One of the things that is a constant “challenge” in Japan is the rotten exchange rate for the US dollar. When we were here twenty years ago, I recall an exchange rate of over 230 yen to the dollar. Now it’s around 106 yen. We find ourselves doing things like buying 3 meals for 6 people just because it seems so outrageous to pay 100 bucks for a meal and taking advantage of anything that’s offered for free. For your amusement (and our heartburn) here is an approximate accounting of our family’s trip to Hiroshima and Miyajima. The prices (in dollars) are included to the best of our recollection…
| Breakfast for six at the hotel | Free |
| Hotel bus to the train station - | Free |
| Donuts for everybody at Sophie’s insistence - | $7 |
| Sandwiches for Ed - | $3 |
| Bullet train Kyoto to Hiroshima roundtrip for six - | $1,100 |
| Drinks for Sophie and Valerie on the train - | $3 |
| Other snacks, drinks and lunch supplies - | Paid $$$ yesterday at the supermarket |
| Bus to the Peace Park - | $12 |
| War museum for James - | Usually 30 cents but today Free! |
| Two taxis back to Hiroshima station to catch train - | $28 |
| Local train to Miyajima station - | Included above |
| Bread and Yakitori to supplement our lunch supplies - | $15 |
| Five minute ferry ride to Miyajima Island - | $15 |
| Watching Ed shoo the deer away while we were eating our lunches - | Priceless! |
| Entry to shrine - | $9 |
| Entry to aquarium - | $16 |
| Plastic turtle for Alex from aquarium vending machine - | $1 |
| Ice cream for Sophie and Valerie from aquarium vending machine - | $3 |
| Visit to the park Ed and I remember fondly from 20 years ago – | Free |
| Ice cream and Coke for Ed, Alex and James - | $5 |
| Roasted corn for Valerie and Sophie - | $3 |
| Lecture from James on how we are spending his college fund – | Free |
| Changing tickets to catch earlier train, negotiated by Ed - | Free |
| Small key chain with furry ferret-like creature for Valerie - | $2 |
| Bento boxes for Sophie’s and Valerie’s dinner back at Hiroshima - | $25 |
| McDonald’s dinner for James and Alex - | $10 |
| Half liter bottle of sake for Catherine and Ed for the train ride home – | Worth every penny |
|
Taxis back to the hotel since bus doesn't run that late - |
Too tired to remember (or was it the sake?) |
All of us safe back at the hotel without too many fights, crying fits or loss
of any children - Mission Accomplished