The girls didn't miss an opportunity when asked to join a wedding party for a photo.

About to join the crowd navigating their way through a popular shopping area.

On a very hot day, the tour guide made things a lot easier as she guided the group on and off the subway and the trains.  A little break for Ms Hill who has led the group wonderfully all through the tour.

Having an unusually long holiday weekend, large crowds flocked to Tokyo.

Asakusa Shrine & Sensoji Temple.
The smoke you can see rising from the centre of the photo is incense from candles that are burned to bring about cleansing and purification.

Bonsai!

The tour has arrived in Tokyo and visited The Tokyo Skytree.The Tokyo Skytree is a new television broadcasting tower and landmark of Tokyo. It is the centerpiece of the Tokyo Skytree Town in the Sumida City Ward, not far away from Asakusa. With a height of 634 meters (634 can be read as "Musashi", a historic name of the Tokyo Region), it is the tallest building in Japan and the second tallest structure in the world at the time of its completion. A large shopping complex with aquarium is located at its base.
The girls watched as dusk turned into night. 

The bright lights of downtown Tokyo.

The girls capturing the sights of Tokyo.

Starting the day seeking good luck and good fortune.  The guided tour of the sites of Tokyo beginning with the Meiji Shrine.

Japanese wedding.
Following the procession and blessing, the bride discards the white robes to reveal a beautiful kimono.  Most of these ceremonies take place weeks or possibly months following a civil ceremony. The traditional ceremony is the party time where friends and family gather to celebrate the union.

VENICE

Venice was wonderful, full of little alleys and streets which all lead to something new and exciting to explore. The best advice given was do not try and read a map as it will not help, follow  your instinct and let yourselves be guided by Venice........ Easy for the locals to say.

We visited the Italian life cycle of St Ursula which was similar but different to the depictions in Cologne and then to see San Marco's and the Bridge of Sighs a crossing between the court house and the prison where as they crossed the prisoners sighed realising their last moments of freedom.

Yesterday up early to attend mass in San Marco so we could see the domes with the light on and participate in an amazing service, that saw us being lead down to the Crypt underneath to participate in the blessing of the Patriarchs and St Marks tomb. It was amazing and completely unexpected. Last day in Venice today and as we move into the Angela story. 

The tour visited Hiroshima and found it a very moving experience.  

Hiroshima Peace Park

The second day in Hiroshima began at Kintai Bridge, a beautiful part of the world - river, forest, castle.  The sun was shining and the weather was perfect, not too hot and not too cold.

A unique structure that has been rebuilt over the years in the same style following each flood.

The view from the top of the bridge to the river and town below.

This monument stands testament to a young girl who survived the initial radiation effects of Hiroshima but who later died of leukemia.  In memory of her, friends made a number of paper cranes.  This continues to this day with paper cranes surrounding this statue as a symbol of the need for peace in the world.

Some of the girls at the Peace Statue

Dinner - Okonomiyaki.  A wonderful concoction of noodles, egg, pork, cabbage, bean sprouts on a pancake bed which was delicious.

Iwakuni  Castle.
A sky car trip to the girls to the top of the hill and the magnificent Iwakuni Castle.  Ms Hill had Mrs Pawsey worried when she said they were using a rope bridge to get there (having visions of teetering over the river coming to mind).  They all made it safely!

Ice Cream!  (Green Tea Ice cream for the adventurous)

Visiting the Mazda Factory.

Miyajima Island.
One ferry ride later the Island of Miyajima.  Mrs Aitchison, Mrs Pawsey & Ms Hill standing in front of the Gateway to the Itsukushima Shrine.  The island is popular with tourists and on this very warm day they visited in large numbers.

Jessie and Ruby

The island is also a deer haven.  This can be hazardous to visitors as they are very interested in everyone's bags!

Although it did rain at one stage today it was not going to stop the group from catching yet another train and sorting out what stop they needed to get off.  The girls are getting very good at working out the route and making sure the whole group knows when to get off.  They are also now getting used to working in groups of 5 in readiness for the huge crowds expected in Tokyo.

More luck and happiness.  Mrs Aitchison models the correct way to ring the bell.
Three rings and two claps of the hands.

Laura and Shiane ring the bell.

The group with the Maiko.

The girls had a glimpse of the life of a traditional Japanese Geisha with a meeting with a young woman who has decided to become what we would describe an a apprentice Geisha.  She is called a Maiko.  The girls participated in a tea ceremony and the Maiko performed a traditional dance.

Tea ceremony.

The Maiko performing a dance.

This was a very interesting experience especially for the girls.

Meeting a girl not much older than themselves that has decided to give up the freedoms of a normal teenage girl's life to commit to training as a traditional Geisha.

A life where she only sees her family once or twice a year and spends her days studying dance, art and traditional Japanese ceremonies.

A life that expects a girl to leave school at 15.

They were surprised to meet a confident, intelligent, personable and amusing young woman who had all the attributes of being anything she wanted to be and yet decided to commit for the time being to train as a Geisha.

Ms Hill, the Maiko, Mrs Aitchison & Mrs Pawsey